The Kunzig Shamarpas of Tibet

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The Reincarnations of The Kunzig Shamarpa The Red Crown Lama

of Tibet Yeshe Pronma Na"ates February 1992

Dedicated to His Holiness The XIV Kunzig Shamarpa Rimpoche, Who tiredlessly teaches, But not always with words.

The 1st Shaniarpa Khedrup Drakpa Senge

1283-1349

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maha-bodh isattva , at the exhaustion of all human failings, is buddha. His. latent purity of mind now blazes forth as radi-ating undiscrimin~tive beneficent energy. Miraculously, all Sam sara is in his blessing. just . such a maha-bodhisattva was Khedrup Drakpa Senge - - the principal disciple of the 3rd Karmapa. It was in the prediction of the 2nd Karmapa - Karma Pakshi, that "future Karmapas shall manifest in two Nirmanakaya forms." These miraculous human forms are not to be thought of as one, being distinct and separate in identity; neither are they to be considered as totally unrelated entities. For in absolute purity of mind, they may not be measur~d quantitatively. Not one; and not two either. . .

In· absolute purity of mind, they. display an unexhaustive capacity to give help. to 'the floundering multitude in Sam_sara. And for those aspiring towards ultimate enlightenment, they are their shining inspiration. the Karmapa presented Khedrup Drakpa Senge

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with a ruby-red crown - the exact replica of his own black crown. It. was to be a symbol of their identicalness. For this examplary disciple was in every respect his equal, being as unsurpassed in realization as he was in accomplishments. The Karmapa's own black crown is a replica of his mystical crown, a gift made of woven hair from the celestial Dakinis in adoration. The crown, an intangible mark of his spiritual perfection, hovers over him, invisible to all but those with exceptional purity of mind. With the red crown, the Karmapa also bestowed on him the name "The Shamarpa" The One With The Red Crown. As stated in the Good Kalpa Sutra: "in future, a maha-bodhisattva with a ruby-red crown shall come to the suffering multitude, leading them out of their cyclic bewilderment and misery." In the Shamarpa, Sakyamuni Buddh~'s prediction was fulfilled. This Buddha, ·ttie Tathagata Koncho Yenlak, . in the form of a bodhisattva is also known in Tibet, as the Red Crown Karmapa. The first Shamarpa was a gifted child. Very early in life, it became apparent that he had a brilliant mind. What was much Jess apparent was that he had the gift of clairvoyance. He assimilated the 12

Vajrayana· teachings through a dakini, whose presence was known to no one but him. Among all the transmissions given to him, it .was the practices of Dorge Pamo (Vajra Varahi) that he had the greatest affinity to. Apart from his own Guru, the 3rd Karmapa,. he studied with no less than fifty great lamas, siddhas and translators of the time. And he became very well versed indeed in all aspects of Buddhism. The undisputed champion for Buddhism among unbelievers, he exercised his consummate· skill in the art of debate to the fullest. In so doing, his understanding of the Buddhist teachings progressively deepened. With ever .greater understanding of the teachings, his proficiency in dispelling doubts and misconceptions increased phe.nomenally. His works includes texts on both the tantras and the sutras, among which is the- Commentary to the Prajn·aparamita. He spent his last years in retreat, .as his Guru had foretold. For over twenty years, he meditated at Tsurphu, Nehnang, where he also taught all ·who left their worldly concerns behind to follow him, aspiring for ultimate enlightenment.

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Through the practices of the Six Teachings of Naropa, he led the lost and the· wandering from the Bardo state, into the Pure Lands of the Buddhas.

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The 2nd Shamarpa Shamar Khacho Wangpo

1350-1405

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he 2nd Shamarpa, ·with a retentive power to his previous learnings, taugh~ 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 Pratik-· moksha Vows and ~he 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 Empowerment, whereby one penetrates into the true nature of all phenomena. From the Karmapa he also received the Mahamudra, Th~ 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 Lineag~. The Sha_marpa also stuc;Hed 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 17

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 aole to preserve in tac.t, ·the Whispered Transmission, orally, for posterity. He supplicated all the Lineage Gurus through the ages, and all Dakin is custodial to the Transmission, to grant him th_e 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 conditio~ t~at 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

forseen 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 Kagyu 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 Kagyu 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 ma·ny worthy disciples. One, in particular, Sokwon Rigpe Raldrf, was to become a guru of the 6th Karmapa.

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The 3rd Shamarpa Shamar Chopal V~she 1406-1452

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he five month old infant-Shamarpa had no difficulty -in recognising many of his monks, who were previously close to hitn, intimating that he was indeed the.ir 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, Payul Ch~zang and Won Drakpa. At the age of eight, he met the Karmapa, staying with him for. a long period ·of time, receiving all the Kagyu Teachings of which includes. numerous Empowerments and Ritual Readings. As he imparted the teachings, the Karmapa also gave·, him full authorisation to instruct. With his extra-ordinary power of clairvoyance, the fame of th~ 3rd Shamarpa sprea~ rapidly into the depth of China. The Emperor, a disciple of the 5t~ Karmapa was mo~t i·ntrigued that any one could see into his past lives in vivid detail as the Shamarpa could; and the thought' that the Shamarpa had

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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 T.ibet, 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 sinceres't 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 Shamar Chokyi Drakpa Yeshe Pal Zangpo 1453-1524

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he 4th Shamarpa was born in Kangmar in the Tresho province of Kham,. easter~ Tibet. Wonderous signs were ablaze at his birth, which. were variously interpretted 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 to select. He took none but works by the Karmapa. The indicisive took this to be unmistakably an indication of the Karmapa's return. Thus the solemn matter of identification was settled arbitrarily on a simple test. From then on, the Shamarpa remained in the monastery. The· 6th Karmapa Tongwa Donden was· born the year after. When he was four years of age, he em-

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barked on an extensive Dharma tour through Tibet. In due c·ourse, he arrived at the Lhundrup Gon Monastery in the south, not far from Dra-Kangmar, where, all the while, the disciples of the Shamarpa were anxiously wai.ting for their Guru's return, without avail. They came to the Karmapa, labourously recall'ing the passing of their Guru, whose last word was "Dra-Kangmar", they said. It was to be the name of the place of his riext rebirth. The Karmapa reassured them that their Guru had indeed taken rebirth, but in distant Tre-Kangmar. Tre and Dra, an understandable confusion of words for his griefing followers, in time of stress. His now jubilant disciples, planned on an instant return of their Guru to his long awaited monasteries. The Karmapa told them it was not to be so. As the Karmapa, ~e must himself invite him,. in full ceremonial honours, as befitting the return of the Shamarpa. By the· time the Dharma tour had reached the p'rovince of Tresho, .the Karmapa ·was seven years old. He set up camp near Kangmar, remaining in retreat, while he sent his gifted attendint-monk, to invite the Shamarpa. This learned monk, a man of exceptional realizations was none other than

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Paljor Dondrup, the 1st Gyaltsap 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 Choji Drakpa Yeshe Pal Zangpo. Returning the Red Crown, he enthroned him. They had been successively each others G·u ru 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 Kongp.o area in the south while the Karmapa himself proceeding towards eastern Kham. Some years later, they were together again, at Tresho (