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The Kagyu Lineage is one of the four major Lineages of Vajrayana Buddhism in Tibet. Its main branch, and the largest, is the Karma Kagyu, which has been guided over eight hundred years by the successive incarnations of its Supreme Head, the Glorious Karmapa. With the spread of Vajrayana Buddhism beyond Tibet over the last fifty years, numerous Karma Kagyu Dharma centers have been founded all over the world, under the inspiration of His Holiness the Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, Ranjung Rigpe Dorje, with the aim of making the complete teachings of the Buddha available all over the world and independent of any state, religion or political institutions. Over 920 Buddhist centers and monasteries of the Karma Kagyu lineage in 66 countries follow H.H. the 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje who was recognized by H.H. the 14th Shamarpa Mipham Chokyi Lodro. According to the 800-year-old tradition of the Karma Kagyu lineage, successive reincarnations of Karmapas and Shamarpas recognize each other. In the history of Tibetan Buddhism, the Karmapa was the first reincarnated lama and Shamarpa was the second. The centers and monasteries listed below follow this traditional lineage of the Karma Kagyu. |
