First day, May 21

Shamar Rimpoche began the current series of teachings on the Indian master Vimalamitra’s classic text on stages of meditation practice on Saturday, May 21. Eagerly awaited by the monastic and lay sanghas, as well as several hundred practitioners from far and near, Rinpoche was formally welcomed by Lama Puntso, Dhagpo Kagyu Ling’s director. A mandala, symbolising the offering of the universe, and the traditional welcoming gifts representing enlightened body, speech and mind were then given.

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Rinpoche began by summing up the teachings he gave last year. In Vimalmitra’s text, emphasis is placed on developing Shamatha, Calm-Abiding Meditation; Vipassana, Insight Meditation, and Bodhicitta, Awakened Mind. Last year, Rinpoche explained the beginning of the text, which maps out the mental and physical conditions most conducive to developing Shamatha and Vipassana.
As concerns Shamatha, a quiet place, a mind which desires little and is easily contented, getting rid of unnecessary activities, ethical discipline, keeping our committments and purifying our negative tendencies are needed. For the latter, there are two approaches: relative and ultimate. Relative methods of purification include practicies such as Vajrasattva and the Confession to the Thirty-Five Buddhas; the ultimate method refers to realizing the empty nature of mind and all phenomena. Rinpoche stressed that realization of emptiness was a valid remedy only if the practitioner had a deep-rooted understanding of the law of karma. « When we have realization, we naturally avoid all negative actions because these are based on the confusion born of dualistic clinging and ignorance, » he said.

As for Vipassana, Rinpoche told us that the main condition was finding a spiritual friend who had all the requisite qualities. Then we can use that person’s guidance to deepen our understanding of the Four Noble Truths and other basic tenets of the Dharma.

Rinpoche reminded us that for our practice to have results, awareness of these conditions and diligence are the keys to success. He stressed that the essence of the teachings is not related to culture, saying that it was quite unnecessary for practitioners to try to imitate another Buddhist culture’s way of dressing, acting or communicating. Buddhism, he said, appreared in India and then spread to many different countries over the centuries; the Dharma has always adapted to the mores of the host country. The true essence of the teachings is the consolidation of knowledge and the development of positive qualities, he explained.

Proper meditation practice requires proper posture. Shamar Rimpoche went over this point very clearly. He then reiterated the importance of using the breath to train in stablising the mind. He told us that physical well-being is conducive to meditation practice, and that dietary discipline is a great help.

Vimalamitra’s text gives stages for a progressive approach to meditation practice. Shamar Rimpoche emphasized the importance of truly training in one stage before moving on to the next. He said, « If the teachings aren’t thoroughly integrated through practice step by step, I can explain it all to you a hundred times, but you won’t understand.

« These are the classic instructions for retreat practice, » he said, « but that in no way makes them inappropriate for meditators who are not in retreat. When we have outside activities, of course we can practice, but the sources of distraction are more plentiful. The remedy, the main tool in all circumstances, is will-power. »

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Shamarpa Rinpoche’s activities in Hong Kong includes

This series of Mahayanasutralankara lectures (18/3 – 23/3), this is a continuation of previous HK sessions over the past 4 years. This describes the path of Mahayana practice and its essential meaning.
On 20/3 we had vegetarian lunch with Rinpoche, followed by a Fish Release activities. Around 200 people has participated.
On 24/3, Rinpoche gave oral transmission (“Lung”) on the Buddha Shakyamuni Sadhana and Thirty-Five Buddhas Sadhana (The Sutra of the Purification from Downfalls on the Bodhisattva Path). Around 100 people attended.

Thousands of monks, nuns and laypeople gathered for wishing prayers at the place where the historical Buddha reached enlightment.

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5th December 2004 marked a memorable and significant day for the Kagyu Institute for Buddhist Studies – the day of its grand inauguration and opening.

Shamar Rimpoche, His Eminence Kyabje Trulshig Rinpoche, His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, His Eminence Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche, His Eminence Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, Ven Sang Sang Rinpoche and many other most respected Rinpoche’s and lamas as well as the Excellency Mr. Deep Kumar Upadyay, the Minister for Culture, tourism and civil aviation of the government of Nepal came all the way from various part of Nepal to bestow their blessings and grace the inauguration of the this important event.

