At the beginning of the 19th Century, the ruling family that governs the Sakya tradition split into two great houses – the Drolma Phodrang (palace) and the Phuntsok Phodrang. Since that time, the patriarchs of both palaces have alternated and served as the Sakya Trizin or the supreme head of the Sakya tradition. In his autobiography, the 31st Sakya Trizin Kunga Lodro explained that the ruling family of the Sakya are traditionally believed to be incarnations of divine beings. At times, he said, the Sakya Trizin might even be the reincarnation of their own grandfather. In fact, in his own biography, the 39th Sakya Trizin Dragshul Trinley Rinchen stated that he was one such incarnation. He claimed to be the reincarnation of his own grandfather, the 35th Sakya Trizin Tashi Rinchen. Dragshul Trinley Rinchen was born into the Drolma Phodrang in 1871. His father was the renowned 38th Sakya Trizin Kunga Nyingpo (1850-1899). Within the same autobiography where Dragshul Trinley Rinchen stated he is the incarnation of a divine being, he also sought to establish that his father, Kunga Nyingpo, was an incarnation of Avalokiteshvara, a fully enlightened being. He accomplished this by first establishing his father as an incarnation […]