Save the Dates

On Friday, July 24th — the 10th day of the 6th month of the Fire Horse Year, an auspicious day in the Tibetan calendar celebrating the birth of Guru Padmasambhava — Karmapa Center 16 will hold a special consecration ceremony of the Guru Rinpoche statue, followed by a teaching the next day.

His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, regularly teaches about the importance of living and acting in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. His Holiness the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, was well-known for his great love for animals, especially birds of all kinds. We are therefore deeply grateful that the groundwork was successfully completed with the intention of making a meaningful contribution to the protection of the environment. The existing pond was expanded and deepened, and will continue to offer a resting place for migrating birds such as the Canada Goose and Heron, while also providing water to help prevent fire in case of emergencies. 

At the center of the pond now stands the beautifully crafted bronze statue of Guru Rinpoche, which was specially commissioned and made by an artisan in Nepal. 

We are deeply honored that Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche will lead the consecration ceremony on Friday, July 24, followed by a profound teaching on Saturday, July 25.

We warmly invite everyone to join us — onsite or online — to mark this significant next step in the development of Karmapa Center 16, as we continue our work to build the temple that will be the home of the 16th Karmapa’s Parinirvana Stupa, Retreat Houses, and more.

July 24 Consecration Ceremony of Guru Rinpoche Statue

July 25 Teaching by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche

Registration info to come soon…stay tuned!

Happy Losar!

Happy Lunar New Year of the Fire Horse!
མེ་བུ་རྟ་ལོ་གསར་དུ་ཚེས་པའི་དགའ་སྟོན་ལ་ཆབསཅིག་བཀྲ་ཤིས་བདེ་ལེགས།
新年快乐

Losar Greeting from
Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche

On this occasion of the Male Fire Horse New Year celebration, I would like to wish you Tashi Delek, Happy New Year, Xīnnián kuàilè.

For this new year, on behalf of Karmapa Center 16, I offer these prayers. May all illness, famine, war, suffering in the four directions, and all harmful intentions and actions be pacified throughout the entire world. May all sentient beings experience physical well-being and joyful minds. May prosperity, the intention to benefit others, and all dharma activities increase further and further.

Tashi Delek!

— Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche

Sunday Meditation for All: Shamatha and Vipashyana

“We have the same basic responsibility which underlies everything in our life. This is getting hold of our mind.” – Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, A Guide to Shamatha and Vipashyana Meditation

When his Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa came to the West, he was asked what practice would be appropriate for Westerners. He said that he felt the most appropriate practice was Mahamudra. 

Inspired by the path of simplicity, Thrangu Rinpoche — who was recognized by the 16th Karmapa, served as abbott of Rumtek Monastery, and whom Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche described as the abbott of the Karma Kagyü lineage — taught Shamatha and Vipashyana meditation to students new to, and already practicing, the Dharma. 

Continue to read

Anyone can Practice Meditation, Anytime

Dharma Ebooks recently published a collection of Thrangu Rinpoche’s teachings, A Guide to Shamatha and Vipashyana, in which Rinpoche explains “ that regardless of what our particular responsibilities and work in this life may be, the practice of Mahamudra will be effective in achieving realization.”

Guided by Rinpoche’s teachings and drawing from the instructions of other Karma Kagyü masters, we will study and contemplate the practice of Shamatha and Vipashyana to take hold of our minds. 

Sunday Meditation for All

Meditation can be practiced by anyone, anywhere, and will benefit ourselves and others in the short and the long term. So, whether you are new to meditation or an experienced practitioner, familiar with the Dharma or simply curious, you are more than welcome to join us on Sunday for our weekly Meditation for All session. 

What: Meditation for All: Shamatha and Vipashyana
When: Every Sunday, 10:30 – 11:30 AM Central Time (Chicago, USA)
Where: Online on Zoom

Registration

Making an Offering

Making an offering or donation is optional and is not required to register for our Meditation for All: Shamatha and Vipashyana. You can join for free by selecting  “Free Ticket.” If you would like, you can make a donation of any amount to support our Stūpa Project and our weekly meditation session. After selecting a free ticket or making an offering below, the Zoom link and other practical information will be delivered in a confirmation email.

Purpose of Practice

The purpose of all practice, Thrangu Rinpoche says, “is to clear away the negative emotions and thoughts that afflict our mind, thereby allowing our good qualities to develop.” By taking the responsibility of getting hold of our mind through practice, we can develop a state of mental happiness and peace, and be more effective in our actions for the benefit of all beings. 

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday! 

Karmapa Khyenno!

KC16’s Tibetan Language Class: Basic Dharma Discourses

On Sunday evening, we continue to study and practice basic dharma discourses in our Tibetan Language Class together with some colloquial conversations, grammar, and the art of translating Tibetan. Everyone is welcome to join.

Learn more and register here

Pema Chodrön Foundation Inspires Giving

The Pema Chodrön Foundation recently awarded a $30,000 grant to Karmapa Center 16 in support of Phase Two of the Parinirvāṇa Stūpa.

