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Karma Kagyu (Tibetan: ཀརྨ་བཀའ་བརྒྱུད, Wylie: karma bka'-brgyud), or Kamtsang Kagyu, is probably the largest and certainly the most widely practiced lineage within the Kagyu school,^[1] one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The lineage has long-standing monasteries in Tibet, China, Russia, Mongolia, India, Nepal, and Bhutan, and current centers in at least 62 countries.^[2][3] The spiritual head of the Karma Kagyu is the Gyalwa Karmapa, and the 2nd through the 10th Karmapas were the principal spiritual advisors to successive Emperors of China.^[4] The Karma Kagyu are sometimes called the "Black Hat" Lamas, in reference to the Black Crown worn by the Karmapa.

Origins[link]

The Karma Kagyu was founded by the first Karmapa, Jetsun Dusum Khyenpa. It is headed by the Gyalwa Karmapa, a reincarnate lama (tulku). Followers believe that the Karmapa's appearance as the first historical consciously reincarnate teacher was predicted by the Buddha in the Samadhiraja Sutra (lit: Discourse on the Kings of Meditative Concentration).^[5]

Teachings[link]

The Karma Kagyu school belongs to the Vajrayana branch of Mahayana Buddhism. It is a Triyana (all three turnings of the Wheel of the dharma) school (e.g., monks and nuns keep the vows of Vinaya while lay practitioners hold the Upasaka vows) and a Rime (non-sectarian) tradition.

The central teaching of the Karma Kagyu is the doctrine of Mahamudra, also known as the "Great Seal". This doctrine focuses on four principal stages of meditative practice (the Four Yogas of Mahamudra):

• The development of single-pointedness of mind,
• The transcendence of all conceptual elaboration,
• The cultivation of the perspective that all phenomena are of a "single taste",
• The fruition of the path, which is beyond any contrived acts of meditation.

It is through these four stages of development that the practitioner is said to attain the perfect realization of Mahamudra. Mahamudra is practiced both independently and as the completion stage of Vajrayana practice.

Within the Karma Kagyu, meditative practice is almost invariably presented in a progressive manner. Early practice includes Shamatha meditation (calm abiding; single-pointedness), introduction to Buddhist history and philosophy, and initiation into the lower Tantras - classically across the Yidams (deities) Avalokiteshvara (Tibetan Chenrezik), Tara and Amitabha Buddha. This is followed by Ngondro (the practice of the Four Extraordinary Foundations) and Vipassana meditation. During the traditional three-year retreat, retreatants usually focus their practice on the Six Yogas of Naropa. At the Anuttarayogatantra level of practice, the principal Yidams of the lineage are Vajrayogini, Hevajra and Chakrasamvara.

While one of the distinguishing characteristics of the Karma Kagyu is its emphasis on meditative practice, all forms and levels of Buddhist history and philosophy are also taught, most notably the Shentong branch of Prāsaṅgika Madhyamaka philosophy.

Lamas[link]

The supreme Lama of the Karma Kagyu is the Karmapa, who always presides as lineage holder once he has reached his majority and received all the necessary training and transmissions. From the death of one Karmapa until the next takes his seat as lineage holder, one (or more) of the previous Karmapa's principal disciples holds the lineage. The 16th Gyalwa Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje left the lineage in the hands of four eminent Lamas; the 14th Shamar Rinpoche, the 12th Tai Situ Rinpoche, the 3rd Jamgön Kongtrül Rinpoche and the 12th Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche. There is some controversy over who is the 17th Karmapa, with two major candidates both having been recognized and enthroned by their supporters. Neither candidate has been enthroned at Rumtek Monastery.

The direct master-disciple transmission of the lineage holders of the Karma Kagyu is known as the Golden Rosary of Kagyu Fathers. They are^[6][7]:

Painted thangka of Kagyu Refuge Tree, showing lineage holders. Source website has clickable links identifying each figure.

