His Holines the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje

The Karmapa is the reincarnate leader of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. His Holiness Ogyen Trinle Dorje, presently age 22, is the 17th in the line of Karmapas stretching back to 1110 CE. He was born in 1985 in eastern Tibet to a family of nomads. Recognized by the leaders of the Kagyu Lineage and by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, in 1992 he was officially enthroned at Tsurphu monastery, the historical seat of the Kagyu.

Between 1992 and 1999, Karmapa presided over the rebuilding and revitalization of Tsurphu, which was completely destroyed in the early 1960's following communist China's invasion of Tibet. During this time he was closely monitored by Chinese officials, who insisted that, in addition to the traditional course of buddhist studies, he be trained in Marxist theory and Chinese language. Early on, the young Karmapa displayed independence from his political minders by refusing to prostrate to the communist government's candidate for Panchen Lama, appointed after the child recogized by the Dalai Lama was kidnapped along with his family.

Prevented by the communist Chinese from studying with the main teachers of the lineage and thus from performing his enlightened activity, His Holiness began to lay plans for a bold escape. At the turn of the year 2000, the fourteen-year-old Karmapa eluded his guards by climbing out of his bedroom window and departed for India, crossing the Himalayan mountain range in the middle of winter on a epic journey that included segments by jeep, mule, helicopter and trekking on foot across high mountain passes and deep snow.

Karmapa reached Dharamsala, the seat of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in Exile, on January 5th, 2000 where he was joyfully welcomed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He received refugee status from the government of India in 2001 and currently resides at Gyuto Monastic University, outside Dharamsala.

>> Read Karmapa's First Statement to the World Press following his escape to freedom in India