The grant will be distributed over three years, with $10,000 given per year for 2026, 2027, and 2028.

Please join us in rejoicing in this excellent generosity to honor the life and teachings of His Holiness, the 16th Karmapa, and in support of building the Parinirvāṇa Stūpa — both in his memory and as a place of pilgrimage, study, contemplating, and meditating — for the benefit of all.

Inspired by this significant gift, KC16 has set a goal to match the $30,000 grant with donations from our benevolent individual supporters, by the end of July 2026, following the consecration of the Guru Rinpoche statue that was recently installed in our lovely pond.

Your kind donation will help us attain this goal! You are welcome to make a gift now or consider a multi-year pledge to help us reach this goal. Donate here.

With much gratitude,

Lynne Conrad Marvet
KC16 Board member

If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact me at lmarvet@karmapacenter16.org.

A Blessed 44th Parinirvāṇa Anniversary

This year marked the 44th Parinirvāṇa Anniversary of His Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje. We felt deeply honored to gather as a community—onsite and online—to practice together and draw inspiration from His Holiness’ life and teachings.

From our 2nd Guru Yoga Teaching Retreat (November 1-2) through the traditional pujas and prayers on November 5th, to the Amitabha practice on November 6th, these days offered us the opportunity to reconnect with the heart of the Karmapa lineage through practice.

The Gift of the Teachings

During the Guru Yoga Teaching Retreat, we received precious guidance from His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, His Eminence Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche, and Acharya Jampa.

His Holiness the 17th Karmapa reminded us of Rangjung Rigpe Dorje’s vast kindness—how through his enlightened activities, he supported the flourishing of the teachings across all traditions without distinction. His Holiness shared stories about the 16th Karmapa, helping us recognize his qualities and activities, so that devotion—the heart of guru yoga practice—can naturally arise.

The teachers emphasized that the Karma Kagyu, founded by the 1st Karmapa, Düsum Kyenpa, is the practice lineage. Practice is not only something we do on the cushion,we put it into action in everyday life. By doing so, we embody the enlightened activity of the Karmapa.

In the coming months, we hope to share reflections on the practice of Guru Yoga as taught during the retreat, offering support for your ongoing practice. You are warmly invited to join us for our monthly Guru Yoga practice on the first Saturday of every month. 

On November 5th

At Karmapa Center 16 in Zion, Illinois—near where His Holiness passed into parinirvāṇa, a sacred place filled with his blessings—we practiced traditional Tibetan pujas and prayers. 

Simultaneously, our sangha friends gathered at Namkha Ösal in Taichung, Taiwan, to practice Guru Yoga and make offerings together with our president, Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche. 

On November 6th

We concluded with Amitabha practice using the Namchö Dewachen sādhana, dedicating our practice to the aspiration for rebirth in the pure realm of Sukhāvatī and honoring loved ones, both those who have passed and those still with us.

Continue Practicing

The path illuminated by the 16th Karmapa continues through our practice. We warmly invite you to join us throughout the year:

Whether you’re near or far, your practice enlivens the heart of this lineage.

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The Parinirvāṇa Stūpa Project

The sacred work of building His Holiness the 16th Karmapa’s Parinirvāṇa Stūpa is moving forward, creating a place for pilgrimage, meditation, retreat, study, and refuge. This project advances through practice and the kind support of people like you.

All contributions, large or small, help bring this aspiration to fruition:
Support the Stūpa Project

With Gratitude

These days of practice were made possible through the dedication of many—teachers, translators, volunteers, and all who joined in practice. Thank you for being part of this community.

May all our practice in remembrance of Rangjung Rigpe Dorje’s compassion and enlightened activities benefit all beings.

Karmapa Khyenno!

Photo Gallery

The Karmapas — Scholastic Buddhism Meets Tibetan Social Institutions. Series with Martin Marvet

Under the guidance of the Karmapas, the Karma Kamtsang–the Karma Kagyü lineage led by the Karmapas–developed its own unique teaching systems. How did it continue the Indian Buddhist tradition and shape a distinctive path of view and meditation within Tibetan society? 

Please join our dear friend Martin Marvet in a new series on the Karmapas, kindly hosted by our Nalandabodhi Seattle Friends.

When: February 26, March 5, 12, 19, 2026

Martin generously offers the opportunity to learn more about the history of the Karmapa lineage and to connect with the enlightened activity of the Karmapas–a lineage flourishing that continues to flourish to this very day. 

Learn more on seattle.nalandabodhi.org. 

Join Martin as he brings his deep care and decades of study to this series, sharing stories not only about individual Karmapas but also the living thread of their teachings through time. 

Karmapa Khyenno!

Wisdom from the First Karmapa, Düsum Khyenpa. Two Sundays with Acharya Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen, hosted by NB Seattle

Our friends at Nalandabodhi Seattle are hosting Acharya Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen over two Sundays to present the First Karmapa’s teachings on Six Things for Quickly Achieving Enlightenment.

