tulku

Borrowed from Tibetan སྤྲུལ་སྐུ (sprul sku, “tulku”).

tulku (plural tulkus)

1. In Tibetan Buddhism, a high-ranking lama who can choose the manner of his or her rebirth.

   Synonym: hutukhtu

   • 2009 April 25, Edward Wong, “Senior Tibetan Cleric Faces Prison in China”, in New York Times‎:

     The abbot is considered a tulku by Tibetans and called a living Buddha in Chinese — an especially revered figure who is believed to be the essence of a prominent religious leader.

• Ktulu, tukul

tulku m

1. inflection of tulks:
   1. accusative/instrumental singular
   2. genitive plural