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The Gyalwang Karmapa Expresses His Birthday Wish – To Visit His Homeland

June 26, 2017, 8:20 am
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On the 26th of June the Gyalwang Karmapa expressed his wish to visit Tibet via a video message on Facebook. The transcript and video are reproduced here.


First, I would like to thank personally all those who took an interest in and celebrated my birthday both inside and outside of Tibet in wonderfully different ways. So many have placed their faith in me and I thank you for this. I do whatever I can to fulfill the hopes you have placed in me.
Now seventeen years have passed since I separated from my parents and came to India. I have not seen them since I left Tibet. Honestly speaking, my birthday is not a happy occasion for me, because usually on such a day, we gather together with our parents, relatives, and friends to be happy and enjoy ourselves but this I cannot do. Speaking from a human point of view, it is very sad and disappointing, and so for about five years, I have not observed my birthday.
In general, I have been blessed with the name of Karmapa, and so there is a multitude of related activity to be carried out. Yet I am also a human being for whom accomplishing the wishes of his elderly parents is very important. I hope, therefore, that within the next two or three years, I can go to the Land of Snows and meet my parents in our homeland. I will try my best for this to happen.
It is a bit difficult, however, for this wish to be fulfilled as it depends on many complex conditions. Nevertheless, disregarding the difficulties, I will do what I can to visit my homeland and meet my parents before they pass away and also come together with my relatives. I have great hopes and enthusiasm for bringing this about.
I always remember the Tibetans in Tibet, both my family and all the Tibetan people. And so I hope and aspire that we can meet soon and spend time together. On this birthday I make the aspiration that everyone enjoy perfect happiness and that everything be auspicious for them in all ways.

http://kagyuoffice.org/the-gyalwang-karmapa-expresses-his-birthday-wish-to-visit-his-homeland/

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Akshobhya Teachings and Empowerment

June 23, 2017, 1:11 am
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From June 23rd to 24th, 2017, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa gave a two-day teaching on dealing with disturbing emotions in relation to the Akshobhya practice. At the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, the Gyalwang Karmapa greeted a variety of ordained and lay sangha, totalling as much as twenty five hundred attendees in the audience, with his wisdom and compassion. Over the course of this teaching, His Holiness shared with the audience his experience with the Akshobhya practice, from the inspiration he has found while reading the sutras on Buddha Akshobhya, to the benefit he has reaped from this practice. The teaching was concluded with the Akshobhya empowerment. At the end of this memorable last teaching for the Gyalwang Karmapa’s first visit to Canada, he noted his intent to return and answer unaddressed questions from the audience. At this instant, the theatre roared with applause, cheers, and filled with smiling faces. His Holiness also suggested performing a Long Life Prayer on his “official birthday” for the Very Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, which took place at Thrangu Monastery Canada from 8:00AM until 11:00AM this morning, June 26, 2017. Thus concluded His Holiness’ month-long tour across Canada. Both teachers and students alike, who have participated in any of these public events, have expressed the highest gratitude and appreciation. We hope the Gyalwang Karmapa will constantly remember his students in Canada, and return to guide us time after time after time. On the auspicious occasion of the precious Karmapa’s birth, may we wish all of our gurus dwell long in good health to see the teachings of Buddha flourish throughout space, and the end of suffering for all sentient beings.

尊聖的第十七世大寶法王於2017年6月23至24日給予了長達兩日的不動佛指引，教導了群眾如何面對煩惱和負面情緒。法王在伊莉莎白女王戲院，面臨高達由2500位來賓組成的四眾，鮮活地展現了他的慈悲與智慧。於此眾會，法王跟聽眾分享了他修持不動佛法門的經驗，由他從不動佛相關經典中體驗的感動，乃至法王親自修持不動佛法門後得到的利益。這個兩天長的活動最後以不動佛的灌頂法會畫下句點。活動接近尾聲之際，法王暗示將再次親臨加拿大回覆此次未有時間解答的觀眾提問。法王言畢，戲院及時掌聲如雷，歡笑不斷。同時法王也應許在他「官方生日」舉行長壽法會，祈願尊貴的勘千創古仁波切法體安康。此法會於今日，2017年6月26日，從上午8:00至11:00已圓滿落成。這便為大寶法王噶瑪巴長達一個月的首次加拿大弘法行落幕之際。所有出席此公眾活動的上師與弟子們無一不獲益，誠心感謝法王。我們都希望法王時常憶念住在加拿大的弟子們，並且一再、一再、一再地歸來引領我們。在噶瑪巴尊者誕辰之吉祥日，願我們尊貴的每一位上師皆福壽延綿，得以親見佛法昌興遍布虛空、眾生煩惱盡。


  2017.6.23 Akshobhya Teaching Day-12017.6.24 法王噶瑪巴首次加拿大弘法行．不動佛灌頂及開示 Akshobhya Empowerment & Teaching- Day 2
http://www.karmapacanada.org/2017/06/akshobhya-teachings-and-empowerment/
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Conclusion of First Canadian Tour

June 26, 2017, 12:55 am
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26 Jun 2017

At times, a month can drag on without end, but certainly not the Saga Dawa (the fourth month, a holy month on the Tibetan calendar) of the year of Firebird. This month, Canada has been blessed with a well-anticipated visit from His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje. After years of invitation, the Gyalwang Karmapa has landed in Toronto and begun his first Canadian tour on May 29, 2017. His Holiness has since traveled country-wide, from east to west, giving public talks and performing Buddhist rituals. After two weeks of events scheduled on the east coast, His Holiness stopped at Calgary for a public event before reaching Vancouver– the final destination for this tour. Along the way, His Holiness has also visited many Buddhist centres of various traditions, and has enjoyed much of the beauty the Canadian landscape has to offer. In Vancouver, the Gyalwang Karmapa shared with us a week of events which have come to a conclusion only today, with an off-the-schedule Long Life Prayer event for the Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche on His Holiness’ birthday. Yesterday, on June 25, 2017, the Canadian tour organizer, Karma Kagyu Association of Canada, planned an appreciation event in attempt to express the immense gratitude felt by Canadian students towards His Holiness. During this dinner gathering, as His Holiness has expressed reluctance to celebrate his birthday at the absence of his parents, cakes were presented in three colours representing a body-speech-mind offering, instead. In this short month, the Gyalwang Karmapa has shown us what compassion looks like in action, and has worked with sparing rest for the well being of others. He is an exemplar of selflessness, a worthy cause to be pursued by those willing to endeavour the path of a bodhisattva. We thank you, Your Holiness, for all the kindness you have done unto us. May you dwell long and firmly establish a comparable enlightened mind within beings limitless as the sky above.

