"Tulku" is a Tibetan word meaning "transformation body," or "nirmanakaya." In Tibetan Buddhism, a tulku is a person who has been identified as the emanation of a deceased master.
Tulkus are most often identified when they are young children. Most, but not all, tulkus are male. There are a number of tulku lineages in Tibetan Buddhism, including the Dalai Lama and the Karmapa.
Tulkus are often called "reincarnated" masters, but it is important to understand that the master is not a reborn or transmigrated "soul," because according to Buddhist teaching there is no soul. Also, the phrase "soul boy" that is sometimes used to describe tulkus is incorrect. Instead of a reincarnated soul, the tulku is a manifestation of the enlightened master in nirmanakaya form (see trikaya).
People often confuse "tulku" with "lama." A lama is a spiritual master who may, or may not, be a tulku.
