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The Shamarpa Reincarnations
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HH14 Shamarpa - Mipam Tchokyi Lodro The current Shamar Rinpoche, Mipham Chokyi Lodro, is the fourteenth incarnation of a realized being.
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The 2nd Shamarpa, with a retentive power to his previous learnings, taught at the age of three. Self-declared, the acknowledged Shamarpa Incarnate was enthroned by Rolpe Dorje the 4th Karmapa, at the age of six. In due course, he took monastic ordination, rigorously observing his Pratikmoksha Vows and the Bodhdisattva Vow, as he had done in his previous incarnation, also as he shall continue to do in all the incarnations to come. The Karmapa gave him the Authentic Vajrayana |
From the Karmapa he also received the Mahamudra, The Six Teachings of Naropa as well as the treasured "Whispered Transmission'' - the intimate and direct passing on, from guru to disciple, of the most profound of instructions of the Kagyu Lineage. The Shamarpa also studied the sutras and the tantras with numerous great lamas and siddhas. He made every demand on himself in practice, setting a difficult pace for the fervent to follow, while spurring the sluggish minds of the more indolent to greater diligence. As for the Shamarpa himself, having reached the ultimate in realization many kalpas ago, what more was there for him to attain?
In an age of spiritual decline, the Shamarpa had grave misgivings that future generations of faltering faith and diminishing capacity in practice, may not be able to preserve in tact, the Whispered Transmission, orally, for posterity. He supplicated all the Lineage Gurus through the ages, and all Dakinis custodial to the Transmission, to grant him the permission to record some of the vital instructions in writing. In a clear vision, all the Lineage Gurus and all guardian Dakinis gave their unanimous consent to his urgent request. It was to be on the strictest condition that these instructions may never be in the hands of those whose interests in life are mainly for worldly gains. Thus were these instructions put into writing by the Shamarpa. They formed one of eight volumes -- the written legacy of the 2nd Shamarpa.
The Karmapa after having ceremoniously returned to the 2nd Shamarpa, the Ruby-Red Crown, mentioned the prediction made by the 2nd Karmapa, Karma Pakshi, in which future Karmapas were foreseen to manifest in two separate Nirmanakaya forms. "You are the one manifestation". The Karmapa affirmed, "While I am the other. The responsibility therefore, rests equally on me as it is on you, in up-holding the line of continuity in the Kagyü Teachings." The Karmapa formally made him his deputy, both temporally and ecclesiastically.
When the 4th Karmapa passed away, The Shamarpa held the honorary title of the Holder of the Kagyü Teachings, which he truly was, enthroning the 5th Karmapa and transmitting all the profound instructions to him, in the fullness of time.
For the Shamarpa,
there were many worthy disciples. One, in particular, Sokwön Rigpe
Raldri, was to become a guru of the 6th Karmapa.
The five month old infant-Shamarpa had no difficulty in recognizing many of his monks, who were previously close to him, intimating that he was indeed their anxiously awaited Incarnate. A year later, he returned to Takse one of his monasteries, at the invitation of his monks, where he was under the tutelage of two great Scholars, Payül Chözang and Wön Drakpa. At the age of eight, he met the Karmapa, staying with him for a long period of time, receiving all the Kagyü Teachings of which includes numerous Empowerments and Ritual Readings. As he imparted the teachings, the Karmapa also gave him full authorization to instruct.
With his extra-ordinary power of clairvoyance, the fame of the 3rd Shamarpa spread rapidly into the depth of China. The Emperor, a disciple of the 5th Karmapa was most intrigued that any one could see into his past lives in vivid detail as the Shamarpa could; and the thought that the Shamarpa had been the teacher to the 5th Karmapa - the Guru of his own Guru, filled him with an unsatiable sense of longing for an even closer relationship. He sent a minister to distant Tibet, the bearer of precious gifts - a Buddha statue and a statue of Dorje Chang, made of the finest bell-metal. They were for the Shamarpa, a token of his sincerest devotion. In his letter of thanks, the Shamarpa reminded this mighty ruler of the basic principle in Buddhism, which is benevolence, that he might be ever mindful of the well-being of his people.
