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
    • YouTube Archive
    • 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
    • YouTube Archive
    • 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
Dec 11

The Historic Visit of the Gyalwang Karmapa to Palpung Sherabling Monastery


December 8, 2016 – Upper Bhattu, Baijnath, HP, India
Since arriving in India in 2000, the Gyalwang Karmapa had waited almost 17 years to visit Kenting Tai Situ Rinpoche at his nearby monastery of Palpung Sherabling. To celebrate this special occasion, crowds had gathered in a festive mood from all parts of the Himalayan region and from abroad.

The day before His Holiness arrived, the monastery was astir with preparations. Diamond-shaped images of the 16 auspicious symbols and substances lined in bright colors the first part of the monastery road. In the middle of the road close to the main shrine hall, devotees were painting a welcome of the 8 auspicious symbols in brilliant white. The shrine hall was filled with lay people making stately flower arrangements of fragrant lilies while the monks were setting up the sound system, video camera, and the huge LED screen on the veranda outside so that those sitting in the courtyard could see the events inside. Suspended around the courtyard from its third story were immense thangkas depicting Vajradhara, the founding forefathers of the Karma Kagyu, and the sixteen previous Karmapas.

Early on the day itself, a wide red carpet was laid over the eight auspicious symbols. Mounds of fresh flowers in white, orange, and deep maroon were being arranged in a Dharma wheel in front of the east door and in triangular patterns along the red path, leading up the stairs and into the main shrine hall. At the end of the path awaited an impressive golden throne, set in front of a two-story high statue of Maitreya, the future Buddha.

As the Karmapa’s cavalcade approached the celebratory gate nearest the monastery, two young women held the customary offerings of tsampa and chang while standing in front of a large gathering of local people. After a brief pause to receive their welcome, the Karmapa’s motorcade continued to the place where the eight auspicious symbols began. Here the Karmapa waited inside his vehicle as it was circumambulated by a formal procession: brocade banners and pendants glinted in the morning sun and the music of tall drums and jalings filled the air as well as a leitmotif of bells and hand drums played by 16 offering goddesses. When they passed, the Karmapa descended from his vehicle and walked behind eight tulkus (reincarnate lamas) who carried incense and guided him down to the monastery where Tai Situ Rinpoche, Mingyur Rinpoche, and Garwang Rinpoche awaited the Karmapa near the east door.

They accompanied him along the path into the shrine room, where the Karmapa made three bows and then walked with Situ Rinpoche to light a generous butter lamp in front of Maitreya Buddha. Once the Karmapa had sat on his throne, the three main reincarnate lamas—Situ Rinpoche, Mingyur Rinpoche, and Garwang Rinpoche—took their seats followed by the remaining eight tulkus: from Sherabling itself came Pungri Tulku, Shagam Tulku, Tulku Monlam Rigse, Tulku Damcho Norbu, and Tulku Trinley Dondrup, and from outside came Gyalpo Tulku, Drikung Gyalse Tulku, and Tana Tulku. To celebrate this brilliant occasion, the 16 offering goddesses danced, moving gracefully in the center aisle.

After a welcome speech, Khenpo Thupten Karma gave a half-hour talk from memory on the five perfect conditions—the time, place, teacher, teaching, and retinue. Mingyur Rinpoche gave the mandala offering and Situ Rinpoche offered the Karmapa the representations of body, speech, mind, qualities, and activity. For those who had been at Tsurphu, the Karmapa’s seat in Tibet, during his enthronement in 1992, the scene was very familiar, only then Situ Rinpoche had also offered, and the Karmapa had received, the eight auspicious symbols and eight auspicious substances one by one. After the Karmapa given long scarves to Mingyur Rinpoche and Garwang Rinpoche, tea and rice were served to everyone and prayers for the Karmapa’s long life were recited.

Khenpo Gyaltsen Phuntsok gave the history of the relationship between the Gyalwang Karmapa’s lineage and that of Tai Situ Rinpoche. The Khenpo traced their connection back to the first Situ Rinpoche, who was a disciple of the 5th Karmapa, Deshin Shekpa (1384-1415), and brought their relationship through the centuries to the 16th Karmapa Rigpe Dorje (1924-1981). He discovered and enthroned the present 12th Situ Rinpoche, who in turn found and enthroned the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje. One of Khenpo’s concluding citations was taken from Chokgyur Lingpa’s predictions, foretelling that the 17th Karmapa would have a close relationship with Situ Rinpoche. At the end of his talk, the morning’s merit was dedicated, and everyone was invited for lunch.

The afternoon saw the performance of Vajra Nyitham (‘cham or vajra dancing) in the courtyard covered in a tent of rainbow colors. The Karmapa, Situ Rinpoche, and Garwang Rinpoche presided in a windowed balcony above the open space while Mingyur Rinpoche sat on the side with the Dorje Lopon, three chant masters, and musicians. In an unusual personal note, all the performing monks were called out by name, and this first time they danced without masks so it was possible to observe their concentration as they engaged in this moving meditation.

To alternating cymbals and chanting, the monks turned in smooth circles and leaps that seemed to be lifted by the sound. Bringing in the blessings and sending them out, they danced without a break for over three hours, lead by the champon (head of the dance) who showed what emptiness is like in motion.

The atmosphere also had its informal side as tea and Tibetan kapse (fried biscuits) were served. Leaning over to his left side, the Karmapa sometimes chatted with Situ Rinpoche and at other times leaned out the window to see everyone more clearly. The Karmapa himself was trained in vajra dance at Tsurphu where he had performed, and then in recent years he took the role of Guru Rinpoche during the vajra dances in Bodhgaya. The day came to a close as the last dancer spun a circle and climbed up the stairs to disappear behind the floating yellow curtains.[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”24″ gal_title=”The Historic Visit of the Gyalwang Karmapa to Palpung Sherabling Monastery”]

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • E-Mail

Related Posts

[ 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

  • Approaches to Understanding the Thirty Verses of the Mind Only
  • The Inauguration of the 23rd Kagyu Gunchoe
  • The Essence of Glory: A Shakyamuni Puja in the Kadampa Style
  • The Gyalwang Karmapa’s Closing Remarks to the Mar Ngok Summer Teachings
  • Differing Perspectives on the First Council and the Compilation of the Tripiṭaka
  • Upāli – the Foremost in the Vinaya and Contemporary Analyses of the First Council  
  • Ananda’s Offenses, Arhatship, and Recitation of the Sūtras

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.

// // // //

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Please view our Privacy Policy. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Powered by CookieYes Logo