During the month of June, Shamar Rimpoche is visiting the USA. He has been spending the month primarily at the Bodhi Path Center in Natural Bridge, Virginia. There on June 12 he gave the empowerment of Amitabha Buddha and on the following day he offered teachings on how to do Amitabha practices on both sutra and Vajrayana levels. Rinpoche will give this same initiation and teaching at the BPC in Washington, DC at the end of June.

After that, Rinpoche will fly to California. At the BPC near San Francisco and then at the BPC in San Luis Obispo on Californias rocky central coast, he will offer teachings on lojong, or mind-training practice. At the end of July, Rinpoche will then return to the US East Coast, to give teachings at the BPC on the island of Marthas Vineyard near Boston.

At the beginning of August, Rinpoche will leave the US for Europe. On August 7 and 8 he will be in Vienna, administering the bodhisattva vow and giving teachings on the vow from the tradition of Nagarjuna at the Karma Kagyu center there.

From August 11-19 Rinpoche will give teachings on "Meditation and the path of love and compassion" at the BPC in southern Germany near Zurich. Shamar Rimpoche will give teachings twice daily. On the first weekend (14.+15.) he will give two empowerments: Sat.: Buddha Amitabha and Sun.: Chenresig. On the last day Rinpoche will give the Bodhisattva vow.

Then, from August 21-22 he will teach at the Karma Kagyu center in Copenhagen on a commentary on Mahamudra by the 17th century master Dhagpo Tashi Namgyal entitled Rays of Moonlight. 

And from August 23-24 in Jutland, teaching + empowerment to Chenrezig, Stupa Consecration/inauguration.

On August 26-27 Rinpoche will teach at Dhagpo Kagyu Ling in Dordogne, France on the contemplation of body, feeling, mind and phenomena taken from the Pali sutras of the Buddha.

In September, Rinpoche will leave for India. There, he will stay in Kalimpong, in the West Bengal hills for some time. For six weeks he will conduct a course for HH Karmapa and several other rinpoches and advanced students at the Dri Dewakar Institute. The subject of the course will be advanced Tibetan language grammar as well as poetics from the classical Indian tradition based on a text by Acharya Dandri enumerating the 35 different types of poems and the characteristics of each.

Around the end of November, Rinpoche will depart for Hong Kong. At the Bodhi Path Center there he offer a ten-day program of initiations and teachings. He will give initiations for Vajrapani and Manjushri practices (November 27) and offer teachings on the Mahayanasutralankara (Ornament of Mahayana Sutras) said to have been received from the bodhisattva Maitreya by the great Bengali pandit Asanga.

After returning to South Asia, Rinpoche will officiate at the opening ceremony of a new Karma Kagyu education center in Kathmandu. Located in the city on Kitipur Hill and developed by Shangpa Rinpoche, the new center will offer Buddhist education to monks and laypeople alike. The center will offer a special welcome to Karma Kagyu students from around the world.

Then, on December 10, Shamar Rimpoche will participate in the Kagyu Monlam festival to be held at Bodh Gaya in India.

To see some pictures, please click here

On Monday, December 1, 2003, the Vidyadhara ceremony of the 17th Karmapa, Trinley Thaye Dorje, took place in the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute in New Delhi. This ceremony was held in celebration of the formal completion of his monastic education in the sutras and tantras and all other aspects of the teachings of the profound lineage.
The ceremony also coincided with H. H. the 17th Karmapa’s coming of age. From now on, according to Indian law, he is the legitimate leader of the Karma Kagyu tradition.
This title of a Vidyadhara was bestowed on H. H. the Karmapa by Shamarpa, second to the Karmapa in the Karma Kagyu tradition.
The ceremony was attended by high dignitaries of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism, by Indian benefactors of the late 16th Gyalwa Karmapa, and by monks and devotees from East and West.