When later
the Shamarpa was representative for the Karmapa in Kong-Po and other southern
provinces in Tibet, seeing to the spiritual needs of the people, this
basic principle for a ruler was most strictly adhered to.
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The 4th Shamarpa was born in Kangmar in the Treshö province of Kham, eastern Tibet. Wonderous signs were ablaze at his birth, which were variously interpreted by the local monastic communities, according to their own anticipation. Some were of the mind that it could only be the long awaited Karmapa Incarnate, while others were more inclined towards the Shamarpa Incarnate or that of a Mahasiddhi. Seven months had passed, speculations abound; conclusions, there were none. The infant Rinpoche was invited formally to Tara Kangmar Monastery, where a collection of books was laid before him |
By the time the Dharma tour had reached the province of Treshö the Karmapa was seven years old. He set up camp near Kangmar, remaining in retreat, while he sent his gifted attendant-monk, to invite the Shamarpa. This learned monk, a man of exceptional realizations was none other than Paljor Döndrup, the 1st Gyaltsab Rinpoche, who was to become a Guru to the Shamarpa. When the Karmapa and the Shamarpa met, it was the renewal of a very close tie, stretching far beyond history. In terms of human relationship, it was to be compared to the joyful reunion of father and son. The Karmapa gave the young Shamarpa the name of Chöji Drakpa Yeshe Pal Zangpo. Returning the Red Crown, he enthroned him.
They had been successively each others Guru up to then. The Karmapa proposed that from then on, they were to propagate the Dharma together, each in a different region of the country, with the Shamarpa remaining in the Kongpo area in the south while the Karmapa himself proceeding towards eastern Kham.
Some years later, they were together again, at Treshö Kangmar. The Shamarpa arrived laden with offerings for the Karmapa; the Karmapa readily imparted to him the Mahamudra, the Six Teachings of Naropa and the numerous instructions of the Kagyü Lineage.
The Shamarpa became renowned as a great scholar and also for being unsparing on himself in practice, whether it was on the teachings received from the Karmapa, from Gyaltsap Rinpoche or from any of the great lamas and scholars, thus setting a challenging example of relentless perseverance.
The 4th Shamarpa went as far as to Bhutan to propagate the Dharma. In southern Bhutan, there remains to this day a monastery built by the Shamarpa. It stands sturdy and almost untouched by the passing years. Apart from it being a shining testamony to the craftsmanship of the period, it is indelibly a mark of his enduring blessings.
In central Tibet, where, at the insistence of the people, he became king for eleven years, ruling the country strictly in accordance with Buddhist principles. However, his first priority was Dharma. As he studied, so he taught and meditated, never neglecting his monastic obligations, thus fully accomplishing the three-fold task of a Holder of the Buddha's Teachings. (enlarge - 17kb) |
Gaden Kongsar was a very unpretentious little Tibetan trading post north of the Indian border, where hunters sometimes brought in raw hides in exchange for paints and dyes to put on their naked bodies. Their ways were so little understood that people, without malice, called them barbarians. It was, in fact, a place of sanctity where Gampopa's tooth was enshrined in a Stupa. It was further sanctified when the 4th Shamarpa chose it for his next re-birth. |
When the 5th Shamarpa was born in the depths of winter, a profusion of flowers blossomed through the snow. The new-born baby sat up ejaculating "Ah Hung" three times, expressing the inexpressible. It was a spontaneous assertion of the unborn nature in the new-born. For Ah Hung is the vocal expression of the unborn nature in every phenomenon.
It was not until the age of two, when the Karmapa was in Tsari, a neighbouring province to Gaden Kongsar, Kongpo, that the Shamarpa was to meet the Karmapa. The Karmapa joyfully opened his arms to the delighted infant-Rinpoche, exclaiming in wonder: "So this is how the Shamarpa returns!" He put him on the lap, cutting a lock of his hair, as the first step to his future ordination.
The Shamarpa was given the name of Köncho Yenlak and in due course, his Red Crown was returned to him, ceremoniously.
