Black Crown
The Karmapas are the holders of the Black Crown (Tibetan: Shanag, Wylie: Zhwa-nag) and are thus sometimes known as the Black Hat Lamas. This crown (Tib. rang 'byung cod pan, lit. self-arisen crown), is traditionally said to have been woven by the dakinis from their hair and given to Karmapa, in recognition of his spiritual realization. The physical crown displayed by the Karmapas was offered to the fifth Karmapa by the Chinese Yongle Emperor as a material representation of the spiritual one.
The crown was last known to be located at Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim, the last home of the 16th Karmapa, although that location has been subject to some upheaval since 1993 causing some to worry as to whether or not it is still there. An inventory of items remaining at Rumtek is purported to be something the Indian government is going to undertake in the near future.
Read more about this topic: Karmapa
Famous quotes containing the words black and/or crown:
“Snow-white moslem head-dress around a dead black face!
Beautiful were your sand-papering words against our skins!”
—Margaret Abigail Walker (b. 1915)
“The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.”
—Bible: Hebrew Proverbs, 16:31.