THE GOLDEN KAGYU GARLAND

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

Tashi Paljor was born in the Den province of Eastern Tibet. He showed interest in the practice of Buddhism from an early age. At five, upon hearing the Karmapa's name, great devotion arose in him and a year later he met the Karmapa who gave him the name Tashi Paljor.
When eight years old he took ordination from Bengar Jampal Zangpo. Between the age of nine till sixteen he studied the sutras with the scholar Sangye Pal.
Contemplating that an outstanding teacher is necessary in order to attain the enlightened state Tashi Paljor decided to return to the Karmapa. For a period of seven years he took teachings from him. Seeing that it is only possible to attain freedom from samsara by putting the teachings into practice, he followed the life example of Milarepa. He spent twenty years in solitary mountain retreat and attained realization. Tashi Paljor became the guru of the eighth Karmapa, Mikyo Dorje.

The Eighth Karmapa, Mikyo Dorje (1507-1554)