People

Chogyam Trungpa,18

Gyalwa Karmapa

Chogyam Trungpa (R), Khenpo Gangshar, 1958

Jamgon Kongtrul

Yonten Gyamtso

Chogyam Trungpa, Akong Tulku, India

Lama Yeshe Rinpoche (Jampal Drakpa)

Palya Washutsong, Boudha 2012

Tibetan refugees arriving at Missamari

Freda Bedi (Houlston)

Young Lamas School. Rinpoche, Mrs Bedi, back row

En route to England, March 1963, probably at Gibraltar

Chogyam Trungpa, Oxford (seated, 2nd from right)

Chogyam Trungpa, Samye Ling, Scotland

Chogyam Trungpa, Bhutan, 1968

Diana Mukpo, Spanish Riding School

Chogyam Trungpa, US Rockies, 1974

Yonten Gyamtso, US Rockies, 1976

Yonten, Boudha, 2012

Chogyam Trungpa, US, 1978

Image credits below

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Leading Figures

Here are the primary people in the story, in order of appearance and prominence. Readers might find the list helpful for keeping people straight when following the journey. (Downloadable PDF of this list below [TBD}).

I - Surmang Monastery

Rinpoche: Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, abbot of the Surmang group of monasteries and eleventh in the line of the Trungpa Tulkus, a sub-lineage of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Yonten: Yonten Gyamtso, Surmang’s courier, Rinpoche’s attendant and protector during the escape.

Tsethar: Surmang‘s bursar, a student of Rinpoche’s immediate predecessor, the Tenth Trungpa.

Teachers:

The Karmapa: The Gyalwa Karmapa, sixteenth in the line of the Karmapas, and supreme head of the Karma Kagyu school.

Jamgon Kongtrul: Renowned teacher, abbot of Sechen monastery and Rinpoche’s guru.

Khenpo Gangshar: Highly learned, outrageous teacher and major influence on Rinpoche.

II - Drolma Lhakang Monastery

Akong Tulku: Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche, abbot of Drolma Lhakang, second in the line of Akong tulkus, and Rinpoche’s closest friend.

Jampal: Jampal Drakpa, Akong Tulku’s younger brother 15 years old during the escape.

Jamyang: Jamyang Chogyal, Akong Tulku’s older brother.

III - The Journey

Khamtrul Tulku: A lama friend of Trungpa of Rinpoche’s who performed divinations with him before their respective escapes, and who repeatedly urged Rinpoche to escape early and alone.

Yag Tulku: Abbot of Yag Monastery, who with many of his students joined Rinpoche on Sharkong La Mountain.

Kino Tulku: Abbot of Kino monastery, who with his wife joined the traveling party in the first week of the journey.

Urgyan-tendzin: An able and versatile monk who joined the party in early May west of Lhodzong, and later became Rinpoche’s right-hand man.

Tsepa: The hunter and guide who joined the party in late September near the Tsophu Pass.

Tserge Washutsong: Head of the Washutsong family and a student of Rinpoche’s from the Lhatok area: he and his family joined the escape in June in the highlands north of the Alado Valley.

Palya: Palya Washutsong, Tserge’s daughter, 15 years old during the escape.

Drupju: Drupju Washutsong, his son, 12 years old.

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Gallery image credits: Chogyam Trungpa,18, Shambhala Archives; Gyalwa Karmapa, Sikkim Monastery; Chogyam Trungpa, Khenpo Gangshar, 1958, Shambhala Archives; Jamgon Kongtrul, Shambhala Archives; Yonten Gyamtso, unknown; Chogyam Trungpa, Akong Tulku, India, Shambhala Archives; Lama Yeshe Rinpoche (Jampal Drakpa), Kagyu Samye Ling; Palya Washutsong, Boudha 2012, Grant MacLean; En route to England, March 1963, Kurt Schaffhauser; Chogyam Trungpa, Oxford (seated, 2nd from right), Shambhala Archives; Chogyam Trungpa, Samye Ling, Scotland, Shambhala Archives; Diana Mukpo at Spanish Riding School, Spanish Riding School; Shambhala Archives; Chogyam Trungpa, Bhutan, 1968, Shambhala Archives; Chogyam Trungpa, US Rockies, 1974, James Gimian/Shambhala Archives; Yonten Gyamtso, US Rockies, 1976, unknown; Yonten, Boudha, 2012, Grant MacLean; Chogyam Trungpa, US, 1978, James Gritz/Shambhala Archives.