The fifteenth Karmapa, Khakyab Dorje, and the lineage of the New Treasures

 

Khakyab Dorje, the 15th Karmapa (1871-1922). Born in the Tsang province in central Tibet. He was recognized and enthroned by the Kyabgon Drukchen, Mingyur Wanggi Gyalpo along with Jamgon Kongtrul, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, Terchen Chokgyur Lingpa, and Pawo Tsuklak Nyinchey. He received the transmissions of teachings from Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye and studied with many great masters, including Khenchen Tashi Ozer. He gave empowerments throughout Tibet, and preserved many rare texts by having them reprinted. Khakyab Dorje was the first in the line of Karmapas to get married, and had three sons, one of whom was recognized as the second Jamgon Kongtrul Palden Khyentse Öser. Among many disciples, his closest students were Tai Situ Pema Wangchok Gyalpo, Jamgon Kongtrul Palden Khyentse Öser (Karsey Kongtrul), and Beru Khyentse Lodro Mizey Jampey Gocha. Some years before his passing into parinirvana, he entrusted a prediction letter to his closest attendant.

 

From Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoirs:
After Khyentse and Kongtrul, no one did a greater service to the New Treasures than Khakyab Dorje. So deep was Samten Gyatso’s trust in him that tears would often come to his eyes upon mere mention of his name.
Khakyab Dorje received the complete transmission of the Chokling Tersar from Samten Gyatso. At that time, there were still several terma arrangements, for liturgies as well as for empowerments, which had not yet been written. So, because some extremely important and profound instructions and empowerments still remained, Samten Gyatso requested Khakyab Dorje to compose them. It is an extremely great kindness that he accepted to compose these texts. He dictated them to Jampal Tsultrim who was an outstanding lama in his own right.
Samten Gyatso once told me that Khakyab Dorje was an inconceivably great master, describing his clairvoyant powers, signs of accomplishment and how he could perceive the three times as clearly as something placed in the palm of his hand. But, although Khakyab Dorje had unimpeded clairvoyance, he did not have complete control over his clairvoyance. For example, he would know both when some lamas were going to die and where they would be reborn without anyone requesting this information. When the disciples responsible for finding the tulku would come to inquire about the lama, Khakyab Dorje would already have all the circumstances of the tulku’s death and rebirth written down. In other cases, he could only see the circumstances of rebirth when a special request was made (on the part of the sangha) and some auspicious circumstance was created. In still other cases, he couldn’t see anything; even when requested for help. He would try and say, “It’s shrouded in mist.” This, he said, was due to some problem between the dead lama and his disciples. If there was fighting and disharmony within the lama’s sangha, the (whereabouts of his next incarnation would be indistinct) and shrouded in haze. He said, “The worst obstacle for recognizing tulkus clearly is disharmony between the guru and his disciples. In such cases nothing can be done and (the circumstances of his next rebirth) remain unforeseeable.”

--extract from Blazing Splendor, the momoirs of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche

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