"THE KAGYU LINEAGE OF TIBETAN BUDDHISM traces its origins to Shakyamuni Buddha through Marpa the Great Translator, who three times traveled to India to bring back authentic Buddhist teachings to Tibet. His teacher, Naropa, received the lineage transmission from Tilopa and so on, back to the Buddha himself. Marpa's most famous student was the greatest yogi in all of Tibet, the renowned Jetsun Milarepa, who passed the teachings on to Gampopa, who in turn transmitted the teachings to the First Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa. Since then, the Kagyu Lineage has been headed by a succession of reincarnations of the Gyalwa Karmapa. The line of the Karmapas is said to be self-announced, because each incarnation leaves a letter predicting his next rebirth. All great Kagyu teachers regard His Holiness Karmapa as the embodiment and source of all of the blessings of the lineage."

From the website of the Karma Kagyu branch of Tibetan Buddhism. Click here to read more about the present and previous Karmapas.

Recent news about the 17th Karmapa:

• January 7, 2000
  Buddhist Leader, 14, Flees Chinese Rule in Tibet for India (New York Times)

• January 9, 2000
  Dalai Lama Meets Buddhist Leader Who Escaped From China (Associated Press)

• January 10, 2000
  Buddhist leader's exile spotlights China religious repression (Associated Press)

  More Tibetans flee homeland (Christian Science Monitor))

  China Girds For a Battle Of the Spirit (Washington Post)

• January 15, 2000
  Karmapa Wants to Revive Black Hat Ceremony (Associated Press)

• February 3, 2000
  Lama's Escape Inflames Buddhist Rivalry (New York Times)

• February 7, 2000
  Karmapa Lama Declares Freedom Required for Religious Practice (China News Digest)

• August 28, 2000
  Buddhists Seek Asylum for Leader in India (New York Times)