| Vidyadhara Ceremony - 18 Dec 2003
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 H. H. the Kunzig 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, Dusum 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 Lodro, 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 H. H. the Kunzig Shamarpa, Mipham Chokyi Lodro, 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 H. H. the Kunzig 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 H. H. the Kunzig Shamarpa. 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 H. H. the Kunzig Shamarpa.
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, Sonam Tsemo Rinpoche, Sabchu Rinpoche, Dorje Lopon Rinpoche, Shangpa Rinpoche, Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche, Sangsang Rinpoche, Yab Mipham Rinpoche and Mayum Dechen Wangmo, Nendo Rinpoche, Chagme Rinpoche, Tulku Lodro Rabpel, Drupseng Rinpoche, Gasar Gomchen Tulku, Yumo Tenzin Norbu Rinpoche, Kalsang Tsenchog Tulku, Urgyen Tendzin Tulku, Sengrigar Tulku Urgyen Nyima, Yonten Gyamtso Tulku, Trinle Tulku, Nyarong Opung Tulku Yonten Gyatso, Karma Chodar 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 H. H. the Kunzig Shamarpa along with numerous Rinpoches and followers went for high tea at the residence of Mr. Ashok Burman, a benefactor of the late 16th Karmapa.
NOTICE : Official Statement of Shamar Rinpoche concerning Lama Naran Singh's Recent High Court Case Against H. H. the Dalai Lama
We learned from the media that Lama Naran Singh, an Indian national of Bihar (India), filed another court case against His Holiness the Dalai Lama in New Delhi, India. We wish to inform everyone concerned that none of my followers nor I have any connection with Lama Singh in this regard and that he never consulted me or any of my followers directly or indirectly regarding his ideas, plans and actions. Furthermore my followers and I have never given any advice, recommendation or instruction to Lama Singh regarding his court case.
We know Lama Singh because he has been a disciple of Chogyam Trungpa, Kalu Rinpoche and the late 16th Gyalwa Karmapa from whom he had received his monk ordination. He is also a disciple of Dilgo Kyentse Rinpoche who initiated him into being a tantric practitioner with a consort at his side. He was also a very close disciple and friend of the late Kongtrul Rinpoche. A year before his death, Kongtrul Rinpoche had planned to build a monastery on Lama Singh's land in Bihar.
It is well known that Lama Naran Singh is said to have had personal problems with His Holiness the Dalai Lama for a very long time. We heard that he even personally challenged H.H. the Dalai Lama during his teachings in Bodhgaya in the late 1970s. Taking advantage of the ongoing Karmapa controversy, Lama Singh filed his court case against His Holiness the Dalai Lama in New Delhi in the 1990s. At that time, after learning about it, I immediately wrote a letter to the minister of religious and cultural affairs of the Tibetan Government in Exile in Dharamsala and explained my position of being totally detached from all of Lama Singh's ideas, plans and activities. In his reply, the minister of H.H. the Dalai Lama's Government confirmed to me his conviction that Lama Singh is acting totally on his own behalf.
However, despite the above, some Tibetan troublemakers managed to publish an utterly false article in the Australian press which stated that I, Shamarpa, filed the court case against H.H. the Dalai Lama. This allegation was and is a blatant lie. At that time I had no means to fight against this deliberate defamation on a distant continent. Additionally, I did not wish to devote our precious time to such an obvious intrigue.
Because of Lama Naran Singh's recent filing of his latest courtcase against H.H. the Dalai Lama in India, I hereby wish to clearly emphasize once again that neither I nor any of my followers are directly or indirectly connected to Lama Singh's previous and/or new activities. I sincerely advise everyone concerned not to believe any false rumours regarding this matter in case they should surface again somewhere in the world.
Shamar Rinpoche
Hongkong, 3rd January 2004
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