有時候深感度日如年，一個月可以如此地漫長，然而、火鳥年的薩嘎達瓦（藏曆四月，殊勝月）絕非如此。在這個月份，加拿大得到了祝福，歡迎了長期盼望的貴客，尊聖的第十七世大寶法王，鄔金欽列多傑。在多年的邀請下，法王噶瑪巴終於在2017年5月29日抵達多倫多，開始了他首次的加拿大弘法行。至今，法王已經由東向西踏遍了加國諸多主要城市，一路上給予演講與主持佛教法會。在東岸活動兩週，噶瑪巴尊者又蒞臨卡加利的一場演講後，來到了此程最後一站－－溫哥華。一路上法王應邀前往參訪各傳承的佛教中心，也飽覽了加拿大美麗的風光。在溫哥華，法王一周的活動滋潤了人心，並在今天生日以行程外的長壽法會供養了勘千創古仁波切之後圓滿落幕。昨晚、2017年6月25日，活動主辦單位加拿大噶瑪噶舉協會，為傳達眾弟子難以言喻的感恩之情，舉行了感恩典禮。在此聚會，由於法王已表孝心，不願在與父母團聚前慶生，主辦單位以三色蛋糕代表身語意供養法王。在短短的一個月當中，法王噶瑪巴不畏艱辛地利益他人，讓我們親見了有行動力的慈悲。法王是無私的體現，是任何立志踏尋菩薩道的行者們巔峰的典範。我們無限感激，感謝法王給予我們的慈愛。願您常駐於世、在虛空中無限的眾生心中點醒證悟者之心。


http://www.karmapacanada.org/2017/06/conclusion-of-first-canadian-tour/
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Inspire Dialogue 2017: Climate Change and the Environment

July 4, 2017, 12:18 am
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Tibetan Buddhist leader the Karmapa discusses climate change and Tibet Third Pole during first visit to UK

During his first visit to the UK, the Karmapa, a leading young generation Tibetan Buddhist leader, joined former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Rowan Williams together with scientists, scholars and high profile cultural figures for a dialogue on the environment hosted by the International Campaign for Tibet and Inspire Dialogue Foundation.

The roundtable discussion was intended to bring together perspectives “between disciplines and generations” as the beginning of an ongoing exchange, according to Lord Williams, Master of Magdalene College and a noted poet and theologian. It involved figures from the arts and sciences, including Jude Kelly, Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre in London; James Thornton, the founding CEO of ClientEarth; Dame Fiona Reynolds, former Director-General of the National Trust; Dr Phil Wigge, Research Group Leader at the University of Cambridge Sainsbury Laboratory; Dr Bhaskar Vira, Director, University of Cambridge Conservation Research Institute; Tracey Seaward, film producer whose credits include the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony, professors, students and Tibetan scholars.

The Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, head of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism and the only Tibetan reincarnate lama to be acknowledged by both the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama, escaped into exile in India in 2000. He traces his interest in the environment to being born and brought up in a nomadic family in eastern Tibet, and is the founder of Khoryug, an association of more than 55 Buddhist monasteries and nunneries across the Himalayas.

During his visit, the Karmapa spoke about Tibet’s critical environmental significance as the earth’s Third Pole, and on the importance of the stewardship of the Tibetan environment by Tibetan people: “When it comes to protecting the environment of Tibet, one of the best sources to consult is the Tibetan people themselves, as they have related to it for thousands of years. Knowing it inside and out, they naturally understand how to create a sustainable environment. Their whole hearts and minds are invested there. The Tibetans’ traditional approach to the environment sees it as a sacred field inhabited by gods and spirits. Their outlook has great sincerity and respect for their natural world.” At the dialogue in Cambridge on May 24 (2017), hosted by Lord Rowan Williams at his home in the University, ICT gave a presentation on Chinese policies of nomad settlement and the implications of China creating nature reserves on the Tibetan plateau.





Cambridge climate change dialogue with the Karmapa

In hosting the event, Lord Williams and the Inspire Dialogue Foundation aimed to build new relationships with people who might not have otherwise met and establish plans for future collaborative action on the issue of a shared environmental future.

Lord Rowan Williams opened the conversation by urging participants:  “To consider some of the issues that arise from the ethics of the environment, broadly called the life of the spirit,” saying that within spiritual communities there were deeply rooted disciplines to teach people who we are in relation to the environment.


The Karmapa observed that: “We are at a really interesting moment in time. Previously, science and religion were two separate dialogues and now science and spirituality at least are coming together and contributing more to each other. Knowledge needs to work together with our hearts and minds.”

Dr Cameron Taylor of Inspire Dialogue Foundation, said: “It is notable that the dialogue was held on the same day as the Pope presented President Trump, who has previously attributed climate change to a ‘Chinese conspiracy’ with his climate change encyclical, highlighting the importance of the engagement of religious leaders with this pressing global issue. Faith leaders have an important role in shifting hearts in terms of our relationship to the environment, so I am really grateful that the Karmapa and Lord Williams are joining together to advocate for the necessary cultural shifts that will align our minds with the reality of our global climate situation.”


Dr Bhaskar Vira gave an outline of the work of his institute at Cambridge University, set up to explore relationships and interconnectedness of issues such as climate change, food security. He spoke about one of the key areas of the institute’s work, which is the role of the natural landscape in maintaining water systems, the dangers of potential conflict over water, specifically mentioning Tibet as the source of water for billions of people. Dr Vira said that knowledge of Tibet as the earth’s Third Pole is gaining ground in scientific circles; previously attention was focused mainly on the North and South Poles.

Dame Fiona Reynolds, who was awarded an OBE for services to heritage and conservation said: “Whilst we are dependent on scientists and academics to explain relationships and connections, we are also dependent on people to make decisions and adapt their behavior and to help us think about the values we share for the future. I am more and more convinced that people are not persuaded by fear or material matters alone, but we are persuaded and inspired by beauty – by the intangible phenomenon of our spiritual relationship with the landscape. If we are to deal with climate change, we need to inspire people to act in the belief that there is a better future that is not solely dependent on material things. It is harder these days to talk about spirituality, but we perhaps need to adopt spiritual values and language to inspire people.”

Referencing the Karmapa’s nomad heritage, Kate Saunders of the International Campaign for Tibet outlined new plans by China to turn vast tracts of Tibet into nature reserves. While on the surface this appears to be a useful approach of preserving the landscape, what few realize is that it is contingent upon the removal of nomads from their pastures. Beijing bureaucrats talks of ‘contradiction of grass and animals’, although for many generations, Tibetan nomads like the Karmapa’s family have made skilful use of the landscape of the world’s highest and largest plateau, co-existing peacefully with wildlife and protecting the land and its species. In these new nature reserves, grazing of yaks is illegal and so is the gathering of medicinal herbs.

Kate Saunders also referred to an emerging dialogue in China in which many Chinese scientists are calling for strengthened participation of science-based conservation with Tibetan stewardship of the land. These perspectives are little-known outside but drawing attention to them honors the Karmapa’s nomadic heritage. And as China seeks to gain endorsement from governments and international institutions for its new nature reserves, there is a need to challenge official China’s narrative on the nomads. Ringu Tulku Rinpoche said that in Tibet before 1959, people looked at the environment with a very personal connection that could be called spiritual, and that remains the case today. He spoke about a Wechat conversation with Tibetans in Tibet who understood the issue through two perspectives: one was the outside environment, the “container” in Buddhism, and the other was the inside environment, relating to how people react to each other and live together. The group decided that all the monasteries and communities should come together and pledged to protect the environment.

In response to thinking about transforming concepts of ownership, Lord Williams recalled the Hebrew Scriptures, stating that we do not own the land; rather it is lent to us for a time. Another participant remarked that changing our relationship to the earth also involved changing other power structures such as that between men and women, different races and castes. This shift also relates to the need to feel secure. We would be more able to resolve environmental issues from a position of security, allowing people to see the mutual benefits of everyone being responsible for each other.




The Karmapa traces his interest in the environment to planting a tree at the age of around four, when there was a severe drought in his home area of eastern Tibet. He was born and brought up into a drogpa or nomad family. He was asked to plant a sapling at the source of a spring, and led prayers with the aspiration that the tree would provide water for all living beings nearby.

The Karmapa said: “Our association with place and homeland is made stronger if there is some memory of nature associated with it. Fondness for this home space is strongest in rural areas. In Tibet, these memories and images are burnt into our minds, and this promotes a strong desire to protect our landscape. I also agree with notion of security as being important. Our habitual tendency is to put ourselves at the center, and maybe a better approach is to put others at the forefront and see the safety of others as contributing to our own safety. This is very clear in issues such as food security and water supply.” To illustrate his point, he related the story of an eagle with one body and two heads. They did not get along with each other, so one head tried to get rid of the other and in so doing killed them both. The Karmapa commented that it is critical to remember that environments have no borders.

