THE GOLDEN KAGYU GARLAND

Excerpts from The Garland of Moon Water Crystal by Situ Chokyi Jungnay and Belo Tsewang Kunkhyab

The 6th Sharmarpa, Chokyi Wangchuk was recognized by the ninth Karmapa, who was his main guru. He also received teachings from many other masters and is famed for his deep insight. By the age of seventeen he had memorized fifty volumes of sutras and tantras, and because of his extraordinary skill as a debator he was known as the Pandita of the North, the Omniscient Shamarpa in whom the great Manjushri delights.

Chokyi Wangchuk became the guru of Central Tibet's ruler Desi Tsangpa and taught extensively throughout the region. During his travels in East Tibet he recognized and became the guru of the tenth Karmapa, Choying Dorje. At the time there was unrest in this part of the country. Chokyi Wangchuk was sucessfull in mediating a peaceful settlemen to the conflict. His travels also took him to Nepal, where he taught Buddhism in its original classical language Sanskrit to the King Laxman Naran Singh as well as to others who showed interest and devotion.

Chokyi Wangchuk passed away in the mountains of Helampur in Nepal in the vicinity of a cave where Tibet's great yogi, Milarepa, had meditated. The sixth Shamarpa wrote ten treatises that explain the meanings of both the sutra and the tantra traditions.

The Tenth Karmapa, Choying Dorje (1604-1674)