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Karmapa Wikipedia

buddhism
The Karmapa is the title given to the head of the Kagyu|Karma Kagyu, one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Karmapa is variously translated from Sanskrit as "the action of all Buddhas" or "the one who fulfills the manifestation of all buddha activity."

The Karmapa is sometimes said to head the most deeply meditative of the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism, and in some respects to occupy a position senior to that of Tenzin Gyatso|The Dalai Lama, head of the Gelukpa school.

The 1st Karmapa, D?sum Khyenpa (1110-1193), was a heart son of the great Tibetan master Gampopa. A gifted 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 would attain enlightenment at the age of 50 while practicing dream yoga. He was henceforth regarded as the Karmapa, a manifestation of Avalokitesvara, whose coming was predicted in the Samadhirajasutra and the Lankavatara sutra.http://www.kagyu-asia.com/l_kar1.html

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

The 2nd Karmapa, Karma Pakshi (1204-1283), was the first person ever recognized and empowered as a tulku, a reincarnated lama, and thus the Kagyu were the first sect to introduce this important aspect of Tibetan Buddhism. The Karmapa lineage differs from other most other tulku lineages, however, in that the Karmapas are self-recognizing. This means the new tulku is chosen not based on the perception of other lamas, but rather on the basis of a special prediction letter left by the previous incarnation detailing the circumstances of the next rebirth.

Last Modified:   2005-04-13