Contents

Translator's Introduction

Part One: Virtue in the Beginning

Part Two: Virtue in the Middle

Chapter One: The Greatness of His Birthplace

Chapter Two: The Greatness of the Time and Signs of His Birth

Chapter Three: The Greatness of His Parents and Family

Chapter Four: The Greatness of His Renunciation of Home Life for the Victor's Teachings and His Dharma Training in the Monastery

Chapter Five: The Greatness of His Learning, Reflection, and Meditation

Chapter Six: The Greatness of His Title and Place of Residence

Chapter Seven: The Greatness of His Skill in All Crafts

Chapter Eight: The Greatness of His Hidden Practice, Faith, and Devotion

Chapter Nine: The Greatness of His Wisdom Arisen from Meditation

Chapter Ten: The Greatness of His Creation of Supports and Gathering of Accumulations

Chapter Eleven: The Greatness of His Widespread Activity of Nurturing Disciples Through Empowerment, Transmission, and Instruction

Chapter Twelve: The Greatness of His Fulfillment of His Guru's Commands

Part Three: Virtue in the End

Longevity Supplications, Dedications, and Aspirations

Resources

Excerpts

The Eighth Chapter: The Greatness of His Hidden Practice, Faith, and Devotion

As regards practice, Rinpoche awakens early every morning and begins to recite mantras using his mala. Wherever he is seated, his posture is erect and his hands remain in a position like Lord Marpa’s. Whenever he attends a communal ceremony, he sits up straight. However because he keeps his practice extremely secret, I, a lowly person, do not dare speculate about it.

I’ve heard Rinpoche’s sister Pema Lhakyi say to him many times, “Rinpoche, why do you sit so straight and still when you aren’t working? Why don’t you recite texts or mantras? Wouldn’t that be a better use of your time?”

One day I said something similar to him. Rinpoche responded by telling me the story of a lama who remained in retreat for his whole life at Thrangu Monastery. While telling me the story, Rinpoche quoted the lifelong retreatant as saying, “No matter which of the four behaviors I’m engaged in, I have never strayed from the clear light.”

When Rinpoche repeated this to me, I felt absolutely awestruck and thought, “My supreme, kind guru, who has studied under many holy beings, has become just like them! My perception of him has been obscured by thinking of him as an ordinary, familiar person!”

Rinpoche has never identified his root guru by name, but we can infer from many events in his life that Gyalwang Karmapa Rigpe Dorje and Palden Khyentse Özer were his principal teachers. Rinpoche also received the teachings of Tai Situ Pema Wangchok Gyalpo, Shechen Khenpo Lodrö Rapsal, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Traleg Kyapgön Shedrup Chökyi Nyima, Shechen Kongtrul Rinpoche, Kyapjay Kalu Rinpoche, and other beings on the levels, like the contents of one vase being poured into another. Having received these instructions, Rinpoche—unlike me—has not allowed his being to remain ordinary. He has really achieved the same state of mind as that of his holy masters.

This holy being is a hidden yogin of the true meaning. Even if I declared this with my head held high in a gathering of hundreds or thousands of people, I wouldn’t feel a sesame seed’s worth of embarrassment, and I say this not because he is my uncle, but in order to express my devotion.

Wherever Rinpoche is staying, he works constantly. He rolls dharanis, fills statues with them, sews the brocade frames for paintings, and makes and affixes drumheads for drums and damarus. He loves to work with his hands.

He treats every disciple he meets with courtesy and affection, touching heads in greeting and so forth. He continually extols the single path trod by all victors and their children: the practice of bodhichitta and mahamudra.

Rinpoche has tremendous devotion for the peerless protectors of beings known throughout the three levels of existence as the Dakpo Kagyu, including Tilopa, Naropa, and all the masters of this lineage. In particular, the buddha predicted and praised the peerless Gampopa, the source of the ocean of Kagyu siddhas, in many sutras and tantras. In the Samadhirajasutra, which teaches mahamudra, it is recounted that Gampopa in a previous life promised the buddha to spread the mahamudra teachings throughout Tibet, the land of snow-covered mountains. Rinpoche’s devotion for Gampopa is so great that tears come to his eyes whenever he hears his name. While teaching Gampopa’s Assembly Dharmas, Rinpoche cried like a child amidst large numbers of people. In February of 2005, Rinpoche taught the Gurusadhana of Gampopa at Karme Ling, our three-year retreat. He started weeping from devotion three times during his teaching, causing all the retreatants to feel intense devotion and think, “This holy being is an emanation of Gampopa.” I know this because we discussed it among ourselves afterwards.

In a newsletter from one of our dharma centers in Michigan, the Sixteenth Gyalwang Karmapa is quoted as saying, “Khenpo Karthar is learned in the practice of the three vehicles. He has all the attributes of a bodhisattva, including great love for everyone.”

Once, when Khenpo Rinpoche became ill, one of his disciples asked Tai Situ Rinpoche to compose a prayer for Khenpo Rinpoche’s longevity. Situ Rinpoche did so and said, “Don’t worry! He has the ability to remain alive for a long time.”