1. Vajradhara (Tib. Dorje Chang)
2. Tilopa 989-1069 C.E.
3. Naropa 1016-1100 C.E.
4. Marpa 1012-1097 C.E.
5. Milarepa 1040-1123 C.E.
6. Gampopa 1079-1153 C.E.
7. 1st Karmapa Düsum Khyenpa 1110-1193 C.E.
8. Drogon Rechen 1148-1219 C.E.
9. Pomdrakpa 1170-1249 C.E.
10. 2nd Karmapa Karma Pakshi 1204-1283 C.E.
11. Orgyenpa 1230-1312 C.E.
12. 3rd Karmapa Rangjung Dorje 1284-1339 C.E.
13. Yungtonpa 1296-1376 C.E.
14. 4th Karmapa Rolpe Dorje 1340-1383
15. 2nd Shamarpa Khacho Wangpo 1350-1405 C.E.
16. 5th Karmapa Deshin Shekpa 1384-1415 C.E.
17. Ratnabhadra (dates unknown)
18. 6th Karmapa Thongwa Dönden 1416-1453 C.E.
19. Jampal Zangpo 1427-1489 C.E.
20. 1st Gyaltsab Rinpoche Paljor Dondrup 1427-1489 C.E.
21. 7th Karmapa Chödrak Gyatso 1454-1506 C.E.
22. 1st Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche Tashi Paljor 1457-1525 C.E.
23. 8th Karmapa Mikyö Dorje 1507-1554 C.E.
24. 5th Shamarpa Kongchok Yanglak 1526-1583 C.E.
25. 9th Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje 1555-1603 C.E.
26. 6th Shamarpa Chokyi Wangchuk 1584-1629 C.E.
27. 10th Karmapa Chöying Dorje 1604-1674 C.E.
28. 7th Shamarpa Yeshe Nyingpo 1631-1694 C.E.
29. 11th Karmapa Yeshe Dorje 1676-1702 C.E.
30. 8th Shamarpa Chokyi Dondrup 1695-1732 C.E.
31. 12th Karmapa Changchub Dorje 1703-1732 C.E.
32. 8th Situpa Chokyi Jungney 1699-1774 C.E.
33. 13th Karmapa Dudul Dorje 1733-1797 C.E.
34. 10th Shamarpa Mipham Chodrub Gyatso 1742-1793 C.E.
35. 9th Situpa Pema Nyinche Wangpo 1774-1853 C.E.
36. 14th Karmapa Thekchok Dorje 1798-1868 C.E.
37. 1st Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche Lodrö Thayé 1813-1899 C.E.
38. 15th Karmapa Khakyab Dorje 1871-1922 C.E.
39. 11th Situpa Pema Wangchuk Gyalpo 1886-1953 C.E.
40. 2nd Jamgon Rinpoche Palden Khyentse Oser 1904-1953 C.E.
41. 16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje 1924-1981 C.E.

Because of the Karmapa controversy, the identities of the next lineage holders have not been definitively identified. In all likelihood, they are either:

1. 42. 12th Situpa Péma Tönyö Nyinjé 1954–present C.E.
2. 43. 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje 1985–present C.E.

or

1. 42. 14th Shamarpa Mipham Chokyi Lodro 1952–present C.E.
2. 43. 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje 1983–present C.E.

At the next level of precedence, all Kagyu Lamas who have been accorded by His Holiness the title Rinpoche (Lit: precious one) are highly regarded as trustworthy teachers. Those who hold the Khenpo degree have completed the equivalent of a doctorate in Buddhist studies.

There are (both currently and historically) many female Kagyu Lamas. For example, in the Refuge Tree pictured above, two of the figures floating in the sky above the tree (Dakini Sukhasiddhi and Machig Labdron) are great historical female Lamas of the lineage. Her Eminence Mindrolling Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche is a living female tulku (reincarnate Lama) of the Karma Kagyu. Probably the most well-known active female Kagyu Lamas in the West are Ani Pema Chödrön and Tsultrim Allione.

