Gyalwang Karmapa Arrives at Vajravidya Institute in Sarnath

January 21, 2010 - Sarnath, Varanasi

Formally concluding the Bodhgaya leg of his winter tour, His Holiness departed the holy site of Buddha’s enlightenment just after mid-day and set out for Sarnath, repeating the journey Buddha Shakyumuni himself took after his enlightenment in order to teach his first circle of disciples to set the Wheel of Dharma in motion.

Meanwhile, in Sarnath, in joyful anticipation of His Holiness’ arrival, welcome gates were erected, the road was lined with white chalk and auspicious designs were painted on the approach to the temple at Vajra Vidya Institute in Sarnath.

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Gyalwang Karmapa Receives Disciples on The Eve of Departure from Bodhgaya

January 10, 2010 - Bodhgaya, India

On the eve of their departure from Bodhgaya after the teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, over 1,500 disciples attended a public audience granted by the Gyalwang Karmapa at Tergar Monastery. Gyalwang Karmapa offered an oral transmission and words of advice on putting His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachings into practice. He spoke in Tibetan and Chinese to the large gathering, comprised predominantly of Tibetan and Bhutanese, with many international students in attendance as well.

Gyalwang Karmapa began by establishing a Dharma connection with the audience by conferring the oral transmission of the Chenrezig mantra and the practice text called All Pervading Benefit of Beings.

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Gyalwang Karmapa Attends Long Life Puja for His Holiness Dalai Lama & Receives White Tara Initiation

January 9, 2010 - Bodhgaya, India

Gyalwang Karmapa received a White Tara initiation and attended a long-life puja for His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The initiation and puja marked the conclusion of a series of teachings offered by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to a large gathering in Bodhgaya. Jamgon
Kongtrul Rinpoche was also present, as was Ganden Tri Rinpoche and many other high lamas.

The five-day teaching event also included a Chenrezig initiation, which Gyalwang Karmapa also received from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. During this initiation, His Holiness the Dalai Lama requested Gyalwang Karmapa to stand in for all the members of the audience in such ritual activities as throwing flowers into the mandala and determining the attendees’ class of Buddha family.

During the course of the teachings, His Holiness conferred oral transmissions of numerous mantas, including Hayagriva and Vajrakilaya, as well as the reading transmissions of the four texts that formed the basis of the teachings: Nagarjuna's In Praise of the Transcendental (Tibetan: jigten lay depar töpa), Atisha's Lamp of the Path to Enlightenment (Tibetan: jangchup lamdrön), Longchen Rabjampa's Mind In Comfort and Ease (Tibetan: semnyid nyelso) and Tsongkhapa's Short Version of the Stages of the Path To Enlightenment (Tibetan: lamrim dü dön).

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Gyalwang Karmapa Receives Teachings from His Holiness Dalai Lama

January 5-8, 2010 - Bodhgaya, India

Gyalwang Karmapa is currently receiving teachings by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Bodhgaya. From January 5 through 9, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is conferring the teachings to a crowd of over 30,000 devotees from across the Himalayan region as well
as worldwide.

The Dalai Lama will deliver teachings on Nagarjuna's 'In Praise of the Transcendental' (jigten ley depar toepa), Atisha's 'Lamp of the Path to Enlightenment' (jangchup lamdron), Longchen Rinpoche's 'Mind In Comfort and Ease' (semnyid nyelso) and Tsongkhapa's 'Short Version of the Stages of the Path To Enlightenment' (lamrim dhuedhon).

