SIX BARDOs TEACHING (Part 4)

 (A brief teaching by H.E. Tai Situ Rinpoche, Nov.1982 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

4. Bardo at the Moment of Death

This is the fourth one. Here basically, before that moment comes, we have to prepare for that moment. When the moment comes, we have to prepare everything, it is too late. Before that moment comes, what we can prepare is; do whatever possible for us to do - something meaningful, and avoid whatever for us to avoid - everything meaningless, and this way the accumulation of merits as outside and accumulation of wisdom as inside.  Whatever we are able to develop and cultivate, we take the opportunity that is made ready for that and on this moment are, anyway, we all have to face this moment one day, definitely.  Anybody who are here, you know, today few people here I don't think out of this anybody is still alive after 100 years.  I don't think so. I don't think so. I will not really appreciate that but I don't think so. And we all must be gone. Even anybody in the whole world right now, even babies who is born today or babies who are inside the mother, they will not be here after one century, I don't think so. Even they are here, they are not in a good shape you know. Anyway, because of this, we all have to know this quite clearly.

During our death, that is the very important moment for us, because this is the moment of this life to the next life. The judgment there is our karma; no one else.  But in that moment if we have clear understanding and clear opportunity, we can make great accumulations and purification on that moment. Because, at that time, we mean it.  Right now, few of us can mean but everybody don't think so. Even they pray, they pray with some certain amount of faith and there is the degree of pureness and confidence and real kind of strength in it. But when we die, you know, in that moment if we have learn how to think and how to dedicate and how to take that opportunity, then the moment is very, very pure. That moment one minute thinking will be much stronger and powerful than years of thinking in one whole life when you are happy and you are alive because you are really facing the most serious event, serious moment. Because of this, we have to know which will disturb us. Our fame will disturb, our wealth will disturb; our relation will disturb. Those 3 things are which will disturb us most during our death. If we have attachment for our fame, if we have attachment for our wealth, if we have attachment for our relation, that is biggest obstacle. Therefore, when the moment comes we have to be ready to release everything. “Now no more of these I need. Even I attach and hold on my wealth but I can take nothing. My wealth will be in my cold hands. I am gone.” And fame is also the same. The relation is also the same. Because of that, that moment have to be clear.  “I have done everything my best. Now I have nothing to feel sorry about, feel regret about, and what I have done is my best.” We must have these simple feeling in the moment of death.

To be able to feel that, we must do everything from  now, our best. And with this feeling, then we do whatever meaningful we can do with our material belongings, our fame, and whatever meaningful things we can do to our good related person, family or friend or whatever. Then we dedicate all of our merit towards the all sentient beings and we pray and wish that all beings be free from samsara. And we pray that according to our capability, say “May I reborn again into human realm. “May I cultivate more and then able to achieve certain kind of realization” or “May I be reborn to the Dewachen, the Sukhavati Pure Land.” Or whatever we are capable of saying.  If you capable of saying “May I go to hell and help all the beings of hell, until they are free from hell, may I remain in the hell” - if you can mean it, that is the best. But anyway, according to your capability you do whatever you can pray.

And then, after the death of the person, then the people who live - who are alive, their responsibility is very great. Because, from this moment until 49 days, the being is not really entered into a next realm.  Somehow this is the between of this life to the next life. Therefore, the person has to do all sorts of accumulations and the dedications which are aimed on behalf of that person who passed away. That is very important. And this is the moment of the death and here one aspect of special meditation and puja and performance used to do, that is transference of consciousness. But I think you should learn this later from when another Rinpoche comes, you learn from them because it needs the some time you know. I cannot explain right now here in a short time. It need at least one whole evening on that. And this is the Moment of Death Bardo.

Briefly about H.E. Tai Situpa and Karma Kagyu Lineage

H.E.12^th Tai Situ Rinpoche (born on 15^th Feburualy1954) founded the Palpung – Sherabling Monastery in Northern India in the Himalayan Regions. He is the Root Guru of the present 17^th Gyalwa Karmapa.

