2004 Activities of the Karmapa
His Holiness leads Karma Gön Chö and
Great Kagyu Monlam
His Holiness communes with a deer in Varanasi in November 2004
His Holiness Karmapa has returned from an extended trip which took place through the end of 2004. The Gyalwang Karmapa arrived at Vajra Vidhya Institute in Varanasi on November 14, where he presided over the Karma Gön Chö, at which representatives of Kagyu monsteries from all over the world debated Kagyu philosophy and soteriology. In December, His Holiness proceeded to Bodhgaya for the annual Great Monlam Aspiration of the Glorious Unequaled Kagyu Sangha (Pal Nyammay Kagyupay Sangha Monlam Chenmo). Subsequently he returned to Vajra Vidhya institute, where he engaged in more prayers, including a service for the Tsunami victims. Some photos of His Holiness travels are available here.
The Karmapa Holds Special Prayer Service
in Varanasi for Tsunami Victims
In Varanasi, India, one of the four most sacred sites of Buddhism marking where the Buddha first turned the Wheel of Dharma and gave his first teachings, His Holiness held a special prayer service for all the deceased, injured and distressed victims of the Tsunami, which affected so many people throughout the countries in Southeast Asia bordering on the Indian Ocean. In front of the special statue of Lord Buddha, His Holiness prayed for all who suffered from the Tsunami: that there would be an end to the suffering caused by the Tsunami and that such a terrible tragedy would never happen again.
October
Visit to Bokar Monastery in Darjeeling
Ven.
Bokar Rinpoche with His Holiness
the Dalai Lama and His Holiness Karmapa
in Dharamsala in 2003
On October 4, His Holiness presided over the concluding
funerary ceremonies for the Very Venerable Bokar
Rinpoche at Bokar Monastery in Mirik, Darjeeling,
India. His Holiness left Gyuto for Delhi, where
he flew to the Bagdogra Airport in Siliguri,
arriving at 1:35 PM. He was welcomed at the airport
by Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Kalu Rinpoche, Gyaton
Tulku Rinpoche, Khenpo Donyo Lodro Rinpoche,
Drikung Gyalse Tulku, the Speaker of the Sikkim
Legislative Assembly, members of the Sikkim Ecclesiastical
Department and numerous other government representatives,
Tibetan organization leaders from Sikkim, Darjeeling
and other community leaders, and devotees from
places such as Bhutan, totalling nearly 6,000
welcomers. (A more complete
list of
dignitaries meeting with His Holiness during
his visit is at the end of this report). His
Holiness was also welcomed by Adzin Choktrul
Rinpoche, who offered him a ceremonial scarf.
Very Ven. Bokar Rinpoche passed
into parinirvana on 17.8.2004 outside Mirik,
Darjeeling. He was born to a nomadic family
in Western Tibet in the year 1940. He was recognized
at the age of four by His Holiness the Sixteenth
Gyalwa Karmapa as the reincarnation of the
previous Bokar Rinpoche. Bokar Rinpoche left
Tibet at age twenty and at that time met the
great meditation master Kalu Rinpoche.
Very Ven. Bokar Rinpoche
was one of
the most senior tutors of His Holiness
the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa in exile, and taught
him so much of the precious oral traditions,
sutras and tantras. His Holiness the 17th
Gyalwa Karmapa sent Ven. Drupon Ripoche
and staff as his representative during the
first part of the 49-day cycle, to pay final
respects and to offer prayers to his monastery,
Bokar Ngedon Chokhor Ling, in the Darjeeling
District. During that initial part
of the cycle of ceremonies,
His Holiness led hundreds of monks at Gyuto
in prayer.
Some
40,000 devotees filled the Bokar
Monastery area in Mirik to overflowing
during the visit of His Holiness
After receiving permission
to travel to Mirik for the concluding ceremonies
for Ven. Bokar Rinpoche, His Holiness immediately
proceeded to Delhi and then Siliguri. The Karmapa
departed from Bagdogra Airport in a traditional
procession led by monks from many monasteries,
including monks from the Karmapa's seat
in Rumtek, and he then proceeded to Mirik.
Upon arriving at Bokar Monastery at 3:30 PM,
His Holiness was received by a formal procession
that was headed by Gyaltsab Rinpoche and the
monks from Bokar Monastery. His Holiness’s
first action was to make aspirations prayers in front of the kudung (physical
remains) of Bokar Rinpoche. His Holiness then withdrew to his quarters. At
that time, he was offered a mandala along with tea and rice by Kalu Rinpoche
and Khenpo Donyo Lodro. His Holiness then granted several private audiences
to important local figures.
His
Holiness Karmapa with HE Gyaltsap
Rinpoche lead ceremonies in the presence
ofthe kudung of Very Ven. Bokar Rinpoche
On October 5 at
5:00 AM, His Holiness led a liturgical practice
in the presence of Bokar Rinpoche’s
kudung. The liturgy consisted of chanting
the Kagyu Gurtso, the
collected songs of realization of the Kagyu
masters known in English as the Rain of
Wisdom. At 1:30 PM His Holiness address
the monastics and laity who were gathered at
the monastery, numbering nearly 40,000. He
then bestowed an Avalokiteshvara empowerment
and connected teaching upon the assembly. From
4:30 PM onwards, His Holiness continued to
lead the ritual activities associated with
the parinirvana cermonies for Bokar Rinpoche.
