His Holiness the Seventeenth Gyalwa Karmapa

The Seventeenth Karmapa is the successor of His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, the head of the Kagyu lineage and main teacher of The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche during his education in Sikkim. He was born in Tibet June 26, 1985. From the age of 8 years, HH the 17th Karmapa presided over Tsurphu, which has been the traditional seat of the Karmapas in Tibet since the end of the Twelfth Century. At the age of fourteen years, he escaped Tibet for India, the ancient birthplace of Buddhism, to fulfill the role played by all the Karmapas throughout history, the pursuit his religious freedom for the education of himself and the education of others. Now 22 years of age, he is scheduled to come to the West for the first time in May 2008.

Brief Biography Of The Seventeenth Karmapa

Supreme Head Of The Kagyu Lineage

The young Seventeenth Karmapa was born in Tibet and presided over the traditional seat in Tsurphu, Tibet for six years, fulfilling the prophecy of his predecessor, the Sixteenth Karmapa. Go to Article.

The Great Escape

The Journey to Religious Freedom

At the age of 14, the Karmapa pretended to go into a solitary retreat, and instead climbed out of his window to begin an awe-inspiring escape across the Himalayas to the freedom of India. (In Bodhi)

Karmapa News Archives

The Karmapa In India

Upon his escape from Tibet, the Karmapa was the subject of intense press coverage. Nalandabodhi covered the press reporting on Karmapa's escape on a daily basis since his arrival in Dharamsala in 2000. The Karmapa News Archive presents a fascinating picture of the world's reaction to the stunning news of the Gyalwang Karmapa's daring escape from Tibet to India in search of religious freedom. Go to the Karmapa News Archive.