The 11^th Tai Situ Rinpoche was the Root Guru of 16^th Gyalwa  Karmapa and the 16^th Gyalwa Karmapa was the Root Guru of 12^th Tai Situpa. By tracing back to the past, the two of them took turn to be Guru in one life and became the disciple in the next life. This is the way how the lineage is kept unbroken from Guru to disciple in the Karma Kagyu 

This lineage was founded by Vajra Dhara (Dorje Chang), sambhogakaya form of Buddha Sakyamuni, who taught Tilopa , an Indian Mahasidha. And this lineage from India continued to Tibet unbroken until the present 12^th Tai Situ Rinpoche who is the only holder of the Special Oral Transmission Lineage of the Karma Kagyu Tibetan Buddhism. When a person receives this Special Oral Transmission, he or she will get immediate good experience in his or her meditation practice. According to Rinpoche, to receive this Special Oral Transmission Blessings, the devotee’s Karma must be ripe at that time. This blessing is powerful because it comes from the whole Karma Kagyu Lineage.

SIX BARDOs TEACHING (Part 2)

(A brief teaching by H.E. Tai Situ Rinpoche, Nov.1982 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

2. Bardo of Dream

Here the principle of this bardo is explaining that which makes us able to understand whole universe, whole life, whole experience as a dream. The principle here is 3, the samsaric dream, the life dream, the sleeping dream, three of them. From beginningless time until the realization of ultimate, which is Buddhahood, this is the dream of samsara.

No matter which realm we belong to, no matter what kind of individual we are, anyway we are dreaming.  The all aspect of trips of ego even we are an animal still we have “I”.   Even if we are a human being, still we have "I". Even if we are a deva still we have "I". We can be rich one; we can be poor one; we can be people of different nation and different culture, always we have "I".  This “I”.... we wake up from it when we achieve the enlightenment. That is the only time when we are free from this "I" totally and that is the samsara dream.

The second dream is the life dream. Life dream is known as dream of Karma.  According to our individual we experience the dream of Karma. Even about the same thing, sometimes we are happy about it, sometimes we hate it; sometimes it helps us, sometimes it bothers us. Nothing is certain; nothing is real, always fixed, as true existence.... everything change. About the same thing, various people have various aspects of way of looking at it, affect by this. This is the life dream.  It starts when we are born.  It ends when we die, but another one will start. This is the life dream.

Now the sleeping dream. The sleeping dream is dream of sub-conscious.

According to what kind of sub-conscious we have, we will dream that.  Sometimes we dream about the future. Sometimes we dream about the past, but will not dream anything which has nothing to do with us. Whatever we dream has something to do with us. May be we imagine that way. May be we have this experience before. May be we have karma to experience that in future. Because of that sometimes dreams come true. This is the sleeping dream. We wake up from this when we wake up in the morning. And now in this teaching the practice is first to realize the unrealness and the illusion of the sleeping dream. You have awareness so that your dream cannot fool you anymore. You can control your dream instead of dream controls you - and since you have this freedom completely, then you will have certain amount of freedom in the life. This life dream cannot control you anymore. You can control your life dream. The miracles of great realized beings also come in this point.

Here I want to make a little comment under miracle and the magic. People, it is very simple, but still people make mistake between the miracle and the magic. The miracle is ultimate quality that is ultimate freedom. The magic is relative kind of performance.

You know how to do things by learning the material tricks, or the important powerful substance, or the special words or the strong imagination can make things happen, but that is not always happened when we do. That is involved with hope and fear. Hope that “I want to do it”; “I want to do it successfully”, and fear that “May be I will not succeed this time”, and this is always involved with the "I" the ego. That is why there is hope and fear. It is interesting - interesting things to watch, but there is not really a quality which benefits you ultimately. Even the magicians themselves have full of suffering, full of desire, anger, ignorance, everything but their greatness is that they know the trick. They know the key. But we can learn one thing from the magic. It proves us, all the samsara is illusion. Because of this illusion, magic can also be performed. If it isn't illusion, nothing can happen behind of what is there. 

And the miracle, miracle is freedom. It has nothing to do with hope, nothing to do with fear. It has nothing to do with ego. How less your ego is, that profound your miracle is. People see miracle. People experienced miracle but they don't recognize it.  The miracle, simple miracle of profound teaching of Buddha - this can change life of a being who is suffering one, who is evil one, into life of the most kind being, just by moment of right understanding. This miracle of the simple basic Dharma can change whole world into peace. Simply people know one of the very simple first step - understanding - the basic loving kindness and compassion to each other as a brother and sister. Then, how the violence, all kind of wars, and how those things can happen, not possible. And one simple basic point of Dharma, this miracle changes whole world into peace. If being are capable of learning this and accepting this, and more than that the performance of the miracle, you know, how the past great yogis -- have been done, those things are also freedom. For example, they are having the freedom of the life dream. Same as we can have the freedom of the sleeping dream quite easily.   In your dream you see a fire. You know you are dreaming. You know you are in your little room - there is no fire. You see your hands in your dream but your hand is dreaming hands; not really physical hands. You put your dream hand on your dream fire for 5 hours, it will not burn your finger. It will not burn your hand but this is not magic! This is miracle. The miracle of the great master of the past are performed that way. They have the freedom because they have realized the ultimate. Because of that, nothing makes any different for them. That is the way how the miracle is performed.  Miracles are not limited. All the time it is limitless - and then, since one have the freedom of the life dream, then that is the beginning of the freedom of the samsara dream. The total development of the freedom and the awakening of the samsara dream are known as realization of the Buddhahood. And this is the principle of the Bardo of dream.

