The Sixteenth Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje (1924-1981)

Was born in Debkhok in Derge Province of east Tibet to a noble family called Athup.

His mother had stayed in a holy cave where once was used by Guru Rinpoche and waited to give birth under the instructions from different masters in Derge

At one point toward the very end of the pregnancy, the future Karmapa disappeared entirely from his mother's womb for a whole day and returned the day before his mother gave birth.

The details of the birth coincided with those in a prediction letter given by the fifteenth Karmapa and the eleventh Tai Situpa soon recognized the child as being the new reincarnation of the Gyalwa Karmapa and sough confirmation from His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Received first ordination and then bodhisattva vows from Tai Situpa and Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche. At age of eight, he received the Black Crown and ceremonial robes of the Karmapa then was accompanied by Tai Situpa on the long journey to Tsurphu.

Dalai Lama had a vision of the ever-present wisdom crown above the Karmapa's head while performing the hair-cutting ceremony at Tsurphu

Received the full Kagyu lineage transmissions from Tai Situpa and Jamgon Kongtrul and mahamudra transmission from Jamgon Kongtrul and many other great masters of the time.

Accepted an invitation from the king of Bhutan the Karmapa and his party visited Bumthang and other areas in Bhutan engaging in many spiritual activities.

Received invitation from the king of Sikkim to visit Rumtek, the monastery founded by the ninth Karmapa at the end of sixteenth century, Karmapa was unable to accept the invitation but said that he would go there in the future when it would be needed.

Foreseeing the Communist Chinese invasion of Tibet and the inevitable destruction of Buddhist institution there, the Karmapa informed the Dalai Lama of his intention to leave his home land and finally, the party arrived safely in northern Bhutan bring with them sacred statuses, painting, reliquaries, and other precious item of the lineage of the Karmapas.

The king of Sikkim extended a formal invitation to the Karmapa to establish his seat there. With several sites proposed by King Tashi Namgyal, the Karmapa chose to settle at Rumtek.

Construction of Rumtek was funded primarily through the generosity of the Sikkimese royal family and Indian government and completed in four years.

In 1974, the sixteenth Karmapa set out on his first world tour, visiting the United States, Canada, and Europe. Accompany by other teachers, and a full entourage of monks and staff, he performed the Black Crown ceremony in the Western hemisphere for the first time.

The Karmapa's last world tour began in May 1980 and took him to Greece, England, the United States and Southeast Asia, where he gave teachings, Black Crown ceremonies, empowerments, interviews, and many beneficial activities.

On November 5, 1981, the sixteenth Karmapa passed into parinirvana at the American International Clinic in Zion, Illinois. His kundung was flown back to India and the cremation ceremony took place at Rumtek Monastery on December 20th.