NEWS & CURRENT ACTIVITES

9th April, 2013 –Gyuto Monastery, Dharamsala.

Meeting recently with a private group of 300 advanced Mahamudra students, the Gyalwang Karmapa explored what it means to be an authentic Buddhist. The group of international students had travelled to Gyuto Monastery to seek the Gyalwang Karmapa’s heart advice in an annual tradition, after recently receiving the Level 6 Mahamudra transmissions from Kyabje Tai Situ Rinpoche.

The Gyalwang Karmapa began his teaching by observing that it’s difficult if we merely call ourselves dharma practitioners or Buddhist followers in name, without really understanding the essence of being a true Buddhist. “Sometimes the most important thing is to be a good person, a good human being. This is very important,” he began. Turning to himself as an example, the Gyalwang Karmapa continued, “For example, in terms of me myself, sometimes I think I’m a real Buddhist follower or a real Buddhist student, because I was born in a Buddhist family and raised in a Buddhist environment, in a monastery. I Read the rest of this article

23rd March 2013 – Gyuto, Dharamsala.

“I have been a supporter of Earth Hour for the past three years and am happy to continue the tradition this year as well, by turning off the lights for one hour on March 23rd, from 8.30 to 9.30 pm. It might seem like a small gesture but Earth Hour represents the unified voice of hundreds of millions of people around the world who want to see practical climate change solutions and to see them now. It is an hour when all of us who are concerned about the terrible impacts of climate change are interconnected and determined in our resolve to prevent further climate tragedies. The moment for climate wisdom has arrived. I join Earth Hour in urging the international community to come to a climate agreement that protects the poor, stabilizes climate, prevents further droughts and floods, and develops clean energy.” – His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje Read the rest of this article

22nd March 2013 –Tashi Jong, Dharamsala.

On the 10th day of the second month, the Gyalwang Karmapa was Guest of Honor at Khampagar Monastery’s 300th anniversary of the sacred Padmasambhava Garcham (Guru Rinpoche Lama-Dance).

Arriving early in the morning at Tashi Jong, the Gyalwang Karmapa’s motorcade passed through crowds of well-wishers lining both sides of the road before he was greeted by His Eminence the Khamtrul Rinpoche, Abbott of Khampagar Monastery, Dorzong Rinpoche and Dugu Choegyal Rinpoche. The Gyalwang Karmapa was then led into the main shrineroom and seated on an ornate throne where he received mandala offerings from His Eminence Khamtrul Rinpoche.

Moving outside into the main courtyard for the Cham, the Gyalwang Karmapa sat under a gold and red canopy to watch the sacred dances, with sangha and over a thousand lay devotees filling the courtyard on all sides. As the Gyalwang Karmapa watched, His Eminence Khamtrul Rinpoche entered the mandala of the dance ground and Read the rest of this article

12th March 2013 – New Delhi

New Delhi, 12th March 2013 – Today, the Gyalwang Karmapa visited Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, who is recuperating well after a recent road accident. His Holiness spent more than a hour visiting Ling Rinpoche at his farmhouse in suburb Delhi, giving advice and showing affection. Read the rest of this article

9th March 2013 –Central University of Tibetan Studies, Sarnath.

Today, the Gyawang Karmapa accepted a request for a talk from the Central University of Tibetan Studies in Sarnath, India. Sitting majestically on an elaborately carved throne, he first received ceremonial scarves from the faculty and administration of the University.

The Karmapa began his talk by encouraging people to take a larger, long-term view of the Tibetan situation and think about the ways to improve it. The University has an excellent library, which can serve as a support for extended research. It is also true that many Tibetans now live in India, the ancestral home of Buddhism, and this provides another opportunity for research. Indian has many of the remains of Buddhist civilization but if you look around there are no individuals at these sites holding the tradition. In Tibet, however, the tradition was preserved in lineages passed from teacher to student down to this present day, so the two Read the rest of this article