Briefly about H.E. Tai Situpa and Karma Kagyu Lineage

H.E.12^th Tai Situ Rinpoche (born on 15^th Feburualy1954) founded the Palpung – Sherabling Monastery in Northern India in the Himalayan Regions. He is the Root Guru of the present 17^th Gyalwa Karmapa.

The 11^th Tai Situ Rinpoche was the Root Guru of 16^th Gyalwa  Karmapa and the 16^th Gyalwa Karmapa was the Root Guru of 12^th Tai Situpa. By tracing back to the past, the two of them took turn to be Guru in one life and became the disciple in the next life. This is the way how the lineage is kept unbroken from Guru to disciple in the Karma Kagyu 

This lineage was founded by Vajra Dhara (Dorje Chang), sambhogakaya form of Buddha Sakyamuni, who taught Tilopa , an Indian Mahasidha. And this lineage from India continued to Tibet unbroken until the present 12^th Tai Situ Rinpoche who is the only holder of the Special Oral Transmission Lineage of the Karma Kagyu Tibetan Buddhism. When a person receives this Special Oral Transmission, he or she will get immediate good experience in his or her meditation practice. According to Rinpoche, to receive this Special Oral Transmission Blessings, the devotee’s Karma must be ripe at that time. This blessing is powerful because it comes from the whole Karma Kagyu Lineage.

Universal Prayer for Peace, Harmony and Prosperity

The following prayer will also help us to accumulate Hock (福) if we can recite everyday from our heart.

 

Universal Prayer for Peace, Harmony and Prosperity

Namo Buddha-ya, Namo Dharma-ya, Namo Sangha-ya ( 3x with folded palms ).

This is what should be done by those who aspire to be skilled in goodness, and those who know the way to peace and tranquility:

1.1) May they be upright, straightforward and gentle in speech; Humble and not be conceited.

1.2) Let no one deceive another or despise any being in any state. Let none by anger nor hatred wishing harm to others.

1.3) Hatred cannot be overcome by hatred, HATRED can only be overcome by LOVE.

 

1.4) May all beings be well and happy.

 

1.5) May they always be Calm and Peaceful, Wise and Skillful.

 

2.1) May they be easily satisfied, contented, not to be burdened by many things and duties in their livelihood.

2.2) May they neither be proud nor arrogant nor demanding. May they never have desires and cravings.

 

2.3) May they never do anything that the Wise will reprove them later. May they always be grateful towards their Fathers and Mothers, Teachers and Masters.

 

2.4) May all beings be Well and Happy.

 

2.5) May all beings live in safety, free from fear, and be joyful.

 

3.1) May all beings far or near, seen or unseen, born or to be born, whether they are air born, water born, egg born or womb born, whether they are long or short, tall or short or small, weak or strong, may all beings, without exception, be Well and Happy.

3.2) Like a mother who will go all out to save her own child, even at the risk of her life. Even so, may all beings practice this loving kindness and compassion.

 

3.3) So having a boundless heart of loving kindness and compassion, One should cherish all beings by radiating kindness over all the World Systems.

 

3.4) During all one's wakinghours, whether one is standing or sitting, walking or lying down, may one remain mindful of this heart and this way of living. Hence in this way, it is said to be the “Most Noble way of Living”.

 

3.5) Free from speculations, views and all cravings and sense desires, These Pure Hearted ones, with clear mind, will gain Freedom & Liberation, Peace, Tranquility and Great Happiness.”

Om Mani Padme Hung, Om Mani Padme Hung, Om Mani Padme Hung………….

Above prayer is also recommended to read 3 times a day, morning, noon time, and before sleep. You may read this prayers aloud or silently at anywhere. 