Düsum Khyenpa, founder of the Karma Kagyü school, dedicated his life to benefiting beings. His essential instructions remind us of the union of faith, wisdom, compassion, meeting the lama, requesting Dharma, and making effort—all timeless yet deeply meaningful for our lives today.

With gratitude for this precious offering, we kindly invite you to join this opportunity to learn from the wisdom of the First Karmapa. For details and registration, please visit seattle.nalandabodhi.org.

May we all be inspired by Düsum Khyenpa’s example to help others, pacify conflicts, and heal the sick with courage and boundless compassion.

Karmapa Khyenno!

Changing Lives: The 16th Karmapa’s Visit to Hong Kong in 1980

In 1980, the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, ​​Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, embarked upon three international teaching tours throughout  North America, Europe, and East Asia, where he spent 10 days in Hong Kong. 

At that time, Tibetan Buddhism was unfamiliar to most people, yet wherever the Karmapa went, extraordinary auspicious connections and spiritual exchanges naturally arose.

The English book, DHARMA KING: The Life of the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa in Images, chronicles the 16th Karmapa’s life journey through photographs, clearly revealing that the sole purpose of his activities was to benefit all sentient beings.

The following excerpt recounts a story from the 16th Karmapa’s teachings in Hong Kong, which once again demonstrates the power of his blessings and his profound kindness.

The Story of a Loyal Dog

As the Karmapa was about to leave Hong Kong’s Myoho Temple, a small dog suddenly began wailing inconsolably, even shedding real tears. The dog had first appeared at the monastery that very morning, upon the Karmapa’s arrival. From that moment on, it followed His Holiness everywhere, even waiting faithfully outside the temple during the luncheon. The dog demonstrated such devotion that the monastery monks assumed it was one of the Karmapa’s own dogs.

After the Karmapa departed, the dog continued to visit the temple, often placing its paws together in prayer before the abbot’s seat. Ultimately, the abbot permitted it to stay, and it lived out its days peacefully within the monastery—one of many beings whose fate was altered by the Karmapa’s brief stay.

Mahayana and Vajrayana: Journeying Together, Hand in Hand

When the 16th Karmapa first visited Hong Kong in 1980, Tibetan (Vajrayana) Buddhism was still novel and unfamiliar to the local community. Yet, an extraordinary connection immediately formed between His Holiness and the late Venerable Master Chokguang, then Chairman of the Hong Kong Buddhist Association, and who is still deeply revered today.

Master Chokgu described the moment when the Karmapa took his hand and announced he would confer an empowerment at the opening ceremony of Master Chokgu’s new center in a few days as “truly unbelievable.” The ceremony had been planned for months, and the Karmapa happened to be in Hong Kong for the center’s opening day. The empowerment was thus arranged on short notice to take place after the luncheon that day.

Despite no prior publicity, thousands flocked to the venue seeking the “Red Avalokiteshvara Empowerment” from the 16th Karmapa, prompting Hong Kong police to maintain order.

Thus began the Mahayana and Vajrayana journey for many lucky people.

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Honoring the 10th Anniversary of Nalandabodhi’s Tara Drupchen

This practice-intensive is preceded by a traditional lung transmission offered by Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche, followed by an opening teaching from Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche.

Karmapa Center 16 is delighted to share that our friends at Nalandabodhi will be celebrating the 10th Anniversary of their annual Tara Drupchen, a special practice-intensive gathering, taking place September 18–21, 2025, both onsite at Nalanda West in Seattle and online. This year’s Drupchen is particularly historic, as it is the first time in the West that practitioners will engage in The Ritual of the Five-Deity Tara and Tara Mandala—a compilation offered by His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje.

The Tara Drupchen is guided by Nalandabodhi’s founder and Karmapa Center 16’s Advisor, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, together with Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche, President of Karmapa Center 16, who will also play a significant role in this year’s event.

  • Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche will offer the Tibetan lung (reading transmission) for The Ritual of the Five-Deity Tara and Tara Mandala, ensuring practitioners receive the blessings of the lineage and are fully connected to this profound practice.
  • Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche will offer an opening teaching, illuminating Tara’s liberating activity and the compassionate essence of this practice for our times. 
  • Acharya Lhakpa Tshering will help with the preparations and also join this practice-intensive retreat at Nalanda West.

The Drupchen also features the liturgy The Heart of the Two Accumulations: A Mandala Ritual from the Mind-Terma, Profound Drop of Tara, continuing the tradition of practice that has sustained many through these ten years. Participants will be able to join onsite, with their local sanghas, or online, ensuring the blessings reach far.

This 10th anniversary not only celebrates a decade of community practice but also deepens our connection with the activity of Tara, whose swift compassion has always been supported by the Kagyü lineage and the blessings of the Karmapas. From the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, who upheld the living heart of the lineage, to His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, who has carefully prepared this Tara ritual, the continuity of blessings is evident in this historic occasion.

For more details, registration, and prayer request forms, please visit Nalandabodhi’s website. 

May the merit of this anniversary Tara Drupchen bring peace, healing, and the swift removal of obstacles for all beings.

Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā

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