History of King Langdarma|the Karmapa’s Black and Red Crowns#Karmapa #BlackCrown #Buddhism

Gyalpo Langdarma - 841 to 842 AD* UDum Tsen. Last King of Tibetan Empire. -First he was Buddhist. Later under influence of his minister We Gyaltore Taknye, he became Bon follower. In 838 he killed his own brother King Ralpachen and took the throne. Then he started heavy persecution of Buddhism - the only Buddhism at that time was Nyingma. He closed monasteries, forced monks to become hunters or marry, destroyed statues. Because of this, Tibetans call him incarnation of Ox-Head guardian of hell, that's why "Lang" = bull. In 842, Buddhist hermit monk Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje assassinated him - shot him with bow while doing Cham dance. After his death, Tibetan Empire broke and Era of Fragmentation started. • According to spiritual tradition, when the 1st Karmapa achieved high realization, 100,000 dakinis (wisdom female buddhas) wove a crown out of their hair and offered it to him. This crown is naturally present above the heads of all Karmapa incarnations but can only be seen by highly realized individuals. • The Physical Replica: In the 1400s, the Chinese Ming Emperor Yongle perceived this glowing spiritual crown above the head of the 5th Karmapa. Out of intense devotion, the Emperor commissioned a physical, gem-encrusted replica of the crown so that ordinary people could see it. • The Ceremony: The Karmapa performs the Black Crown Ceremony by putting on the hat while meditating as Chenrezig (the Buddha of Compassion). It is called a "Liberation-upon-Seeing" (Thongdrol) crown because witnessing it with pure devotion is believed to plant the seed of ultimate enlightenment in a person's mind. • The 5th Karmapa created and bestowed the Red Crown upon his closest heart disciple, the 1st Shamar Rinpoche. Red crowns were also later bestowed upon other main lineage regents like Tai Situpa and Gyaltsab Rinpoche. • The Red Crown is deliberately identical in shape to the Black Crown. This identical shape signifies that there is no difference in the spiritual realizations, wisdom, and qualities between the Karmapa (the father) and his close disciples (the heart sons).