James Thornton, founder and CEO of Client Earth, said: “We are in desperate need of a new story [on climate change]; for instance in medieval Europe Christianity was the most compelling story and anything that didn’t fit was left out. Today it’s an economic story – models of ownership and material value. A new story could promote beauty and connection and not promote ownership. Environmentalists have historically told angry negative stories – we need to tell positive, solution-based stories. We need to create an ecological civilisation (post-industrial) with all the changes that would entail – renewable energy and so on.” James Thornton, whose firm succeeded in a lengthy legal battle with the UK government over atmospheric pollution earlier this month, forcing an admission that it would publish its strategy to improve air quality in Britain, added that he had been working in the PRC and that interest in the idea of an ‘ecological civilisation’ as mooted by Xi Jinping appeared genuine; he raised the question of how we could contribute to this?

Various participants raised the importance of ensuring access to nature to a digital generation, acknowledging that many habits are formed by the age of 12, as well as the solace that nature can bring under extreme circumstances. Producer Tracey Seaward spoke about a meeting with a Syrian family at a refugee camp in Athens; the father was growing plants in a desolate scrubby patch of land, which was attracting children and bringing them together to plant seeds and nurture the flowers.

In his concluding remarks, the Karmapa, who is also known for his achievements as a poet, composer and artist, said: “With regard to the stories that we create, one image that illustrates the relationship with the world that was mentioned by Ringu Tulku, is water in a glass. Water is the content and the vitality, which the glass as a container holds. This picture shows mutual dependence, as a container without anything in it, is not functioning as a container (or not being what it is), and water needs something to hold it. So they depend on each other in a relationship that is mutually beneficial.”

http://inspiredialoguefoundation.org/dialogues/inspire-dialogue-2017-climate-change/
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Gyalwang Karmapa Visits Office of Tibet Washington DC - CTA

July 8, 2017, 7:36 am
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July 8, 2017
By Staff Writer


Gyalwang Karmapa being welcomed at OOT Washington DC by Rep Penpa Tsering and Trisur Tenzin Namgyal Tethong.


WASHINGTON DC: On Wednesday, July 5th, Gyalwang Karmapa visited the Office of Tibet on Wednesday, 5 July during his three-day visit to Washington, D.C. This trip to Washington follows his one-month visit to Canada.

The afternoon visit to the Office of Tibet was informational. Representative Penpa Tsering updated him on various OoT activities and programs, while Kungo Tenzin Tethong, Director of Radio Free Asia, Tibetan Service and Thinley Nyenday, VOA Tibetan Service, informed him of their organization’s activities and issues of importance in Washington. Gyalwang Karmapa was also given progress updates on the political and support activities carried on by the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) and Office of Tibet. ICT President Matteo Mececci gave a short briefing on their lobbying efforts and the current political climate in Washington regarding human rights in the current administration.

Gyalwang Karmapa listened closely and with a great interest to these updates, both in English and Tibetan, asking a few of questions and expressing his awareness of the political situation concerning Tibetans, both inside and outside of Tibet.

Both staff members of OOT and ICT were happy to receive him and his blessings, and wish him safe travels as he leaves for Europe.

– Report filed by OOT Washington –




Gyalwang Karmapa with staff of OOT, ICT and the Tibetan services of RFA and VOA.

Staff of OOT, ICT, RFA and VOA.


http://tibet.net/2017/07/gyalwang-karmapa-rinpoche-visits-office-of-tibet-washington-dc/
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Relay Hunger Strike Complete One Year - Sikkim Express / The Sikkim Tribune

July 10, 2017, 7:46 am
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Relay Hunger Strike Complete One Year

GANGTOK: The relay hunger strike by monks under The Denjong Lhadey banner completed one full year today (June 10) with their demand for early visit of 17th Karmapa to Sikkim still unrealised.

The monks had sat on their relay hunger strike on July 10, 2015 here at BL House, Tibet Road demanding the Karmapa is allowed to visit and bless Sikkim at the earliest.
“We will continue with our relay hunger strike. If no proper solution is made by end of this month, the monks are ready to go to any extent,” said the monks.

--DICHEN ONGMU




TST Reporter

Gangtok, July 10: The opposition Party SKM MLA Kunga Nima Lepcha, Sangha MLA Sonam Lama and party workers as well as former Minister & social worker T Lachungpa visit at BL house today on the completion of one year of the Indefinite Relay Hunger Strike by the monks from various monasteries of Sikkim at BL House in Gangtok.

The indefinite Relay Hunger Strike started by monks from state of Sikkim at BL house, Gangtok attains One year (365) days seeking early permission to HH the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorjee to visit and bless Sikkim which was started from on 10th of July, 2016.

The monks are from various Monasteries who are still in Relay Hunger Strike past 365 days to Demanding Karmapa Visit in Sikkim earlier was hosting a Black Flag and tie Black Ribbon.

After the short program The Denzong Lhadey Coordinator Chewang Lama accompanied by other monks meet with the Chief Secretary A.K. Shrivastava at his office, Manan Kendra and submitted a Memorandum on the same day the monks body also submitted a Memorandum to the Governor of Sikkim at Raj Bhavan in Gangtok.
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VOA Exclusive Interview with Gyalwang Karmapa

July 5, 2017, 11:52 pm
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RFA Tibetan Interview with Gyalwang Karmapa

July 11, 2017, 8:56 am
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The Gyalwang Karmapa Speaks of HH Dalai Lama’s Birthday

July 5, 2017, 8:40 pm
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July 6, 2017 - Washington, D.C.

We Tibetans consider the birthday of HH the Dalai Lama to be extremely important. We are most fortunate that he lights our way like a blazing torch as we pass through these dark and difficult times. His birthday, therefore, is an important occasion for us. Born in the Land of Snow, His Holiness is the protector and refuge for all the Tibetan people. This enormous good fortune brings delight to all of us and also gives us great courage.

However we might celebrate his birthday, we can recall his life story and his worldwide activity to benefit others.

In relation to any advice he might give us, it is essential that we consider how we can assist him and implement his counsel in its true sense. Not only has His Holiness devoted himself to improving our material welfare externally, he has also encouraged the growth of our spiritual welfare internally. In response, from our side we should think about how we can develop ourselves further. In particular, we can study the Buddha’s teachings, which benefit our minds, and increase our love and compassion, which benefit how we manifest in the world. It is critical that we study the Buddhist sciences to enrich and expand our minds and seek to improve our behavior by increasing our love and compassion. In the flow of our daily life, it is essential to remind ourselves of this again and again.



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Lt. Governor Welcomes His Holiness the Karmapa to Washington State -Waltgov

June 29, 2017, 9:03 am
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June 30, 2017

Yesterday evening, the Lt. Governor welcomed His Holiness the Karmapa, the second-highest ranking Tibetan Buddhist in exile and a world-renowned spiritual leader, to Washington state.

The Lt. Governor thanked the Karmapa and his delegation for visiting Seattle again, and for bringing with him a message of compassion and global-mindedness. This trip marks the Karmapa’s third visit to Seattle, and his fourth visit to the United States. Seattle, in particular, has developed infrastructure to expand opportunities for exchange with Tibet’s Buddhist leaders, as it is the home of both the Karmapa Foundation, which facilitates the Karmapa’s travels and conducts outreach, and the Seeds of Compassion non-profit, which promotes the Dalai Lama’s work teaching compassion.

