Current Activities of the Karmapa (2008)
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The Karmapa's Office of Administration joyfully announces that His Holiness the Seventeenth Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, will visit the United States from May 15 through June 2, 2008. In late February, we received confirmation from the Government of India via Mr. Tempa Tsering, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in New Delhi and Cabinet Minister of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, and Mr. Tashi Wangdi, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the Americas. The formal announcement is linked here.
Click on the image to the right to go to the announcement of His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa's preliminary travel schedule in the United States, which has been released by the Karmapa's Office of Administration, United States. This schedule is being provided for travel and vacation day planning. Since confirmation of the trip was only recently received, the schedule currently being made available is necessarily preliminary and subject to change. The final confirmed schedule will be posted by our office as soon as as possible. |
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Click on the image for a preliminary shedule for His Holiness Gyalwang Karmapa's tour in the United States in 2008 |
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Karmapa Visit website launches
www.karmapavisit.org has launched just a few days after the confirmation of the visit. It contains all the details of His Holiness's visit.
Created at the request of the Karmapa's Office of Administration and implemented by the U.S. Office, the website will provide details, ticketing information and links to all relevant information about His Holiness's visit. As final confirmations of venues and events are received, the website will be updated around the clock.
Peaceful Cohabitation With Nature
His Holiness while being escorted to Dharamsala House 24th March 2008. The Gyalwang Karmapa gave the key addressing note on the seminar of "Tourism in Peace with People and Nature", it is held at The Dharamsala House of Peace and Dialogue which is at Tibetan Children Village School in Dharamsala. The seminar is jointly organized by BASECAMP Foundation and TCV School. His Holiness has been requested to bless and to give the opening speech ceremony. His Holiness talked about tourism and its growing demand, which has negative impacts on nature and communities. By actively pursuing responsible tourism actions against global warming and with an open heart towards love and compassion, tourism will become more constructive and creative. Such an approach is needed to permit any future sustainable tourism development. - Tashi Paljor
Venerable Tenga Rinpoche Teaching HH Karmapa
 18th March,2008. As requested by Tsurphu Labrang (Karmapa's Office of Administration) Dorlob Tenga Rinpoche arrived at Gyuto on March 18, Rinpoche will teach His Holiness from 20th March Tam-din Lha-nga, Gye-dor Lha-nga, Dolma Lha-nga, Phag-mo Lha-nga and De-chog Lha-nga daily at 5 pm to 6:30 pm. - Tashi Paljor
HE Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche Teaching HH Karmapa
As requested by Tsurphu Labrang (Karmapa's Office of Administration) His Eminence Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche arrived at Gyuto Monastery on 11th of March, from the 14th of March 2008 the oral transmission of Shang-pae Ser-choe which is from the Shangpa Kagyu Lineage and teaching of Choe-nyi Nam-je composed by Mipham Rinpoche, His Holiness receives the teaching every morning from 6 to 8 am from His Eminence. - Tashi Paljor
His Holiness Departs Mindrolling Monastery and Returns to Gyuto 
1st March, '08: The Gyalwang Karmapa concluded the Gyalwa Gyatso puja and put on the Rig-nga during the Wang-len, at the end of the third week parinirvana of His Holiness Mindrolling Trichen Rinpoche. In the afternoon,The Gyalwang Karmapa performed Minling Dor-sem Dung-drub puja composed by Jamgon Lodoe Thaye in the main shrine hall where the Kudung was placed. The Rinpoches and monks of Mindrolling monastery attended the puja with His Holiness.
2nd March, '08: The Gyalwang Karmapa left Mindrolling monastery in the morning. Khorchen Rinpoche, Khandro Rinpoche and Jetsun Dechen Paldon came to bid farewell until the border of Uttaranchal. On the way His Holiness paid a visit to the Center School for Tibetan in Paonta Sahib per its invitation. While addressing the students and faculty, His Holiness expressed his view that while the Tibetan people constitute such a small minority in the world, it is unequalled because it has such a rich culture and religion. His Holiness urged the students to make serious efforts to preserve our culture and religion while at the same time not neglecting modern education. His Holiness also consecrated the Bho-dong monastery in Paonta Sahib. At around 5 pm His Holiness arrived back in Gyuto monastery.
