• Was born in the Tresho region of eastern Tibet and soon was recognized by Tai Situpa Chokyi Gocha and Shamarpa Konchok Yenlak in accordance with the prediction letter.
  
  
• Received complete Kagyu transmission and gave teachings through out Tibet.
  
  
• Gave teachings and build monasteries in Mongolia, Bhutan, and Sikkim. Rumtek monastery which located in Sikkim subsequently became the Karmapa's seat in India during the early 1960s.
  
  
• Like the eighth Karmapa, Wangchuk Dorje was also a creative author and wrote many commentaries on Sutras and tantras including The Ocean of Definitive Meaning, Dispelling the Darkness of Ignorance, and Pointing Out the Dharmakaya.
  
  
• At age of forty-eight Wangchuk Dorje passed into parinirvana and left his prediction letter about the next incarnation to the sixth Shamarpa, Chokyi Wangchuk.
  
  

The Fourth Karmapa Rolpe Dorje
(1340-1383)

The Fifth Karmapa Dezhin Shekpa (1384-1415)

The Sixth Karmapa Thongwa Donden (1416-1453)

The Seventh Karmapa Chodrak Gyatso (1454-1506)

The Eighth Karmapa Mikyo Dorje (1507-1554)

The Ninth Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje (1556-1603)

The Tenth Karmapa Choying Dorje (1604-1674)

The Eleventh Karmapa Yeshe Dorje (1676-1702)

The Twelfth Karmapa Changchub Dorje (1703-1732)

The Thirteenth Karmapa Dudul Dorje (1733-1797)

The Fourteenth Karmapa Thekchok Dorje (1798-1868)

The Fifteenth Karmapa Khakhyab Dorje (1871-1922)

The Sixteenth Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje (1924-1981)

The Seventeenth Gyalwa Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje (1985-Present)