The Second Karmapa Karma Pakshi

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This annotation explores the life and writings of a Tibetan meditation master who served as the Buddhist priest to two Mongol emperors and is recognized as one of the earliest reincarnated lamas in Tibet. Karma Pakshi played a crucial role in the development of the reincarnate lama tradition, which ultimately influenced the lineage of the Dalai Lamas. Born in East Tibet in the thirteenth century, he was the first master to be designated Karmapa, a lineage that endures today with millions of followers globally. Acknowledged as a mahāsiddha, or great spiritual adept, he was invited to the Mongol court at its peak. There, he provided spiritual guidance and meditation instructions to Emperor Möngke Khan, advising him on social policies, prisoner releases, and a vegetarian diet. Following Möngke's death, Karma Pakshi was imprisoned by Kubilai Khan, during which he produced much of his writing in northeast China. After his release, he returned to Tibet and commissioned a monumental seated Buddha statue, sixty feet high. Centuries later, two prominent Buddhist meditation masters were inspired by him to create significant meditation practices that remain vital to contemporary Tibetan Buddhist practitioners.