From 5th to 12th March, the Gyalwang Karmapa will be attending the Sang-wa-duepa teachings in Dharamsala from His Holiness Dalai Lama. - Tashi Paljor
The Karmapa Tours Monasteries while in Dehradun after HH Mindrolling Ceremonies
A public gathering at Lhabab Choeten on February 29, 2008
27-28 February 2008. During the stay at Mindrolling monastery in Dehradun, numerous area monasteries requested the visit and blessing of the Gyalwang Karmapa. His Holiness visited the Dechen Choekhorling Monastery, which is of the Drukpa Kagyu Lineage, on 27 Feb. Ga Rinpoche offered Mandala to His Holiness. On 28th Feb, in the morning, His Holiness visited the Tashi-Kyil Gelug Monastery. Alak Rigdol Rinpoche received His Holiness and offered a Mandala. Later, The Gyalwang Karmapa visited the Drikung Kagyu's Songtsen Library, where monks and nuns welcomed His Holiness with their Serbangs at the gate. Director of the Library Dr. Tashi Samphel give details about the Library and later visited Kagyu Nang-ten Tho-lop with His Holiness. The Library is situated near to the Dickyi-ling Tibetan settlement.
29 Feb 2008. The Gyalwang Karmapa gave the Amithayus Long Live empowerment (Tse-wang) from a text called Drub-gyal-ma, which originated from the lineage of Jetsun Rangjung-pa (one of the disciple of Milarepa). The Tsewang was requested by the chief representative of all the Tibetan settlement of Dheradhun. The staffs of the settlement, students and over ten thousand people gathered from all the Tibetan settlement of Dehradhun. His Holiness expressed to them his concern with the preservation of Tibetan Religion and Culture, and also spoke about the protection of environment and importance of trees for nature and our lives. The Karmapa appealled to the audience to plant more trees. The Tsw-wang concluded with the blessing from His Holiness individually. In the afternoon, His Holiness traveled to Rajpur to pay a courtesy visit and respects to His Holiness Sakya Trizin at his residence. Later in the day, His Holiness Karmapa and His Holiness Sakya Trizin had dinner together. - Tashi Paljor
HH Mindrolling Rinpoche Parinirvana Ceremonies in Clement Town
23rd February, 2008: His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa arrived at Mindrolling Monastery in Clement Town, Dehradhun, for the third week paranirvana puja of the His Holiness the XIth Mindrolling Trichen Jurme Kunzang Wangyal, Rinpoche, the head of the Nyigmapa Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. Just before arriving at the monastery His Holiness was received by Khandro Rinpoche, Khorchen Rinpoche, Sakya Gya-yum Chenmo, welfare officer of Dickyiling Tibetan Settlement and representatives of monasteries and associations at the Ponta Sahib border of Uttranchal.
Upon arriving at Mindrolling Monastery, HH Karmapa paid his respects to the great Nyingma hierarch by praying with the kudung of HH Mindroling Rinpoche
His Holiness was welcomed by all the Tibetan people of the Clement Town Tibetan camp, international devotees and the sanghas with their Serbang. On the arrival of His Holiness at the main monastery, Sang-yum Sonam Peldon offered a welcome Khata and later Body, Speech and Mind offerings were extended by Khandro Rinpoche, Khorchen Rinpoche and Poe-nam Tulku.
His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa will preside over the Gyawa Gyatso puja from 24th February. It will last for one week, in the Lhabab Choe-ten shrine hall of Mindrolling Monastery. More then 20 monks have specially come from Rumtek to assist His Holiness in performing the puja.
In the morning of 24th Feb, at 7:30 am His Holiness performed prayer at the Kudhung in the main shrine hall of Mindrolling Monastery, and later that day presided over the Gyawa Gyatso puja.
Meetings and puja in February
14 February, 2008: In the morning of the 8th day of first moon, His Holiness performed smoke offering puja along with the resident ritual monks at Gyuto. At 11 am. Drikung Khenchen Kunchok Gyaltsen had an audience with His Holiness. - Tashi Paljor
Welcome to the Year of the Earth Mouse
eCard from HH Karmapa (view eCard)
eCard from the Karmapa's Office of Administration
(view eCard)
7th February, 2008 is Tibetan New Year (Losar). The year is now 2135, the Earth Mouse year according to Tibetan Calendar. The Gyalwang Karmapa celebrated his Losar at Gyuto Ramoche Monastery in Dharamsala. In the morning of Losar, His Holiness presided over prayer at the main shrine hall. All the monks of Gyuto, the staff of Tsurphu Labrang and many devotees attended the prayer. Ceremonial sweet rice and Tibetan tea was offered by Gyuto Monastery to all who gathered here for the Losar Ceremony. Gyuto Khen-Rinpoche offered a mandala to His Holiness. The ceremony was concluded with the blessings from His Holiness to the assembly. Later, all the staff of Tsurphu Labrang had a private audience with His Holiness.
