His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, is regarded in the Karma Kagyu tradition as the embodiment of the enlightened activity of all Buddhas and an emanation of Avalokiteśvara (Chenrezig), the Bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. As the head of the Karma Kagyu lineage, he upholds an unbroken transmission of Mahāmudrā realization spanning more than nine centuries.

Renowned for profound realization and scholarly mastery, the Karmapa plays a vital role in preserving and transmitting the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism while actively expressing compassion through environmental, humanitarian, and ethical initiatives in the modern world. A thangka of the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa serves as a powerful support for devotion to the living lineage, inspiring confidence in authentic transmission and reminding practitioners that enlightened activity continues to respond skillfully to the needs of the present age.