Center
Dharma Place for Everyone
Our vast aspiration is to establish a place for pilgrimage, meditation, retreat, study, and refuge, in honor of His Holiness the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje. Under the guidance of our president, Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche, Karmapa Center 16 has grown into a place where anyone is welcome to study and internalize the teachings of the Karmapas. Our shrine room hosts daily Tārā and Mahakala practices, and we offer ongoing activities online—weekly guided meditation, Tibetan language study, and monthly Guru Yoga—as well as special gatherings throughout the year, especially our Annual Parinirvana Anniversary of His Holiness the 16th Karmapa in November.
We are currently preparing for the building of the Stupa Temple to house His Holiness the 16th Karmapa's Parinirvana Stupa, designing a residence for His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, and completing the landscaping of our grounds. This work fulfills our aspiration to create a lasting pilgrimage site where people can connect with the compassionate example and teachings of His Holiness the 16th Karmapa and practice the dharma—the Kagyü lineage in particular, and especially the teachings of the Karmapas.
Background image: The 17th Gyalwang Karmapa performing a ground blessing ceremony for the parinirvāṇa stupa on the Karmapa Center 16th land in June of 2015.
Parinirvāṇa Site
At the time of His Holiness’ Parinirvana, per the movie Lion’s Roar, the medical facility where His Holiness was being treated was called the American International Clinic. As of January 2015, the facility is now operating as a location of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America.
Lama Phuntsok reports that the original two-story building is still there but has been remodeled, and new/extended additions have been attached. His Holiness’ room had window(s) facing the park, which must have been on what is now a solid windowless wall.
The hospital did not allow more than three people to stay in His Holiness’ room at any given time. There was a separate apartment building nearby where attendants stayed (Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche, Lama Phuntsok, etc.), those who were not permitted to stay with His Holiness at all times. The attendants’ apartment building is visible on the right side of photo, behind the no parking sign.
About the Center
Karmapa Center 16 welcomes all who are interested — whether you are new to meditation or a long-time practitioner.
Visitors are invited to
- Participate in meditation and contemplative practices
- Attend teachings and community events (in person and online)
- Spend time in a peaceful and supportive retreat environment
Library
Karmapa Center 16 is envisioned to be a place for everyone to study and contemplate the Buddhadharma, and how to put this into action in our daily lives through the practice of meditation. There is a focus on the Mahayana or Tibetan-Buddhist tradition. To this end, the entire Kangyur and Tengyur is present in Tibetan, and a lot of works that are part of the Sungbum are available with English translation. In addition, the entire Pāli canon, in both Pāli and English, is also available at the center.
Karmapa Center 16 offers in particular an opportunity for deep research into and practice of the teachings of the Karmapa Lineage. We have all the Collected Works of the three great Kagyü masters and forefathers - Marpa, Milarepa, and Gampopa — and all the Collected Works of the Teachings of the Lineage — from the 1st Karmapa, Düsum Khyenpa, up to His Holiness the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje. These are fully available in Tibetan, in traditional format. In addition, where translations of these works exist, many of them are present at the center as well and the library is continuously expanding.
Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche has emphasised or highlighted how everyone can indeed study the Buddhadharma in general at KC16, but in particular has the unique opportunity to access all the works that are part of the Karmapa Lineage for their own study and practice. A temporary small library has been created in the current house of Karmapa Center 16 and the Kangyur and Tengyur are present in the temporary shrine room. In the future, this will move to the temple with an even more extensive library available to everyone.
Resident Lamas
Our main resident Lama is Acharya Lhakpa Tshering, who also joins our Board of Directors. He is a monk, scholar and accomplished meditator.
Acharya Lhakpa Tshering enrolled at Rumtek Monastery’s Karma Shri Nalanda Institute in Sikkim, India in 1993 and graduated with a masters in Buddhist studies, also known as an acharya degree.
After completing his studies, he served as co-librarian with Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche, as a teacher at Karma Shri Nalanda Institute, and as an editor for Nitartha Publications in Kathmandu, before he came to Nalanda West (Seattle) in 2006. He serves as a teacher for many Nalandabodhi Centers and is currently the resident teacher of Karmapa Center 16.
Acharya la brings profound teachings to life through his humor, kindness, and ability to make meditation practice deeply personal and accessible. He serves KC16's mission with dedication and care, guided by our president, Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche, and our spiritual advisor, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche.
Karma Ösung is a student of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche. He received his monastic vows from His Eminence Gyaltsab Rinpoche at Rumtek Monastery and is guided by Acharya Lhakpa Tshering. He supports the activities of both Rinpoches and Acharya la.
