[1] The 16th Karmapa was considered to be a "living Buddha" and was deeply involved in the transmission of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism to Europe and North America following the Chinese invasion of Tibet.

The 16th Karmapa was born in Denkhok in the Kingdom of Derge in Kham eastern Tibet near the Dri Chu River (Ch.

[citation needed] Political obstacles arose in the recognition process of the 16th Karmapa, due to the delay of the prediction letter's arrival in Lhasa.

The petitioning went back and forth for a year until Lungshawa's son fell from a roof, broke his pelvis and died from ensuing complications.

[citation needed] The 16th Karmapa continued his predecessor's activities, travelling and teaching throughout Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, Sikkim, India and parts of China.

Prior to the Chinese invasion of Tibet the Karmapa made a series of predictions indicating that the Tibetan people would need to be prepared to escape to India.

This succeeded for a while, but in 1959 the Chinese government insisted on land reform, which would undermine the system of independent monasteries in Tibetan Buddhism.

In February of that year Karmapa took 160 students from Tsurphu Monastery and escaped to Bhutan, taking the lineage's most sacred treasures and relics with them.

[15] In the beginning of the 1970s the Karmapa made the prediction [citation needed] that Tibet would have a hard struggle gaining independence and even if it did, it would not allow the refugees to return.

[18] He established Dhagpo Kagyu Ling in France as the central seat of activity,[19] gave several Black Crown ceremonies, and attended an audience granted by Pope Paul VI.

In May 1980, Karmapa again visited the West, stopping for lectures and ceremonies in London, New York, San Francisco, Boulder, and Santa Fe.

He established Dharma centers and monasteries in various places around the world in order to protect, preserve, and spread Buddha's teachings.

[24][25] In 1980-81 the Karmapa began his last world tour, giving teachings, interviews and empowerments in South East Asia, Greece, Great Britain, Canada and the United States.

Rangjung Rigpei Dorjé died on November 5, 1981, in the United States in a hospital in Zion, Illinois, just north of Chicago.

[citation needed] Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, as with all other Karmapas and tulkus, is accepted by Tibetan Buddhists as a manifestation of an enlightened being.