References[link]

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2008)

External links [link]

Karma Kagyu (Trinley Thaye Dorje)

• Karma Kagyu Tradition: Official web site
• Diamond Way Buddhism Worldwide

Karma Kagyu (Orgyen Trinley Dorje)

• Karma Kagyu Lineage: Official web site
• The Karma Kagyu Institute

Trinley Thaye Dorje
Religion	Vajrayana
School	Karma Kagyu
Personal
Born	(1983-05-06) May 6, 1983 (age 29) Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, PRC
Senior posting
Title	His Holiness 17th KarmapaCo-claimant along with Ogyen Trinley Dorje
Predecessor	Rangjung Rigpe Dorje
Religious career
Reincarnation	KarmapaCo-claimant along with Ogyen Trinley Dorje

Part of a series on Tibetan Buddhism
History
Timeline · Related-topics
Schools
Nyingma · Kagyu · Sakya · Gelug · Bön · Jonang
Key concepts
Three marks of existence · Skandha · Cosmology · Saṃsāra · Rebirth · Bodhisattva · Dharma · Dependent origination · Karma
Major figures
Gautama Buddha · Padmasambhava · Je Tsongkhapa · Dalai Lama · Panchen Lama · Lama · Karmapa Lama · Rinpoche · Geshe · Terton · Tulku
Practices and attainment
Buddhahood · Avalokiteśvara · Four stages of enlightenment · Tantric yoga · Paramitas · Meditation · Laity
Major monasteries
Changzhug · Drepung · Dzogchen · Ganden · Jokhang · Kumbum  · Labrang · Mindroling · Namgyal · Narthang · Nechung · Pabonka · Palcho · Ralung · Ramoche · Sakya · Sanga · Sera · Shalu · Tashilhunpo · Tsurphu · Yerpa
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Chotrul Duchen · Dajyur · Losar · Monlam · Sho Dun
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Kangyur · Tengyur · Tibetan canon · Mahayana sutras · Nyingma Gyubum
Art
Sand mandala · Thangka · Ashtamangala · Tree of physiology
Outline  · Comparative studies  · Culture  · List of topics  · Portal
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Trinley Thaye Dorje (Tibetan: ཕྲིན་ལས་མཐའ་ཡས་རྡོ་རྗེ་, Wylie: Phrin-las Mtha'-yas Rdo-rje) (born 6 May 1983, Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China) is a claimant to the title of 17th Karmapa.

The Karmapa is head of the Karma Kagyu school, one of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Ogyen Trinley Dorje and Thaye Dorje are the persisting claimants to that office and title.

Biography[link]

Trinley Thaye Dorje is the son of the 3rd Mipham Rinpoche of Junyung Monastery, one of several persons believed^{[by whom?]} to be a reincarnation of Ju Mipham, an important lama of the Nyingmapa school, and Dechen Wangmo, the daughter of a noble family descended from King Gesar of Ling.^[1] At the age of six months the boy is reported to have started telling people that he was the Karmapa.^[2] (The identification of the 17th Karmapa is disputed. See Karmapa controversy)

In 1988 Shamar Rinpoche went on a secret visit to Lhasa to investigate whether Thaye Dorje was the reincarnation of the Karmapa, because, he said, the boy appeared to him in a dream.^[3] In March 1994, Thaye Dorje and his family escaped from Tibet to Nepal and then to India, where Shamar Rinpoche formally recognized him as the 17th Karmapa. In 1994 Thaye Dorje was enthroned by the 14th Kunzig Shamarpa as the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa at the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute in New Delhi, India.

Eastern and western education[link]

Thaye Dorje subsequently began an intense period of traditional monastic training. He has received training and transmissions in Buddhist philosophy and practice. His teachers have included the 14th Shamar Rinpoche, Professor Sempa Dorje and Khenpo Chödrak Tenphel. As a result of this, Thaye Dorje was enthroned as Vidhyadhara (Knowledge Holder) by the 14th Shamarpa in December 2003 at the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute.^[4]

Alongside this traditional Buddhist training, Thaye Dorje has received a modern Western education from English and Australian tutors and an intensive introduction to Western philosophy from Professor Harrison Pemberton of Washington and Lee University in the USA.^[5]

