Karmapa In America '08 DVDs now available

November 9, 2009

Last year, through our joint effort, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, made his historic first visit to the U.S. He mesmerized audiences across America with his profound and compassionate teachings. Today, November 9, after much anticipation, those incredible teachings are finally available on DVD.

The new site (www.karmapafoundation.org) is now available with full information about the DVDs of the Karmap's teachings, and links to our online Partner stores where you can pre-order them.

For those who were so fortunate to attend His Holiness Karmapa s precious teachings last year in the U.S., these DVDs will be a lasting reminder of the incredible experience of being in the presence of this young enlightened master. And for those who were not able to attend, the precious teachings His Holiness gave on his first American tour will now be available to everyone.

We hope you are as excited as we are about the release of these videos, which are the only available source of the Karmapa's historic first public teachings in America. Today, these perfect gifts of Dharma become available to you and your friends. We would be grateful if you could help us communicate to those who may be interested. For more information, please write to info.dvd@karmapafoundation.org.

 

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GYALWANG KARMAPA VISITS MYSORE AND SPEAKS AT TED INDIA

November 4-7, 2009 - Mysore, India

His Holiness has completed his participation in the November 4-7 conference called TEDIndia, a belated coming-out party at the Infosys campus for the global rise of India and South Asia. Top thinkers from India and elsewhere, from a wide cross-section of disciplines, gave moving talks and shared ideas about how to grapple with and ameliorate some of India’s—and the world’s—most challenging problems through technology (T), education (E), and development (D). His Holiness attended talks and social gatherings for the first three days of the program and made many wonderful connections with talented people working to help the world.

On Friday, November 6, His Holiness took a break from his participation in TEDIndia to lead a prayer service in Mysore, organized by the South Zone Kagyudpa Buddhist Council, for the victims of recent flooding in South Asia.

On Saturday, November 7, before TEDIndia’s live audience as well as those who viewed an international, live webcast sponsored by the Times of India, His Holiness gave his much-anticipated TEDIndia talk. His Holiness covered a wide array of topics, from remarks about his personal and family background to comments about how spiritual practitioners can bring greater benefit to situations such as the sufferings of women around the globe. His Holiness applauded India’s rise on the global economic stage, but also encouraged an approach in which the causes of growth would be in harmony with the planet’s long-term wellbeing and the deeper levels of human happiness.

TEDIndia participants were seen to universally express strong feelings of inspiration and appreciation toward His Holiness’s talk and presence on the stage for the conference’s conclusion.

Video of all of the conference’s talks will be posted by TEDIndia, in a gradual manner, beginning in mid-November. Visit http://conferences.ted.com/TEDIndia/ for further information.

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Gyalwang Karmapa arrives in Bangalore city for TED INDIA

November 2, 2009 - Bangalore

His Holiness Karmapa left Dharamsala on November 1st for South India. He will be attending the TED India conference as a speaker from November 4-7 at Infosys in Mysore.

http://conferences.ted.com/TEDIndia/program/speakers.php

His Holiness arrived in Bangalore city on November 2nd. The South Zone Kagyu Committee and South India Tibetan Settlement Association welcomed His Holiness upoun his arrival at the airport. Many Tibetan people and devotees were also present to greet His Holiness. His Holiness will be engaged in the TED India conference from November 4-7 in Mysore.

On November 8th, His Holiness will give teachings to the Tibetan community and students at Tibetan Youth Hostel in Bangalore city. On November 10th, Karmapa will give teachins in New Delhi, and on November 11th he will return to Gyuto, Dharamsala.

