From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:
I’d like to mention that many people are asking me the details of the issues with His Holiness the 17th Karmapa. My answer – I don’t gossip or judge other lineages. Gossip is not my way. To gossip about another lineage is not what I’m about. It causes dissension and anger in the sangha, harms the Three Jewels and causes only bad result. Buddhists should reject gossip as wrong speech and ignorance.
I do know about the situation, but not one word of of gossip or slander about His Holiness the 17th Karmapa or the Kagyu lineage will come from my mouth or activity, I have no secret or inside knowledge. Anyone asking should find those that gossip, not me. Any other lineage besides Palyul is not for me to pass judgment on, simply not my job. I have nothing but respect for the Kagyu lineage and His Holiness the 17th Karmapa.
For all my students I advise not to gossip and pray we will all keep our own practice alive and well.
Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo. All rights reserved
Thank you Jetsunma. As always, a few words and you just cut right through our crazy, discursive minds.
Awesome.
The purity of the Karmapa lineage is unbroken. Anyone who has ever met either Karmpa XVI or XVII knows that they are Lions of Dharma. To gossip about them is unthinkable. Thank you for setting us right about that!
The Karmapa is great. I hope he can travel more, I really like him. He visited Seattle in 2007. He’s sharp, self-effacing, kind, and has a dry, wry sense of humor. His life story is amazing already. He was held by the Chinese until he was fourteen and then made a daring escape across Tibet with a dragnet after him. He said that when he was afraid during his escape, his practice didn’t go well, the protectors seemed to shrink in fear. When he was confident, it did go well. So he feels confidence is important.
Once he reached India, Khenchen Tsultrim Gyatso was recalled from his world tours to teach the Karmapa. Khenchen Tsultrim Gyatso is called one of the greatest living masters in the Kagyu lineage today, the kind of teacher who can give personal instruction to a room full of people who’ve never met him before, “You–do this” “You–this” and he’s completely bang on. He’s done a lot for westerners, written concise texts that can be studied in our two-week vacations, created Lu Jong exercises to prepare our flabby butts for Tsa-Lung. He makes up songs for the root verses of teachings, and I’ve remembered those ditties better than I’ve remembered any teaching. When it’s time to give Mahamudra nature of mind pointing out instructions, the other Kagyud Lamas ask him to give those instructions.
So the Karmapa’s been taught over the last decade by someone who really understands and cares about westerners.
The Karamapa does understand our situation. He jokes about having never had time to do much practice (the Chinese didn’t exactly let him), and gave out an ultra-concise ngundro during his tour. It’s, like, 15 pages (and very pretty). He gets it. He knows how little time we have. He’s a teacher for our time.
He’s being groomed to be our teacher, a world teacher. HH the Dalai Lama asked the Karmapa to take over his work, his work for world peace, religious tolerance, and freedom. It’s on tape. The Karmapa, who’s only just past 20, looked stunned.
When’s his next tour?