The Thirty-Two Marks of Buddha

We often see "the 32 Marks of Buddha" in the Buddhist Texts. What actually are those marks? Here is the list of 32 Marks of Buddha and it's explanation from Tibetan Text. The causes of having those Marks are great encouragement for our practice.

The Thirty-two Marks of Buddha

(1) On the sole of each of a Buddha’s feet and on the palm of each hand is the impression of a thousand-spoked wheel.

The cause is a Buddha’s having always greeted and escorted his spiritual mentor and having had a selfless attitude of offering personal service to others.

(2) The soles of a Buddha’s feet are as smooth and level as the breast of a tortoise’s shell so that his feet are always firmly planted.

This mirrors his having been firm in his promise to live in accordance with the verbal and realized indications of the Dharma and also his firmness in having safeguarded the three types of vowed restraints (vows).

These are:

(a) the restraints for individual liberation (pratimoksha vows),

(b) the restraints arising from being in a state of mental stability, and

(c) the restraints from being untainted.

The first set include monks’ vows; the second are restraints from mental wandering, dullness, and so on, and arise from achieving absorbed concentration; while the third include restraints from the disturbing emotions and attitudes, and arise from realizing voidness (emptiness). Thus, the three sets of vows reflect the three higher trainings in ethical self-discipline, absorbed concentration, and discriminating awareness (wisdom).

(3) The fingers and toes of a Buddha are connected with a web of white light.

This feature arises from his having practiced the four ways that gather others under one’s positive influence: being generous, speaking kindly, giving encouragement regarding the points of the Dharma, and setting oneself as an example by acting in accord with those points.

(4) The skin of a Buddha, no matter how old he is, remains unwrinkled and as smooth as that of an infant nursing on his mother’s milk.

This reflects his having always been generous with nourishing food and drink. In the Pali tradition, this sign is having tender hands and feet.

(5) Seven parts of his body are rounded and slightly raised. These are the tops of each hand, foot, shoulder, and the back of his neck.

The reason for this is his having given others not only physical nourishment, but also other outstanding objects for enjoyable use, such as best quality clothing, and so on.

(6) The fingers and toes are extremely long.

This comes from his having saved the lives of animals about to be slaughtered.

(7) A Buddha’s heels jut out broadly from his feet.

This is from his having compassionately gone out of his way with compassion to help others, save their lives, and make them comfortable.

(8) The body of a Buddha is very straight and seven cubits tall.

A cubit is the distance from elbow to fingertip; ordinary persons are usually four cubits tall. The cause of this extra height is his final and total ridding himself of the taking of any creature’s life. The Pali tradition refers to this sign as his body being straight like that of Brahma.

(9) His elbows and kneecaps do not stand out.

This is from the intensity of his practice in having perfected the six far-reaching attitudes (six perfections) of giving, ethical self-discipline, patience, joyful perseverance, mental stability (concentration), and discriminating awareness (wisdom). In the Pali tradition and in some Tibetan variants, this sign is that his anklebones do not stand out.

(10) His bodily hair grows upwards.

This is from his having engaged in constructive practices and having inspired others to do the same.

(11) His calves are well-rounded, like the legs of an antelope.

This comes from his admiration for and well-rounded mastery of medicine, astrology, arts and crafts, and his having made use of these skills to benefit others.

(12) The arms of a Buddha are extremely long. When he sits cross-legged with his elbows at his side, his hands cover his knees so that his fingers can touch his seat.

This reflects his never having sent away beggars empty-handed.

(13) His private organ is recessed and remains concealed.

This comes from his having strictly kept his pledges of secrecy and having never revealed what was meant to be held confidentially.

(14) His skin is luminous and golden in color.

This is from his having offered soft and comfortable seats to others.

(15) His skin is likewise as fine and unblemished as purified gold free from all taints.

This results from his having accommodated others in need of lodging and his having always provided excellent housing. In the Pali tradition, this sign is that a Buddha’s skin is delicate and smooth.

(16) A Buddha’s bodily hair curls clockwise, with never more than one hair growing from each pore.

This is due to his having rid himself completely of mental wandering, busy work, and bustling confusion.

(17) He has a white treasure-like curl of hair on his mid-brow that curls very tightly clockwise. When it is pulled from its tip, it extends a huge distance, and when released, it tightly recoils.

