page_title: Karmapa controversy
section_title: Initial search committee
hierarchical_section_title: Karmapa controversy / Karmapa controversy history / Initial search committee
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Chamgon Kenting Tai Situ Rinpoche 2015 © www.palpung.org - Palpung Web Center English: Chamgon Kenting Tai Situ Rinpoche 2015 © www.palpung.org - Palpung Web Center
context_page_description: There are currently two separately enthroned 17th Gyalwang Karmapa: Ogyen Trinley Dorje and Trinley Thaye Dorje. The Karmapa is the spiritual leader of the 900-year-old Karma Kagyu lineage of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.
  Ogyen Trinley Dorje was located, recognized and enthroned in 1992, and sealed by the Buktham Letter that was conferred by the 14th Dalai Lama. The controversy began when Trinley Thaye Dorje was separately enthroned in 1994. The divisivness started in the early and mid 1990s, with semi-public accusations of impropriety from those closely involved, and continued for several years thereafter. As the years passed, separate sets of organizations and highly recognized lamas, or teachers, supported one Karmapa or the other. The majority of the Karma Kagyu sangha and high lamas support Ogyen Trinley Dorje as the Karmapa.
  In 2018, Ogyen Trinley Dorje and Trinley Thaye Dorje met for the first time to begin creating a personal relationship with one another and to encourage their spiritual communities to heal the divisions and join in efforts to help preserve the Karma Kagyu tradition.
context_section_description: Following the parinirvana of the 16th Karmapa in 1981, a regency of the four highest remaining members of the Karma Kagyu lineage at that time was formed to locate his rebirth:
  The 3rd Jamgon Kongtrul - lead regent, third-ranking spiritual leader
  The 14th Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche - second-ranking spiritual leader
  The 12th Tai Situpa - fourth-ranking
  The 12th Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche - fifth-ranking spiritual leader
  This regency was officially dissolved by 1984, but the four Rinpoches still referred to themselves as "regents" when the prediction letter was interpreted in 1992. As the collaborative group, they had the authority to recognize the next Karmapa. As years went by, the pressure to find the next incarnation of the Karmapa mounted.
caption: 12th Tai Situpa
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