On Losar evening, His Eminence Tai Situ Rinpoche arrived at Gyuto Monastery to wish His Holiness 'Tashi Delek' for Losar and they had dinner together.
2 Feb, 2008. Dzigar Rinpoche had an audience with The Gyalwang Karmapa. Dzigar Choktrul Rinpoche is one of the lineage holder of Drukpa Kagyu. Rinpoche was recognized by His Holiness 16th Karmapa.
His Holiness Completes Winter Tour with Area Visits and leaves Varanasi for New Delhi and Dharamsala (January 14 -18, 2008)
14th January, 2008: The Gyalwang Karmapa gave talk and audience, as pre requested by the Kagyu students of Central Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS)at Vajra Vidhya in Saranath. The Khenpo of CIHTS offered madala to His Holiness. The Gyalwang Karmapa visits the sacred sites of Sarnath
15th January, 2008: The Gyalwang Karmapa visited the sacred sites of Sarnath, where our Teacher the complete and perfect Buddha turned the Wheel of Dharma. His Holiness first led Khenchen Yongzin Thrangu Rinpoche and the monks of the Vajra Vidya Institute in monlam prayer service at the Dhamekh Stupa. The service included mandala offering to the Buddha, the Aspiration for Noble Conduct and other prayers, and concluded with a feast offering. In addition to the sangha, many faithful devotees from Tibet, Bhutan, other Himalayan regions and foreign countries participated in the service. His Holiness circumambulated the stupa. After that His Holiness visited the Mulagandi Kuti Vihara, escorted into the temple by Ven. Sumedha Thero of the Mahabodhi Society of India. The Gyalwang Karmapa Visits the Central Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies.
His Holiness at the Central Institute of Tibetan Studies, Samprunant University, Varanasi, India
16 January, 2008: The Gyalwang Karmapa visited the Central Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies in Sarnath. The director, Prof. Geshe Ngawang Samten, who escorted him into the assembly hall, greeted him. The director, faculty, workers, and exchange students from abroad offered His Holiness khatas. The director then made some welcoming remarks, after which His Holiness gave a talk. His Holiness talked about how the Central Institute was founded by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. At that time, the situation for Tibetan refugees was very difficult and there were many uncertainties and also talked about how the students at the Central Institute are exposed to all four major Buddhist traditions and the Bon tradition. Appreciated the opportunity to study of all the Buddhism while it is important to study own tradition, This will help foster good communication between the traditions and help everyone deepen their understanding as well. His Holiness then spoke about the importance of studying Sanskrit. The source of the Buddhist teachings in Tibet is the Sanskrit scriptures, so it is very important to understand the language and study those scriptures in detail. By doing so, we can come closer to the origin of Tibetan Buddhism. Geshe Dradul then translated a summary of the remarks into English, and Geshe Yeshe Tabkhe made concluding remarks summarizing His Holiness main points and thanking him for coming. His Holiness returned to the Vajra Vidya Institute, where he took his lunch with Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche before departing for Delhi. 16th Jan 2008, The Gyalwang Karmapa arrived in New Delhi at 5:30 pm. and stayed at Radisson Hotel. His Eminence Tai Situ Rinpoche met His Holiness at the hotel and had dinner thereafter.
17th Jan, 2008: Kugnoe Kalon Tenpa Tsering la had private audience with His Holiness in the afternoon at Radisson hotel.
18th Jan 2008: The Gyalwang Karmapa left for Dharamsala by plane.
His Holiness Attends Thrangu Tse-Drup Puja (January 10, 2008)
The entrance to the Alice School as the student body and teachers await the arrival of His Holiness
5th January, 2008: Vajra Vidya Institute monks have been performing the Thrangu Tse-drup Puja (Thrangu Style of Long Life puja which was formed during the 14th Karmapa's period) for the Gyalwang Karmapa from 3rd of January. On the last day of the Thrangu Tsedup Puja the Kyabje Khenchen Yongzin Thrangu Rinpoche offered the Ten-shug (Long Life) Mandala to the Gyalwang Karmapa. The ceremony took place in the main shrine hall of VVI which was filled with numerous international devotees and many Tibetans, mutually praying for Long Life of the Gyalwang Karmapa, for the benefit of all sentient beings. Later, Lama Dawa of Hong Kong Thrangu Dharma Center cordially invited the Gyalwang Karmapa for lunch at the Hotel Ramada in Varanasi. The entourage of His Holiness and the staff of VVI were also present at the lunch. - Tashi Paljor
His Holiness Talks with Students about Developing Mental Peace and Happiness in a Technological Age (January 10, 2008)
10th January, 2008: The Gyalwang Karmapa visited Alice Project Universal Education School (www.aliceproject.info) situated close to the Vajra Vidya Institute Saranath, where His Holiness is currently residing. The founder and director of the school, Mr. Valentino Giacomin, requested His Holiness to consecrate the New Tara Temple and ten Juniper seeds from Nenang Monastery, Tibet.