The Shamarpa remained with the Karmapa until the age of twelve, receiving the Six Teachings of Naropa, The Mahamudra and many other teachings of the Kagyü Lineage.
It was said that the 8th Karmapa had two outstanding disciples, in Tsukla Trengwa, the 2nd Pawo Rinpoche; and in Shamar Rinpoche, a sun-like disciple, who propagated the Dharma vigorously through the three great cycles of activities, learning and meditating; on the practical plane, he persued tiredlessly every course, opened to a better understanding of Buddha Dharma, including the building of monasteries. When the 8th Karmapa had passed away, the solemn and difficult task of identifying the future reincarnate was to a great extent lightened by a precise letter of prediction left by the Karmapa.
The 9th Karmapa was duly enthroned with the Shamarpa as his Root-Guru, who as Holder of the Kagyü Lineage and Teachings, passed on all the teachings in his safe keeping, to the youthful and receptive Karmapa. (enlarge - 90kb) |
Born in Drikhung, central Tibet, the 6th Incarnate of the Shamarpa was recognized by Wangchuk Dorje the 9th Karmapa. It was through the sensitive guidance of him that the beautiful flower of the Shamarpa's intellect came to the richest fruition. At the early age of 16, the 6th Shamarpa fully assimilated and committed to memory ten books on the subject of Prajnaparamita, sixteen on the Vinaya, five on the Abhidharma, seven treatises on medicine, the Sanskrit language and various arts and crafts; within the range of the |
In his youthful exuberance, he expressed the wish of testing his freshly acquired learnings before the best minds of the land. Scholars came at his invitation totally unprepared for what they were about to witness. Their minds boggled at so much learning, being so fully assimilated, by one so young, and they prostrated before him in sheer admiration and wonder: "it is the maha-bodhisattva Manjushri himself." they declared.
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His wisdom and intelligence were further demonstrated when he came to the Namring Institute, challenging the highly esteemed scholastics to a religious debate which lasted for eleven days. Each day, a different aspect of the Buddha appeared, in a vision, before him. On the first day, there were Maitreya and Manjushri appearing as one. On the next day, it was the Lord Buddha Sakyamuni, to be follow |
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In each of the hundred and eight beads of his rosary, he saw the form of Manjushri, and that of Kurukula (a red form of Tara) Vajravarahi and Hayagriva. On the final day, he saw everything undifferentiated from Manjushri and every one in the forum, in the form of that Buddha.
The fame of the Shamarpa spread rapidly through Tibet. Thirteen of the most learned Bönpo priests regarding him as a formidable threat to their religion, jointly challenged him to a debate. In defeat, they all became buddhists. As for the Shamarpa himself, through the relentless pursuance of the three beneficent spheres of activity - learning, meditating and practical achievements, he became a veritable king of the Kagyü Teachings.
He visited China, at the invitation of the Emperor, who in fulfilling the wishes of his Guru, saw to the printing of the complete set of the Buddha's Teachings - the Kanjur.
Returning to Tibet, he enthroned the 10th Karmapa Chöying Dorje, passing the instructions of the Kagyü Lineage on to him, in the capacity of a root guru.
As the fame of the Shamarpa spread further into India, twenty five of the greatest panditas residing in Bodh-Gaya, invited him to teach the Dharma. Regrettably he was unable to accept their invitations. He replied separately, giving individual attention to their every problem. They corresponded in Sanskrit.
Tibet was, for a time, on the obstinate course towards a civil war. The Shamarpa through skillful persuasion had reminded the rulers of the basic principles in Dharma, whereby saving many innocent lives.
Before the Shamarpa went to Chubar where he was to be joined by the Karmapa, his time was fruitfully spent in Nepal, giving spiritual advice to the King, visiting the numerous holy places in the country and meeting many of the teachers of high esteem, who upon receiving the nectar of his instructions were moved to become his disciples.
Chubar where they had chosen for their final meeting, was a very holy place indeed, sanctified by the presence of both Milarepa and Gampopa. It was evident to both the Karmapa and the Shamarpa that the splendor that had been the 6th Shamarpa's life was fast drawing to a close. What little time left, was frugally employed in completing the passing on of the Kagyü teachings.
