Buddhism News: 11-yr-old to head Buddhist sect

Source: Times of India, TNN 30 October 2009, 04:58am IST

DARJEELING: From a follower of the Boston Redsox national basketball team to being the Rinpoche of Drukpa Kagyu, a sub-sect of Tibetan Buddhism, 11-year-old Jigme Wangchuk has come a long way in the past few days. And for this change to happen, his religious order has waited 759 years.

The boy for Boston is ready to be anointed as the Rinpoche, the second reincarnation of Gyalwa Lorepa of the Drukpa sub-sect. He has travelled to Darjeeling with his family for the holy rites, which will take place at the Druk-Sa-Ngag Choeling monastery in Dali.

So for Jigme, life will revolve around Buddhist teachings and philosophy — a far cry from the world of pizzas and video games that he loves. In Buddhism, once the highest Rinpoche recognizes some one as the reincarnate, the person is deemed spiritual and the general public will not have access to him except on religious occasions.