The Gyalwang Karmapa's Address to Students at the Alice Project Universal Education School
"This is my third visit to this school, and I am very happy to be welcomed by all of you students and teachers. I am very happy that you have built this temple where people of all different religions can come and pray to their own god. I am someone who practices Dharma, and I think that it is extremely fortunate to have such a good fortune.
"I think this period that you are young is very important. You have a wonderful opportunity that you might not ever get again. Using this time when you are young to develop good intentions for yourself and to think about peace and happiness in this world will make your human life into something necessary and desirable. If you develop a good heart now, such thoughts will accompany you throughout your whole life, and you will naturally help to bring about world peace.
"There are two main things that make us improve our human lives. One is to improve our lives because we are afraid of something terrible, and the other is to improve ourselves because we see that it will help us. These days it is like these two things are competing with each other. The world is now in a technological age, and this brings huge changes to the world. When we look at the news, we can clearly see how this brings a lot of violence and suffering to people. This can be terrifying. At the same time, the world has had a lot of economic development, but our minds become fixated upon money, and we pointlessly lose our happiness and independence. So it is very important to see the benefits of developing mental peace and happiness and of getting an education, and then because of that to improve ourselves.
"I have a hope and prayer in my heart that all of you in this school will study well, and that you all will help each other in your studies and in becoming good people. I hope that you all experience such good fortune. I also pray that you have good health while you are studying, and that each of you will be protected by the god in whom you have faith.
"I am very happy that whenever I come to Saranath, I can visit this school and meet so many students. This is because we are about the same age, and we all have modern ways of thinking. We speak different languages and come from different countries, so when we look at each other it might seem like we are far apart, but I hope that we can see how we are the same in our age and in having modern ways of thinking. That is why I pray that for my part, I will always be able to support you and have affection for you." - Tashi Paljor
His Holiness at Vajra Vidhya in Sarnath (January, 2008)
5th January, 2008. Vajra Vidya Institute monks have been performing the Thrangu Tse-drup Puja (Thrangu Style of Long Life puja which was developed during the time of the 14th Karmapa) for the Gyalwang Karmapa from 3-5 January. On the last day of the Thrangu Tsedup Puja, the Kyabje Khenchen Yongzin Thrangu Rinpoche offered the Ten-shug (Long Life) Mandala to the Gyalwang Karmapa. The ceremony took place in the main shrine hall of VVI which was filled with numerous international devotees and many Tibetans, mutually praying for Long Life of the Gyalwang Karmapa, for the benefit of all sentient beings.
 Ven. Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche makes an offering to His Holiness at Vajra Vidhya in Sarnath on January 5, 2008
Later, Lama Dawa of Hong Kong Thrangu Dharma Center cordially invited the Gyalwang Karmapa for lunch at the Hotel Ramada in Varanasi. The entourage of His Holiness and the staff of VVI were also present at the lunch.
6th January, 2008: This is the 28th day according to Tibetan Lunar calendar. On this special day, the Gyalwang Karmapa released many bird and fishes in morning in what is called a "life release" ceremony. In the afternoon, the Gyalwang Karmapa gave the four armed Chen-re-zig Empowerment. Kyabje Thrangu Rinpoche was present.
The text for this empowerment was prepared by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodoe Thaye and published in his famous Rinchen Terzoed. The empowerment is also called the Great Compassion of Nga-ri (a place in western Tibet). After the empowerment His Holiness spoke about the practice the Buddha Amitabha, noting that in order to reborn in Buddha Amitabha's pure land, one has to practice Avalokteshwara and Vajrapani for a quicker rebirth.
His Holiness also thanked Kyabje Thrangu Rinpoche for his hospitality, and mentioned that during the previous day of Ten-shug ceremony, Rinpoche requested that His Holiness "live 100 years" His Holiness replied that "when I think about it, I will not be able to live for that long by myself, so here I offer Ten-shug to you all friends for your continuous love and compassion."
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