Chekawa Yeshe Dorje

Geshe Chekhawa (or Chekawa Yeshe Dorje) (1102–1176) was a prolific Kadampa Buddhist meditation master who was the author of the celebrated root text, Training the Mind in Seven Points which is an explanation of Buddha's instructions on training the mind or Lojong in Tibetan. These teachings reveal how sincere Buddhist practitioners can transform adverse conditions into the path to enlightenment, principally, by developing their own compassion. Before Chekhawa Yeshe Dorje's root text this special set of teachings given by Buddha were secret teachings only given to faithful disciples.

Chekhawa Yeshe Dorje was born into a family that practiced the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. However, as is common in all the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, he also sought teachings from other traditions. He received teachings from Rechungpa (one of Milarepa's main disciples) and later from Kadampa Geshes. After reading the text Eight Verses of Training the Mind by Geshe Langri Tangpa he immediately set out to Lhasa in search of Langri Tangpa. When he arrived in Lhasa, he discovered that Geshe Langri Tangpa had died. So he searched for his disciples and found Geshe Sharawa who was one of his main disciples.

Yeshe Dorje, 11th Karmapa

Yeshe Dorje (1676–1702) was the eleventh Gyalwa Karmapa, head of the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism.

Yeshe Dorje was born in Mayshö, Kham. He was discovered by Minjur Dorje and recognized by Shamar Yeshe Nyinpo, the seventh Shamarpa. Yeshe Dorje was transferred to Central Tibet for his education and was ordained in the Tsurphu Monastery. He received an education both in the Kagyu school as well as the Nyingma school. Yeshe Dorje integrated the teaching of Tercho by Padmasambhava in the Kagyu school.

He was the shortest-lived of all the Karmapas. Like the 10th Karmapa before him, he left a detailed letter referring to his next incarnation.

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