The making of a Karmapa

The making of a Karmapa
Sukhmani Singh

The 17th Karmapa was discovered in Lhatok in eastern Tibet after a long and tedious search initiated by the Twelfth Tai Situpa, now based in Sherabling near Baijnath, and Goshir Gyaltseb Rinpoche, the traditional regent of the Karmapa in the Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim, which is the Karmapa's sacred seat in India. In a meeting between them and other sacred masters on March 29, 1992, a sacred prediction letter left by the 16th Karmapa was analysed and interpreted.

After this meeting, the rinpoches sent a copy of the prediction letter to the abbot of the Tsurphu monastery in Tibet, requesting him to initiate a secret search for the next Karmapa. Accordingly, some lamas set off for Lhatok, where they posed as pilgrims looking for long-lost relatives. Following the directions in the letter, they finally found a nomad couple, Loga and Dondrup, parents of a large family of six daughters and three sons. The middle son was named Apo Gaga, or `beloved elder brother'.

In accordance with the letter, it appeared that miraculous events had occurred at the time of Apo Gaga's birth. It was said that three suns had appeared in the sky, with a rainbow arching over the central orb. For as long as two hours after his birth, the sound of conch shells reverberated through the valley, leading people to believe that a high lama had arrived in the area. The letter had mentioned that the Karmapa's birth would be accompanied by the "wondrous, far-reaching sound of the white one."

His mother Loga also revealed that she had had many prophetic dreams while carrying her son. One of these featured three white cranes who handed her a golden letter balanced atop a cup of yoghurt, saying that the letter was sent by Guru Rinpoche and would reveal her son's identity. The Karmapa was born before sunrise, just as a cuckoo alighted on the family's tent and began to sing. Tibetans believe that the morning song of the cuckoo is an auspicious sign.

The little boy displayed remarkable qualities. He would cry in sympathy and compassion whenever he saw an animal in pain. He was psychic and could predict future events with uncanny accuracy. Once, while playing with his sister, he suddenly remarked that their father's truck had "fallen down". When his sister rebuked him for his morbid thought, pat came the reply, "Everything is all right." Later, they discovered that the truck in which his father was travelling had actually had an accident, but no one was hurt.

Long before he was discovered, the young Apo Gaga began his religious training at the Kalek monastery in 1989. Even then he was respected as a reincarnate lama and provided with an attendant and a small throne in the shrine hall.

The news of the discovery in 1992 was conveyed to Tai Situ Rinpoche and Goshir Gyaltseb Rinpoche, who informed His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He revealed that the description of the child's birthplace corresponded perfectly with a vision he had had several months earlier, of green mountains covered with meadows flanked by two streams. In his dream, he heard a voice proclaiming: "This is the place where the Karmapa was born."

Later, His Holiness the Dalai Lama presented Tai Situpa and Goshir Gyaltsabpa with a formal letter of confirmation, dated June 30, 1992, known as the `Precious Sea of His Holiness'. He also sent the young Karmapa a white silk scarf, a blessing cord and his personal rosary. He formally recognised him as the reincarnation of the 16th Karmapa.

On July 13, 1992, Tai Situ Rinpoche and Gyaltsab Rinpoche went to the Tsurphu monastery in Tibet to meet the 17th Karmapa. They spent hours with him informally and were apparently moved by the manner in which he displayed his previous incarnation. They said the seven-year-old boy was completely fearless and remarkably composed despite his childish playfulness. According to them, he radiated power and compassion as brightly as the sun.

A month later, the little boy was formally ordained as a monk in an elaborate ritual known as the `hair-cutting ceremony'. Tai Situ Rinpoche cut a few strands of his hair as a symbol of renunciation of worldly concerns. Gyaltseb Rinpoche then consecrated the crown of his head with sacred water. At the close of the long ceremony, the rinpoches formally proclaimed his name to be Orgyen Trinley Rinpoche. He was later officially enthroned at Tsurphu monastery in September 1992, on the day of the new moon. More than 20,000 pilgrims converged on Tsurphu from far and near. Around 300 lamas and representatives of monasteries from all over the world also reached Tsurphu.

Interestingly, permission had to be taken from the Chinese government to hold such a large ceremony. Accordingly, Beijing sent the Minister of Religious Affairs and several local officials from Lhasa. The Minister conferred official recognition upon the young Karmapa.

Two days after his enthronement, the living Buddha gave his first formal empowerment (issuing blessings) to a crowd of 20,000 disciples. It was a bright and sunny day with flocks of birds flying overhead and a huge rainbow arching across the sky. Suddenly, a few snowflakes began to fall and disciples reported that they spotted images of various sacred Buddhist deities in the sky.

Before his dramatic escape to India, the 17th Karmapa was living at the Tsurphu monastery. While his days were supposed to be occupied with study, practice and sacred Dharma activity, the monks in Dharamshala claim that his training was not being conducted properly in Tibet. That, they say, was the reason for his decision to flee from Chinese control. For a very long time his followers in Rumtek and elsewhere have been waiting for him to visit India. To them, it looks like a dream come true.