in Kham and, at the age of 74, another seat at Tsurphu Monastery in Ü-Tsang in the valley of the Tolung River, which feeds into the Brahmaputra River. The abbot of the Buddhist monastery at Bodh Gaya sent a conch to Düsum Khyenpa at Tsurphu. Conch symbolism is found in many stories of the sixteen Karmapas. Düsum Khyenpa made predictions about future Karmapas. In particular, he was the first Karmapa to present a prediction letter detailing his future incarnation. He gave it to his main disciple, Drogon Rechen, predecessor of the Tai Situpa line. He died at the age of 84. His heart was found intact in the funeral pyre and some of his remaining bones bore self manifesting symbols of Buddhas. Among his main disciples were Taklung Thangpa Tashi Pal, founder of the Taklung Kagyu; Tsangpa Gyare, founder of the Drukpa Lineage now widespread in Bhutan; and the Nyingma master Katok Dampa Deshek, founder of Katok Monastery. The forefathers in the Kagyu lineage are known as the "Golden Rosary." The lineage of the Kagyu emphasizes the continuity of oral instructions passed on from master to student. The principal student who held the lineage of the Golden Rosary from the First Karmapa was Drogon Rechen. An ink and gouache drawing of Düsum Khyenpa was found in a statue of the Buddha and is in the Victoria and Albert Museum. See also Tulku Lucid dream Footnotes References Note: This text is based on the abstract from Ken Holmes book Karmapa on the web site used with the author's permission. Other sources are indicated by footnotes. Ken Holmes, Karmapa, Altea Publishing 1995, . Author's website Lama Kunsang, Lama Pemo, Marie Aubèle (2012). History of the Karmapas: The Odyssey of the Tibetan Masters with the Black Crown. Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca, New York. . First Karmapa: The Life and Teachings of Dusum Khyenpa (2012), Translated by Michele Martin & David Karma Choepel, KTD Publications, New York. . External links The First Karmapa Düsum Khyenpa (1110 - 1193) kagyuoffice 1 1110 births 1193 deaths 12th-century Tibetan people