Thaye Dorje currently lives in Kalimpong, India where he continues the thorough traditional education required for a holder of the Karmapa title. On May 17, 2006 Thaye Dorje was officially appointed by the Karmapa Charitable Trust as the legal and administrative heir of the 16th Karmapa and can therefore, according to the Trust, live in Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim. However, because the group of monks currently in physical control of Rumtek oppose Thaye Dorje and the legal proceedings between the supporters of the two claimaints have not reached a final conclusion, Thaye Dorje's headquarters remain in Kalimpong for the time being.^[6]

Controversy[link]

Title claim[link]

After the death of H.H. the 16th Karmapa in 1981, the four most senior Karma Kagyu lamas held responsibilities in his absence: the Shamar Rinpoche, the Tai Situ Rinpoche, the Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche and the Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche. Differences between them led to a divide being formed, along with claims that two different individuals are the sole, genuine reincarnation of the 16th Karmapa.^[7] Trinley Thaye Dorje and Ogyen Trinley Dorje have each undergone separate processes of recognition, carried out by different people, at different times, in addition to separate enthronement ceremonies. Both lay claim to the title of H.H. the 17th Karmapa.^[8][9]

Ogyen Trinley Dorje was recognized by Situ Rinpoche and Gyaltsab Rinpoche. On June 30, 1992, following meetings with senior Karma Kagyu leaders, H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama issued an official letter with his seal of confirmation.^[10][11] Ogyen Trinley Dorje's enthronement ceremony took place at Tsurphu Monastery on September 27, 1992.^[12][13] Trinley Thaye Dorje was recognized by Shamar Rinpoche. His enthronement ceremony took place at the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute on March 17, 1994.^[14][15] The 3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche died in a car crash on April 26, 1992, prior to either recognition or enthronement ceremony.^[16]

Disciple recognition[link]

Disagreement exists over the recognition of the reincarnated disciples of H.H. the 16th Karmapa.

Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche[link]

Two individuals are claimed to be the sole, genuine reincarnation of H.E. the 3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche:

• Chokyi Nyima^[17] is recognized by Ogyen Trinley Dorje
• Yangsi^[18] is recognized by Trinley Thaye Dorje.

See also[link]

• Karmapa
• Karma Kagyu
• Karmapa controversy

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Trinley Thaye Dorje

• Official Homepage of 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje
• page of 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje on MySpace
• Karmapa Documentary Project
• Kagyu Asia

v t e Karmapas Recognition of the Seventeenth Karmapa Düsum Khyenpa Karma Pakshi Rangjung Dorje Rolpe Dorje Deshin Shekpa Thongwa Dönden Chödrak Gyatso Mikyö Dorje Wangchuk Dorje Chöying Dorje Yeshe Dorje Changchub Dorje Dudul Dorje Thekchok Dorje Khakyab Dorje Rangjung Rigpe Dorje Trinley Thaye Dorje / Ogyen Trinley Dorje

Karmapa
The 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje (1924 - 1981)
Tibetan name
Tibetan:	རྒྱལ་བ་ཀརྨ་པ་
Wylie transliteration:	rgyal ba karma pa
Tournadre Phonetic:	Karmapa
pronunciation in IPA:	[kaːmapa]
official transcription (PRC):	Garmaba
other transcriptions:	—
Chinese name
traditional:	噶瑪巴
simplified:	噶玛巴
Pinyin:	gámǎbā

