Tibetan history is full of accounts and stories of reincarnated lamas and tulkus. The Kagyu lineage is unique in that the Karmapa provides instructions (a prophecy) in a letter to a key disciple. Upon the Karmapa's death, the instructions would become the basis for the search and the key to the confirmaton of next Karmapa.
In 1981, His Holiness, the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, passed away near Chicago after a long illness. During his time the 16th Karmapa had worked tirelessly to advance Buddhist teachings and had been seen as a beacon of compassion and wisdom.
A picture of the 16th Karmapa:
The 16th Karmapa had written such a letter of prophecy which was eventually located in a protection amulet that he had given to Tai Situ Rinpoche, one of his four heart sons and a member of the search committee for the next Karmapa. On 1ht 19th of March, 1992 the four regents of the Karmapa, Shamar Rinpoche, Tai Situ Rinpoche, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche and Gyaltsap Rinpoche opened the letter.
Its contents read,
"EMAHO. Self-awareness is always bliss; the Dharmadhatu has no center nor edge. From here to the north in the east of the land of snow is a country where divine thunder spontaneously blazes. In a beautiful nomad's place with the sign of the cow, the method is Dondrub and the wisdom is Lolaga. Born in the year of the one used for the earth, with the miraculous, far-reaching sound of the white one - this is the one known as Karmapa. He is sustained by Lord Donyo Drupa.Being non-sectarian, he pervades all directions. Not staying close to some and distant from others, he is the protector of all beings. The sun of the Buddha's Dharma that benefits others always blazes."
(Translated July 1992 in Rumtek Sikkhim, Heart Advice of the Karmapa)
Picture of the 17th Karmapa
Based on the prediction the search for the new Karmapa began.
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