centres founded by the Nydahls or Kalu Rinpoche. His first visit in the West was in 1974 and he gave numerous teachings and empowerments in the centres. The 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje (born 1983) is the current head of the Karma Kagyu School and one of the candidates to the reincarnation of the 16th Karmapa. He is considered the true incarnation of the Karmapa by the Diamond Way Buddhist Centers, as well as by Shamarpa, Shangpa Rinpoche, the Second Beru Khyentse, Gyatrul Rinpoche and Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche. Trinley Thaye Dorje was born in Tibet but managed to escape in 1994 and was enthroned by Shamarpa at the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute (KIBI). He has since visited the West several times in order to teach. The first time he visited Europe was in 2000 and the first time he visited the United States was in 2003. Ole Nydahl Ole Nydahl (born 1941 near Copenhagen, Denmark), is a Buddhist Lama and one of the main figures in the spreading of Karma Kagyu Buddhism in the West.Journal of Global Buddhism, Article by Jørn Borup, Department of Study of Religion at University of Aarhus, Denmark. 2008, based on research from 2005 Retrieved on 2009-02-02 Since the early 1970s he has toured the world, giving lectures and meditation courses, and together with his wife Hannah Nydahl (1946–2007) founded Diamond Way Buddhism. He is often referred to as Lama Ole Nydahl or Lama Ole. Hannah Nydahl Hannah Nydahl (1946–2007), wife of Ole Nydahl, was an important Danish teacher and translator in the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. She was born and died in Copenhagen, Denmark. Hannah and Ole Nydahl were introduced to Buddhism on their honeymoon in Nepal in 1968, where they became students in 1969. She was sometimes referred to as Lamini or female Lama, but the main role of Hannah Nydahl was as a translator, which she didn't mind.Open letter regarding Karmapa Controversy by karmapa-issue.org, 26.07.2004 Retrieved on 2009-30-01 Shamarpa Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche, born 1952 in Derge, Tibet, is second to the Gyalwa Karmapa in the spiritual hierarchy of the Karma Kagyu School. He fled Tibet at the age of 9 with the 16th Karmapa. Shamarpa is also known as Red Hat Karmapa, and is, together with the 17th Karmapa, the current holder of the Karma Kagyu lineage. Shamarpa completed the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute (KIBI) in New Delhi, India, after the