| Karmapa means "the one who carries out buddha-activity" or "the embodiment of all the activities of the buddhas." The Karmapas have incarnated in this form of nirmanakaya, or manifestation body, for seventeen lifetimes, as of the present, and all have played the most important role in preserving and propagating the Buddhist teachings of Tibet. The arrival of a master who would be known as the Karmapa was been prophesied by the historic Buddha Shakyamuni and the great tantric master of India, Guru Padmasambhava. From the Lankavatara Sutra
In the Lankavatara sutra, the Buddha Shakyamuni said: "To north of India there will appear a supreme spiritual friend who increases virtue. He will possess the greatest enlightened power and humble appearance. Many will gather to listen to his teachings. He will carry the name Dusum Khyenpa (knower of the three times) and Karmapa (holder of all the Buddhas' activity). Whoever sees his face, be it only once, will be freed from his or her obscuring veils. Simply seeing the Karmapa brings liberation."
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| From the Samadhi Raja Sutra
The Samadhi Raja Sutra, spoken by the Buddha, proclaimed: "An enlightened hero with the lion's voice named Karmapa will appear. He will use his powers, achieved due to perfecting meditation, for the benefit of all sentient beings. By seeing, hearing, touching him or thinking of him, one will be led to happiness."
From the treasure predictions of Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa
This is the prophecy of Guru Padmasambhava on the Karmapas found in the treasure of Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa (The Dharmaddipa, the Terchen, the most excellent among the realised master scholars). As told by him, Amitabha Buddha, the embodiment of boundless light who is also called the fourth Dhyani Buddha, Avalokitesvara who resided on the Potala mountain and Padmasambhava were all but one in different forms. Each of these identities were not separate things but are included in the cycle of the Dharma. Therefore, prophet Chokgyur Lingpa is the same as Amitabha, Avalokitesvara and Padmasambhava.
From the Mulamanjushri (Root of Manjushri) Tantra
Endowed with a name beginning with Ka and ending with Ma,?
There will appear an individual who illuminates the teachings.
The Karmapa is the emanation of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, known as Chenrezi in Tibet. Likewise, the Karmapa embodies the essence of the Yidam Chakrasamvara, a personal meditation deity. In the future, the Karmapa will manifest as the Buddha Simha, the sixth buddha of this eon of one thousands Buddhas. In this eon, Shakyamuni (born as Siddhartha) was the fourth buddha and Maitreya shall be the fifth buddha. Throughout the centuries, Karmapas have been the central figure in the continuation of the vajrayana lineage in general and Kagyu lineage in particular, and have played a very important role in the preservation of the study and practice lineages of Buddhism |