The Shamarpa
left behind him many accomplished disciples of diverse nationalities and
social backgrounds, the foremost of which were the 10th Karmapa, the 5th
Tai-Situ Rinpoche and the 5th Gyaltsap Rinpoche.
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It was the expressed wish of the 10th Karmapa that the 6th Shamarpa was to take his next rebirth by the Marchu River, in the eastern province of Kham. A wish expressed was to be a wish fulfilled. For in the propagation of Dharma, their wishes were, and as always, identical. At the time of birth, the triumphant sound of 'gyal' was heard ringing through the air. At the age of four, the nomadic Rinpoche could scale the highest face of a cliff with the greatest agility and perform other equally wonderous feats that no other nomadic child was ever expected to attempt. Outwardly a shepherd boy, that he |
The Karmapa was aware that the Shamarpa had been born when he was in jangyül a neighbouring province in China; thence he proceeded, unattended and on foot, through Kham, to come to the Shamarpa. The Shamarpa daily waited for him by the river, tending to his flock of sheep. When the Karmapa finally arrived, his clothes bore witness to the hardship of a long journey. The Shamarpa forded the river, in a
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rush, to bow down before him. No joyful tale of a reunion was more poignantly told, than in the simple gesture of a prostration. When permission was sought for, it was granted by his nomadic parents for the child-Rinpoche to leave home. Together the Karmapa and the Shamarpa left for Jangyül where the 7th Shamarpa was enthroned in the name of Yeshe Nyinpo. And the Red Crown was returned to him with all the teachings and instructions of the Lineage. All this accomplished, they returned to Tibet together. |
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When the 10th Karmapa passed away, the 7th Shamarpa, as his Representative and Head of the Kagyü School, recognized and enthroned the 11th Karmapa Yeshe Dorje. Having transmitted all the Lineage Teachings and Instructions entrusted to him, he passed away.
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The birth of the 8th Shamarpa took place in Yilmo, Nepal. On the night he was born, the house was in a suffusion of light so bright, it was as if it were in the day-time, and clearly visible even from without. As an infant of unguarded innocence, he would astonish his family with vivid tales of his past lives. The Karmapa had sent a letter of recognition with a party of monks, who were to invite and to see to his safe return to Tibet. The King of Nepal had, meanwhile, asked the three year old Rinpoche to honour the capital city, Kathmandu, with His |
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He also recognized and enthroned the 8th Situ Rinpoche. Later the Shamarpa and the Karmapa together with Situ Rinpoche and Gyaltsap Rinpoche went on an extended |
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They all
returned to Kham when it became evident to the Karmapa and the Shamarpa
that both their passings were imminent. They wrote prayers of supplication
for their followers: the earnest invocations of an early rebirth of their
respective guru. These were in the custody of Situ Rinpoche, whom they
had invited to remain in Kham, acting as The Head of the Kagyü Teachings.
They both left for China. In China, the Karmapa passed away on the day
of the new moon; the following day, the Shamarpa passed away.
Konchog Geway
Jungnay was born in Paro, Bhutan, and was discovered by the 13th Karmapa,
Dudul Dorje. However such were the adverse karmic conditions at the time,
that Shamar Konchong Geway Jungnay lived for just nine years, therefore
the historical records of his life are very brief.
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The 10th Shamarpa was a brother to the Panchen Lama of the Gelugpa Sect. His infant days were spent in the central province of Tsang. The child-Rinpoche, with bubbling candor and innocence would tell many a tale of his past lives and also of events, happening within Tsürphu Monastery, much to the amusement and the astonishment of his parents. He was recognized and enthroned as the 10th Shamarpa by the 13th Karmapa Dündul Dorje and by the 8th Situ Rinpoche, from both of whom he had received all the Instructions of the Lineage. His education was, in the best sense, liberal, being |
He traveled extensively, especially in Kham and within the areas of Derge and Nangshen, giving teachings and Empowerments to lamas and Tulkus as well as to the lay population. In central Tibet, having visited many holy places to pray and to make offerings, he returned to Tsürphu to see the Karmapa - his Guru among gurus.