Part of a series on Tibetan Buddhism
History
Timeline · Related-topics
Schools
Nyingma · Kagyu · Sakya · Gelug · Bön · Jonang
Key concepts
Three marks of existence · Skandha · Cosmology · Saṃsāra · Rebirth · Bodhisattva · Dharma · Dependent origination · Karma
Major figures
Gautama Buddha · Padmasambhava · Je Tsongkhapa · Dalai Lama · Panchen Lama · Lama · Karmapa Lama · Rinpoche · Geshe · Terton · Tulku
Practices and attainment
Buddhahood · Avalokiteśvara · Four stages of enlightenment · Tantric yoga · Paramitas · Meditation · Laity
Major monasteries
Changzhug · Drepung · Dzogchen · Ganden · Jokhang · Kumbum  · Labrang · Mindroling · Namgyal · Narthang · Nechung · Pabonka · Palcho · Ralung · Ramoche · Sakya · Sanga · Sera · Shalu · Tashilhunpo · Tsurphu · Yerpa
Major festivals
Chotrul Duchen · Dajyur · Losar · Monlam · Sho Dun
Texts
Kangyur · Tengyur · Tibetan canon · Mahayana sutras · Nyingma Gyubum
Art
Sand mandala · Thangka · Ashtamangala · Tree of physiology
Outline  · Comparative studies  · Culture  · List of topics  · Portal
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Karmapa's flag

The Karmapa (officially His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa, sometimes spelled Gyalwang Karmapa) is the head of the Karma Kagyu, the largest sub-school of the Kagyupa (Tibetan Bka' brgyud), itself one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

The historical seat of the Karmapas is Tsurphu Monastery in the Tolung valley of Tibet. His Holiness' principal seat in exile is the Dharma Chakra Centre at Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim, India. His regional monastic seats are Karma Triyana Dharmachakra in New York, Dhagpo Kagyu Ling in France and Tashi Choling in Bhutan.

Due to a controversy within the Karma Kagyu school over the recognition process, the identity of the current 17th Karmapa is disputed. See Karmapa controversy for details.

Origin of the lineage[link]

The first Karmapa, Düsum Khyenpa (Dus gsum Mkhyen pa) (1110–1193), was a disciple of the Tibetan master Gampopa. A talented child who studied dharma (Buddhist teachings) with his father from an early age and who sought out great teachers in his twenties and thirties, he is said to have attained enlightenment at the age of fifty while practicing dream yoga. He was henceforth regarded as the Karmapa, a manifestation of Avalokitesvara (Chenrezig), whose coming was predicted in the Samadhiraja Sutra^[1] and the Lankavatara Sutra.^[2]

The source of the oral lineage, traditionally traced back to the Buddha Vajradhara, was transmitted to the Indian master of mahamudra and tantra called Tilopa (989-1069), through Naropa (1016–1100) to Marpa and Milarepa. These forefathers of the Kagyu (Bka' brGyud) lineage are collectively called the "golden rosary".

The second Karmapa, Karma Pakshi (1204–1283), is often said to be the first person ever recognized and empowered as a tulku (sprul sku), a reincarnated lama (bla ma).^[3]

Black Crown[link]

The Karmapas are the holders of the Black Crown (Tibetan: Shanag, Wylie: Zhwa-nag) and are thus sometimes known as the Black Hat Lamas. This crown (Tib. rang 'byung cod pan, lit. self-arisen crown), is traditionally said to have been woven by the dakinis from their hair and given to Karmapa, in recognition of his spiritual realization. The physical crown displayed by the Karmapas was offered to the fifth Karmapa by the Chinese Yongle Emperor as a material representation of the spiritual one.

The crown was last known to be located at Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim, the last home of the 16th Karmapa, although that location has been subject to some upheaval since 1993 causing some to worry as to whether or not it is still there. An inventory of items remaining at Rumtek is purported to be something the Indian government is going to undertake in the near future.

List of previous Karmapas[link]

