Karma Lingpa

Karma Lingpa, also recognized by the name Karma Chagme, was a significant Tibetan Buddhist master of the 17th century. He initiated a lineage of reincarnate lamas, with seven individuals identified within this tulku line to date. The first Karma Chagme, born Wangdrak Sung, was also known as Rāga Asya and established the Neydo Kagyu sub-school. He was born in 1613 in the Kham region of Tibet, to a father who was a tantric siddha and a mother from a notable lineage.

His education began at age six, covering literacy, astrology, geomancy, and magical practices. He received extensive training in Nyingma teachings from his father and continued his studies with prominent Nyingma and Kagyu masters. He achieved mastery of both sutras and tantras, receiving ordination and Mahamudra transmission at the age of twenty. His public examination before thousands of monks and his association with the Karmapa further cemented his reputation. He was a prolific author, noted for his devotion to Sukhāvatī and for teaching tertön Namchö Mingyur Dorje, who revealed the Nam Cho cycle. Karma Chagme was considered a mahasiddha and is renowned for his writings on Pure Land Buddhism and the Vajrayana practice of phowa.

Born Wangdrak Sung in 1613 in Kham, Tibet, the first Karma Chagme, also known as Rāga Asya, hailed from a lineage of spiritual practitioners. His father was an accomplished tantric siddha, and his mother descended from a distinguished family line. Early accounts suggest he was the reincarnation of notable figures from Tibetan history. His formal education commenced at six years old under his father's tutelage, encompassing reading, writing, various forms of Tibetan astrology ('white' and 'black'), geomancy, and rituals aimed at averting misfortune. He was also introduced to the complete corpus of Nyingma teachings by his father, later expanding his studies with renowned masters from both the Nyingma and Kagyu traditions.

Karma Chagme achieved profound mastery of both the sutras and tantras, formally receiving ordination and the transmission of Mahamudra at twenty years old from the 6th Shamar Rinpoche. His spiritual authority was recognized during a large public examination before 12,000 monks. Although he was a candidate for the position of 10th Karmapa, this was not confirmed, yet he retained his ordination name. He became widely respected as a prolific scholar and author. His writings are particularly noted for their deep devotion to the Pure Land of Sukhāvatī. He is also recognized as the teacher of the tertön Namchö Mingyur Dorje, who revealed a significant terma cycle. Karma Chagme himself is credited with attaining the realization of Jinasagara, a form of Avalokiteśvara, and composed approximately sixty volumes of texts, including influential works on Pure Land literature and the Vajrayana practice of phowa.

The first Karma Chagme, Rāga Asya (1613-1678), initiated a lineage of reincarnate lamas. This lineage, known as the Karma Chagme tülkus, has seen seven individuals recognized to date. The lineage includes figures such as Choktrül Trinley Wangchuk and Trinley Tendzin. The most recent holder of the lineage was Karma Tendzin Trinley Kunkhyab Pelzangpo, who passed away on October 3, 2013, at Tashi Chöeling Monastery in Nepal. The eighth Karma Chagme has not yet been identified. The Neydo Kagyu sub-school, an offshoot of the Karma Kagyu tradition, was also established by the first Karma Chagme.