Kentin Tai Situ Rinpoche

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The lineage of the Tai Situpas is traced to one of the main disciples of the Gotama Buddha, the Bodhisattva Maitreya. Since that time there have been a successive chain of incarnations until today, incessantly working for the benefit of all beings and playing a key-role for the Karma Kagyü lineage.

In our world, the appearance of a Buddha is considered very rare. It is as rare as a heavenly flower which blooms only once in a million years. So precious is the appearance of a Buddha in the world that to simply hear about his qualities bestows benefit.

Just so, as Jamgon Kongtrul the Great put it: 'The appearance of the Tai Situpa is like the appearance of a Buddha. The loving protector of beings, Tai Situpa, is in essence inseparable from the victorious Karmapa, although he appears sometimes as the Karmapa’s spiritual master, sometimes as his disciple. Not even a tiny fraction of the lives of the Karmapa and Tai Situpa, the spiritual father and son, can be accurately seen or described by ordinary beings, or even by the gods such as Indra or Brahma. Tai Situpa has already attained full awakening and enlightenment but by the force of his compassion, he continually works for the welfare of others for as long as life remains in the universe’.

The Tai Situpa and his incarnations were clearly foretold by Guru Padmasambhava in the Command Seal of Prophecies (Lungten Kagyama) which was discovered by the Terton Sangye Lingpa (1340–1396).

Since beginningless time the Tai Situpas have manifested to benefit beings and will continue to do so; his emanations will culminate in the appearance of the 5th and next Buddha of this eon, Maitreya. Maitreya is known as the Protector Loving Kindness. Situ Rinpoche is also the emanation of the Yidam Hevajra and Guru Padmasambhava..

The Terton Chogyur Lingpa predicted in the 19th Century: "The 17th Karmapa's mind shall be blended together with Kenting Tai Situ's mind. Through this, the teachings will flourish."

Inseparable from the Gyalwa Karmapa, the present and 12th Tai Situ Rinpoche was the regent of the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa. Tai Situpa is now the principle teacher to the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Urgyen Trinley Dorje. During Situ Rinpoche's fifth incarnation, the Gyalwa Karmapa bestowed upon the Tai Situpa the Red Vajra Crown. This crown symbolizes the Tai Situpa's enlightened qualities and his inseparability from the Karmapa.

The Red Vajra Crown is one of the special attribute of Tai Situpa, and it 'frees through seeing'. Just seeing the Red Crown during the particular ceremony performed by Tai Situpa, equivalent to Gyalwa Karmapa's one with Black Crown, plants a fertile seed for enlightenment and it is cause to be reborn among the retinue of the Buddha Maitreya.