The Shamarpa lineage

This brief account of the successive Shamarpa reincarnations is extracted from 'The Garland of Moon Water Crystal' authored by Situpa, Chokyi Jungne and Belo Tsewang Kunkhyab.

The tradition of a successive line of reincarnations originated in twelfth century Tibet with the first Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa. The lineage of the Shamarpa reincarnations dates back to the same century and that lineage is the second line of successive reincarnations in the history of that tradition. The Shamarpa lineage of reincarnation began during the time of Rangjung Dorje, the third Karmapa who presented his principal disciple, Khaydrup Tragpa Senge, with a ruby-red crown while conferring the status Shamarpa which means 'Holder of the Red Crown'.

The red crown is a replica of the black crown worn by the Karmapas, and it exemplifies the close relationship that exists between these two lines of reincarnation in that the Karmapas and the Shamarpas are emanations of the same mind-stream and that they are therefore regarded as being inseparable. The second Karmapa, Karma Pakshi, said, "Future Karmapas will manifest in two forms". That statement was later clarified by the fourth Karmapa, Rolpe'i Dorje, when he designated the Shamarpa reincarnates as a second manifestation of himself. The Shamarpas are also known as an emanation of Amitabha, The Buddha of Boundless Light.

Tibetan historical records refer to the Karmapa as 'Karma Shanagpa' which means 'Karmapa, Holder of the Black Crown' and the Shamarpas as 'Karma Shamarpa' which means 'Karmapa, Holder of the Red Crown'. These designations are found in the historical records authored by several well-known Tibetan Buddhist masters, masters such as Golo Shonnu Pal (1392-1481), Pawo Tsuglag Trengwa (1504-1566), the fifth Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lozang Gyamtso (1617-1682) and the eighth Situpa Chokyi Jungnay (1700-1774).

It is important to understand that the crowns are simply symbols of the activity that accomplishes the welfare of beings; the crowns do not denote separate lineages. Both 'The Black Hat Lama' and 'The Red Hat Lama' are of the Karma Kagyu Lineage.

The First Kunzig Shamarpa,
Khaydrup Tragpa Senge, (1284-1349)

Compiled and translated by members of the
Karmapa International Buddhist Institute's
Department of Translation.
( © K.I.B.I. 1994)