Karmapa – The Official Website of the 17th Karmapa Karmapa – The Official Website of the 17th Karmapa Karmapa – The Official Website of the 17th Karmapa Karmapa – The Official Website of the 17th Karmapa
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Karmapa – The Official Website of the 17th Karmapa Karmapa – The Official Website of the 17th Karmapa
  • The Karmapa
    • A Short Biography
    • The Lineage of Karmapas
    • Activities & Projects
  • Teachings
    • YouTube Archive
    • Video Library
    • Podcast
  • News
  • Schedule
  • Buddhism
    • Shakyamuni Buddha
    • Buddhism in India
    • Buddhism in Tibet
    • Kagyu Lineage
    • The Golden Rosary
  • Centers
    • North America
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Oceania
    • Africa
    • South America
  • Office
    • Media
    • Contact
  • English
  • France
  • Germany
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The Golden Rosary of the Karma Kagyu Lineage

The forefathers in the Kagyu lineage are known as the “Golden Rosary.” The lineage of the Kagyu emphasizes the continuity of oral instructions passed on from master to student.

Milarepa, Marpa and Gampopa

Image: Statues of the Kagyu forefathers, Milarepa, Marpa, and Gampopa, designed by the 17th Karmapa and presented to the main Kagyu monasteries

This emphasis is reflected in the literal meaning of “Kagyu.” The first syllable “Ka” refers to the scriptures of the Buddha and the oral instructions of the guru. “Ka” has the sense both of the enlightened meaning conveyed by the words of the teacher, as well as the force that such words of insight carries. The second syllable “gyu” means lineage or tradition. Together, these syllables mean “the lineage of the oral instructions.”

At the right is a detailed list of the Golden Rosary figures. Each name is clickable and takes you to further details on the main figures of the lineage, including the lineage of the Karmapas. Below is a short synopsis of the Kagyu lineage and a brief remark on some of the great founders who established this ancient tradition and passed it on from “mouth to ear” for so many centuries.

KAGYU LINEAGE

The Kagyu Lineage traces its origin back to the historic Buddha, Shakyamuni through Marpa, the great translator and yogi, who brought the unbroken lineage from India to Tibet.

Marpa The Translator

Marpa first trained as a translator under Drogmi Yeshe (993-1050), and then traveled three times to India and four times to Nepal in search of buddhist teachings. He is said to have studied with a hundred and eight masters and yogis, but his principal teachers were Naropa and Maitripa.

TILOPA AND NAROPA

From Naropa, Marpa received the lineage of tantric teachings called the Four Special Transmissions (bK’a-babs-bzhi): the yogas of 1) illusory body and transference of consciousness, 2) dream, 3) luminosity, and 4) inner heat. Naropa obtained these teachings directly from Tilopa (988-1069), who in turn had received them from two original sources, called the direct and indirect lineage. The direct lineage and original source of the teachings was Buddha Vajradhara. The indirect lineage comes from four main teachers of Tilopa called the “four special transmission lineages.” Both Tilopa and Naropa are some of the greatest panditas, scholars, and siddhas, accomplished saints, of Nalanda, the famous Buddhist university of ancient India.

MILAREPA

Marpa brought these lineages to Tibet, passing them on to his primary disciple and lineage holder, Milarepa (1040-1123), the most renowned and accomplished of Tibet’s tantric yogis, who achieved enlightenment in one lifetime. Milarepa held the lineage and tradition of the Practice Lineage. Some of the other great students of Marpa were Ngog Choku Dorjey, Tsurton Wangey and Meton Chenpo, who held the Marpa’s tradition of the Teaching Lineage. This is how the two great systems of the practice lineage and the teaching lineage were founded in Kagyu lineage.

GAMPOPA

The great master Gampopa (1084-1161), also known as Dakpo Lhaje, and Rechungpa (1084-1161) were the principal students of Milarepa. Gampopa was prophesized in the sutras by Buddha. He pioneered in establishing the framework of the lineage by unifying Milarepa’s Mahamudra lineage with the stages of the path tradition of the Kadampa lineage. This lineage and tradition is known as the Dhakpo Kagyu.

Gampopa had three heart disciples: Düsum Khyenpa, Phakmo Drupa and Saltong Shogom. Düsum Khyenpa (1110-1193), also known as Khampa Usey (literally, the “white-haired Khampa”), became known as the First Karmapa, who established the Karma Kagyu lineage.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The Golden Rosary

  • Vajradhara
  • Tilopa
  • Naropa
  • Marpa
  • Milarepa
  • Gampopa
  • The 1st Karmapa Düsum Khyenpa
  • Drogon Rechen
  • Pomdrakpa
  • The 2nd Karmapa, Karma Pakshi
  • Orgyenpa
  • The 3rd Karmapa, Ranjung Dorje
  • Gyalwa Yungtonpa
  • The 4th Karmapa, Rolpe Dorje
  • Khacho Wangpo
  • The 5th Karmapa, Deshin Shekpa
  • Ratnabadra
  • The 6th Karmapa, Thongwa Donden
  • Bengar Jampal Sangpo
  • Goshir Paljor Dhondrup
  • The 7th Karmapa, Chodrak Gyatso
  • Tashi Paljor
  • The 8th Karmapa, Mikyo Dorje
  • Konchok Yenlak
  • The 9th Karmapa, Wangchuk Dorje
  • Chokyi Wangchuk
  • The 10th Karmapa, Choying Dorje
  • Yeshe Nyingpo
  • The 11th Karmapa, Yeshe Dorje
  • Palchen Chokyi Dhondrup
  • The 12th Karmapa, Chanchup Dorje
  • Chokyi Jungney
  • The 13th Karmapa, Dudul Dorje
  • Mipham Chodrub Gyatso
  • Pema Nyinje Wangpo
  • The 14th Karmapa, Theckchok Dorje
  • Jamgon Kongtrul, Lodro Thaye
  • The 15th Karmapa, Kyakyab Dorje
  • Pema Wangchog Gyalpo
  • Palden Khyentse Öser
  • The 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje

Recent Updates

  • The Special Kagyu Monlam Begins at Bokar Monastery: Day One
  • The Anniversaries of Marpa, Milarepa and Gampopa: Kagyu Gunchoe Conference
  • Restoring Karma Kamtsang Traditions: Hayagriva
  • Ancient Translation Methods: Dynamism and Debate
  • Approaches to Understanding the Thirty Verses of the Mind Only
  • The Inauguration of the 23rd Kagyu Gunchoe
  • The Essence of Glory: A Shakyamuni Puja in the Kadampa Style

Kagyu Office Around the World

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About the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, is the head of the 900 year old Karma Kagyu Lineage and guide to millions of Buddhists around the world.

Born in 1985, the Karmapa resides in his temporary home at Gyuto Monastery in India after making a dramatic escape from Tibet in the year 2000.

Traveling the world, the Karmapa skillfully teaches traditional Tibetan Buddhist Dharma while also advocating topics such as environmental conservation, feminism, digitization of the Dharma, and much more.

Please use the icons below to find the Karmapa on social media maintained by his office of administration.

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