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
