The name Karma Chagme refers to a 17th-century Tibetan Buddhistlama and to the tülku lineage which he initiated. Including the first, seven Karma Chagme tülkus have been recognized. The Neydo Kagyu sub-school of the Karma Kagyu was established by the first Karma Chagme, Rāga Asya.
The First Karma Chagme, Rāga Asya
Karma Chakme was born in Salmo Gang, a place near Riwoche in the district of Ngoms in Kham. His father, Pema Wangdrak was an established tantric siddha from the ruling lineage of Dong khachö and his mother Chökyong Kyi was descended from the family line of Gyuli. Said to have been the reincarnation of Chokro Lü Gyeltsen and of Prince Sad na legs, his father gave his son the tertön Ratna Lingpa longevity empowerments during his birth. Karma Chakme was trained by his father from the age of six in reading and writing, as well as “white” and “black” astrology, geomancy and magic ceremonies for the purpose of averting misfortunes. He was also taught the entire cycle of Nyingma teachings, which he had learned from his father, and continued his training with the most famous Nyingma and Kagyu masters of his time. He attained mastery of the sūtras and tantras at zad ma gyi monastery and received, at the age of twenty, ordination and the transmission of Mahamudra from the 6th Shamar RinpocheMipan Chökyi Wangchuk at Tsurphu Monastery. He received empowerment during his visit. Then he traveled with the Karmapa for a year and a half achieving fame in Tibet. Karma Chakme's public examination was before 12,000 monks at the Great Prayer Festival of Karma Kagyu. A contender for the post of 10th Karmapa, he was not confirmed but retained the ordination name Karma Chakme. He was known for being a prolific writer and scholar, for his ardent devotion to the cult of Sukhāvatī and for being the teacher of tertön Namchö Mingyur Dorje, who revealed a unique cycle of terma known as the Nam Cho. Karma Chakme was credited as a mahasiddha attaining an authentic emanation of Jinasagara, the "Red Avalokiteśvara". Karma Chags med was a formidable scholar and prolific author who composed some sixty volumes of texts on a variety of subjects while in retreat. He is perhaps best-known for his contributions to the Tibetan genre of Pure Land literature, with his Aspiration Prayer to the Pure Land Sukhāvatī and its commentary which are widely considered classic texts of the demön genre. Among his many works belonging to the Nam Cho cycle, https://www.academia.edu/40713875/Ascending_to_Heaven_after_Death_Karma_Chags_meds_Commentary_on_Mind_Transference [The Mind Treasure of the Sky Dharma: A Compilation of Extensive Instructions for Transferring to Sukhāvatī is an important commentary on the Vajrayāna practice of phowa The biography of the first Karma Chakme is based on the following sources: gTer ston brgya rtsa’i rnam thar ; mKhas grub Karma chags med rin po che’i gsung ’bum gyi dkar chag ; Tsering Lama ; and Chagmé.