1. Düsum Khyenpa (དུས་གསུམ་མཁྱེན་པ་) (1110–1193)
2. Karma Pakshi (ཀརྨ་པཀྵི་) (1204–1283)
3. Rangjung Dorje (རང་འབྱུང་རྡོ་རྗེ་) (1284–1339)
4. Rolpe Dorje (རོལ་པའི་རྡོ་རྗེ་) (1340–1383)
5. Deshin Shekpa (དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ་)(1384–1415)
6. Thongwa Dönden (མཐོང་བ་དོན་ལྡན་) (1416–1453)
7. Chödrak Gyatso (ཆོས་གྲགས་རྒྱ་མཚོ་) (1454–1506)
8. Mikyö Dorje (མི་བསྐྱོད་རྡོ་རྗེ་) (1507–1554)
9. Wangchuk Dorje (དབང་ཕྱུག་རྡོ་རྗེ་) (1556–1603)
10. Chöying Dorje (ཆོས་དབྱིངས་རྡོ་རྗེ་) (1604–1674)
11. Yeshe Dorje (ཡེ་ཤེས་རྡོ་རྗེ་) (1676–1702)
12. Changchub Dorje (བྱང་ཆུབ་རྡོ་རྗེ་) (1703–1732)
13. Dudul Dorje (བདུད་འདུལ་རྡོ་རྗེ་) (1733–1797)
14. Thekchok Dorje (ཐེག་མཆོག་རྡོ་རྗེ་) (1798–1868)
15. Khakyab Dorje (མཁའ་ཁྱབ་རྡོ་རྗེ་) (1871–1922)
16. Rangjung Rigpe Dorje (རང་འབྱུང་རིག་པའི་རྡོ་རྗེ་) (1924–1981)
17. Controversy over whether the true Karmapa is Ogyen Trinley Dorje (ཨོ་རྒྱན་འཕྲིན་ལས་རྡོ་རྗེ།) (b. 1985), or Trinley Thaye Dorje (ཕྲིན་ལས་མཐའ་ཡས་རྡོ་རྗེ།) (b. 1983)

See also[link]

• Shamarpa
• Thrangu Rinpoche
• Dorje Pakmo
• Karmapa controversy

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Ken Holmes, Karmapa, Altea Publishing 1995, ISBN 0-9524555-4-4. Author's website (While the book and web site favours one candidate for the 17th the information on 1st-16th is useful and was the original source for this article)
• Maheshwari, Anil, The Buddha Cries!: Karmapa Conundrum, UBS Publishers' Distributors LTD. 2000, New Delhi, India. ISBN 81-7476-305-8
• Michele Martin, Music in the Sky: The Life, Art and Teachings of the Seventeenth Karmapa, Karmapa Orgyen Trinley Dorje, Snow Lion Publications 2003, ISBN 1-55939-195-2
• Mick Brown, The Dance of 17 Lives: The Incredible True Story of Tibet's 17th Karmapa, Bloomsbury 2005, ISBN 1-58234-598-8.
• Naher, Gaby. (2004). Wrestling the Dragon: In Search of the Boy Lama Who Defied China. Vintage Books, Random House. Sydney, Australia. ISBN 1-84413-231-5.
• "Buddha's Not Smiling: Uncovering Corruption at the Heart of Tibetan Buddhism Today" by Erik D. Curren, Alaya Press, Feb 2006, Paper. ISBN 0-9772253-0-5.

External links[link]

The history of the Karmapa lineage, including biographical details of the historical Karmapas, can be found at the following web sites. Notice that the websites are written to those loyal to one or other of the rival 17th Karmapas, and their accounts of previous incarnations may not be written from a neutral point of view.

• Karmapa lineage history on kagyuoffice.org, the website of Ogyen Trinley Dorje
• Karmapa lineage history on karmapa.org, the website of Thaye Dorje
• Information on past and present Karmapas from khandro.net, a website supporting Ogyen Trinley Dorje

v t e Karmapas Recognition of the Seventeenth Karmapa Düsum Khyenpa Karma Pakshi Rangjung Dorje Rolpe Dorje Deshin Shekpa Thongwa Dönden Chödrak Gyatso Mikyö Dorje Wangchuk Dorje Chöying Dorje Yeshe Dorje Changchub Dorje Dudul Dorje Thekchok Dorje Khakyab Dorje Rangjung Rigpe Dorje Trinley Thaye Dorje / Ogyen Trinley Dorje

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Karmapa

Rangjung Rigpe Dorje
Religion	Tibetan Buddhism
School	Karma Kagyu
Other name(s)	His Holiness Rangjung Rigpei Dorje
Personal
Born	August 14, 1924(1924-08-14) Dergé, Kham, Tibet
Died	November 5, 1981(1981-11-05) (aged 57)
Senior posting
Title	16th Gyalwa Karmapa

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The sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje (August 14, 1924–November 5, 1981) (Wylie Rang 'byung rig pa'i rdo rje) was spiritual leader of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. He was born in Denkhok in the Dergé district of Kham (Eastern Tibet), near the Yangtze River.