His Holiness the Karmapa serves as the head of the largest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism, the Karma Kagyu. His Holiness was recognized as the 17th Karmapa at the age of 7, and is historically unique in that he is recognized by both the Chinese government, and the Dalai Lama. The Karmapa fled Tibet at the age of 14, and now lives in India. He is known for connecting the Buddhist ethic of compassion with contemporary issues, including environmental responsibility, social harmony, the role of technology in society, and gender equality.

In his welcoming remarks, the Lt. Governor highlighted the mutual values Washington state shares with His Holiness. The Lt. Governor noted the following connections:

While Washington state was one of the first to extend the right to vote to women, His Holiness the Karmapa was the first to extend full ordination for women within Tibetan Buddhism. While Washington has been a champion for fighting climate change, His Holiness has advocated worldwide for environmental responsibility, and has transformed more than 50 monasteries in the Himalayas into centers for environmental activism. Finally, the Lt. Governor noted the mutuality of His Holiness’ message on compassion and tolerance, and Washington’s own social ethic: as the first state to take on the Trump administration’s discriminatory travel ban, Washington state has shown through political action its commitment to remaining a tolerant state.

His Holiness the Karmapa spoke following the Lt. Governor’s welcome, and remarked that while his visit to Seattle was a short one – “I arrive today, leave tomorrow” – having the opportunity to speak sincerely with others about compassion, is still a “very meaningful opportunity,” and a “wonderful sort of occasion.”

His Holiness’ remarks centered on teaching, and practicing, compassion. On practicing compassion, His Holiness said that “if we don’t work with it, if we don’t practice it, it’s something that will diminish.” For that reasons, he said, it is important to teach oneself compassion the same way one teaches children compassion – to extend it to all living things, from fellow human beings, to tiny insects.

http://www.ltgov.wa.gov/2017/06/30/lt-governor-welcomes-his-holiness-the-karmapa-to-washington-state/
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USCIRF Commissioners meet with His Holiness the 17th Karmapa of Tibet

July 5, 2017, 9:07 am
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His Holiness concludes his first visit to Canada by greatly delighting Vancouver - Karma Changchub Ling

July 9, 2017, 8:10 am
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The 17th Gyalwang Karmapa (http://kagyuoffice.org/karmapa/), at 31 years old, is the spiritual leader of the Karma Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.  The Karmapa lineage dates back 900 years; it is the oldest and foremost lineage to commence a tradition of reincarnate teachers in Tibetan Buddhism.

The 17th Gyalwang Karmapa’s first Canadian tour arrived at its final stop, Vancouver, on June 17th. His Holiness was warmly received by local Tibetans and members of the legislative assembly for Burnaby and Richmond cities at the airport. The party then arrived together to a welcoming procession at Thrangu Monastery Canada.

On June 18, His Holiness performed the empowerment of Avalokiteśvara or Chenrezig, the embodiment of all the compassion of all the Buddhas. His Holiness explained:


“When we talk about compassion in Buddhism, it is not merely the sympathy, empathy, or pity that we usually have. The compassion that is taught in the Dharma is a stronger compassion than normal. It is more involved, it is more dedicated. We do not see the individual for whom we are having compassion, and the individual who is having compassion as being separate. So it is not as if the person who has compassion or pity is in a good position, and the other person is in a desperate situation and we are having pity on them. It is not like that. Instead, it is like the compassion for the other person becomes a part of ourselves. We become the nature of that compassion, so we are able to give ourselves over to it, and fully dedicate ourselves to it. For that reason we are able to take the responsibility and mentally bear the burden of it.”


On June 20, His Holiness was delightfully hoasted by Dzogchen Pönlop Rinpche and the Nalandabodhi Vancouver sangha.

On June 21, His Holiness visited Victoria, British Columbia’s capital city, and was given a tour of the province’s Parliament buildings.

On June 22, His Holiness and Wade Davis discussed environmental and social (in)equality issues at UBC’s Chan Centre. The conversation centred around His Holiness’ new book “Interconnected”. The UBC President, Professor Ono, Grand Chief Ed John, and Coastal Wolf Pack, a traditional Salish song and dance group, welcomed His Holiness.


During his stay in Vancouver, His Holiness also visited Ling Yen Mountain Temple where he was greeted with loud applauses and enthusiasms by its congregation, as well as Kagyu Kunkhyab Chuling. 

From June 23 to 24, His Holiness gave his final teaching of his first Canadian tour to over 2000 followers in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver. The two-day teaching dealt with disturbing emotions in relation to the Akshobhya practice.


Over the course of this teaching, His Holiness shared with the audience his experience with the Akshobhya practice, from the inspiration he has found while reading the sūtras on Buddha Akshobhya, to the benefit he has reaped from this practice. The teaching was concluded with the Akshobhya empowerment.

At the end of this memorable last teaching, His Holiness said that he intends to visit Canada again in the very near future to follow up all those unanswered questions from the participants. At this instant, the theatre roared with applause, cheers, and filled with smiling faces. His Holiness also suggested performing a Long Life Prayer on his “official birthday” for the Very Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, which took place at Thrangu Monastery on, June 26: May all of our gurus live long in good health to see the teachings of Buddha flourish throughout space, and the end of suffering for all sentient beings.

Good news: When during the KCCL audience I asked His Holiness whether he intends to visit Halifax on his next trip to Canada, he said to our delight: Yes!

You can find many photos (an also videos) of the above events on the Facebook page of Karmapa Canada: https://www.facebook.com/KarmapaCanada17/

For the event details, see: http://www.karmapacanada.org/.

Public teachings will be webcast live at  www.kagyuoffice.org/webcast/


Source: http://kccl.ca/
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Video: His Holiness Karmapa blessing KTC-New Jersey members

July 7, 2017, 8:42 pm
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Video: The 17th Karmapa's Visit to Karme Ling on July 8, 2017

July 7, 2017, 9:11 am
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How to Find Freedom Through Meditation (Podcast Episode #014)

July 24, 2017, 12:45 am
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Today’s episode comes from the Gyalwang Karmapa’s maiden tour of Canada where he gave teachings all over the country. Many Canadian students had been waiting for years to hear him speak, and so it was a particularly special occasion.

This teaching is on the subject of meditation and how we can use this Buddhist practice to find inner freedom and bring about a more happy and beneficial life. The Karmapa approached the topic from the point of view of his own personal experience, and a wonderful, practical and sometimes humorous occasion unfolded over the course of the hour.

The talk is in Tibetan with an English translation and has been slightly edited for length and audio clarity.

Download this episode // Subscribe in iTunes




http://kagyuoffice.org/how-to-find-freedom-through-meditation-podcast-episode-014/
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Sikkim CM Chamling Seeks PM Modi’s Permission For Exiled Tibetan Leader’s Visit - News18.com

July 25, 2017, 8:40 pm
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In 2016, the Centre had lifted restrictions on 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, movement within India after five years. Following this, he visited Arunachal Pradesh, an area claimed by China.

Sujit Nath | News18.com
Updated:July 26, 2017, 11:31 PM IST



Sikkim CM Pawan Chamling meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.


Kolkata: Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to grant permission to 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, to visit the state.

Any such visit to the by the Tibetan leader living in exile in India is likely to anger China. This comes at a time when the two countries are engaged in a standoff in Doklam plateau in the Sikkim sector.

In 2016, the Centre had lifted restrictions on Dorje’s movement within India after five years. Following this, he visited Arunachal Pradesh, an area claimed by China. 

“I also invited the Prime Minister to visit Sikkim after the rainy season came to an end this year, which he agreed and promised to make a trip soon,” Chamling told the media after his meeting with Modi.

China has time and again expressed discontent about India sheltering Dorje and had warned that such act might complicate the boundary dispute between both the countries.