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upcoming Nov 1-11 Program schedule for His Holiness Gyalwang Karmapa

November 1-11, 2009 - Mysore, Karnataka & Delhi

Nov 1:	HHK leaves Gyuto. Arrives in Delhi.
Nov 2:	HHK leaves Delhi. Arrives in Mysore.
Nov 4-7:	HHK attends TED conference as a speaker and participant. 9:00am-3:00pm Infosys Campus, Mysore, Karnataka
Nov 8:	HHK leaves Mysore. Arrives in Bangalore. HHK visits TCV Institution HHK visits Tibetan Hostel Srinivas Galu, Vivek Nagar Post, Bangalore city Event includes giving blessings & teachings to the Tibetan people and Tibetan students
Nov 9:	HHK leaves Bangalore. Arrives in Delhi.
Nov 10:	HHK Gives a Dharma Teaching As requested by Mrs. Palzees, Ongmo, Hon'ble Member, National Commission of Minorities, Govt. of India
Nov 11:	HHK leaves Delhi. Arrives in Dharamsala. Returns to Gyuto.

 

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His Holiness Karmapa leads mass prayer service

October 31, 2009 - Dharamshala

His Holiness Karmapa led a mass prayer service at the Tsuglagkhang, in Dharamsala. Hundreds of Tibetan exiles, including Buddhist monks and nuns, gathered at the main Tibetan temple for a three-day prayer service to mourn the Tibetans who were recently executed. The memorial service is being organised by ten Tibetan organisations based in Dharamsala.

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Gyalwang Karmapa inaugurates biography of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

October 26, 2009 - Dharamsala

His Holiness Gyalwang Karmapa inaugurated a new detailed six-volume biography of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. It was an elaborate book launch held at the Norbulingka Tibetan Cultural Institute, located near Dharamsala. This morning, the Norbulingka Institute launched the book.

His Holiness Dalai Lama, the newly enthroned 102nd Gaden Tripa Thubten Nyima Lungtok Tenzin Norbu, the 33rd Menri Trizin Lungtok Tenpai Nyima, and senior leaders of the Tibetan Government, including the Prime Minister Samdhong Rinpoche, took part in the ceremonial function.

In addition, His Holiness Dalai Lama expressed “deep sadness” over the fate of the four Tibetans and offered prayers for those people who were killed in Tibet, Xinjiang (East Turkestan) and those killed and injured in Sunday’s twin bomb blasts in Iraq’s capital, Baghdad.

“So since we are gathered here in large numbers today, let’s take this opportunity to offer prayers for them,” His Holiness Dalai Lama told the gathering before initiating the mass prayer session.

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Gyalwang Karmapa speaks of kindness on the International Day of Climate Action

October 24, 2009 - Dharamsala

On October 24th, the International Day of Climate Action, His Holiness Gyalwang Karmapa said that there are many ways for us to be kind and generous towards others.

“We as Buddhists believe that benefiting others is an act of kindness, and the first thing that comes to our mind, as act of kindness, is giving alms to the poor. That’s not the only way, there are many ways to be kind. Taking care of the environment and nature is also a very important act of kindness that can benefit many humans and animals alike in the future.”

His Holiness was speaking at a modest gathering at the McLeod Ganj Day School on the International Day of Climate Action - a special day that is being observed throughout the whole world. His Holiness inaugurated a signature drive on climate action by signing his signature on a giant piece of cloth.

His Holiness took the audience by surprise when he shifted his role from that of "chief guest" to that of "resource person" when he gave a PowerPoint presentation about the environment. The PowerPoint presentation was not on the organizers’ list of planned programming for the day. His Holiness said that every human being has a responsibility towards preserving nature and that we must act now if the fight against climate change and the destruction of the environment are going to be won.

“Human greed is unlimited and uncertain. We have wants for many things that we don’t even put to use. I heard most Tibetan families in the settlements have one or more motorcycles. We all know that we Tibetans like to follow the West. Many westerners go on long bicycle rides to places as far as Ladakh. So, why don't we Tibetans get rid of our motorcycles and get bicycles?,” His Holiness Karmapa said as he laughed away along with the audience.

The Environment and Development Desk of the Exile Tibetan Government, the Clean Upper Dharamsala Project of the Tibetan Settlement Office, and Tesi Environment Awareness Movement, jointly organized the day's event. The event was attended, among others, by the deputy speaker of the Tibetan Parliament, members of the Tibetan Parliament and representative of the various institutes and organizations.