The Karma Kagyu lineage spans over nine hundred years of Tibet’s Buddhist history. The first Karmapa, Düsum Khyenpa (12th century), began the practise of reincarnating in a line of successive masters. The second Lama to do so was the first Shamarpa, Tragpa Senge (13th century). Since that time they have been acting as the supreme heads of the Karma Kagyu school. Thus, the Karmapas and the Shamarpas are central to Buddhism in Tibet.
The present Shamarpa, Palden Mipham Chokyi Lodrö, recognized the son of Mipham Rinpoche of Dzakhog, Derge, East Tibet and his wife Dechen Wangmo as the reincarnation of the XVIth Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje. This son, Tenzin Khyentse, was enthroned as the XVIIth Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje.

H. H. Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje’s education includes the Profound View Tradition of Nagarjuna and the Vast Conduct Tradition of Asanga. He holds empowerments of the Buddhist Tantras brought to Tibet by Marpa, the Mahamudra teachings from the Mahasiddha traditions of Saraha and Maitripa and other Indian Buddhist masters, as well as the Six Doctrines and other teachings of the Highest Buddhist Tantras emphasized by the Indian Buddhist master Naropa.

The Vidhyadhara-ceremony began at 10.00 a.m. Together with H. H. the Gyalwa Karmapa, Trinley Thaye Dorje, and Shamar Rimpoche, Mipham Chökyi Lodrö, the monastic sangha conducted the ritual of the 16 Sthaviras.
Thereafter, H. H. the Gyalwa Karmapa first prostrated to the main Buddha statue in the shrine hall. Then Shamarpa bestowed the title of a Vidyadhara upon H. H. the Gyalwa Karmapa and gave him the associated document.
This was followed by various offerings made to H. H. the Gyalwa Karmapa. There was an extensive mandala offering as well as the offerings of a series of auspicious symbols. H. H. the Karmapa was also offered the sacred body, speech and mind of the Buddha represented by a statue, a text, and a stupa. These offerings were given to H. H. the Gyalwa Karmapa by Shamar Rimpoche. Thereafter, a great number of H. H. the Karmapa’s followers offered him the symbols for the Buddha’s body, speech and mind as well. All the monks, nuns, and lay-followers offered ceremonial scarves and presents to H. H. the Gyalwa Karmapa and Shamar Rimpoche.

Among the Rinpoches and Tulkus who attended the ceremony were: Khenchen Tashi Paljor Rinpoche, representatives of H. E. Luding Khenpo Rinpoche and of H. E. Chobgye Tri Rinpoche, Sönam Tsemo Rinpoche, Sabchu Rinpoche, Dorje Lopön Rinpoche, Shangpa Rinpoche, Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche, Sangsang Rinpoche, Yab Mipham Rinpoche and Mayum Dechen Wangmo, Nendo Rinpoche, Chagme Rinpoche, Tulku Lodrö Rabpel, Drupseng Rinpoche, Gasar Gomchen Tulku, Yumo Tenzin Norbu Rinpoche, Kalsang Tsenchog Tulku, Urgyen Tendzin Tulku, Sengrigar Tulku Urgyen Nyima, Yönten Gyamtso Tulku, Trinle Tulku, Nyarong Öpung Tulku Yönten Gyatso, Karma Chödar Tulku, and Karnag Jamyang Tulku.
Among the VIPs and Dignitaries were: The King of Ladakh, Jigmed Wangchuk Namgyal, Kazi Jigme T. Gyaltshen from Sikkim, Prof. Sempa Dorje, Mr. Loke Darshan, former Private Secretary to the late King of Nepal, Mr. and Mrs. Ashok Burman, Aum Tsoki, wife of the Ambassador of Bhutan, Mr. Sangay Nyedrup from Bhutan, Mr. Manohar Kampani, Ex Governor of the Indian Andaman- and Nicobar-Islands, and Captain Yongdrag from Sikkim.

In the afternoon, a long Mahakala-ritual was conducted. Thereafter H. H. the Gyalwa Karmapa and Shamar Rimpoche along with numerous Rinpoches and followers went for high tea at the residence of Mr. Ashok Burman, a benefactor of the late 16th Karmapa.

From November 14th to 30th, Shamar Rimpoche gave the Kagyu Ngag Dzo transmission to Gyalwa Karmapa and many Rinpoches in the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute in New-Delhi (India).