Biography[link]

Jampal Tsultrim, the fifteenth Karmapa's personal attendant, had been entrusted by him with a prediction letter concerning the details of the incarnation of the 16th Karmapa. Certain details^{[clarification needed]} were clarified by the 1st Beru Khyentse Rinpoche, the 11th Tai Situ Rinpoche and the 2nd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, which helped to successfully locate Rangjung Rigpe Dorje.

He was taken to Palpung Monastery where Situ Pema Wangchok gave him ordination, the Bodhisattva vows and many teachings. Beru Khyentse Lodro Miza Pampa'i Gocha taught him the tantras. Bo Kangkar Rinpoche taught him the sutras. Jamgon Palden Kyentse Oser taught him Mahamudra and the 6 Yogas of Naropa. He regarded Situ Pema Wangchok and Jamgon Palden Kyentse Oser as his main teachers.

In 1931, at the age of seven, he performed his first Black Crown ceremony. Thousands were witness to this amazing event. It was said^{[by whom?]} that a rain of flowers fell and the sky was filled with rainbows.^[1] Even while still very young, the great power of the 16th Karmapa became widely known^{[by whom?]}. It was recorded^{[by whom?]} that he took his attendant's sword and tied it in a knot.^[2] He received his hair cutting ceremony at age thirteen from Thubten Gyatso, 13th Dalai Lama.^[1]

During his education he received all the Kagyu transmissions and was also taught by the Sakya Trizin for many years. In the beginning of the 1940 he went into retreat and in 1947 started a pilgrimage to India together with Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama. Rangjung continued his education with the 10th Mindrolling Trichen of the Nyingma School and it was concluded with the Kalachakra initiation of the Gelugpa School. Rangjung had therefore received all the major teachings of all the major Tibetan Buddhist schools.

The 16th Karmapa continued his predecessor's activities, travelling and teaching throughout Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, Sikkim, India and parts of China. His activity also included locating the rebirths of high reincarnate lamas through his meditation.

Escape from Tibet[link]

Political circumstances altered Tibet radically with the 1950 takeover by the Chinese. Karmapa, along with the Dalai Lama, government officials and other high lamas attended talks in Beijing to negotiate a settlement, which succeeded for a while, but in 1959 the Chinese government insisted on land reform and the conflict with the lamas who owned a lot of land accelerated.

In February of that year, Karmapa took 160 students from Tsurphu Monastery and proceeded overland to Bhutan, taking the lineage's most sacred treasures and relics with them.^[3]

Tashi Namgyal, the King of Sikkim, offered land to the Karmapa near the site where the 14th Karmapa had established a monastery. It was here that his new seat, Rumtek Monastery was built in 1966. The traditional seat of the Karmapa, Tsurphu Monastery, still exists, but the number of monks is restricted.^[4]

Focus on the Western World[link]

In the beginning of the 1970s the Karmapa made the prediction^{[citation needed]} that Tibet would have a hard struggle gaining independence and even if it did, it would not allow the refugees to return. Rumtek would not be a good place either, and although Sikkim and Bhutan are still stable, they can deteriorate as well. However the Western world will embrace Buddhism. And after that predication he sent Lama Gendün to Europe.^[5]

In 1974, with the help of Freda Bedi, he embarked on his first world tour, travelling to Europe, Canada and the United States, giving several Black Crown ceremonies, and an audience was granted by Pope Paul VI. In 1976-77 he began a more exhaustive tour, giving extensive teachings and empowerments and visiting nearly every major city in Europe.

The sixteenth Karmapa helped foster the transmission of Tibetan Buddhism to the West. He established Dharma centers and monasteries in various places around the world in order to protect, preserve, and spread the Buddha's teachings. As part of an initiative by the Tibetan government-in-exile to consolidate the organizations of Tibetan Buddhism, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje became the first formal head of the Kagyu School, although the earlier Karmapas had long been considered the most prestigious and authoritative lamas of that school.

