Karmapa Thaye Dorje, regarded by his followers as the 17th Karmapa of the Karma Kagyu school, carries the mantle of spiritual headship for this lineage. His responsibilities center on preserving and transmitting the teachings and practices of the Kagyu tradition, maintaining the integrity and continuity of the lineage. This includes offering empowerments, oral instructions, and detailed guidance in meditation and doctrine, so that the authentic methods of practice are not merely preserved in texts but embodied in living experience. In this way, he functions as a custodian of a long-standing tulku lineage and as a guide for those seeking refuge in the Buddhist path.

As a teacher and guide, his role extends to both monastics and lay practitioners, providing direction in ethical conduct, meditation, and the integration of Dharma into daily life. He leads public teachings, retreats, and important ceremonies, offering blessings and spiritual support to students across different cultures. Part of this responsibility involves appointing, training, and empowering qualified teachers, as well as recognizing reincarnate lamas within the tradition, so that the lineage can continue to flourish through many voices while remaining rooted in a single stream of realization.

His responsibilities also have a pronounced institutional and administrative dimension. He oversees monasteries, nunneries, and Dharma centers associated with the Karma Kagyu lineage, guiding their curricula, training programs, and overall spiritual orientation. This includes making decisions on lineage affairs and institutional governance, as well as supporting the establishment and maintenance of centers in various parts of the world. Through these activities, he safeguards both the spiritual and temporal well-being of the institutions that carry the Kagyu teachings.

There is, in addition, a broader cultural and global aspect to his activity. He works to protect Tibetan Buddhist culture and ritual traditions, supporting the translation and publication of Buddhist texts and maintaining traditional ceremonies and festivals. At the same time, he engages with international audiences, presenting Buddhist teachings in a way that can speak to contemporary seekers while remaining faithful to the lineage. By promoting peace, compassion, and understanding, and by exemplifying the qualities of a bodhisattva in conduct and intention, he serves as a bridge between the ancient heritage of the Kagyu school and the diverse world of modern practitioners.