At Deer Park Buddhist Center in Oregon, the sound of prayers and the hum of anticipation carried through the halls as a 7-year-old boy sat before hundreds of followers. For many, it was not only a religious ceremony, but also the continuation of a legacy that has shaped Tibetan Buddhism in the United States.
This gathering in late September marked the enthronement of Tenzin Nawang. The boy, who lives in Toronto, is considered by the community to be the reincarnation of Geshe Lhundub Sopa, a highly respected Tibetan Buddhist teacher.
Sopa fled Tibet in 1959 and went on to teach at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Sopa’s work laid the foundation for Deer Park, a hub where Tibetan Buddhist teachings first gained a following in the United States. He died in 2014 at 91 years old…