Death[link]

In 1980-81 the Karmapa began his last world tour, giving teachings, interviews and empowerments in South East Asia, Greece, England and the United States. Rangjung Rigpei Dorjé died on November 5, 1981 in the United States in a hospital in Zion, Illinois. Doctors and nurses at the hospital remarked on his kindness and how he seemed more concerned with their welfare than his own.^[6] One doctor was also struck by the Karmapa's refusal of pain medication and the absence of any signs of feeling the profound pain that most patients in his condition report.^[6] Upon his death, against hospital procedure but in keeping with Tibetan tradition and with special permission from the State of Illinois, his body was left in the hospital for three days and his heart remained warm during this time.^[2][6][7] Chief of staff Radulfo Sanchez had no medical explanation for this.^[8]

During the seven weeks between his death and his cremation, the Karmapa's body spontaneously shrank to the size of a small child. He was cremated in Rumtek. His two dogs died on the day of his cremation even though they were healthy.^[9] During the cremation a triple circular rainbow appeared above the monastery in a clear blue sky.^[6] Many photographs exist of this remarkable phenomenon. While his body burnt, an object rolled from the flames to the edge of the stupa to Lopon Chechu Rinpoche. This object was quickly recovered and proved to be the Karmapa's eyes, tongue and heart.^{[citation needed]} This was taken^{[by whom?]} to indicate that the body, speech and mind have come together to be saved as relics for the future and is common in only the highest of accomplished Buddhist yogis - exactly the same thing is said to have occurred during the cremation of Gampopa and the Second Karmapa, Karma Pakshi.^[10]

Legacy[link]

The simple presence of Karmapa would create a profound and lasting blessing on all people coming into contact with him. He himself said that a Buddha should be known by his laugh and it was said^{[by whom?]} that when Karmapa laughed, which he did all the time, one would hear him several houses away.

He also demonstrated a complete ability to communicate with animals, e.g., at a course in Europe, a large raven tapped on the window where Karmapa was teaching. When let in, the bird flew directly to Karmapa, after which he instructed two people to go to a barn a few miles down the road where two other birds were trapped and starving. Of course the birds were discovered and rescued.^[11] Rangjung Rigpe Dorje had a special fondness for birds and he considered a visit to the local petshop in every city in the world an essential part of his travels.

Rangjung Rigpe Dorje was considered by many^{[by whom?]} to be a living Buddha. Like his predecessors, he was primarily a spiritual figure and therefore not involved in politics. He, instead, made efforts to keep the spiritual traditions of Tibet intact and in this way helped to preserve the identity of Tibet as a unique and individual culture. Spiritually, he is an inspiration to hundreds of thousands of people across the world who meditate on him daily.

References[link]

Other sources used:

• Kagyu Life International Volume 3 'A Brief History of the Karma Kagyu Lineage of Tibet' by Topga Yugyal Rinpoche
• Buddhism Today Volume 2 1996 'The Karmapas of Tibet' By Brooke Webb
• Buddhism Today Issue 15 2005 Volume 1 'The Golden kagyu Garland' By Bruce Tawer
• 'Riding the Tiger' by Ole Nydahl
• 'Entering the Diamond Way' by Ole Nydahl

External links[link]

• Biography of the 16th Karmapa at Simhas.org (Ogyen faction)
• Biography of the 16th Karmapa at Diamondway Buddhism (Thaye faction)

v t e Karmapas Recognition of the Seventeenth Karmapa Düsum Khyenpa Karma Pakshi Rangjung Dorje Rolpe Dorje Deshin Shekpa Thongwa Dönden Chödrak Gyatso Mikyö Dorje Wangchuk Dorje Chöying Dorje Yeshe Dorje Changchub Dorje Dudul Dorje Thekchok Dorje Khakyab Dorje Rangjung Rigpe Dorje Trinley Thaye Dorje / Ogyen Trinley Dorje