Acknowledgements
First and most importantly, thanks go to the great 16th Gyalwa Karmapa himself for his exemplary life and all that he did to lay one of the foundations for the spread of the Dharma in the West. I thank him for his great inspiration and blessing during the production of this book! Of course I want to thank my teachers: Karmapa Thaye Dorje, who supported my initial idea of publishing Lama Tsültrim Namgyal’s life story of HH the 16th Karmapa and gave me precious advice and blessings. I offer profound gratitude to Gendün Rinpoche, who brought me to the Dharma and fundamentally changed my life. He had boundless devotion to the 16th Karmapa, and that inspired my own interest in Rigpe Dorje.
Many thanks also to His Holiness Sakya Trizin, Beru Khyentse Rinpoche and Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche for taking the time to write forewords to the book, despite their extensive Dharma activity.
Another heartfelt “thank you so much” goes to Jigme Rinpoche, who patiently answered many questions over the years.
My thanks also go especially also to all others who offered me their time and attention, told me about their encounters with Karmapa and answered my questions. The biggest help came from my wife Franziska Leclerc, who throughout the project always encouraged, advised and supported me enormously. Without her, I would probably never have finished the book.
Without the generous help of the Khyentse Foundation, which granted an Ashoka Grant, it wouldn’t have been possible to print a hardcover version of the book. Again many thanks to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and all the dedicated work of the participants of the Foundation. Many thanks also to the smaller donors who’s help made the book possible.
Some of my interviewees, such as Karma Trinley Rinpoche, Lama Ole Nydahl and his sangha, Lama Jampa Thaye, Georgina de Swarte, Hecate Gould Massoubre, Bruce Cowen, Dr. Andrea Loseries-Leick, Yeshe Jungne and others were also prepared to answer questions on further occasions and gave valuable suggestions. Achi Tsepal did the same. His support and hospitality was particularly priceless, and he provided many connections in the USA and Canada. Michael Donges helped me with many important contacts in India. Madeline Watson, my initial project partner, revised some English texts and conducted the interview with Lama Jampa Thaye in London. In the process of the English pre- and post- proofreading several other dharmafriends were involved: Bruce Underhill, Cecilia and Chris Hollingworth, Pamela Gordon, True Rosaschi. Thanks to Franziska Leclerc and Grzegorz Kusnierz for corrections, and to Detlev Goebel and Kenn Maly from Buddhism Today for the sheer boundless generosity in sending texts and leaving the rights. I would also like to thank Marcia Binder Schmidt for permission to reprint the passages from Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's Blazing Splendor, Lama Ole Nydahl for permission to quote from his books, Jean-Paul Ribes for the permission to print his interview with HH the Dalai Lama, Shambhala Publications for their generous fair use policy, Marco Walther for his suggestions for the glossary. Many thanks also to the photographers for permission to print their pictures: Emmanuel Desjardins, Benny Friis Gunnø, Jeffrey W. Bloom, Peter Deutsch, Terris Temple, Deb Shova Kansakar Hilker, Linda McDougall, Sanje Elliot and Fernand Oltramare.
My father Dr. Werner Bausch supported me for the trips to India and Nepal that were necessary for this book. A big thank you also to the many others who contributed to the book, whether through advice and encouragement, or by reading and commenting on some passages in the manuscript. There is not enough space here to name them all, so I will mention just a few:[1] Rinchen Palmo, Tsondru Dharjay and many more. In addition, the adventure of bringing this biography together was possible due to all the help of the different Sanghas linked to the heritage of His Holiness the late 16th Karmapa.
Last but not least, I’d like to express my great gratitude to Judith Amtzis who patiently and with great perseverance brought the book into proper English and improved it through her various observations.


[1] Detailed acknowledgement on: www.gratitude.karmapabiographie.de