THE GOLDEN ROSARY OF THE KAGYU LINEAGE
42 portraits of lineage teachers in Tibetan Buddhism
The lineage of oral instructions.
In Tibetan Buddhism there are 4 different schools, Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelug or Gelugpa.
They stem from the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha. That of the Karmapa is the Kagyu, or Kagyupa. The head of the Gelugpa is the Dalai Lama. The name Kagyu means “Oral Lineage" or "Whispered Transmission" school. The Tibetan Marpa, traveled to India and received from Naropa the authentic Buddhist teachings and translated them in Tibetan. Naropa received the lineage transmission from Tilopa and so on, back to the Buddha himself.
Marpa’s most famous student Jetsun Milarepa was the greatest yogi in all of Tibet, and he passed the teachings on to Gampopa, who in turn transmitted the teachings to the First Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa. Since then, the Kagyu Lineage has been headed by a succession of reincarnations of the Gyalwang Karmapa.
The line of the Karmapas is said to be self-announced, because each incarnation leaves a letter predicting his next rebirth.
During his lifetime, Shakyamuni Buddha predicted there would come into being a fully realized teacher who would reappear over and over again as the ‘Karmapa’. The name Karmapa refers literally to 'the one who performs the activity of a Buddha.'
May this book bring you joyful wisdom. May it be of benefit and may HH 17th Gyalwang Karmapa’s life be long and stable and his activities be free of obstacles!
Karmapa Chenno
The Lineage Teachers.
The 3rd Karmapa, Ranjung Dorje
The 5th Karmapa, Deshin Shekpa
The 6th Karmapa, Thongwa Donden
The 7th Karmapa, Chodrak Gyatso
The 9th Karmapa, Wangchuk Dorje
The 10th Karmapa, Choying Dorje
The 12th Karmapa, Chanchup Dorje
The 14th Karmapa, Theckchok Dorje
The 15th Karmapa, Kyakyab Dorje
The 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje
17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje
One day someone mentioned the name of a lama I didn’t know, lama Gendun, who was living in a Buddhist Center in France. When I heard the name, in me all sound fell silent, if someone switched it of, like you switch of a light. It was a silence of emptiness and purity, it was a true blessing, and that moment I knew he will be my teacher.
Months passed by and on an evening sitting with Dharma friends, I was asked ‘who is your teacher?’ So I answered, I only know his name, and, I never met him but for sure, I know it’s him. One of the friends left the room and came back with a photo, of him, the man with the name in my heart since that day, and I cried.
Likewise there are dharma friends who recognize their teacher by a photo, without knowing who they are. Or a dream, a vision tells you where to go. There are multiple ways to find a teacher.
While painting the portraits in this book I often had the feeling that they helped me painting their portrait and when I finished one I could say “yes, this is how they looked like, this is who they are.”
I hope this book, this small contribution, will benefit the Buddhadharma and all sentient beings.
Ema Ho!
With devotion I dedicate this book to His Holiness Gyalwa Karmapa, Urgyen Trinley Dorje, the seventeenth in the line of the glorious incarnations of the Supreme Head of the Kagyu Lin- eage.
May HH 17th Gyalwang Karmapa’s life be long and stable and his activities be free of obstacles!
Matthijs Warner
