The Situ Rinpoches
Tai Situ Rinpoche (si tu), an important lineage of Karma Kagyu masters very closely associated with the Karmapas. The masters of the Situ lineage, and others, are responsible for the continuation of the Karma Kagyu lineage in the absence and during the minority of the Karmapas. They are in the posession of a red crown, much like the black crown of the Karmapas. The seat of the early Situ incarnations was the monastery of Lho Karma Gon (lho kar ma dgon). Later they moved to the famous Palpung monastery (dpal spungs) in Derge (sde dge). There were four incarnations which immediately precede the Situ lineage. They are counted as masters of that lineage even though they were not called 'Situ' as such. The title 'Tai Situ' was given by the Chinese Emperor to the '1st' Situ Rinpoche, Chokyi Gyaltsen, in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments.
- A. 'gro mgon sangs rgyas ras chen (1088-1158)
- B. rnal 'byor ye shes dbang po (1220-1281)
- C. ri 'go ba ratna bhadra (1281-1343)
- D. si tu drung che sa ta'i zhing chen (1345-1376)
- 1st Situ Rinpoche, ta'i si tu chos kyi rgyal mtshan (1377-1448)
- 2nd Situ Rinpoche, bkra shis rnam rgyal (1450-1497)
- 3rd Situ Rinpoche, bkra shis dpal 'byor (1498-1541)
- 4th Situ Rinpoche, mi 'khrugs chos kyi go cha, also known as chos kyi go cha (1542-1585)
- 5th Situ Rinpoche, chos kyi rgyal mtshan phyi ma, also known as dge legs dpal bzang (1586-1657)
- 6th Situ Rinpoche, mi pham 'phrin las rab brtan (1658-1682)
- 7th Situ Rinpoche, legs bshad smra ba'i nyi ma (1683-1698)
- 8th Situ Rinpoche, chos kyi 'byung gnas (1700-1774)
- 9th Situ Rinpoche, pad ma nyin byed dbang po, (1775-1853)
- 10th Situ Rinpoche, pad ma kun bzang (1854-1885)
- 11th Situ Rinpoche, pad ma dbang mchog rgyal po (1886-1952)
- 12th Situ Rinpoche, pad ma don yod nyin byed dbang po, (b.1954)