Beside Karmapa issue, Sikkim CM also requested PM Modi to intervene in to reservation of Assembly seats for the Limboo and Tamang Scheduled Tribes communities. Over the years, Sikkim has witnessed several protests from Limboo and Tamang community who are demanding to increase the number of seats at Sikkim Legislative Assembly.

On the Darjeeling unrest issue, he said, “I apprised our PM about the latest situation in Darjeeling Hills, resulting in shortage of essential food and other commodities, compounded further by landsides, heavy rainfall, hardships, risk to life and property of the people of Sikkim, in their movement on NH-10. I requested our PM that the central forces should be deployed at New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri and other crucial points upto Rangpo to give protection to life, property and food commodities meant for the people of Sikkim.”

http://www.news18.com/news/india/sikkim-cm-chamling-seeks-pm-modis-permission-for-exiled-tibetan-leaders-visit-1474111.html
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Hwayue Foundation: Notification on the Cancellation of the Diamond Sutra Teaching - teaching by HH the 17th Karmapa

July 27, 2017, 10:00 am
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Dear Dharma friends:

Recently the Gyalwang Karmapa went through a medical examination in Germany, his doctor strongly advise him to stop all Dharma propagation activities so that he has more time and space to treat some of the medical conditions that he has. After much consideration, the Gyalwang Karmapa decided to cancel this year’s Asia Dharma Teaching, i.e. the Diamond Sutra Teaching.

When we heard about the Gyalwang Karmapa’s decision to cancel the teaching, our emotions evolved from unspeakable shock to calm contemplation. Eventually, we understand the difficulty and necessity to make such a decision. We will continue to pray that the Diamond Sutra Teaching to be held in future, yet we are unsure when and where the teaching will be held. Therefore, we will begin the refund process for those who had registered for the teaching after we had negotiated with the hotel for refund.

Even though we feel a sense of regret that the Diamond Sutra Teaching cannot be held, yet we understand and support the Gyalwang Karmapa’s decision. Through the lesson of Diamond Sutra, we learnt that all conditioned phenomena in its continuous change, are like dreams, illusions, bubbles and shadows. Perhaps, this is the first lesson taught to us by the Gyalwang Karmapa.

Regarding matters related to refund, please follow the instructions below:
(1) We will contact you with email.
(2) If you do not receive any email please contact us.

We are currently actively negotiating with the hotel regarding refund matters. We will gather the details of refund from you and will arrange for refund of payment to you as soon as possible. Please be patient with us. Fellow Dharma friends may make arrangements for other matters such as cancellation of flight tickets and delaying of visa applications.

Thank you for your kind understanding. Kindly forgive us for any inconvenience caused.

Yours sincerely,
The Diamond Sutra Teaching Organizing Committee
Email: hhkteaching@gmail.com

各位具信法友：

近日法王於德國進行身體檢查，醫生強烈建議法王必須暫停各項弘法活動，以能有足夠時間與空間，治療處理身體上的一些狀況。在幾經考慮之下，法王噶瑪巴做出決定，取消今年的亞洲弘法活動「金剛經課程」。

在得知法王取消課程的決定時，一時之間我們從無法言喻的震驚走到平心靜氣的思考。最終我們可以認識與理解到做出決定的艱難與必要。我們將會持續地敦請與祈願金剛經課程的舉行，然而此刻因為無法明確下次課程的時間、地點以及場所，因此，我們將會在與旅館爭取合理的退費之後，儘快的為已經報名繳費的學員進行退款等行政服務。

雖然我們仍然為這次「金剛經課程」無法如期舉辦感到遺憾，但是我們同時也理解與支持法王所做出的決定，而金剛經的教導，似乎也在這一切有為法的瞬息變化中，展示了其如夢、如幻、如泡影的本質。也許，這就是法王噶瑪巴為我們教示金剛經的第一課。

我們正積極與飯店等單位洽商退款事宜，我們將儘快把課程款項退回給大家。 請大家耐心等候。

───
＊個人的課程款項退款辦法，已發送到報名時留下的個人郵箱，請注意查收。若未收到郵件通知者，請聯絡課程籌備小組。Email: hhkteaching@gmail.com

＊團體的課程款項退款，我們將統一退回給團體負責人，請直接與團體負責人聯繫。

感謝您的諒解，不便之處，尚請海涵。

金剛經課程籌備小組 敬上

http://www.hwayue.org.tw/HY/activity/activities/activity-cancellation-20170727
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Video: Long Life Offering to the Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche

June 26, 2017, 1:16 am
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The Gyalwang Karmapa presided over the Long Life Offering for the Very Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, based on the Combined Sadhana of the Three Roots, Thrangu Monastery Canada, 26th June.

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Celebrate! Gyalwang Karmapa's July 2017 Visit to KTD - KTD

July 6, 2017, 12:01 pm
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The Gyalwang Karmapa graced KTD, his monastery in North America, with a short private visit toward the close of his international tour in July of 2017. Please enjoy the video celebrating this joyful occasion, along with the photos of his arrival, the traditional Tea and Rice Welcome Ceremony, and consecration of the new Stupa Project site.

The Gyalwang Karmapa Consecrates the Eight Auspicious Stupa Project at KTD (July 2017)











The Gyalwang Karmapa at KTD (July 2017)
















Learn more about the Stupa Project by clicking here.

All photos and the video on this page by Amber Roniger Photography.



https://kagyu.org/karmapa-visit-2017/
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Announcing Adarsha for Android Reflecting ancient texts in new ways

August 1, 2017, 10:00 am
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The Adarsha Tibetan Buddhist Electronic Reader, a tool for reading and searching Tibetan Buddhist texts, is now available on Android. Created by the Dharma Treasure Corporation under the direction of Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje, Adarsha features many different ways to access the canonical texts of Tibetan Buddhism, including automated catalogs, simple searches, and advanced searches.

It allows users to quickly find and read the passages they need without writing anything down or making mistakes. In the past, the great texts were wrapped in cloths and worshipped on shrines; with Adarsha, anyone with a computer, phone, or a tablet can read, study, and research them.

Adarsha includes a broad and comprehensive collection of canonical texts. Not only will it include the canonical texts of the Indian tradition found in the Kangyur and Tengyur, there are also plans to include collected works of many great Tibetan masters of all lineages and all of the Tibetan editions of the Kangyur and Tengyur. All the texts have been carefully proofread under His Holiness’ direction, and new texts are continually being added to the app.

Adarsha requires Android 6.0 or later and is available from Google Play. For more information, visit the Dharma Treasure website at https://dharma-treasure.org/

Google play link:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.dharma_treasure.adarsha
English link:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.dharma_treasure.adarsha&hl=en