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Gyalwang Karmapa graces the 49th founding anniversary ceremony of The Tibetan Children's Village School

October 23, 2009 - TCV School, Dharamsala

His Holiness Gyalwang Karmapa was requested to grace the 49th founding anniversary ceremony, as the chief guest, of the Tibetan Children's Village School.

School children eagerly awaiting His Holiness' arrival, just to catch a glimpse of him.

The school band played a welcome tune when His Holiness' car arrived at the main grounds. All the school's heads, including Jetsun Pema La (His Holiness Dalai Lama's Sister), offered khatas to His Holines upon his arrival.

The Ministers and Members of Parliament of Tibetan Government in Exile attended the anniversary ceremony.

After His Holiness' reception, the program began with a welcoming speech by the school's president.

His Holiness gave an address to the public concerning the education of the children. His Holiness also visited the school's museum after lunch and concluded the day's program.

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Gyalwang Karmapa chief guest at 25th anniversary of tcv dharamsala

October 11th, 2009 - Dharamsala

Second day of the 25th founding anniversary of Lower Tibetan Children Village School, His Holiness was invited as the Chief Guest of the program.

The highlight of the second days program was the inter school 8th grade dialectic contest, where students debate on Buddhist philosophy in monastic style of debate. His Holiness presided over the contest and remarked this as a new way of learning the essence of Buddhism and school is actually putting in practice what His Holiness Dalai Lama has urged.

Later His Holiness inaugurated the student's art exhibition and concluded the program. 

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Gyalwang Karmapa's Closing Remarks at the Environmental Conference

Conference on Environmental Protection

His Holiness thanked everybody who had been involved in the conference, particularly Dekil Chungyalpa, without whom the conference would not have been possible, and congratulated the monasteries for participating in this second conference.

He said how much he appreciated their efforts but the motivation was important.  Working  for environmental protection should not be just to please him nor out of competitiveness with other monasteries, but should be done wholeheartedly with the motivation that environmental protection is  benefiting all sentient beings. They should hold this aspiration.

* * * *

Then Gyalwang Karmapa shared his own aspiration ─ that if he had the power he would become the protector of the earth and cover it like a tent.

The final event of the conference was a performance by  monks and laypeople from Tsurphu Labrang of Gyalwang  Karmapa's poem Aspiration for the World, first in Tibetan and then in English.

Aspiration for the World

World, we live and die on your lap,

On you we experience all our woes and joys.

You are our ancestral home of old.

Forever we cherish and adore you.

We wish to transform you into the pure realm of our dreams.

We wish to transform you into a land for all creatures,

Equal for all and free of prejudice.

We wish to transform you into a loving, warm and gentle goddess.

Our hope in you is so ever resolute.

So please be the ground on which we all may live

So all these wishes may come true,

So all these wishes may come true.

Do not show us the dark side of your character,

Where nature's calamities reign.

In every section of our world's land

May there thrive a fertile field of peace and joy,

Rich with the leaves and fruits of happiness,

Filled with the many sweet scents of freedom.

May we fulfil our countless and boundless wishes.

 

Full report on HH Karmapa's Closing Remarks

Full Report on Entire Conference

Composed by the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, and translated into English by Tyler Dewar.

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French Language Kagyu Office website opens

A French-language verson of the website for His Holiness Gyalwang Karmapa has been opened under the auspices of His Holiness Karmapas Office of Administration. Please visit us at:

www.kagyuoffice-fr.org

Le Site Officiel Français de Sa Sainteté le XVIIe Karmapa Orgyèn Trinley Dorjé, Chef spirituel et détenteur de la lignée Karma Kagyu, vous invite à découvrir la Biographie détaillée du XVIIe Karmapa - depuis sa reconnaissance au Tibet jusqu’à son arrivée en Inde - ses innombrables Activités, la riche Histoire de sa Lignée, ainsi que ses précieux Enseignements parmi tant d’autres.

