Source: Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly: "Profile: Karmapa Lama"
This video from Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly features Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the seventeenth Karmapa Lama, talking about his increasingly public role and how he can help the modern world better understand the teachings and purpose of Buddhism. The Karmapa Lama is Tibetan Buddhism's second-most important spiritual leader. Called a reincarnation of the living Buddha, the Karmapa Lama is considered by many to be the Dalai Lama's spiritual heir and the next international voice of Buddhism.
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In Tibetan Buddhism, a lama is a revered teacher of spiritual beliefs and practice. Lamas are monastic leaders with vast knowledge of Tibetan rituals. At times, they can be reincarnated beings. The Karmapa Lama is one of the best-known teachers in Tibetan Buddhism. There are four schools, or traditions, in Tibetan Buddhism; the Karmapa is the leader of the Kagyu school. As the leader of his tradition, he studies an ancient collection of official Vajrayanan Buddhist scriptures and works to ensure the preservation of Tibetan Buddhist teachings. The Karmapa traditionally resides in the Tsurphu Monastery in Tibet, but since the Chinese occupation of this region, his headquarters have been relocated to Dharamsala, India.
When a Karmapa dies, a team of high lamas begins the search for the next reincarnation of their spiritual leader. This is a delicate process, both painstaking and mystical, dating back more than 700 years. Before the Karmapa dies, he frequently leaves information, clues and instructions to assist his followers in the search for the next reincarnated Karmapa. The search team will expose young prospects to a number of tests. To pass, a young subject—often just a child—must select the previous lama’s personal belongings from a collection of seemingly random objects. The young lama will also remember personal stories and colleagues that only the previous lama would recall.
The current Karmapa Lama, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, is the seventeenth Karmapa incarnation. He was born in 1985 in eastern Tibet to a nomadic family and was identified as the Karmapa when he was eight years old. Before the sixteenth Karmapa died, he left detailed information in an effort to guide the search party to his future reincarnation—the young Ogyen. The sixteenth Karmapa stated the names of Ogyen's parents (Dondrub and Loga), the year of Ogyen’s birth and his location in Tibet. The sixteenth Karmapa is said to have left this information in a letter found after his death. A dispute erupted among the high lamas over the authenticity of the letter, but the Dalai Lama later had a dream reinforcing the selection of Ogyen Trinley Dorje. In the end, the recognition from both the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government led Ogyen Trunley Dorje to be the official Karmapa Lama for Tibetan Buddhists worldwide.
The seventeenth Karmapa is an especially interesting spiritual leader because of his extensive preparation as a high lama in Tibet, despite the occupationof his homeland by the Chinese, which has curtailed the education of other high lamas living in exile. Ogyen was fortunate to receive a more comprehensive education rooted in the ancient customs, culture and landscape of Tibet.
KIM LAWTON: They call him “a reincarnation of the living Buddha,” and this young spiritual leader is already on his way to international superstar status. His name is Ogyen Trinley Dorje. His title is the 17th Karmapa Lama, and after the Dalai Lama, he’s now Tibetan Buddhism’s second-highest ranking spiritual leader. During a recent visit to the U.S. — his first introduction to the West — thousands came out to venues from New York to Seattle to see the 23-year-old Buddhist master.
DZOCHEN PONLOP RINPOCHE (Narlanda West Buddhist Center): The young Kamarpa is the most powerful Buddhist meditation teacher. His scholarship is excellent, and also his youth and his presence makes a profound impact.
LAWTON: The term karmapa literally means “the embodiment of all the activities of the Buddhas.” For the last nearly 1,000 years, a karmapa lama has led the Kagyu tradition within Tibetan Buddhism. Buddhists believe enlightened spiritual masters can choose to be reincarnated in order to come back and help others achieve enlightenment. This karmapa’s followers see him as part of an unbroken line of Buddhist wisdom.
LAMA SURYA DAS (Western Buddhist Teachers Network): He feels very close to us from the last life and through all of our good aspirations and good things that we have been trying to do together to help bring peace and sanity and wisdom and love into this very volatile modern world.
LAWTON: In an exclusive American television interview, the Karmapa told me he’s pleased with how Buddhism has taken hold in the U.S.