མེ་ལོང་བོད་ཀྱི་ནང་བསྟན་གློག་རྡུལ་གསུང་རབ་ Android ཐོག་དངོས་སུ་འགྲེམས་སྤེལ་བྱས་པ།

རྒྱལ་དབང་ཀརྨ་པ་ཨོ་རྒྱན་ཕྲིན་ལས་རྡོ་རྗེའི་ལམ་སྟོན་འོག །དམ་ཆོས་བང་མཛོད་ནས་ཞིབ་འཇུག་དང་གསར་གཏོད་བྱས་པའི་མེ་ལོང་བོད་ཀྱི་ནང་བསྟན་གློག་རྡུལ་གསུང་རབ་ནི། དཀར་ཆག་འཚོལ་བ། སྡེ་ཚན་འཚོལ་བ། ཡོངས་རྫོགས་འཚོལ་བ་བཅས་ཀྱི་བྱེད་ནུས་ལ་བརྟེན་ནས། ཀློག་པ་པོ་རྣམས་ནས་དགོས་མཁོའི་ནང་དོན་རྣམས་ཐོ་འགོད་དང་། བསླུ་ཡོན་མི་དགོས་པར་མྱུར་དུ་འཚོལ་ཐུབ་པ་དང་། མཇལ་ཀློག་ཐུབ་ཀྱི་ཡོད། སྔོན་དུས་གླེགས་ཤིང་གླེགས་ཐག་གིས་བསྡམས་ནས་མཆོད་གཤོམ་གྱི་སྦུགས་ཏུ་བཅུག་པའི་བོད་ཀྱི་གཞུང་ལུགས་རྣམས། ད་ལྟ་གློག་ཀླད་དམ། རིག་ནུས་ལྡན་པའི་ལག་ཐོག་ཁ་པར་ཙམ་ཞིག་ཡོད་ན། མི་དཀྱུས་མ་སུ་འདྲ་ཞིག་ཡིན་ཀྱང་གཞུང་ལུགས་ལ་ཞིབ་འཇུག་དང་། ཐོས་བསམ་ཉམས་ལེན་གནང་ཐུབ།
མེ་ལོང་ནང་བསྟན་གློག་རྡུལ་གསུང་རབ་ཀྱི་ནང་དོན་ཕུན་སུམ་ཚོགས་པོ་ཡོད། རྒྱ་གར་སྐད་ནས་བོད་ཡིག་ཐོག་བསྒྱུར་བའི་བཀའ་བསྟན་འགྱུར་ཙམ་དུ་མ་ཟད། བོད་ཀྱི་མཁས་པའི་གསུང་འབུམ་དུ་མ་དང་། བོན་གྱི་བཀའ་བརྟེན་ཀྱང་ཆ་ཚང་བ་ཞིག་བཅུག་འཆར་ཡོད། རྒྱལ་དབང་མཆོག་གི་བཀའ་ཕེབས་པ་ལྟར། མེ་ལོང་ནང་གི་གཞུང་ལུགས་དཔེ་ཆ་ཁག་དཔེ་བསྡུར་དང་ཞུ་དག་ཞིབ་ཚགས་བྱས་ཏེ། གྲངས་འབོར་མང་དུ་འགྲོ་བཞིན་ཡོད།
མེ་ལོང་ནང་བསྟན་གློག་རྡུལ་གསུང་རབ་ཀྱི་མཉེན་ཆས་ནི་ Google Play ནས་ཕབ་ལེན་བྱེད་ཆོག་ཅིང་། མ་ལག་ནི་ Android 6.0 ཡན་ཆད་ཡིན་དགོས། གནས་ཚུལ་ཞིབ་ཕྲ་དམ་ཆོས་བང་མཛོད་དྲྭ་ཚིགས་ https://dharma-treasure.orgལ་གཟིགས་པར་ཞུ།
Google play link:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.dharma_treasure.adarsha


Source: https://www.facebook.com/dharmaebooks.org/posts/1718698938435767
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A Profound Doha Composed by the 16th Karmapa and Sung by the 12th Tai Situpa - We Will Wake Up

July 26, 2017, 8:30 pm
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July 27, 2017

On this very auspicious day of turning the first wheel of Dharma by Lord Buddha (Chokor Duchen), I decide to release this special and profound doha (song of realization) written by His Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa describing his yearning to meet his Guru Tai Situpa again and again by the blessing of Mother White Tara. It is sung by Guru Vajradhara when he returned back to the residence after the recent surgery.

May everyone be liberated from the suffering of samsara and attain the ultimate happiness and joy by hearing this profound and blessed melody.  This is the sincere aspiration of Tenam.

The English translation of the lyrics is taken from the book “Dharma King – The Life of the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa in Images”


The song is ala thala thala.
Ala is the way it arose:
Thala is the way it is expressed in words.
In a pure land, rich with turquoise leaves.
On a throne of brilliant, white shell,
Is the deity of long life, the mother Lady Tara.
I pray to her from the depths of my heart.
May there be no obstacles to long life
If you do not recognize this place,
It is the Retreat House of Palpung.
If you do not recognize a person like me,
Recall the upper valley of delightful Shukra
And the lower valley of delightful Shukra.
In the place between the two Shukras
Is a child who descends from Tshazhang Denma.
lf you call him by name, it is Thubten Gelek.
Not now, but on a distant tomorrow, it will be decided.
Both the vulture and I know where to go.
The vulture soars into the depths of space:
We people do not stay but go to India.
In the springtime. a cuckoo comes as a guest.
In the fall when the harvest ripens, it knows where to go:
Its only thought is travel to the east of India.
In the lofty land of Tibet, the inhabitants, high and low.
And in particular, you, Tai Situ, the Lord and Protector Maitreya.
Who remains above the crown of our head.
May your activities, like the sun and moon set in space.
Be continuous, stable, and without hindrance.
I pray that we meet again and again.
May the three roots — the lamas, yidams, and dakinis —
Protect him from negative conditions and obstacles.
Keep the precise meaning recorded here in the depth of your heart.
༄། །༧རྒྱལ་དབང་ཀརྨ་བཅུ་དྲུག་པས།
། འབྱུང་འགྱུར་ལུང་བསྟན་བྱིན་ཅན་འདི།
།ཆོས་འཁོར་དུས་ཆེན་ཁྱད་པར་ཅན།
།བསྟུན་ཏེ་དཔལ་ལྡན་བླ་མའི་གསུང་།
།མགུར་མའི་ཚུལ་དུ་གནང་བ་འདི།
། ལས་ཅན་ཀུན་གྱི་རྣ་བ་རུ།
། ཐོས་མ་ཐག་ཏུ་རྣམ་མཁྱེན་གྱི།
།གོ་འཕང་ཐོབ་པའི་རྒྱུ་རུ་བསྔོ།

http://www.wewillwakeup.com/blog-post/a-profound-doha-composed-by-16th-karmapa-and-sung-by-guru-vajradhara/
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His Holiness 17th Karmapa’s First Visit to UK & Palpung Wales on the Road - Palpung Changchub Dargyeling

August 3, 2017, 3:37 am
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August 3rd, 2017

A group from Palpung Wales, which actually consisted of people from all over UK, traveled to join the His Holiness 17th Karmapa’s first teaching weekend in London, Battersea. It was an absolute privilege to be part of that weekend, in many ways. We received touching and inspiring teachings from His Holiness Karmapa on Geshe Langri Tangpa’s famous “Eight verses of Mind Training,” a key instruction on how to bring the Dharma into daily life. At the same time it was like a gesture of welcoming His Holiness Karmapa’s 17th incarnation to this country for the first time. Meeting with the many Dharma friends and coming together in His Holiness’s mandala was a very heart-warming experience. We were also very fortunate to have a group audience with His Holiness on Saturday afternoon. From original Palpung Wales group it slowly formed into a Palpung United group of about 60 people from Wales, Ireland and Slovenia, and some from Italy as well. It was a great chance, although only briefly, meet with people from other Palpung groups and to form a stronger connection. We had a chance to ask some questions and Lama Rabsang also requested a reading transmission to the Short Lineage Prayer, Dorje Chang Thungma, from His Holiness. This was especially in case there were some who could not attend His Holiness’s teachings / empowerment over the weekend, but through this transmission they could have a connection with our lineage head every time they say this prayer. Even though one could not clearly hear the words His Holiness was chanting during the transmission, one could almost feel the air vibrating with the lineage blessings!



