8th Shamarpa Chökyi Döndrup

Chökyi Döndrub spent the early years of his childhood in Nepal where he was born. This happened in honor of the king, who asked the special child to stay. Only when he was seven years old, he did follow the request of the 11th Karmapa to return to the seat of his predecessor, Tsurphu in Tibet. Here he received the Karma Kagyü transmissions from him before Karmapa died at a young age.

The 8th Shamarpa traveled tirelessly through Tibet and neighboring countries with his disciples to teach the Dharma. The 12th Karmapa and the Situ and Gyaltsab Rinpoches accompanied him. When both he and the 12th Karmapa, due to the black magic of their adversaries, died immediately one after the other of smallpox, the transmission lineage was in danger of being interrupted for the first time. However, the 8th Situpa Chökyi Jungnay became the next lineage holder.