Ogyen Trinley Dorje

From Buddhist Encyclopedia

• Chinese : &nbsp: 噶玛巴·伍金赤列多吉
• Tibetan :  ཨོ་རྒྱན་འཕྲིན་ལས་རྡོ་རྗེ
• Wylie :   O-rgyan 'Phrin-las Rdo-rje

His Holiness Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa.

Ogyen Trinley Dorje (b. June 26, 1985), also written Urgyen Trinley Dorje ; or Orgyen Trinley Dorje or Ugyen Trinley Dorje) is recognized by many followers as the 17th Karmapa, leader of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Born in Kham, Tibet to largely nomadic parents, Ogyen Trinley Dorje is said to have identified himself to family members as the Karmapa early in childhood. He was seven years old before he was recognized by a search party headed by the Tai Situpa, following instructions left by the previous Karmapa in a prophetic letter and hidden in a locket. Ogyen Trinley Dorje was installed at Tsurphu monastery, the traditional seat of the Karmapa in Tibet, where he lived for another seven years.

Over the 2000 Millennium he escaped to Nepal and then India, arriving in the Dalai Lama's exile headquarters of Dharamsala on January 5, 2000. Ogyen Trinley Dorje had felt that he was unable to obtain in China the specialized instruction he needed to complete his studies and to realize his full spiritual authority.

A controversy exists over the identity of the true 17th Karmapa: the Shamarpa, arguably the second highest Karma Kagyu lama, does not recognize Ogyen Trinley Dorje and instead has proclaimed another boy, Thaye Dorje , whom he identified a few years earlier, as the true Karmapa. Ogyen Trinley Dorje, however, is supported by most of the Kagyu hierarchy, including two of those charged with finding the new Karmapa: Tai Situpa and Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche (a fourth such lama, the 3rd Jamgon Kongtrul, died shortly before the controversy arose.)

Other high Kagyu lamas who support Ogyen Trinley Dorje include H.E. the Fourth Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, H.E. the Eleventh Pawo Rinpoche, the Ninth Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche, the Ninth Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, the Third Kalu Rinpoche, the Seventh Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche and his Nalandabodhi organization, the Twelfth Surmang Trungpa Rinpoche, the Seventh Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, the Third Tenga Rinpoche, the Venerable Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, the Venerable Bokar Rinpoche, Bardor Tulku Rinpoche, the Venerable Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche (abbot of Karma Triyana Dharmachakra), H.E. Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche and his organization, Shambhala International, the Venerable Drupon Rinpoche, and Lama Norlha Rinpoche, among others. He is also recognized as Karmapa by the current Dalai Lama and the government of the People's Republic of China.

As of 2006 he resides at Gyuto Monastery in Sidhbari, near Dharamsala.

See also

• Kagyu
• Karmapa controversy

References

• The Dance of 17 Lives : The Incredible True Story of Tibet's 17th Karmapa,

by Mick Brown. New York, NY: Bloomsbury USA, 2005. ISBN 1-58234-598-8

• Music in the Sky: The Life, Art & Teachings of the 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje, by Michele Martin. Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion Press, 2003. ISBN 1-55939-195-2.
• Karmapa of Tibet: The Politics of Reincarnation, by Lea Terhune.

Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2004. ISBN 0-86171-180-7

External links

• The 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje
• 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje Links