Karmapa – The Official Website of the 17th Karmapa Karmapa – The Official Website of the 17th Karmapa Karmapa – The Official Website of the 17th Karmapa Karmapa – The Official Website of the 17th Karmapa
  • The Karmapa
    • A Short Biography
    • The Lineage of Karmapas
    • Activities & Projects
  • Teachings
    • Video Library
    • Podcast
  • News
  • Schedule
  • Buddhism
    • Shakyamuni Buddha
    • Buddhism in India
    • Buddhism in Tibet
    • Kagyu Lineage
    • The Golden Rosary
  • Centers
    • North America
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Oceania
    • Africa
    • South America
  • Office
    • Media
    • Contact
Karmapa – The Official Website of the 17th Karmapa Karmapa – The Official Website of the 17th Karmapa
  • The Karmapa
    • A Short Biography
    • The Lineage of Karmapas
    • Activities & Projects
  • Teachings
    • Video Library
    • Podcast
  • News
  • Schedule
  • Buddhism
    • Shakyamuni Buddha
    • Buddhism in India
    • Buddhism in Tibet
    • Kagyu Lineage
    • The Golden Rosary
  • Centers
    • North America
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Oceania
    • Africa
    • South America
  • Office
    • Media
    • Contact
  • English
  • France
  • Germany
  • Spain
  • Italy
  • Canada
  • United Kingdom
  • Australia
  • Poland
Jul 28

Gyalwang Karmapa Teaches at His North American Seat

July 18, 2011 – NY Woodstock KTD

Early in the morning, shuttle buses discharged a steady stream of people, arriving from all directions to receive teachings from the Gyalwang Karmapa at his North American seat. By 10 am, an estimated 800 people were joyfully awaiting His Holiness’ arrival under a vast white tent that filled the space between KTD’s shrine hall and its residential wing.

During this historic second visit to KTD, His Holiness began by expressing his delight at being able to visit and meet with the larger KTD community once again. He noted the tremendous progress that had been made in recent years towards fulfilling the vast vision that His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa had had in founding the monastic seat. Since he bears the name of the 17th Karmapa, His Holiness said he would like to offer his heartfelt thanks and rejoice in the efforts of all involved.

The Gyalwang Karmapa cautioned that he had made no preparations for the teachings, but would simply draw on his own experience and share whatever thoughts might come to his mind. His Holiness began by noting that Americans enjoy freedom to choose from a wide range of religions, and are also free to choose not to adopt any religion at all. After distinguishing between spirituality and religion, His Holiness went on to comment that whichever choice of path one makes, the foundation is the same: to know ourselves, beginning from a basic recognition of the value of the human life that we each have. For the remainder of the day’s teachings, His Holiness built on that foundation, exploring such topics as ways to counteract anger, the importance of eradicating aggression from our minds and not just suppressing it in our outer actions, and our mistaken tendency to identify ourselves with our material possessions.

The tent filled with frequent laughter throughout the day. At one point, His Holiness noted that even our electronic devices reflect our egotistic fixation on ‘I’ and ‘mine’—with Apple offering us iphones and ipads, and Microsoft jumping in with its My Documents and My Computer icons. The Gyalwang Karmapa also joked with the translator, Lama Yeshe Gyamtso, at times resorting to the use of his fingers to make sure his points came through clearly.

With the joy and the laughter of the day came rain. The auspicious rains were followed by a sudden wind that swept through the tent, sending ripples along the white canvas–lest anyone forget just how extraordinary an event it was for His Holiness to turn the wheel of Dharma again at KTD.

The morning and afternoon sessions were both transmitted live via Internet, with translation in English, Chinese and Spanish. Those watching online more than doubled the number of people who were able to receive His Holiness the Karmapa’s teachings.

For further details of the day’s teachings, see KTD’s blog.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • E-Mail

[ long read ]

MIND TRAINING TEACHING
The Gyalwang Karmapa gave an extensive teaching on the 8 Verses of Training the Mind

[ video series ]

THE PRAJNAPARAMITA
Taught over six sessions, this is a direct explanation of the Buddhist view of emptiness

[ long read ]

THE CHENREZIK PRACTICE
The Gyalwang Karmapa taught on how to practice Chenrezik and recite his mantra

[ video series ]

100 SHORT INSTRUCTIONS
Taught over nine sessions, this text by the 8th Karmapa was taught in great depth by the present Karmapa.

[ long read ]

THREE PRINCIPLE ASPECTS
A comprehensive teaching that condenses the entire Buddhist path by Tsongkhapa

 

Recent Updates

  • Aspirations to End Adversity Day Eight – Opening Words
  • Aspirations to End Adversity Day Seven – Opening Words
  • Aspirations to End Adversity Day Six – Opening Words
  • Aspirations to End Adversity Day Five – Opening Words
  • Aspirations to End Adversity Day Four – Opening Remarks
  • Aspirations to End Adversity Day Three – Opening Words
  • Aspirations to End Adversity Day Two – Opening Words

Kagyu Office Around the World

中文 // Français // Polski // Español
The Karmapa’s website is carbon neutral. //

About the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, is the head of the 900 year old Karma Kagyu Lineage and guide to millions of Buddhists around the world.

Born in 1985, the Karmapa resides in his temporary home at Gyuto Monastery in India after making a dramatic escape from Tibet in the year 2000.

Traveling the world, the Karmapa skillfully teaches traditional Tibetan Buddhist Dharma while also advocating topics such as environmental conservation, feminism, digitization of the Dharma, and much more.

Please use the icons below to find the Karmapa on social media maintained by his office of administration.

// // // //