Part of a series on |
Tibetan Buddhism |
---|
![]() |
A Western tulku is a recognized reincarnation of a previous master, born in the West, commonly of non-Tibetan ethnic heritage, but also expatriate Tibetans born in the West or Westerners with heritage from the Tibetan cultural sphere (e.g. Mongolia).[1][2][3] The recognition of Westerners as tulku has occurred since the 1970s, following the spread of Tibetan Buddhism to modern Western countries such as the United States.
Western, especially non-Asian, tulku have prompted debate in Buddhist circles and the wider Tibetan communities, variously being interpreted as outgrowths of orientalism, or part of Tibetan Buddhism adapting to a global, transcultural political context.[4][5]