This is one of the more difficult signs to achieve and is the result of his having served all his superiors with respect – parents, teachers, elders, spiritual masters, abbots, and so forth – and having respected them as his crown jewel. It also comes from his having helped others achieve one of the better states of wandering rebirth.

(18) The upper torso of a Buddha becomes progressively broader, like that of a lion.

This comes from his having never humiliated or looked down upon others regardless of their status, power, wealth, and so on. It also results from his having never scolded others privately or in front of crowds, and having never belittled others’ beliefs or religions traditions.

(19) The top of a Buddha’s shoulders are round and well-connected to his neck, and his network of veins is not visible.

This comes from his having freely given praise and encouragement to others and having acknowledged any action or person worthy of praise. In the Pali tradition, this sign is merely that his shoulders are evenly rounded.

(20) The area between a Buddha’s collarbone and shoulder is rounded, fleshy, and full, without any hollow depression.

This is due to his having given others medicine and nourishing foods.

(21) A Buddha has a special faculty of taste that no matter what food he is given, it always tastes delicious.

The cause for this faculty is his having nursed the sick, the old, and the infirm, and especially having cared for those whom others find distasteful and repulsive.

(22) The body of a Buddha is as stately and well-proportioned as a full-grown bodhi tree.

This comes from his having built public gardens and parks for the enjoyment of others, and from having encouraged others to do the same. The Pali tradition uses the analogy here of a banyan tree.

(23) The top of his head has a crown-protrusion, made of radiant flesh, round and circling clockwise. When seen from a distance, it seems to be four finger-widths high, but upon closer scrutiny, its height can never be measured.

This is the most difficult physical feature to achieve and is the result of his having always visualized his spiritual mentor on the crown of his head, as well as his having visited temples and monasteries and engaged in spiritual practices there.

(24) A Buddha’s tongue is extremely long and can reach the top of his head, his ears, and his chest.

This comes from his having always spoken kindly to others with words of encouragement and having treated them as gently as an animal licking its young.

(25) His voice is melodious like that of an ancient song-bird, flowing without any effort, or like that of a Brahma.

Whoever hears the voice of a Brahma is temporarily relieved of his or her problems. But the sound of a Buddha’s melodious and resonant enlightening speech can bring about full liberation from all fears. The cause for this faculty is his having communicated the Dharma in the individual languages of each wandering being.

(26) His cheeks are round and full like those of a lion.

This is from his having rid himself completely of idle chatter and senseless speech. The Pali, Sanskrit and Chinese traditions explain this feature in reference to a Buddha’s jawbone or chin.

(27) The eye teeth of a Buddha are more brilliantly white than his other teeth are.

This is from his having given special praise to Buddhas and bodhisattvas and having shown them great respect.

(28) His teeth are all of equal length.

This is from his having rid himself of the five wrong livelihoods and having always earned his living honestly. The five wrong livelihoods are obtaining money or material goods through:

(a) flattery, (b) pressure, (c) extortion – saying to someone that if he or she does not pay us money, we will expose their secrets to others, (d) bribery, and (e) pretense.

(29) A Buddha’s teeth are perfectly aligned and straight, with no gaps between them.

This is from his having spoken the straight truth for three zillion eons and having been honest, never devious or crooked with others.

(30) His teeth are forty in number, with an equal amount on the upper and lower jaw.

The cause is his having rid himself of divisive language and having always worked for unity and harmony among all living creatures.

(31) The eyes of a Buddha are deep blue color like saphire and the black and white portions of the eyes are clear and distinct, with no red or yellow discolorations.

This is the result of his having looked at others with compassionate eyes, having worked for their welfare, and having generated equal concern for all, whether their suffering was great or small. The Pali tradition simply has that a Buddha’s eyes are dark blue.

(32) His eyelashes are beautiful and long, like those of a bull, with each hair distinct.

This comes from his having regarded others without any attachment, hostility, or naivety, and his having striven to gain the full length of discriminating awareness to see the difference between what is correct and what is incorrect.

Makha Bucha Day

What is Makha Bucha Day?

In Thailand, 18^th Feb 2011 was Makha Bucha Day. Makha Bucha Day is an important Buddhist Cerebration day in Thailand. It comes from the auspicious occasion during Buddha’s time. It’s happened at Veḷuvana Bamboo Grove, near Rājagaha in Northern India, nine months later from the Enlightenment of the Buddha. In the evening of a full moon day, 1,250 Sangha happen to come to see the Buddha without any previous arrangement. All of them were Arahats* and were ordained by the Buddha Himself. In this auspicious occasion, Buddha gave the Arahat Principles called “Ovadhapatimokha” which laid down the principles of the Buddhist teachings.