Recently when Khenpo Rinpoche entered his eightieth year, Bardor Tulku Rinpoche, who has for almost thirty years worked together with him in enacting the Sixteenth Gyalwang Karmapa’s activity, wrote the following, affixed his seal to it, and presented it to Khenpo Rinpoche:

In auspicious celebration of your eightieth year, I pray from the bottom of my heart that you continue to remain alive for a hundred kalpas for the benefit of beings and the teachings, and that your activity flourish like a river in summer.

Offered by one called Bardor Tulku on the tenth day of the first month in the Water Sheep Year.

Khenpo Rinpoche, this peerless illuminator of the teachings of the lineage of accomplishment, applying the wondrous practice of luminous mahamudra, continues to open the lotuses of fortunate disciples’ minds with the sunlight of his wisdom, leading them to the island of liberation. For thirty years he has, with the utmost kindness, born the heavy burden of the teachings here as commanded by the Gyalwang Karmapa. For his whole life he has worked for the benefit of beings and the teachings. I cast flowers of joyous praise at him from the depths of my heart.

Whenever he speaks about either the Sixteenth or Seventeenth Gyalwang Karmapa, Khenpo Rinpoche joins his palms in prayer and weeps with devotion. The Seventeenth Gyalwang Karmapa once sent Khenpo Rinpoche a letter, carried by Tendzin Chönyi. This letter was very kind, and included the following:

I pray for your good health, and I join you in dedicating to perfect awakening the virtue of your ceaseless service to the teachings.

Along with the letter, the Gyalwang Karmapa sent Rinpoche a painting and some samaya substances. When Rinpoche received these, he wept visibly, which I saw myself.

On another occasion the Seventeenth Karmapa sent Rinpoche a large photograph of himself. The Karmapa had written on the photo the words “Kunga Loter” in large letters. There must have been a specific reason for this, but how could an ordinary person like me even guess at it?

Your mind has been mixed with the blessings and quintessential instructions
Of the victorious father and sons, true buddhas.
Although there is no difference between meditation and postmeditation for you,
You are always diligent in gathering great masses of merit.

Chapter Ten: The Greatness of His Creation of Supports and Gathering of Accumulations

Along with Kyapjay Bardor Tulku Rinpoche and Mr. Tendzin Chönyi; and with the assistance of American disciples, Khenpo Rinpoche created the great shrine room at Karma Triyana Dharmachakra. Its central image is a large statue of Buddha Shakyamuni, finely cast of copper and gold. When it was being filled, Jamgön Rinpoche was present. Khenpo Rinpoche says that Jamgön Rinpoche was extremely pleased by the excellence of the supports, dharanis, and other materials placed within the great statue.

To the right of the central image is a statue of the Sixteenth Gyalwang Karmapa. The dharanis within this statue’s head were placed there by Tai Situ Rinpoche. To that statue’s right are images of Vajrasattva and Manjushri.

To the left of the central image is a stupa containing relics of the Sixteenth Gyalwang Karmapa. It is made of silver and gold and finely decorated with jewels. To the stupa’s left are images of Guru Rinpoche and White Tara. Our great shrine room also contains the Kangyur, the Tengyur, parasols, victory banners, and paintings of the golden garland of Kagyu gurus.

Our library contains the Five Treasuries and other works brought by the Sixteenth Gyalwang Karmapa from Delhi, including many shastras composed by the learned and accomplished masters of India and Tibet. Also in the library are statues of the sixteen elders.

Our Tara shrine room contains finely cast images of the twenty-one Taras, various other fine supports, and countless paintings.

On the second story of the shrine building, in front, is the lineage shrine room, part of the Gyalwang Karmapa’s private suite. This shrine contains statues of the golden garland of Kagyu gurus; and a throne, table, and cushions finely crafted from the best materials.

All of the canopies, victory banners, and brocades for the Gyalwang Karmapa’s throne; the meditation cushions for those attending teachings; the brocade coverings for the altars and thrones; the fabrics used in elaborate offering and practice assemblies; the parasols, pennants, and victory banners throughout the shrine room; and the brocade frames for two sets of paintings of the golden garland of the Kagyu gurus were sewn by our great guru and Bardor Tulku Rinpoche.

They have also given our monastery finely crafted horns, offering lamps, skull-cups, mandala plates, and vases—all made of silver and gold—as well as fine cymbals and all the things a monastery should have. They have overseen the choice and creation of all our images and offering vessels.

Once the shrine building was completed, both Rinpoches began to present empowerments, transmissions, and instructions in it; they continue to do so. They have also invited countless gurus of many traditions who have nourished us with the dharma of ripening and liberation.

Every day at our monastery at 5 a.m. the Profound Essence of Tara and various longevity supplications are chanted. At 5 p.m. offerings and supplications to the protectors are chanted along with dedications and aspiration prayers. At 7 p.m. Benefiting Beings Throughout Space, the Amitabha Sadhana, the Seven-Line Supplication with the VAJRA GURU mantra, and longevity supplications are chanted. These are all recited slowly so that meditation and recitation can be coordinated.