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Some years later, it was at the time when Tibet was fatalistically divided, both politically and ecclesiastically. The 11th Dalai-Lama had passed away; the Regent with his sectarian followers, who were unable to see beyond the narrow interests of their monasteries, had stooped to the persecution of the Shamarpa and the seizing of his Red Crown. In collusion with the army, all the monasteries were forcibly appropriated and integrated into the Gelugpa School. |
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Thereafter, there was to be, by law, no lama answering to the name of The Shamarpa; the recognizing and the enthroning of whom were to be most strictly forbidden. It was also forbidden of him to remain in his own country. The day was a day of deep sorrow for Tibet when the 10th Shamarpa left the country never to return. In face of such monumental inhumanity, the true spirit of generosity and patience in a bodhisattva shone through in its fullest magnificence. The Shamarpa spent his remaining years in Nepal, diligently, in buddha activities and seeing to the spiritual needs of the people wherever they arose.
The official
line of succession of the Shamarpas, perforce, came to an abrupt halt.
However, the 11th Shamarpa was a bodhisattva, in the guise of a physician
lama, in northern Tibet. Medicine was his generosity. He treated the patients
with his own compounds, never expecting a return; thus seeing to the physical
well-being of the people as well as to their spiritual needs. Studying
and meditating, his other buddha-activities, though varied, were unrecorded.
It was in
the prediction of the 5th Shamarpa that the Karmapa and the Shamarpa,
in their absolute purity of mind are spiritually inseparable; they are
separable, however, in identity as two distinct manifestations "Manifesting
sometimes as father and son, sometimes as brother-like relatives."
The prediction, in part, came true, when the Shamarpa as Jamyang Rinpoche
became the 15th Karmapa's son. Jamyang Rinpoche led a retired but fruitful
life. Since a bodhisattva by whatever name is still a bodhisattva, he,
in the guise of a yogi, taught and guided those who had the good fortune
to know him; and his blessings radiated beyond, to all who were receptive
of them. As one, who was fully enlightened, he left his foot-prints indelibly
on a rock, as a gentle reminder that some things in life are beyond human
scrutiny.
It was a lamentable reflection on the adverse karmic conditions of the time, that the infant Rinpoche lived for a little more than a year then passed away.
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Mipham Chokyi Lodro was born in Derge, Tibet. At the age of four he was recognized by the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpei Dorje as the thirteenth Shamarpa reincarnation. Upon the Karmapa´s request the Tibetan Government withdrew its one hundred and fifty nine year old ban of the Shamarpas. Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche remained with the 16th Karmapa until his death in 1981. He received the entire cycle of Kagyu teachings from H. H. the 16th Karmapa. |
Since the 16th Karmapa's death in 1981, Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche has devoted his efforts to the many projects initiated by the late 16th Karmapa. He has completed the reprinting of the "Tengyur" a body of two hundred and fourteen volumes in which prominent Indian and Tibetan masters elucidate the teachings given by the historical Buddha Shakyamuni. Shamar Rinpoche also supports and offers guidance to Rumtek Monastery, the seat of H. H. the sixteenth Karmapa. He co-founded and brought into being the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute, New Delhi, India. The Institute currently offers courses in Buddhist studies for both monastic and lay students.
At the moment His Holiness Künzig Sharmapa is looking after the projects and wishes of the young 17th Karmapa. Shamar Rinpoche frequently travels abroad where he teaches at the many Kagyu centers world-wide. He also plans to establish an institute for higher Buddhist studies and a retreat center in Nepal.
Practical Dharma Commitment in Daily Life
The Correct Attitude of a Vajrayana Practioner
The Three Main Approaches in Buddhism - an Introduction
The
Qualifications of an Authentic Buddhist Teacher
No
Need for Too Much Tradition
The Seven Points of Mind Training of Atisha
Introduction
to Mahamudra Meditation
The
Mahamudra Way - The Preliminary Practices
Meditation
on Love and Compassion
Calm
Abiding and Insight Meditation
Meditation in the Theravada and Mahayana Traditions
'Learning to See' - 1998
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