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Kagyu Leadership Consensus

Supreme Head of the Kagyu Lineage

 His Holiness the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje Supreme Head of the Kagyu Lineage Described rebirth as Ogyen Trinley Dorje in a Prediction Letter and other statements

The Eight Primary Spiritual Leaders of the Kagyu Lineage

 His Eminence the 13th Shamar Rinpoche * Regent of the Kagyu Lineage Initially supported, then withdrew recogniton of Ogyen Trinley Dorje
 His Eminence the 12th Tai Situ Rinpoche Regent of the Kagyu Lineage Recognized Ogyen Trinely Dorje as 17th Karmapa
His Eminence the 12th Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche Regent of the Kagyu Lineage Recognized Ogyen Trinely Dorje as 17th Karmapa
His Eminence the 3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche Regent of the Kagyu Lineage Set off on journey to Tibet to arrange search for Ogyen Trinley Dorje based on the prediction letter, but died in a car accident.
 The 9th Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche
 Primary Abbot of the Kagyu Lineage
 Recognized Ogyen Trinley Dorje as 17th Karmapa
 The 3rd Tenga Rinpoche Primary Ritual Master of the Kagyu Lineage Recognized Ogyen Trinely Dorje as 17th Karmapa
The 2nd Bokar Rinpoche Primary Meditation Retreat Master of the Kagyu Lineage Recognized Ogyen Trinely Dorje as 17th Karmapa
Khenchen Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche Primary Master of Scholarly Learning of the Kagyu Lineage Recognized Ogyen Trinely Dorje as 17th Karmapa

 * Photo of Shamar Rinpoche by Ginger Neumann.		At the time of the 16th Karmapa's death, the Kagyu lineage consisted of 8 primary spiritual leaders:
  • the four regents: Shamar, Situ, Gyaltsab and Kontrul, and
  • the four primary masters: of monastic discipline, ritual, meditation and scholarly learning.
The 16th Karmapa recognized the reincarnations of the four regents and  trained them since childhood, and he appointed the four primary leaders to lead the core spiritual activities of the Kagyu lineage based on personal mastery in their respective areas.

Following the tragic death of Jamgon Kontrul Rinpoche, who was on his way to Tibet to arrange for a search based on the prediction letter left by the 16th Karmapa, 7 primary leaders remained. After the successful discovery of Ogyen Trinley Dorje, 6 of these 7 agreed that he is the 17th Karmapa.

Shamar Rinpoche is the only primary leader of the Kagyu lineage who opposes the recognition.