About Kunzig Shamarpa

The 14th Shamar Rinpoche - Mipam Chokyi Lodro

The Shamarpa is the mind emanation of the Buddha Amithaba.The first Shamar Rinpoche, Khedrup Trakpe Senge (1283-1349), was the pricipal disciple of the 3rd Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje. His second incarnation, Kacho Wangpo, received the Red Crown from the 4th Karmapa, Rolpe Dorje, an exact replica of his own Black Crown. This was to be a symbol of their identicalness. With the Red Crown, the Karmapa bestowd on him the name, "The Shamarpa - The One With The Red Crown." As stated in the Good Kalpa Sutra: "In future, a Mahabodhisattva with a ruby red crown will come to the suffering multitude, leading them out of their cyclic bewilderment and misery." In the Shamarpa, the Sakyamuni's prediction was fulfilled.

The Shamarpas have reincarnated since the 14th century as either student or teacher to the Karmapas. The 14th Shamar Rinpoche, Mipam Chokyi Lodro, was born in 1952 in Derge, Tibet, as the nephew of the 16th Karmapa. He was recognised as the new Shamarpa incarnation at the age of six, and was taken to Yang Chen Monastery, main seat of the Shamarpas in Tibet. He left Tibet at the age of nine together with the 16th Karmapa for Sikkim where he lived and studied under his guidance. After Karmapa's death, Shamar Rinpoche undertook the project of completing a large institute of Buddhist studies in New Delhi. According to Karmapa's wishes, the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute (KIBI) is to serve as an establishment of higher learning to further universal wisdom and compassion, based on the correct study and translation of the great treatises of Buddhism.