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Gyalwang Karmapa’s "Life of Milarepa" Play Performed in Bodhgaya

January 1, 2010 - Bodhgaya, India

After three years of reading the biography of Milarepa to Kagyu Monlam attendees, two hours at a time, His Holiness transmitted the entire life of Milarepa in a single, magnificent evening. In what was nothing short of a world-class theatrical event, approximately 12,000 people turned out and many viewers were watching live online to view a play of Milarepa’s life created by His Holiness and performed by actors from the Tibetan Institute for the Performing Arts (TIPA). Adding the title of playwright to a list of accomplishments that already seems impossibly diverse, Gyalwang Karmapa himself composed the script for the six-act play. Over the past months, His Holiness has also overseen stage design, rehearsed actors in his temporary residence in Gyuto and generally provided creative direction at all stages of the production. According to TIPA, this was the largest theatrical event in Tibetan history.

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27th Kagyu Monlam: Day Eight - Kagyu Monlam Comes to a Rousing Conclusion

December 31, 2009 - Under the Bodhi Tree, Bodhgaya

The tremendous efforts undertaken by organizers seeking to fulfill His Holiness’ vast vision for this year’s monlam came to their fullest fruition today, as the 27th Kagyu Monlam drew to a joyful close. From early morning until the deep chill of the night, thousands of disciples who had gathered from all corners of the planet spent the final day of 2009 in the presence of His Holiness. During the first session of the day, students were able to receive Mahayana sojong vows directly from His Holiness, who began by reminding students of the great purpose of taking such vows.

The day included many special events, including two sessions devoted to Guru Puja (lama chöpa) practice using the exquisite text that His Holiness himself compiled. In his customarily inclusive fashion, Gyalwang Karmapa drew on guru puja texts from multiple traditions in his preparation of this new Offering to the Gurus text, published by KTD Publications.

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27th Kagyu Monlam: Day seven - Stretching into the Deep Past and the Distant Future

December 30, 2009 - Under the Bodhi Tree, Bodhgaya

By inviting and embracing attendees from all over the world, providing translation into nine languages and sending out a live webcast viewed by people all over the globe, and by generating aspirations that encompass other worlds as well, the Kagyu Monlam has truly expanded to fill all space. On its seventh day, the scope of the Kagyu Monlam also stretched to fill time, with activities to protect the environment as well as to honor the Kagyur, or the canon of Buddha’s teachings. As such, the day’s focus spanned from 2,500 ago in India when the Buddha first taught, to a distant future that monlam participants actively seek to create, so that our heirs to this planet may still find it a viable and welcoming home.

As part of the morning’s focus on the Kagyur itself, Gyalwang Karmapa and the other Kagyu lineages holders led a solemn and stately procession of bhikshus and bhikshunis (gelongs and gelongmas) to carry the 108 volumes of the canonical collection on a circumambulation around the stupa.

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27th Kagyu Monlam: Day six - Milarepa Empowerment, Ganachakra & talk on "Positive Politics"

December 29, 2009 - Under the Bodhi Tree, Bodhgaya

The sixth day of the 27th Kagyu Monlam offered students numerous ways to continue connecting to Milarepa and the Kagyu practice lineage. In the morning, the Gyalwang Karmapa conferred a Milarepa Empowerment to a massive gathering, including to such holders of Milarepa’s illustrious lineage as: His Eminence Goshir Gyaltsap Rinpoche, His Eminence Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Khenchen Yongzin Thrangu Rinpoche, His Eminence Zurmang Gharwang Rinpoche, Bhayoe Rinpoche, Khenpo Lodoe Dhonyoe, Drupon Dechen Rinpoche and Drikung Gyese Rinpoche.

Also among those fortunate enough to receive such an empowerment, directly from the Gyalwang Karmapa, was the entire troup of actors who will be performing the drama on The Life of Milarepa composed by His Holiness, to be staged at the conclusion of the Monlam.

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27th Kagyu Monlam: Day Five - Karmapa completes the Oral Transmission of Milarepa’s Biography

December 28, 2009 - Under the Bodhi Tree, Bodhgaya

The recitation of the Twenty-Branch Monlam, that which provides the structure for the prayers recited during the Kagyu Monlam, is a powerful means by which we can deepen our relationship with Buddha Shakyamuni. By reciting these prayers, we prepare a place for Buddha; invite, greet and offer ablution to him; and we praise, make offerings and requests to him. To do these things beneath the Tree, where Buddha himself was enlightened, exponentially intensifies our daily encounters with Buddha.