This concluded the day’s activities.
On the morning of October 6, His Holiness
spoke for approximately two hours to a group
of Western Buddhist students who had attended
the ceremonies. His Holiness then visited the
three-year retreat center of Bokar Rinpoche,
and gave profound advice on practice to the
three-year retreatants who were assembled there.
At 12:00 PM, His Holiness departed for Siliguri,
and in Siliguri boarded an airplane to Delhi.
He then spent the night in Delhi and departed
the next day for Gyuto Monastery in Dharamsala.
List of dignitaries visiting His Holiness Karmapa during visit to Darjeeling
October 4-6, 2004
1. |
Mr. N.D. Takarpa |
Speaker, Sikkim Legislative
Assembly |
2. |
Mrs. R. Wangmo |
Secretary, Ecclesiastical Department |
3. |
Mr. N. Dorjee |
Special Secretary, Ecclesiastical Department |
4. |
Mr. T. Gelek Rimpoche |
Addl. Secretary, Ecclesiastical Department |
5. |
Mr. Nawang Norbu |
Tibetan Welfare Officer Gangtok |
6. |
Mr. Karma Choying |
Tibetan Welfare Officer Darjeeling |
7. |
Mr. Tsewang Tashi |
Tibetan Welfare Officer Kalimpong |
8. |
Mr. Thinley Bhutia |
Chariman Power Department, Sikkim |
9. |
Mr. N. B. Bandhari |
President Sikkim Pradesh Congress Party |
10. |
Mr. Kunga Zangpo |
Chairman S.N.T. Department |
11. |
Mr. Lharipa Topden |
President Denzong Lhadhay Tsogpa |
12. |
Mr. Pasong Namgyal |
President Sikkim Buddhist Duechen Organization |
13. |
Mr. Sonam Topden |
General Secretary Joint Action Committee |
14. |
D. N. Lama |
President Tashi Yargay Association |
15. |
Mrs. Sangay Doma |
General Secretary mache Remey Chotsog |
16. |
Mr. Bharat Tenzin |
President T.K. Association Sikkim |
17. |
Mr. Karma Topden |
Ex-M.P. & former ambassador to Mongolia |
18. |
Mr. A.B. Gurung |
Asst. Director of Tourism, Sikkim |
19. |
Mr. Dawa Norbula |
Congress MP, Darjeeling |
20. |
Mr. Sonam Tsering Dhutia |
GM of Night Tingle Park |
21. |
Mr. Sonam Sherpa |
WBSE Secretary of DGHC |
22. |
Nima Tsekyi Pradhan |
Executive Councilor, Kurseong |
23. |
Mr. Wangchuk Lama |
WBSE Financial Cecy. of DGHC |
24. |
Mrs. Rindhen Lama |
Education Secretary |
June
- Karmapa's Birthday
Celebrated
A mandala is offered to
the Karmapa during his 2004 birthday celebration
On June 26, His Holiness became 19 years of
age (20 years according to the Tibetan counting
system). In the morning, His Holiness was feted
at a private celebration with lamas and rinpoches
and other invited representatives. In the afternoon,
a public ceremony was held in the monastery's
courtyard.
February - March Visits to Delhi and Rewalasar
The Guru Rinpoche statue in the cave at Tso Pema, a revered practice site for Guru Rinpoche and Mandarava, one of his principal students.
His Holiness Karmapa performed the empowerment for long life for a large public audience in New Delhi's Buddha Jayanti Park at the end of February. The previous night, the Karmapa delivered a lecture at the India International Centre, sponsored by the Tibetan study group.
On March 1st, His Holiness was at Tso Pema (Rewalasar), one of the most famous Buddhist Vajaryana holy places, where Guru Padmasambhava was said to have manifested miraculous activities with Princess Mandarava. The anniversary was particularly auspicious because it was the first during the current Monkey Year, which occurs only once every 12 years.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama presided over anniversary ceremonies in the area, in the presence of over 50,000 pilgrims.
Upon returning to Gyuto, His Holiness attended teachings in March in Dharamsala by HH Dalai Lama, who lectured on Patrul Rinpoche's Words of My Perfect Teacher and The 100,000 Songs of Milarepa. In the morning, His Holiness also studied the Hevajra Tantra with the Very Ven. Bokar Rinpoche, at the temporary headquarters of the Karmapa at the Gyuto Tantric University in Sidbhari.
January at Kagyu Monlam 
His
Holiness presided over the the Great Monlam Aspiration
of the Glorious Unequaled Kagyu Sangha (Pal
Nyammay Kagyupay Sangha Monlam Chenmo) from
December 30 - January
His Holiness at the Monlam which concluded in January of 2004; to his right is the late Ven. Bokar rinpoche
8. A slideshow of the event
is available here.
In addition to presiding over the Monlam, His
Holiness also visited with the Dilgo Khyents
Rinpoche Yangtsi, toured the Maitreya Project
in Bodhgaya, and visited temples and monasteries
in the region.
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