Tibetans hold that realized teachers who die can then choose to be reborn in a new life so as to continue to teach. This tradition began in the Twelth Century, when Dusum Khyenpa predicted his rebirth by leaving a prediction letter before his death, describing the details of his reincarnation. In the Thirteenth Century, Karma Pakshi fulfilled Dusum Khyenpa's prediction, demonstrating through seeming miracles that he was in fact the reincarnation of Dusum Khyenpa.

This practice of recognizing reincarnated Tibetan teachers spread throughout Tibet, and in the modern day, many hundreds of teachers are held to be reincarnations. Still, there are important differences between the activities of the many different kinds of reincarnated teachers. Most reincarnated teachers do not remember their past lives and cannot recognize whether another person is a reincarnated master. Traditionally, only supreme reincarnations, such as His Holiness Dalai Lama and His Holiness Karmapa, are held to have the spiritual accomplishment and ability to legitimately recognize others as reincarnations.

Among all the reincarnations of Tibet, the original line of reincarnations that began with Dusum Khyenpa and Karma Pakshi remains unique. These great masters are said to follow the singular tradition of "recognizing themselves," which means that the predecessor before his death leaves a letter or other similar form of instruction on how to locate the successor. This line of incarnations is known as the Karmapas. The first Karmapa was Dusum Khyenpa. The second was Karma Pakshi. The line continues until this day.

The Birth And Early Years Of The Seventeenth Gyalwa Karmapa

In 1985, a boy was born to nomads in the Lhatok region of Eastern Tibet. Prior to his birth, the boy's mother had had wonderful dreams. On the day of his birth, a cuckoo landed on the tent in which he was born, and a mysterious conch-like sound was heard by many throughout the valley.

In Tibet, such events are considered auspicious portents of the birth of an enlightened teacher.

The young nomad boy, named Apo Gaga, lived a life that seemed, to his family, full of blessing, but Apo Gaga did not reveal to them who he was. However, in 1992, he asked them to move the location of their nomadic home to another valley, and told them to expect a visit from travelling monks. Soon after setting up their home in the new location, to that valley came the followers of the Sixteenth Karmapa, pursuant to the secret instructions of the Sixteenth Karmapa contained in his letter of prediction. The birth and the other details of Apo Gaga's life matched the predictions of the letter. Apo Gaga was discovered to be the Seventeenth Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dudul Dorje.

In addition to his letter of prediction, the Sixteenth Karmapa wrote many poems, or songs, predicting that though he would leave Tibet, he would soon return, that his root teacher would be HE Situ Rinpoche, and that he would study in India. Furthermore, the predictions of the 19th Century master Chogyur Lingpa matched the details of His Holiness's birth. These predictions were to be fulfilled, and in this way, it is traditionally said that the Karmapa was "self-recognized."

The Karmapa's Return To Tsurphu In Tibet, The Historic Seat Of The Karmapas

The Seventeenth Karmapa did in fact return to Tolung Tsurphu Monastery in Central Tibet in 1992, where he was enthroned on September 27, 1992, with the permission of the Chinese government, a first in Tibet. Over 20,000 supplicants assembled. The following morning, some 25,000 people filed before His Holiness to receive a personal blessing.

At Tsurphu, the Karmapa studied the Buddhist sciences of mind, learned ritual, and practiced sacred arts, such as dance. Each day he received hundreds of visitors from throughout Tibet and around the world. He eventually began to offer empowerments and participated in various rituals at the monastery. At the age of about 10, His Holiness recognized the rebirth of reincarnate teachers, including such eminent teachers as Pawo Rinpoche, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche and the young Dabzang Rinpoche.

While His Holiness was at Tsurphu, the monastery underwent extensive rebuilding to restore the temples, shrines, stupas, a shedra, and residences that had been destroyed over the years, fulfilling one of the main duties of a Karmapa. As the years went by, however, His Holiness came under increasing pressure from Tibetan and Chinese authorities to act in ways which were contrary to his obligations as a Karmapa. He publically refused to denounce the Dalai Lama and to recognize the Panchen Lama, and engaged in numerous other acts which were contrary to the wishes of the authorities. Finally, in 1999, recognizing perhaps that his usefulness in Tibet was being undermined, he decided to leave. Though he was under constant surveillance from the Chinese government, who refused to let him leave the country, he and a handful of attendants concocted a bold scheme to escape.

Karmapa's Great Escape

After months of careful planning, on December 28, the fourteen-year-old Karmapa pretended to enter into a solitary retreat, and instead, donned civilian garb and slipped out a window. Leaving Tsurphu Monastery with a handful of attendants, he began a daring escape by car, foot, horseback, helicopter, train and taxi, a heroic journey which was to become the stuff of headlines throughout the world. On January 5, 2000 he arrived, to the the great surprise and overwhelming joy of the world, in Dharamsala, India, where he was met by His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama. He remains near Dharamsala, awaiting permission from the Indian authorities to leave Dharamsala and return to the traditional seat of the Karmapas in India.