the sixteenth karmapa helped foster the transmission of tibetan buddhism to the west. he established dharma centers and monasteries in various places around the world in order to protect, preserve, and spread buddha's teachings. as part of an initiative by the tibetan government-in-exile to consolidate the organizations of tibetan buddhism, rangjung rigpe dorje became the first formal head of the kagyu school, although the earlier karmapas had long been considered the most prestigious and authoritative lamas of that school.