GYALWANG KARMAPA (through translator): Americans have taken a great interest in Buddhism and many Americans have put forth a lot of energy in order to propagate the teachings of Buddhism. And I think they have achieved excellent results within this short period of time.
LAWTON: The Karmapa’s international acclaim is enhanced by the dramatic story that surrounds him. He was born in 1985 to a family of nomads in eastern Tibet. When he was eight years old, he was identified as fulfilling the prophecy left by the previous karmapa who had died in 1981. The Dalai Lama had a dream which confirmed the recognition of the new karmapa and Dorje was taken to live in a monastery. Although some rivals support a different karmapa, Dorje is the only high lama to have been officially recognized by both the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government. But China keeps a tight reign on Buddhism in Tibet, and when he was 14, Dorje snuck out of his monastery and made a secret escape across the Himalayas by foot, horseback, taxi and train. Eight days later, he arrived in Dharamsala, India, headquarters of the Dalai Lama, where he has spent the past several years in study and meditation. As the heads of two different streams within Tibetan Buddhism, karmapas and dalai lamas have historically been rivals. That has now changed.
SURYA DAS: This Kamarpa 17th is very close to the Dalai Lama and lives in Dharamsala and they’re like this. So there is no sectarian rivalry or anything. They’re very much close together.
LAWTON: That closeness has led many to suggest that the Dalai Lama, now 73, is grooming the Karmapa as his spiritual heir and the next international voice of Buddhism. It’s a suggestion the Karmapa doesn’t shy away from.
GYALWANG KARMAPA (through translator): I have no special plans to take over any specific role after whenever it is that His Holiness, the Dali Lama, passes away. However, I would be delighted to serve in accordance with the level of confidence and trust the people had in me. It does seem to be the case that I am receiving more and more recognition in the world. And my main aspiration is that I use this recognition for a beneficial purpose.
LAWTON: Because the Dalai Lama heads the Tibetan-government-in exile, there is much speculation about the Karmapa’s potential role in China-Tibet politics as well. He avoided such sensitive topics during his visit to the U.S., and steered questions about politics back to the practice of Buddhism in Tibet.
GYALWANG KARMAPA (teaching, through translator): It’s important to understand that cherishing sentient beings, loving sentient beings, is the root of compassion.
LAWTON: As his public role now expands, expectations about his future leadership are high. With his trip to the U.S., the teachings he once gave to private audiences at his monastery are being sold on DVDs and posted on the Internet.
PONLOP RINPOCHE: I’m not talking politics but from spiritual point of view. You know, he is like a spiritual king. Naturally he has that presence, he has that command.
LAWTON: The Karmapa is learning English, although not yet confident enough to teach or give an interview in the language. But a few words trickle through.
GYALWANG KARMAPA (speaking English): I need a dictionary.
LAWTON: He can come across as uncomfortable, reserved, even stern. Yet there are flashes of humor, too.
GYALWANG KARMAPA (speaking English): I forget the translator.
LAWTON: It’s easy to forget he’s only 23. During one Seattle appearance, he mentioned that he used to like reading “X-Men” comic books, but then people stopped giving them to him. So we got him one. In many ways, he’s been isolated, his responsibilities pressed upon him since he was a small child.
GYALWANG KARMAPA (teaching, through a translator): And I would think thoughts like, why are my attendants who are disciples of the Karmapa making my life so miserable? Why are they locking me in a box and putting on the lid?
LAWTON: Followers say this karmapa is well aware that technology has made the world a smaller place, and that Buddhism must stay relevant.
GYALWANG KARMAPA (through translator): Because of the Internet, we live in an age in which information can travel very rapidly to different places. Before, it used to be the case that just having a karmapa alive was good enough for everyone. People didn’t need a lot of information about who the karmapa was or what the karmapa was doing.
SURYA DAS: He has continuously talked about not holding on to things just because they’re old, but to adapt, and keep the essence, but to adapt to new times and places.
LAWTON: This karmapa believes that Eastern Buddhists and Western Buddhists can learn from one another.
GYALWANG KARMAPA (through translator): The essential points of Buddhism are beyond culture and beyond traditions.
LAWTON: Given the level of devotion he’s already cultivating in the West, his followers say this karmapa lama may well be the future face of Buddhism around the world.
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