Palpung United (Wales, Ireland, Slovenia, Italy) waiting for the audience with His Holiness 17th Karmapa, May 2017

Something that was touching us through Lama Rabsang, was that he was invited to join to welcome His Holiness and his entourage on the day of arrival as well as to join HHK and some other Rinpoches and Lamas over an intimate lunch at Sheakspeare’s Globe. He also took part in the body-speech-mind offering the last day of London teaching weekend during the Chenrezig empowerment, and was given a duty to share the dutsi (blessed water) to the audience. On the way home, Lama Rabsang was contemplating the days we spent in London, attending the teachings and events, and wished to express his contemplations also to the wider audience. We published a note by him in Facebook which some of you might have already seen, but please find it also below:


His Holiness Karmapa, Rinpoches and Lamas enjoying the lunch together, May 2017. Photo by Kagyu Office.


 “I came out of my retreat to take part in this auspicious and historic first visit of His Holiness Karmapa to UK. Thanks to the very hard work and lots of preparations by Joanna Hollingbery, Chloe Roberts and Claire Pullinger (and many others), this visit could finally happen. When I saw thousands of people taking part in the teachings and the empowerment and being able to be in the presence and receive blessings from His Holiness Karmapa – for the benefit of all beings – I was very happy and rejoiced.
When we had an audience with His Holiness Karmapa, I told him a little bit of the history of Palpung Wales and invited him to visit the Centre in his future visits to UK. He very kindly said “yes yes yes”. In his talk at the end of the teachings he said that he wishes in the future also visit other parts of UK, like Scotland and Wales. I wish this will happen and bring even more benefit to all beings.
Now I will go back to my retreat, and going back to my daily practice. I feel very blessed and grateful. I wish you all well and I hope that your Dharma practice will become continuously stronger. Like His Holiness said, not just the words, but take the meaning in the heart.
My best wishes and prayers,
Lama Rabsan
There were some people who had met His Holiness the 16th Karmapa as well as 17th Karmapa, and then those, who were meeting His Holiness the 17th Karmapa for the first time. For everyone the experience is always different. Below one account from a person of the weekend in London.
“I had seen and heard HH Karmapa many times before, through watching YouTube videos and listening to his podcast. I thought I knew what to expect, then, when Pauliina persuaded me to go to his teachings and empowerment in London. The reality, though, was different.
The experience of being with so many Buddhists in one room was an education in itself, but being in the presence of His Holiness during our group audience on the Saturday afternoon was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. Here was a man who was much younger than me, yet seemed so much calmer and more full of a mixture of authority and peacefulness than I have ever been. At that point I suddenly understood that this was more than just a man I had seen on YouTube: here was the head of our lineage, one of a long line of Karmapas stretching back nine hundred years, in person. The experience was both humbling and uplifting at the same time. I was fortunate afterwards to get close enough to him to offer my kata to him, and receive it back from his own hand.
On the Sunday, after some excellent teaching about the eight verses for training the mind, we had the privilege of receiving the Chenrezig empowerment from the Karmapa himself, who is regarded as an emanation of Chenrezig.
All in all the weekend was a very uplifting and motivating experience for me. His Holiness expressed his desire to visit the other UK nations in the future, so perhaps we may one day soon be welcoming him at the door of Palpung Changchub Dargye Ling. That would truly be an honour.” Barry Taylor

By: Pauliina Kossi



There are many wonderful accounts and hundreds of photos of His Holiness the 17th Karmapa’s historic first visit to UK in May, please find below some links you may wish to browse if you haven’t already seen.

PHOTOS: PALPUNG WALES IN LONDON TEACHINGS please click HERE

HHK OFFICIAL WEBSITE NEWS & ACCOUNTS OF HIS UK VISIT

KARMAPA’S UK VISIT PAGE NEWS & ACCOUNTS  

A PERSONAL TRANSCRIPT OF HHK TEACHINGS AT BATTERSEA, UK written by a Finnish nun Ani Sherab



http://palpung.org.uk/his-holiness-17th-karmapas-first-visit-to-uk-palpung-wales-on-the-road/
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Video: Karmapa London 2017

August 11, 2017, 1:10 am
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Wise Jewell Ltd and Karmapa Visit UK presents, a short film documenting His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje's historic first visit to the United Kingdom In May 2017.

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The Power of Unbearable Compassion - Lion's Roar

August 21, 2017, 4:37 am
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BY THE KARMAPA| AUGUST 21, 2017


When we can no longer bear the suffering of sentient beings, says the Seventeenth Karmapa, we unleash our full potential to help others and ourselves.





Practices of loving-kindness and compassion are indispensable elements of all religious traditions. These are qualities everyone can practice, regardless of their religious affiliation or ancestry. In fact, training to develop loving-kindness and compassion provides a bridge between all religions and all the many parts of our global society.

I am a Buddhist, but I still have to live my life as a member of the larger world community and take full part in society, where Buddhism is not the only spiritual tradition. There are many different forms of religion and spirituality, and there are also many different types of people, including those who are inclined toward religious or spiritual approaches and those who are not.

Since our world community is so very vast and diverse, it is important for us to respect the entire range of religious and spiritual traditions, not setting ourselves up as “opponents” of any other tradition. The way to accomplish happiness in the world is to do meaningful work in one’s own life, with a positive motivation that sees all people and all traditions as equal.


The roots of Buddhist practice are loving-kindness and compassion. Of these two qualities, compassion is foremost.

Humans are set apart from other types of sentient beings by their ability to naturally connect with sharp intelligence and with nonviolence, loving-kindness, and compassion. From the moment we are born, we are constantly chasing after happiness, thinking of ways we can become happy and free from suffering, and we actively try to bring those desires to fruition. The propensities toward loving-kindness, compassion, and nonviolence we display in following this quest for happiness demonstrate what makes human beings unique.

For any species of sentient being to continue existing, the members of that species must have affection for each other and they must support each other. In order for our human community to survive, we must nurture and sustain connections of love, compassion, nonviolence, and altruism. These connections are what will allow us not only to survive, but to make our lives meaningful. If we concentrate on ensuring that these connections are present, that in itself will be enough.

All of the Buddha’s teachings are based on refraining from harming others and engaging in helping others. It is therefore of great importance for Buddhists to have these two principles as the ground of their practice. The roots of Buddhist practice are the attitudes of altruism and non-harm. In other words, the roots of Buddhist practice are loving-kindness and compassion.

Of these two qualities, compassion is foremost: in general, we develop loving-kindness by relying on compassion. In the beginning, therefore, compassion is more important. Our compassion must have a broad focus, not only including ourselves but all sentient beings.

Why must our compassion include all sentient beings? Because all sentient beings—oneself and others—want to be happy and free of suffering. This basic desire is the same for everyone. Nevertheless, most of the sentient beings we see experience only suffering; they cannot obtain happiness. Just as we have a desire to clear away the suffering in our own experience and to enjoy happiness, through meditating on compassion we come to see that all other beings have this desire as well. Other beings are not only worthy of our compassion, they are also what cause our meditation on compassion to be possible at all.

According to the Mahayana teachings of Buddhism, all sentient beings are our parents of the past, present, and future. This means that, of all sentient beings, some have been our parents in the past, some are our current parents, and some will be our parents in the future. There are no beings who are not, in the end, our parents. For this reason, all sentient beings have a connection of affection toward us. They have a connection of kindness toward us. But these affectionate and kind parents are trapped in a state of suffering, unable to actualize their desire for happiness. So it is crucial for us to begin meditating on compassion for them, in this very moment.

When we practice various kinds of meditations on compassion, it is not enough for us simply to feel a compassionate sensation in our minds. We must bring our meditation on compassion to the deepest level possible. To make our compassion as deep as possible, we must reflect on the suffering of sentient beings in all six realms of samsara, the wheel of cyclic existence. These sentient beings who are undergoing such intense suffering are the same beings who are our kind parents of the past, present, and future. In short, we are intimately connected with all of these sentient beings.

