Category Archives: Ceremonies

25th Story Update: A Pithy Teaching

Throughout his remarkable life, His Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa gave powerful teachings around the world with his physical presence as well as his speech and mind.

In 1980, despite his declining health and physicians’ directives to rest and not travel, His Holiness embarked on a third major international tour, focusing on North America and East Asia.

An early North American dharma student, Lyle Weinstein, shared with us a memorable and pithy teaching given by His Holiness in eight simple words. Thank you, Lyle!

Karme Choling, Barnet, VT (1974.09) © Robert Del Tredici, Shambhala Archives Collection

THIS IS THE TIME
By Lyle Weinstein

It was 1980, and His Holiness the 16th Karmapa had just concluded his last Black Crown Ceremony. At that time, his health was rapidly declining, and when the crowd of more than 400 people lined up to receive his blessing, they suddenly heard a concerned voice: “Your Holiness, it is clear that you are tired and not feeling well. Most of us here already received your blessing, maybe it is better if we don’t all line up, and you can go and rest.”

His Holiness replied: “That is the time to extend yourself further,” and continued with a gentle smile. Nearly two hours later, every person without exception had been given the blessing of His Holiness the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje.

In spite of his illness, His Holiness continually extended himself on that tour, giving blessings and ensuring that the dharma seeds he’d planted during his lifetime would be strong enough to survive his departure until he could return once again.

Karmapa Center is fortunate and grateful for the blessings His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa bestowed on the proposed stupa ground on May 4, 2015. With Rinpoches, Acharyas and Lamas in attendance, His Holiness conducted a smoke puja beneath a sun rainbow in a clear sky, with birds singing and spring flowers in bloom.

If you’d like to share your memories or photos of His Holiness with us, please send them to: media@karmapacenter16.org.

As always, we offer our heartfelt thanks for your continued interest and support of KC16. May the Center be of great benefit to all beings!

24th Story Update: A Glimpse of Avalokiteśvara

What I saw […] was not His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa but radiant and resplendent Avalokiteśvara. It was totally overwhelming and breathtaking to witness other-worldly compassionate activity taking place in this human realm.

— Steve Roth, personal driver of His Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa

There are many remarkable stories recounted about His Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa by those lucky enough to have seen him, received his blessings, been his student or served him in a myriad of ways.

Steve Roth, an early student of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, became the Karmapa’s personal driver during two of his visits to North America. In the story below, Steve describes his own extraordinary experience witnessing His Holiness perform the Black Hat Ceremony in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The story, “A Glimpse of Avalokiteśvara,” is excerpted from the recently released book, Radiant Compassion, The Life of the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje Volume 2, by Gerd Bausch.

His Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa with his personal driver, Steve Roth, in San Francisco, 1974

A Glimpse of Avalokiteśvara

By Steve Roth

During the 16th Karmapa’s 1980 third and final tour of North America, he visited Santa Fe, New Mexico and performed the Black Crown Ceremony. On November 3rd, I traveled in a VW bus from Boulder to Santa Fe with four other dharma practitioners, including Pema Chödrön. Upon arrival, we went to the local convention center where His Holiness was performing the Black Crown Ceremony. We had no idea which part of the ceremony would be taking place. We just wanted to see him.

We entered the convention center, and took the elevator up a few floors. It led to one of the portals that opened directly into a large indoor amphitheater. We were well above the amphitheater’s ground floor where fifty or so people were each receiving blessings from His Holiness after the Black Crown Ceremony. What I saw the instant we emerged from this portal into the amphitheater was not His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa but radiant and resplendent Avalokiteśvara. He was luminous white with many arms which were simultaneously blessing everyone. His hands were moving so rapidly bestowing potent and limitless blessings in so many different directions—this is quite challenging to describe. It was totally overwhelming and breathtaking to witness other-worldly compassionate activity taking place in this human realm. Avalokiteśvara’s transparent body was complete with crown, jewel ornaments, rainbow colored raiment, exactly as painted in countless thangkas. Then I blinked and saw His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa seated blessing people one-by-one. I don’t know what else to say, other than this knowingness that Avalokiteśvara thangkas are literally painted exactly as he appears in the Saṃbhogakāya. This experience resulted in a radically enhanced view of the sacredness and fathomless power of thangkas as well as increased devotion towards the Karmapa.

— from Radiant Compassion, The Life of the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje Volume 2

If you’d like to share your memories or photos of His Holiness with us, please send them to: media@karmapacenter16.org.

As always, we offer our heartfelt thanks for your continued interest and support of KC16. May the Center be of great benefit to all beings!

Before the Lunar New Year

Before the change of the Lunar New Year, it is traditional to engage in practices to clear out any remaining negativity lingering from the previous year. Before the beginning of the Year of the Iron Ox, Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche and the lamas at KC16 held pre-Losar Mahakala pujas with abundant offerings to clear the way for hard work, steady progress, and abounding auspiciousness.

Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche and the lamas at KC16 offering a pre-Losar Mahakala puja
Protector Offerings on the Shrine

Nineteenth Story Update: Parinirvana Day of the First Karmapa

Rinpoche and lamas performing extended practices in the KC16 Shrine Room.

On this auspicious day of the Parinirvana of Düsum Khyenpa (1110-1193), the First Karmapa, KC16 Rinpoche and Lamas perform extended practices.

Historically, in Tibet, there were three “seats” of the Karmapas correlating with the sacred abodes of body, speech and mind of the Glorious Chakrasamvara. Kampo Nenang is the lower seat of “body”, Karma Gön is “middle seat” of speech and Tsurphu is the “upper seat” of the heart, or mind. Tsurphu became the main seat of all the Karmapas. Düsum Khyenpa attained Parinirvana at Tsurphu. We can see that the place of attainment of Parinirvana is important, and again remember what a special circumstance it is that His Holiness the 16th Karmapa attained Parinirvana in Zion, Illinois.  

Shrine for Düsum Khyenpa, the First Karmapa’s Parinirvana Day.

Seventeenth Story Update: Celebrating HHK16’s Parinirvana Day!

KC16 celebrates the day His Holiness the 16th Karmapa attained Parinirvana according to the Western calendar. Therefore, November 5 is the day!

Each year a long guru yoga puja is conducted in alternating years of a composition by Chamgon Tai Situ Rinpoche and one by Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche. This year KC16 will be performing the guru yoga by Chamgon Kenting Tai Situ Rinpoche.

Please join us in commemorating this auspicious day by dedicating your practice to His Holiness.

May all things be auspicious!  

Sixteenth Story Update: Prayers beginning for HHK17’s obstacle year

His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje. Photo Courtesy of Karma Lekshey Ling Institute

This upcoming lunar year – the year of the ox – is an obstacle year for HHK17. Therefore, beginning today, October 24, 2020,  Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche and KC16 Lamas will preform Tara feast offering puja on every 10th of the lunar month, Mahakala feast offering puja on every 29th of lunar month and recite Amitayus sutra every day to clear away obstacles for HHK17 for this particular year. 

HHK17 photo from Karma Lekshey Ling Institute

Fifth Story Update: Share an Act of Kindness for the World

“Karmapa” literally means “He who engages in Enlightened Activity” or “the one who carries out buddha-activity.” For more than eight centuries, the Karmapa lineage has done just that — spontaneously and compassionately taken action to benefit beings, in whatever way conditions permitted.   

In honor of the vast positive activity of His Holiness the 16th Karmapa, we’re inviting each of you to take part in One Million Positive Actions to benefit others particularly in this collectively difficult time. It could be anything, such as virtually helping a friend, donating food to those in need, thanking a neighbor who is a health care worker, posting an uplifting sign in your window facing outwards, planting a tree, or sowing seeds in a garden, etc. While in seclusion, there are still many opportunities for us to be kind — and we can make it creative and fun!  

At KC16, for the benefit of the entire world in general, and Illinois specifically, the Lamas offered a special fire puja at the conclusion of a week practice. This fire puja called, “The Victorious Drum of the Clouds of Mahabrahma” was composed by His Holiness the 17th Karmapa. Reciting prayers and mantras and performing sadhana practices is said to pacify illness. 

To support this kindness effort, today we’re launching a simple Facebook Messenger chatbot designed to widely share positive actions anyone can do from home, and we’d love for you to join us by contributing a photo or video of your kind action!

Contributing to the One Million Positive Actions campaign is easy: just share a photo or video of your kind action at m.me/karmapacenter16 or on social media with the hashtag #GoKind. 

Each action you share will be part of the Karmapa Center 16 social media campaign — galvanizing others through your positive action, while showcasing our collective impact on a map (coming soon!). 

Thank you for continuing to share this effort with your networks. See you next week.

The 17th Gyalwang Karmapa visits The Karmapa Center 16

The Karmapa Center 16 was honored to receive a visit from His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, August 30–September 1 in Wadsworth, Illinois. His Holiness arrived early evening on Thursday August 30th. Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche, staff and friends of KC16 were overjoyed to receive His Holiness and His Entourage for tea and rice followed by dinner.

His Holiness came to make a good auspicious connection for the success of the building of the Parinirvana Stupa for His Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje. On the bright sunny morning of Friday, August 31st the 17th Karmapa conducted a smoke puja and planted an evergreen in an auspicious location near the future stupa site. A sun halo sparkled overhead as devotees relaxed in the fields and gardens after the event.

KC16 hosted a dinner on Friday evening to the music of sandhill cranes and cicadas. Wadsworth Mayor Glenn Ryback, Board Trustees Doug Jacobs and Jim Zegar along with local friends and supporters enjoyed conversation, laughter and dining on the lawn with the 17th Karmapa, Ponlop Rinpoche and Drupon Rinpoche.

His Holiness returned for lunch on Saturday to give some words of advice for the project.

Photos courtesy of Lama Tenzin Namdak, Acharya Lama Jampa and Damayonti Sengupta.