Lineage
The Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism traces its origins to Shakyamuni Buddha through Marpa the Great Translator, who three times traveled to India to bring back authentic Buddhist teachings to Tibet. Marpa’s teacher, Naropa, received the lineage transmission from Tilopa and so on, back to the Buddha himself.
Marpa’s most famous student was the greatest yogi in all of Tibet, the renowned Jetsun Milarepa, who passed the teachings on to Gampopa, who in turn transmitted the teachings to the First Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa. Since then, the Kagyu Lineage has been headed by a succession of reincarnations of the Gyalwang Karmapa.
The line of the Karmapas is said to be self-announced, because each incarnation leaves a letter predicting his next rebirth. All great Kagyu teachers regard His Holiness Karmapa as the embodiment and source of all of the blessings of the lineage.
The Gyalwang Karmapa
His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Oygen Trinley Dorje, has inspired millions of people worldwide to act on social and environmental issues. He is also a leader on women’s issues within our Lineage. As one of Tibet’s most revered Lamas, the Gyalwang Karmapa devotes himself to the preservation of the spiritual teachings of our Kagyu Lineage.
Lineage Resources
Please follow these links to learn more about the Karma Kagyu lineage and the Gyalwang Karmapa:
- kagyuoffice.org – The official website of His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Oygen Trinley Dorje.
- Video recordings of his public teachings can be found at youtube.com/user/Karmapateachings
- kagyu.org – Karma Triyana Dharmachakra (KTD) in Woodstock, New York USA is the main seat of the Gyalwang Karmapa in North. America.
- ksdl.org – The Gyalwang Karmapa’s Canadian seat is Karma Sonam Dargye Ling (KSDL) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