Therefore, since we are connected to all of these beings, it is possible for us to further our connection to them by bringing them benefit. The most excellent connection we could possibly make would be to cultivate the heart of compassion for them and to think of ways we can reduce their suffering. Reflecting on our connection to these beings, we must engender a level of compassion that cannot bear their suffering to endure any longer. This great, unbearable compassion is extremely important. Without it, we might be able to feel a compassionate sensation in our minds from time to time, but this sensation will not bring forth the full power of compassion. It cannot form the basis of a comprehensive practice.

On the other hand, once unbearable compassion takes birth in our hearts, we will immediately be compelled to altruistic action. We will automatically start thinking about how we can free sentient beings from suffering. Therefore, the way to develop altruism is through meditating on compassion. When our compassion becomes genuine and deep, our actions for the benefit of others will be effortless and free from doubt. That is why it is so crucial for us to deepen our practice of compassion until our compassion becomes unbearable.

Unlike our usual kind of compassion—meditating now and then on the general notion that sentient beings experience suffering—unbearable compassion penetrates and moves our heart. If we were to see someone trapped in a raging fire, we would not hesitate to assist that person. Right then and there, we would immediately begin thinking of and engaging in ways to extract him or her from the fire. Similarly, with unbearable compassion, we witness the suffering of all sentient beings of the six realms and immediately seek ways to free them from that suffering. Not only do we genuinely try to free them from suffering; we are also completely willing to endure any obstacles we may encounter on our path to freeing them. We are unfazed by complications and doubts.


Once unbearable compassion takes birth in our hearts, we will immediately be compelled to altruistic action. We will automatically start thinking about how we can free sentient beings from suffering.

All sentient beings have basic compassion. Even people we would generally consider ill-tempered have compassion; they simply have not brought their basic compassion to a refined level. If ill-tempered people did not have any compassion at all, it would be impossible for them to develop compassion by practicing on the path. All beings have compassion, but their door to the mastery of compassion has thus far been locked. So even though it may seem that some people have no compassion whatsoever, everyone has at least a small seed of compassion. That small seed can grow into great compassion; the potential we all have for great compassion can be made manifest.

Though the great, noble beings can let the full extent of their potential for compassion shine through, we ordinary beings cannot. Though we have the seed of compassion, we do not have the compassion we want. Precisely when we need compassion the most, we cannot access it; the door of our compassion is closed.

Even as we understand that loving-kindness and compassion are so important, we will also find it is quite difficult to fully and genuinely incorporate them into our experience. What prevents us from cultivating our heart of loving-kindness and compassion further is the mental afflictions, especially anger. Emotions such as anger inflict the greatest harm on our path to authentic compassion. For this reason, we must take an honest look at our emotions and ask ourselves, is this emotion benefiting me? Or is it of no benefit at all? We need to engage in a detailed, introspective analysis. If our investigation reveals that these negative emotions are of no benefit, the vital next step is for us to take a similar outlook toward our emotions altogether, all the time; we must see problems as problems, shortcomings as shortcomings.

Let us consider the example of anger. The Buddhist teachings contain rich descriptions of the shortcomings of anger. They describe how anger and aggression produce a slew of unpleasant results, both in the immediate future and in future lifetimes. While some of those teachings might seem to apply only for those who actually believe in the existence of future lifetimes, the buddhadharma’s descriptions of the shortcomings of anger are still relevant for those who do not hold this belief. When we become angry, our face changes and we take on a frightful appearance. We become unattractive to others; even those who are close to us find it difficult to be around us. Since anger in us instills fear in others, it greatly hinders our relationships.

When we clearly see the shortcomings of anger and the positive qualities of loving-kindness, our practice of loving-kindness and compassion becomes strong and we feel delighted about training in these qualities. When we are delighted about training in these qualities, we exert ourselves all the more strongly. When we exert ourselves more, the results we experience also become much more powerful. Being able to discern what is beneficial and what is faulty, therefore, is very important.

Without such discernment, our compassion can become susceptible to the same old habits. Perhaps, when trying to practice compassion, we are treated angrily by someone. We habitually respond by looking at that person in a negative light and resenting him or her. But if we have a deep understanding of the problematic aspects of our negative emotions, and can see them to be like illnesses, we will no longer see aggressors who harm us as bad in themselves. Rather, we will understand that these aggressors are not acting out of their own free will; they are afflicted by the illness of their own negative emotions. Once we are freed from resentment in this way, we are free to grow our loving-kindness and compassion limitlessly, without obstacles.


To make our compassion strong and to make our seed of compassion ripen, we need the path.

There are many other obstacles that can prevent our practice of compassion from reaching its full power. From among all of these adverse conditions, one of the foremost is jealousy. Jealousy can rob us of our freedom and interrupt loving relationships between people. Jealousy occurs when we cannot tolerate others being happier than we are. When we continually feel we need to have others below us and have no one equal to us, that is jealousy. When we are controlled by jealousy, we only feel comfortable when others come to us for assistance; we only feel at ease when others are looking to us with hope. We cannot stand being in situations where others have something that we need.

Moreover, in this era many people in society feel that these manifestations of jealousy are justified. Many people seem to believe that when we have competitive attitudes toward others, and when we want to vie aggressively against others for some reward, this is not only acceptable but to be encouraged.

To make our compassion strong and to make our seed of compassion ripen, we need the path. When we enter the path of compassion, we begin to connect with the compassion we need in order to help others, and beyond that we begin to develop the compassion we need in order to attain enlightenment. We already have compassion, wisdom, and many other positive qualities, yet our mental afflictions are far stronger than all of these most of the time.

It is as if the afflictions have locked all of our positive qualities away in a box. One day, we will open that box and all of our good qualities will spring forth. We will see that we do not have to go looking for our compassion, trying to get it or buy it somewhere. It is not available for purchase anywhere in any case. What we will discover is that compassion is present in our minds spontaneously. At that point, a wealth of excellent qualities will become immediately available to us.

One of the ways that people in Tibet generate compassion is by visualizing the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteshvara, and reciting his mantra, OM MANI PADME HUM. I have memories of my mother’s mother from when I was young reciting the mantra of Avalokiteshvara all the time. Even though she was blind, she continued to recite mantras with great diligence. She always had a cheerful demeanor and smile, as if she didn’t have any problems at all. She always maintained a graceful and dignified presence, and the gaze of her eyes was like that of a normal, seeing person. Such is the power of practicing loving-kindness and compassion. The great affection for and continual supplication to the bodhisattva of compassion was a binding force for our family. My grandmother passed it to my mother, and my mother passed it to me, and I am passing it to you, like an heirloom or an inheritance. My family was not wealthy in a material way, so this is what I have to offer as my main family heirloom.




ABOUT THE KARMAPA
In 1999, at the age of fourteen, the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, made a dramatic escape from Chinese-controlled Tibet. As leader of the Kagyu school of Vajrayana Buddhism, he is unafraid to talk about the environment, vegetarianism, and the role of women—and how Buddhist institutions can align themselves more with the modern world on these issues. Since his escape, the Karmapa has made two trips to the West. Gyuto Tantric University in Dharamsala, India, is his home base.


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The Gyalwang Karmapa Arrives in New Jersey, United States (September 2, 2017)

September 1, 2017, 12:09 pm
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His Holiness Karmapa has arrived in New Jersey, United States. Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, President Khenpo Karma Tenkyong, Khenpo Ugyen Tenzin, KTD and Karme Ling lamas, New Jersey KTC Lama Tsultrim, and Danang Foundation Lama Tsewang Rinpoche welcomed him.


2017.9.2 The Gyalwang Karmapa Arrives in New Jersey, United States
https://kagyu.org/karmapa-new-jersey-september-2-2017/
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