Just before the Tibetan New Year the extensive ceremony of the protectors is performed. Every year a weeklong, elaborate accomplishment and offering assembly of one of our three principal yidams—Vajravarahi, Chakrasamvara, and Jinasagara—is held. We also perform yearly an elaborate accomplishment and offering assembly of Amitabha; an offering ceremony commemorating the passing of the Sixteenth Gyalwang Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje; a celebration of the Seventeenth Gyalwang Karmapa’s birthday; and other ceremonies.

Briefly put, who could fail to cast flowers of praise at our two great resident lineage holders and Mr. Tendzin Chönyi, all of whom would give up their lives for the teachings and the Gyalwang Karmapa? They have, through harmony and pure samaya, created our monastery.

The fog of decadent times fills the sky.
Beings, unprotected, suffer terribly.
The buddha’s teachings are at risk.
Yet many great beings of all schools
Compassionately surmount a thousand hardships
In order to help the meek in foreign lands.
Although the Victors’ Activity passed away,
His activity has flourished because of these two heroes.
They will never give up, even if it costs their lives.
Their fame fills our world.
These supplementary stanzas just burst forth.

After the Sixteenth Gyalwang Karmapa’s passing, it was as though the sun had set behind the western mountains. However every sunset is eventually followed by the sun rising above the eastern peaks. In order to benefit beings and the teachings, the Gyalwang Karmapa was reborn and eventually enthroned at Tsurphu Monastery. Our kind guru and Lama Norlha attended the enthronement. When they first met the Seventeenth Gyalwang Karmapa at his residence, although he was very young, he immediately exhibited his unfluctuating, unobscured wisdom. Smiling, he said to our guru, “Agama, you made it here!”

“Agama” was the term of endearment by which the Sixteenth Karmapa usually addressed Khenpo Rinpoche, which Rinpoche immediately remembered.

There are clear prophecies of the Seventeenth Karmapa by Padmasambhava—the second Buddha—and the great treasure-revealer Chokgyur Lingpa, as well as others. Especially, with clear foreknowledge of the future, the Sixteenth Karmapa entrusted the precious letter predicting his own rebirth to his great heart-son, Tai Situ Rinpoche. Therefore Khenpo Rinpoche was already irreversibly certain about the Seventeenth Karmapa’s identity before he met him. Nevertheless what need is there to say that when he actually saw the Seventeenth Karmapa’s face which liberates upon sight, and heard the Gyalwang Karmapa say things that proved his identity, Rinpoche’s faith and devotion increased?

At that first meeting, Rinpoche offered the Gyalwang Karmapa a golden reliquary. The Karmapa circumambulated it three times and then put it on. Then the Karmapa said, “Bald old monk, you’re very nice to me!”

The hair-cutting ceremony for the Seventeenth Gyalwang Karmapa was held at the Jokhang in Lhasa. Beforehand Tai Situ Rinpoche told Khenpo Rinpoche, “You must hold the Gyalwang Karmapa’s crown,” and gave it to him.

In 1990 when Jamgön Rinpoche visited the United States, he consecrated the land for our three-year retreat facility and exhibited great joy while doing so. Over several years, Khenpo Rinpoche built the men’s retreat, which he named Pawo Ling; the women’s retreat, which he named Kandro Ling; the Lama House, a residence for visiting masters such as Kyapjay Thrangu Rinpoche and their attendants; and the Ani House, a retreat facility in which nuns and other women can perform independent retreats of varying length.

The male and female monastics and laypersons who perform our three-year retreats learn written Tibetan beforehand; all of the liturgies used are in Tibetan. The retreatants gather at Karme Ling about three months before their retreat begins, and are instructed by experienced retreatants in written Tibetan and ceremonial practice. During this period, Kyapjay Thrangu Rinpoche bestows all of the empowerments for the retreat. Then in accordance with Tibetan custom, the retreat begins on the Holy Day of Descent from Heaven. During the retreat, the gurus invited to our monastery also visit the retreat and bestow teaching, guidance, and blessings. The instructions, transmissions, and practical training are given by our kind guru. He and Lama Tashi Döndrup from Rumtek Monastery have provided detailed explanations of every liturgy and ritual performed in the retreat; these teachings have been recorded and preserved on DVDs and audio CDs. With Khenpo Rinpoche’s permission, these recordings have been of great benefit to other retreats, such as Kyapjay Thrangu Rinpoche’s retreat in Nepal, Kyapjay Traleg Rinpoche’s retreat in Australia, and Kyapjay Trungpa Rinpoche’s retreat at Gampo Abbey, Nova Scotia.

Since founding Karme Ling Retreat Center, because of his responsibilities there and his advanced age, Khenpo Rinpoche has delegated the touring of our affiliate centers to Kyapjay Bardor Tulku Rinpoche.

Although you've crossed the sea of the two accumulations
You still amass millions of merits in every way that tames beings,
Such as ripening disciples through the quick path.