Rangjung Dorje

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Rangjung Dorje (Wylie: rang 'byung rdo rje) (b. 1284 - d. 1339) was the third Karmapa, an important figure in the history of Tibetan Buddhism. He supposedly produced a spontaneous black crown (which would later be a symbol of the line) at the age of three and declared himself to be the rebirth of Karma Pakshi. Born to a Nyingma family, he received the full transmission of the Nyingma tradition in addition to the Karma Kagyu.

Rangjung Dorje was a noted scholar who composed many significant texts, the most famous of which is the Profound Inner Meaning (zab.mo.nang.don), which concern the Vajrayana inner yoga practices. Other important texts of his include the Aspiration Prayer of Mahamudra, Distinguishing Consciousness from Wisdom, Instructions on Sahajayoga Mahamudra, and A Treatise on Buddha Nature. His mastery of both the Kagyu Mahamudra and Nyingma Dzogchen was widely renowned, and he was a Kalachakra master as well.

He visited China, where the emperor Toghon Temur became his disciple. Upon his death, Ranjung Dorje's face is said to have appeared in the moon there.

Preceded by Karma Pakshi

Reincarnation of the Karmapa

Succeeded by Rolpe Dorje