Today, His Holiness completed a long project which is intented to enhance his disciples’ connection to the great Tibetan master Milarepa. His Holiness has given the oral transmission of the entire life story of Milarepa, page after page, year after year, for three consecutive years.

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27th Kagyu Monlam: Day Four - Karmapa teaches on How to Use Adverse Conditions for Spiritual Growth

December 27, 2009 - Under the Bodhi Tree, Bodhgaya

As the 27th Kagyu Monlam reaches its half-way mark, thousands of disciples spent the day offering their voices, hearts and minds to generate vast aspirations for the well-being of the world. Along with those who traveled from over 52 countries to attend in person, many more have been able to participate this year from their homes, since this year’s Kagyu Monlam is being webcast live at kagyumonlam.tv with prayers and teachings transmitted in eight languages, including English, French, German, Polish and Russian.

Today Gyalwang Karmapa brought his reading of the life story of Milarepa to the moment of Milarepa’s passing into nirvana. He then gave advice on how to use adverse conditions for spiritual growth. Taking the example of a common situation faced by foreigners attending Monlam in Bodhgaya—physical ailments and sickness—His Holiness indicated several ways to make such problems fruitful for our Dharma practice.

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27th Kagyu Monlam: Day Three - Karmapa teaches on the fault of abandoning the dharma

December 26, 2009 - Under the Bodhi Tree, Bodhgaya

Once again students had the privilege of receiving Mahayana Sojong Vows directly from His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa, under the Bodhi Tree. In his reading of the Life of Milarepa, His Holiness reached the point where Milarepa was intentionally poisoned by a well-educated geshe who had become overwhelmed by jealousy and resentment towards Milarepa. Taking these events of Milarepa’s life as a departure point, His Holiness taught today on the danger of giving up the Dharma. Gyalwang Karmapa noted that the geshe in question had done extensive study of Dharma texts, but his actions reveal that he had completely abandoned the pure Dharma. His Holiness commented that giving up or abandoning the Dharma can also occur when we teach something that is not pure Dharma and present it as Dharma. Abandoning the Dharma does not only imply turning our backs entirely on all the Buddha’s teachings. It can also happen, His Holiness stressed, when we engage in sectarian partiality towards our own lineage or lama, and on that basis disparage other lineages or lamas.

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27th Kagyu Monlam: Day Two - karmapa teaches on the Relationship between Lama & disciple

December 25, 2009 - Under the Bodhi Tree, Bodhgaya

The second day of the 27th Kagyu Monlam opened with His Eminence Goshir Gyaltsap Rinpoche conferring Mahayana Sojong Vows on the thousands of fortunate disciples gathered beneath the Bodhi Tree.

His Holiness arrived for the second session, which was devoted to the biography of Milarepa. Along with the reading transmission of the text, which has been conferred over the past several Kagyu Monlams, each day His Holiness gives a Dharma teaching on a relevant topic, leads a meditation session, and selects one of Milarepa’s songs (Gur) for the entire assembly to sing together. Today His Holiness taught on the relationship between lama and disciple.

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27th Kagyu Monlam Opens in Bodhgaya - A Theme of "Gratitude"

December 24, 2009 - Under the Bodhi Tree, Bodhgaya

As His Holiness moved through the dawn mist yesterday to take his place under the graceful branches of the Bodhi Tree, the long-awaited 27th Kagyu Monlam was officially underway. The theme for this year’s prayer gathering is "gratitude," and this theme was surely reflected in the hearts of the thousands of disciples who managed to bring together the conditions to be present in Bodhgaya after this year of economic turmoil.