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The Science of Climate Change and Practical Rainwater Harvesting

October 8, 2009
Conference on Environmental Protection, Day 6 - Dharamsala

Due to global warming, which has led to increased rainfall in some areas and drought in others,  glaciers in the Himalaya were shrinking, sea levels were rising, extreme weather events were increasing. In severely  affected areas, the population was forced to relocate leading to social unrest. The long-term consequences are to diminish power and water supplies. Continued

Full report

 

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Questions, discussion and Testing

October 7, 2009
Conference on Environmental Protection, Day 5 - Dharamsala

To protect wildlife, three things are necessary: Awareness, Acceptance and Action. Action requires strategy and planning, taking the available budget into account, or special circumstances. The aim should be to start small and expand influence outwards. Having considered the local situation and community, monasteries and centres could organise  campaigns, workshops and seminars. It was important to explain the benefits to the community at large of environmental and wildlife protection such as the growth of eco-tourism. Each individual could also have an impact by discussing the issue with  family and friends and others within their community. Continued

Full report

 

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Gyalwang Karmapa on protection of wildlife

October 6, 2009
Conference on Environmental Protection, Day 4 - Dharamsala

The topic of the session in the afternoon was bio-diversity, as Gyalwang Karmapa translated the presentation of Dekil Chungyalpa, World Wildlife Federation, into Tibetan. She explained how the term biodiversity refers to species, gene pool, ecosystem and ecological  processes.Human activity has had a devastating effect.  Scientific evidence shows that, as modern human beings spread across the globe, many species became extinct. In the past it was due to hunting, more recently deforestation and destruction of habitat. Continued

Full report

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forestry conservation preservation by world wildlife fund of india

October 5, 2009
Conference on Environmental Protection, Day 3 - Dharamsala

Forest Conservation

Sanjeep Pradhan, from World Wildlife Fund India, gave a lively presentation on forestry conservation.

He began by explaining the importance of forests and plants and the critical role they play in supporting not just human life but a vast biodiversity and controlling levels of carbon dioxide and oxygen. However, forests were under threat and already rising temperatures globally showed the devastating effect of this.  

Rising temperatures meant glaciers - an important source of drinking water -were melting and disappearing, whereas on the plains there were floods. Weather systems had become unpredictable, so whereas some places suffered from hurricanes, others had drought, which led to famine. Continued

Full report

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Gyalwang karmapa explains scientific view of cosmology

October 4, 2009
Conference on Environmental Protection, Day 2 - Dharamsala

Gyalwang Karmapa on the Universe, Ecology and Buddhism

Many of the monastic representatives have not had the chance to study modern science so Gyalwang Karmapa began by giving a slide-show presentation of scientific cosmology in which he demonstrated the vastness of the universe and the minuteness of earth and the solar system within it.

Using earth as his starting point, he illustrated its position as the very small planet, third from the sun, comparing its size with Jupiter (1114 times bigger) and the sun (900 times bigger than Jupiter). From that he moved to the solar system's place in the Milky Way galaxy, explaining the need to use  light years  to measure vast distances, and, then, finally, he described the universe, and demonstrated how even something as vast as our galaxy (100, 000 light years across) was minute when compared with the universe itself.  By this stage everyone was staggering at the impossibility of even conceiving of such vastness. His Holiness commented that details about the vastness of the universe and even about so-called black holes, could be found in Buddhist scripture. Continued

Full report

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Second Conference on Environmental Protection for Kagyu Monasteries and Centers - Day 1

October 3, 2009 - Dharamsala

The first conference on environmental protection was held in March 2009, and at that time representatives from 22 Kagyu monasteries and nunneries gathered from all over the Indian subcontinent -   India, Nepal and Bhutan. At the second conference,   the number of monasteries and nunneries represented has now grown to 33. The representatives began arriving early in the large hall where the conference is being held. At the front, above the Gyalwang Karmapa's chair, hung a large green banner proclaiming the start of the conference.

Continued

Full report

For a detailed report of the first day of the conference, click here (Microsoft Word format, 1.7M)

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Past news about His Holiness Karmapa

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

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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
  

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Chinese Website for His Holiness Karmapa

The Kagyu Office maintains an official Chinese-Language website for His Holiness at www.kagyuoffice.org.tw.

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