Lobsang Thubten Trinley Yarphel, Tibetian Italian lama
Lobsang Thubten Trinley Yarphel the 5th Gangchen Tulku Rinpoche of Tibet died from COVID-19 in Verbania on 18 April 2020, aged 78. He was a Tibetan-Italian lama of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The 5th Gangchen Tulku Rinpoche was born in Drakshu, a small remote village which was about 55 kilometers from the city of Shigatse in 1941. His secular name was Wangdu Gyelpo. He was later recognized as the new incarnation Gangchen Sapen-la. He was enthroned at Gangchen Choepeling Monastery [it] at the age of five. When he was twelve years old, he received the “kachen” degree, Tashi Lhunpo's equivalent of the “geshe” degree. Later, he studied medicine, astrology, meditation, and philosophy in Sera Monastery and Tashi Lhunpo Monastery. After the annexation of Tibet by the Peopl...