The Gyalwang Karmapa opened Kagyu Monlam by offering the 24-hour Mahayana Sojong precepts to the immense gathering of monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen. His Holiness has noted in the past that aspirations made by men and women together are more powerful and carry greater effects, as are the aspirations made by people holding vows.

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gyalwang karmapa's teachings on Nagarjuna’s "Letter to a friend" - detailed report

Setting the Scene - Early Morning, Tergar Monastery

Session One : Sunday AM

The following summary of the morning’s teachings is based on Ringu Trulku Rinpoche’s translation from Tibetan into English, except where the Gyalwang Karmapa spoke directly in English.

The teachings should have begun promptly at nine o’clock. Gyalwang Karmapa was seated expectantly on his majestically high, intricately carved and gilded throne. The sound crew was confident. Hours of preparation had gone into setting up the sound system: microphones, speakers, and the FM translation transmission system. At the final dress rehearsal everything had worked perfectly, but now suddenly, it took on alife of its own and began emitting high-pitched squeals, squeaks and whines. The audience sat patiently while the sound crew dashed back and forth, fretting over banks of equipment, antennae, cables and microphones. His Holiness smiled, pulled faces, and tentatively tapped his microphone. Finally the problems were resolved, and the teachings were under way.

Having greeted everyone warmly, Gyalwang Karmapa explained why he had chosen this particular text – Nagarjuna’s Letter to a Friend – because, not only did it thoroughly cover the philosophy of Madhyamika, but it was mainly an instruction for householders on how to practice dharma.

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Gyalwang Karmapa Launches Official Website for Environmental Protection: Khoryug.com

December 22, 2009 - Tergar Monastery, Bodhgaya

This afternoon, in the packed assembly hall of Tergar Monastery, His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa formally launched www.khoryug.com, a Tibetan and English-language website dedicated to environmental protection. The website offers educational resources on environmental protection, news on environmental projects underway in Kagyu monasteries and nunneries, and offers a forum for people interested in the environment. Khoryug.com forms part of a larger series of projects that His Holiness has undertaken to protect the earth for future generations, goals for which will eventually restore the natural environment of Tibet and the Himalayan areas. As such, khoryug.com follows the emerging pattern of the activities of the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, to work for the well-being of others in ways that are both immeasurably vast and yet eminently practical.

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Gyalwang Karmapa Launches Official Website for Environmental Protection: Khoryug.com

December 22, 2009 - Tergar Monastery, Bodhgaya

This afternoon, in the packed assembly hall of Tergar Monastery, His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa formally launched www.khoryug.com, a Tibetan and English-language website dedicated to environmental protection. The website offers educational resources on environmental protection, news on environmental projects underway in Kagyu monasteries and nunneries, and offers a forum for people interested in the environment. Khoryug.com forms part of a larger series of projects that His Holiness has undertaken to protect the earth for future generations, goals for which will eventually restore the natural environment of Tibet and the Himalayan areas. As such, khoryug.com follows the emerging pattern of the activities of the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, to work for the well-being of others in ways that are both immeasurably vast and yet eminently practical.

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Karmapa Current Activities:
archived news about His Holiness Karmapa

For past news about His Holiness Karmapa's activities click here.

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His Holiness Karmapa's Regular Activities

Visiting the Karmapa

• His Holiness typically gives public audiences on Saturdays and Wednesdays when in residence.
  
  
• Information on how to visit His Holiness in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India
  

His Holiness Gyalwang Karmapa, from a recent photograph. His Holiness is now 23 years of age (according to the reckoning of the Western calendar system).

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kagyu office websites in Chinese and French

Chinese language Website

The Kagyu Office maintains an official Chines-language website for His Holiness Karmapa at www.kagyuoffice.org.tw.

FRENCH LANGUAGE WEBSITE

A French-language version of the website for His Holiness Gyalwang Karmapa has been opened under the auspices of His Holiness Karmapas Office of Administration: www.kagyuoffice-fr.org.

 

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