Without the protection of its two leaders, twenty-seven monasteries belonging to the Karmapa and twenty monasteries of the Shamarpa were confiscated and converted to the Gelugpa School. Only the Tsurphu and Yangpachen monasteries, the seats of the Karmapas and Shamarpas respectively, and a few others of lesser importance were allowed to continue practicing the Karma Kagyu tradition.

The early 18th century saw a brief revival of the Karma Kagyu Lineage due to the constant Dharma activities of the 12th Karmapa Changchub Dorje (1703-1732), and the 8th Shamarpa Chokyi Dhondrub (1695-1732). They traveled together throughout Tibet and prevented the lineage from slipping into extinction. The fame of the 12th Karmapa and 8th Shamarpa was so great during the reign of Emperor Yung Cheng that he invited them to his court in 1732. Unfortunately, one day after their arrival in Beijing, they both died of smallpox. After the death of the 12th Karmapa and the 8th Shamarpa, the Karma Kagyu Lineage suffered another period of decline.

12th Karmapa Changchub Dorje (18th c.) © Himalayan Art Collection

10th Shamarpa Chodrub Gyaltso (19th c.) © Himalayan Art Collection

Due to a misunderstanding with and resulting hostilities from the Gelugpa government, the 10th Shamarpa Chodrub Gyaltso (1742-1792), fled Tibet in 1784, for the safety of neighboring Nepal. In the late 18th century, counterfeit Nepalese currency was so rampant in Tibet that it even caused high inflation in Nepal itself. When the 10th Shamarpa sought refuge in Nepal, the Nepalese King Bahadur Shah thought he could take advantage of this and use the Shamarpa to negotiate a solution to the currency problem with the Tibetan government. The negotiations failed and the Tibetan delegation that had come to Nepal was taken prisoner. King Bahadur dispatched his troops to Tibet where they captured much territory. The Chinese sent troops to repel the invading Nepalese and a peace was finally negotiated in 1792. The Gelugpa government blamed the Shamarpa for the political and military debacle and in retaliation banned the enthronement of any future reincarnated Shamarpas. At that time, Shamarpa's seat, Yangpachen Monastery was also confiscated and converted to the Gelugpa School.

In spite of the official ban against the recognition and enthronement of the Shamarpa, Shamar tulkus continued to be reborn as great bodhisattvas. Hence, the 11th Shamarpa Chowang Rinpoche of Tsurphu Monastery, also lineage-holder of the Mahakala Tantra, was reborn as the brother of the 14th Karmapa Tregchog Dorje (1798-1868), who kept his recognition secret. The 11th Shamarpa transmitted the entire Mahakala Tantra to the 15th Karmapa Khakhyab Dorje (1871-1922). The 12th Shamarpa took rebirth as the son of the 15th Karmapa. He was a monk first and then practiced as a yogi with consort. The 12th Shamarpa frequently was able to visit and teach at the Yangpachen Monastery where he remained highly respected. The 13th Shamarpa (1949-1951) was recognized by the 16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje (1924-1981) in Tsurphu, but lived less than two years and was never officially enthroned.

The current and 14th Kunzig Shamarpa Mipham Chokyi Lodro, was born in 1952 as the nephew of the 16th Karmapa. The 14th Shamarpa was born in Derge, eastern Tibet and was brought to Tsurphu Monastery at the age of three. In 1956, the 16th Karmapa invited the current Dalai Lama to Tsurphu Monastery and requested him to revoke the ban against the Shamarpas. Although the Dalai Lama agreed, he advised the Karmapa first to perform the initial enthronement ceremony of the 14th Shamarpa at Tsurphu so that the Tibetan government could then publicly announce the lifting of the ban. Afterwards, the main enthronement was to be held at Yangpachen Monastery. The initial enthronement ceremony was held in 1957, at the Tsurphu Monastery, but before the government could announce the revocation of the ban, the Dalai Lama, the Karmapa and the Shamarpa had to flee for sanctuary in India due to the impending threat of Chinese invasion of Tibet.

16th Karmapa Ranjung Rigpe Dorje

Construction of the Rumtek Monastery began soon after the 16th Karmapa arrived in Sikkim in 1959. Rumtek served as his seat outside Tibet and quickly became well known throughout the Himalayan region because of the local peoples devotion to the Karmapa. The beloved 16th Karmapa died in the United States in 1981, during one of his several trips to the West to spread the Dharma.

Rumtek

The 14th Shamarpa recognized the 17th Karmapa to be the first-born son of the 3rd Mipham Rinpoche of the Nyingma School. Born in Lhasa in 1983, the Karmapa and his family escaped from Tibet in 1994. Immediately thereafter, the young Karmapa went to New Delhi where the 14th Shamarpa publicly confirmed him. Since that time, the Karmapa has resided in India and France where he receives Dharma instruction and training. In November 1996, the 17th Karmapa formally took full monastic ordination vows in a ceremony at Bodh Gaya where the Buddha attained enlightenment. At that time Karmapa was given the name Thrinley Thaye Dorje meaning, "limitless, unchanging buddha-activity."

16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje

14th Kunzig Shamarpa Mipham Chokyi Lodro © Lee Weingrad

17th Karmapa Thrinley Thaye Dorje