Activities held on Makha Bucha Day

1. Wian Tian (wian meaning circle; tian meaning candle). Holding flowers, incense and a lighted candle, the monks and lay people circumambulate clockwise three times around the Temple - once for each of the Three Jewels – the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.
2. Tum Boon: Making merit by going to temples and join in the Buddhist activities.
3. Keeping the Five Precepts. Practice of renunciation: Observe the Eight Precepts, practice of meditation and mental discipline, stay in the temple, wearing white robes, for a number of days.
   

The posted photos are taken at Wat Jedee Luang in Chiang Mai. Every year on Makha Bucha Day, temples in Thailand are full of devotees circumumbulating around temples and stupas and making offerings to the Sanghas and Buddha's shrines. There are Pali Chanting sessions for devotees lead by Sanghas in the shrine hall.

* An arahant is a person who has destroyed greed, hatred, and delusion who upon decease will not be reborn in any world, having wholly cut off all fetters that bind a person to the samsara.

8. Karmapa

Here, we shall introduce about Karmapa which I mentioned in our article no.6. He is the head of Karma Kagyu Lineage in Tibetan Buddhism which we are following.

Tibetans revere Guru Rinpoche as the 2nd Buddha after Buddha Sakyamuni. And they believe that Karmapa is a manifestation of Guru Rinpoche. Tibetans also regard Karmapa as one of the manifestations of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (known as Kwan Yin in Chinese). The coming of Karmapa was predicted by Buddha Sakyamuni in the Samadhiraja (King of Samadhi) Sutra:

Two thousand years of my passing,
The teachings will spread in the land of the red faced ones,
Who will be the disciple of Avalokita;
The bodhisattva Simhanada, known as Karmapa, will appear.
Possessing mastery over Samadhi, He will tame beings
And establish them in bliss through seeing, hearing, recalling and touching.

Another prediction from Lankavatara (Manifesting in Lanka) Sutra:

Wearing monastic robes and a black crown,
He will perform unceasing benefit for beings
Until the teachings of one thousand buddhas disappear.

Karmapa is a very unique living personality. He is the founder of Tulku System (Incarnated Lama) in Tibetan Buddhism. The 1st Karmapa, Dusum Kyenpa left a written Letter predicting his future birth. The 2nd Karmapa, Karma Paksi, was found according to the descriptions in the Letter. Karma Paksi went to China by the invitation of Emperor of China during the Ming Dynasty. He performed 21 miracles during the first 21 days of His stay in the Palace. The Emperor of China became His disciple. From then on, all following Karmapas became the Gurus of Emperors of Ming Dynasty of China.

The 16th Karmapa was a great Bodhisattva. He received oral instructions and teachings mainly from His Root Guru, H.E. 11th Tai Situ Rinpoche. The 16th Karmapa’s Dharma activities spread far and wide. Many people in Europe and North America became Buddhists through just having a mere glimpse of Karmapa. Thus Tibetan Buddhism became flourished in Europe and North America. Many Dharma Centers sprung up like mushrooms all over the world. The 16th Karmapa had affected the lives of millions of people. My life changed for good after I took Refuge under The16th Karmapa.

The 16th Karmapa passed away in USA amid many wonderful signs. A few year prior to His Parinirvana, He left a letter with His Heart Disciple, H.E. The 12th Tai Situ Rinpoche who became the Root Guru of the present 17th Karmapa . The letter described about His future birth in details such as names of parents, year of birth, place of birth, and the signs after his birth. Thus the present 17th Karmapa was found without difficulty.

The 17th Karmapa, Urgyen Trinley Dorje was born in June 1985 in a nomad family in Kham, Tibet. When he was born, the neighbors heard the sound of conch-shell horn from the sky which lasted about 2 hours. This event was predicted in the 16th Karmapa's letter. The nomad's baby born with mysterious sound was named as Apo Gaga. When he was 6 years old, the search party for 17th Karmapa came to look for him by following the description in the prediction letter.

The 17th Karmapa was enthroned on 27th September, 1992 in Turphu Monastery, Tibet, with the recognition letter from the Central Committee of Communist China. And this was the first time the Communist Government of China recognized an incarnated Lama. If you wish to know more about Karmapa, please click this link: http://www.kagyuoffice.org/