To see some pictures, click here

His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Thaye Dorje arrived in San Francisco, California, USA on June 1, 2003

To see some pictures, click here

The Karmapa was invited to the family home of Sandy Yen, a benevolent sponsor of the Karma Kagyu School, to conduct teachings and initiations at the Bodhipath Karma Kagyu Buddhist Center in Menlo Park. At this time H.H. Karmapa also wanted to receive certain Kagyupa Tantra initiations from Ludhing Khenchen Rinpoche of the Sakya School, who is 73 years old. The 17th Karmapa recommended that this was the right place to receive the initiations because of the pure and peaceful surroundings.

Over fifty very prominent Kagyu Tantras were brought from India to Tibet by the Great Marpa Lotsawa in the 11th Century. These Tantras were preserved by the Sakya Lineage for three generations from the early 19th century when the Kagyu Lineage was in decline. A collection of fourteen Tantras were kept directly in the Kagyu Lineage, and the rest continued to be secured within the Sakya Lineage.

Difficulties in the Kagyu lineage had started during the time of the 10th Karmapa, Choying Dorje. The Lineage was almost totally decimated when the 5th Dalai Lama’s Prime Minister, Sonam Chopel invited the Mongolian warlord Gushri Khan into Tibet in 1638. A bloody war was waged that destroyed the ruling government of Tibet, which at that time was under the “Spiritual King,” the Karmapa.
Over sixty years later during the time of the 12th Karmapa, Jangchup Dorje (1703-1732) and the 8th Shamarpa, Chokyi Thondrub, the 8th Situ, Chokyi Jungne restored the Marpa Lineage teachings.

In the middle of the 18th century the Dalai Lama’s Regent, Kundeling slandered the 10th Shamarpa, Chodrub Gyatso to their Emperor in Beijing. The Emperor forcibly subdued all Kagyu activity throughout Tibet and the Shamarpa incarnations were banned by official decree. At that time the Karma Kagyu Lineage again became weak and almost disappeared.

In the early 19th century the well-known scholar Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye voluntarily searched throughout Tibet for the Marpa Lineage Tantras and collected them from Lamas everywhere. He compiled the “Kagyu Tantra Treasure” ( Kagyu Ngakdzo) of fourteen Tantras. Later he collected over forty more Marpa Tantras. Then disaster struck once again, this time from within the Kagyu Lineage. Kuzhab Situ Pema Kunzang (10th Situ throne holder) had been jealous of Kongtrul’s fame and activity. Kongtrul was in fact a lower ranking lama in Situ’s own Palpung Monastery. Situ had Kongtrul expelled from his monastery and gave specific orders that none were to receive teachings from him. Since Kongtrul could no longer spread the Marpa Tantras among the Kagyus, he requested a great lama of the Sakya school, Jamyang Loter Wangpo to hold the complete Marpa Tantra transmissions and he predicted that in the future they would be returned to the Kagyupa tradition.

The 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje wanted to receive these Tantras from Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche in the mid-1960s in Sikkim. At that time, Sikkim was an independent Maharaja state. However, the Maharaja would not give permission for Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche to come to Sikkim. It is only now after almost two centuries that this Tantra transmission is being returned to the Kagyu lineage. H.H. the 17th Karmapa originally wanted to receive the Marpa Tantras from the great Sakya Lama, Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche. However, he is now quite old and his health does not permit him to give long initiations. Therefore, Karmapa requested to receive them from another prominent Sakya lama, Ludhing Khenchen Rinpoche.

His Holiness the 17th Karmapa asked that the Shamarpa obtain the over forty Marpa Tantras from the Sakya Lama and he would then like to receive them from Shamar Rimpoche himself. The Shamarpa replied that he would give the first collection of Jamgon Kongtrul’s Marpa Transmission, the “Kagyu Ngakdzo,” to the 17th Karmapa, which Shamar Rimpoche had received twice from The 16th Karmapa, and to save time they would receive the other forty Tantras together.

As a matter of fact, the Sakyas keep the Tantric precepts and discipline pure and carefully. Therefore, Shamar Rimpoche said to Karmapa, “You are young, so you should do a retreat on each of these Tantras and later pass the transmission to Kagyu lamas.”

On the 13th June HH Sakya Trinzin Rimpoche and HH 17th Karmapa met at the Tibetan Buddhist center in San Francisco.