A tulku is a
high-ranking lama, or holy man, of the Tibetan Buddhist religion. The
famous Dalai Lama is a tulku; the rank is roughly equivalent to an archbishop or a cardinal of the Catholic church. All tulkus are lamas, just as all cardinals are priests, but not all lamas are tulkus. The vast majority of tulkus and other lamas are
men, although there are a few women.
Reincarnation (the idea that all living things die, then return to life in a new form) is central to Tibetan Buddhism. Tulkus are believed to be the only living beings who are able to know and choose in advance the form and manner in which their
spirit will be reborn on
Earth. In addition to being reborn many times, and accumulating wisdom in the process, tulku and other Tibetan holy
men are also believed to be ongoing, earthly manifestations of bodhisattvas. (Bodhisattvas are semi-
divine beings, who symbolize and teach Buddhist spiritual values; they are roughly equivalent to major saints of the Catholic church.)
'Tulku: A Tale of Modern Ninja' is also a very cool book, written by Stephen K. Hayes in 1985 (Contemporary Books, ISBN number
978-0809253326). It is a kick-ass espionage story, and a
fun way to learn more about eastern martial arts and the Buddhist traditions of Tibet.
Supplicant: "O wise tulku, isn't there some fast and
easy way to reach enlightenment? My flight leaves this
afternoon, and I'm kind of in a hurry ..."
Tulku: "If I weren't the living embodiment of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, the pinnacle of mercy and compassion, I would kick your lazy ass so
hard you wouldn't need to catch a flight."