Tibetans Mark Birthday of His Eminence Gyalwang Karmapa
Thursday, 26 June 2008, 6:33 p.m.
Gyalwang Karmapa attends the 24th annual Kagyu Monlam in Bodhgaya on 27 December 2007/File Photo |
Dharamshala: Tibetan Buddhists
living in Dharamshala Thursday celebrated the 23rd birthday of His
Eminence the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, head of the
Karma Kagyud tradition.
Karma Kagyud is one of the four greater subsects of Kagyud school of Tibetan Buddhism.
Officials from the Department of Religion and Culture of the
Central Tibetan Administration attended the function here at the Gyutoe
Tantric Monastery.
Hundreds of Tibetans chanted hymns praying for peace and harmony and performed traditional dances, ANI reported Thursday.
“They are praying for Gyalwang Karmapa’s long life. They are
also praying for world peace. The reason is to free everybody from
sufferings,” said Lama Phungstok, the personal secretary to Gyalwang
Karmapa.
On 27 September 1992, Gyalwang Karmapa was enthroned in Tolung
Tsurphu Monastery in Central Tibet, the historic seats of the Karmapas.
After fleeing Tibet, Gyalwang Karmapa arrived in Dharamshala, India, on
5 January 2000 and received an audience of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
for the first time.
Gyalwang Karmapa left his country to impart the Buddha’s
teachings in general and, in particular, to receive the excellent
empowerment, transmissions, and instructions of his own Karma Kagyu
tradition.
In May this year, Gyalwang Karmapa paid his historic visit to the United States to deliver a series of public teachings.