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The Karmapas have been the spiritual heads of the Karma Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism since the 12th century. The first Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa (1110-1193), was one of the most eminent masters of his time. Prior to his death he predicted that he would take rebirth again in Tibet. Therefore, the second Karmapa, Karma Pakshi (1204-1283), is considered as the first reincarnated Tibetan Lama. Since then, the Karmapas, often called the Black-Hat-Karmapa, had successive reincarnations. Each of the Karmapas has proved himself to be the Karmapa through his conduct and his qualities and was then confirmed as the Karmapa’s incarnation by a realised disciple of the respective previous Karmapa. This process of confirmation has always been an internal matter of the Karma Kagyu lineage with no interference from any Tibetan or Chinese administrative or political system or any other spiritual lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. The Karmapas are considered to be great Bodhisattvas who take rebirth for the welfare of sentient beings. In their successive reincarnations, they have always propagated Buddhism in its complete form. The 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje (1924-1981), was furthermore instrumental in introducing Tibetan Buddhism to the west. The 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, Trinley Thaye Dorje, was born in Tibet in 1983. He is the son of Mipham Rinpoche, a very well-known master of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. As an infant Karmapa Thaye Dorje repeatedly said that he was the Karmapa. The 14th Kunzig Shamarpa, the second highest Lama in the Karma Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, identified the Karmapa by using the centuries old spiritual procedures. In 1994, after the Karmapa and his family had fled Tibet, he officially recognized the then eleven year old as the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa. Since 1994 Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje has lived in India, and continues his spiritual education under the supervision of Kunzig Shamarpa. His training emphasizes philosophy and meditation. Since 1998 Prof. Sempa Dorje, one of todays most outstanding buddhist scholars is one of his teachers. Karmapa Urgyen Trinley who fled Tibet in January 2000 and who is widely reported on in the international media is not identical with Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje. Urgyen Trinley was the first "Living Buddha" installed by Communist China with the help of Situ Rinpoche, the third ranking lama in the Karma Kagyü lineage. Urgyen Trinley’s recognition as the 16th Karmapa’s reincarnation was based on a so-called letter of prediction which is said to have been written by the late Karmapa. This prediction letter’s authenticity is, however, doubted. The request by Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche and many followers of the Kagyu tradition to let the letter be tested in a forensic test, has been rejected by Situ Rinpoche up to the present day. It is he who claims that he received this letter from the 16th Karmapa. Urgyen Trinley was furthermore recognized as the Karmapa by H. H. the Dalai Lama which is unusual as this is not in accordance with the history of Tibetan Buddhism. It should also be pointed out that the Dalai Lama was given misleading information; he was told that all important dignitaries of the Kagyu tradition unanimously agreed on Urgyen Trinley as the Karmapa and he gave his approval based on this information. Written by Martina
Draszczyk.
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