It is with great joy that we bring the news that the 2009 Kagyu Monlam dates have been finalized and are available here.

His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa will continue his teachings on the Life of Milarepa as well as bestowing the Tara empowerment. His Holiness will also continue night time teaching to the foreign students at Tergar Monastery.

For more information and updates on the Kagyu Monlam please head over to the official Kagyu Monlam Website.

At the Kagyu Monlam in December 2007 His Holiness the Karmapa spoke a lot about the urgent need to protect the environment and encouraged everyone to plant trees, save electricity and do whatever they can to help our planet.

His Holiness also revealed a new logo that he had designed. The logo has special significance for all Karma Kagyupas and has a very special meaning. A teaching by His Holiness on the logo can be found at the Kagyu Monlam site here.

The people at Kagyumonlam.org do a wonderful job of bringing the spirit and teachings of the Kagyu Monlam to those who cannot attend. We at Karmapa Australia Inc. thank them for all of their hard work.

The Karmapas have incarnated in this form of nirmanakaya, or manifestation body, for seventeen lifetimes, as of the present, and all have played the most important role in preserving and propagating the Buddhist teachings of Tibet.

In 1985, a boy named “Apo Gaga” was born into a nomadic family in eastern Tibet. In 1992 that boy was recognized as the Seventeenth Karmapa. His biography can nevertheless properly be said to start some eight centuries earlier.

Details of the Seventeenth Karmapa’s life were foretold with startling insight in the vision of Chogyur Dechen Lingpa (1829-1870), a great nonsectarian master and one of the most renowned discoverers of sacred hidden texts (”tertöns”) of the last few centuries.

The songs of His Holiness Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, the Sixteenth Karmapa, who was born in Tibet in 1924 and left permanently in 1959, reveal his prophetic foresight that his reincarnation, the 17th Karmapa, would be enthroned in Tsurphu, and in this way the Karmapa would see that the main seat of the Karmapas would be restored.

The songs of His Holiness Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, the Sixteenth Karmapa, who was born in Tibet in 1924 and left permanently in 1959, reveal his prophetic foresight that his reincarnation, the 17th Karmapa, would be enthroned in Tsurphu, and in this way the Karmapa would see that the main seat of the Karmapas would be restored.

Many see in the growing activity of the 17th Karmapa the dispelling of obstacles in Tibet, India and throughout the world, and the increasingly vivid manifestation of the heart-fulfillment of vision of the Karmapas.

After the passing of the sixteenth Karmapa, it became the responsibility of his disciples to carry out His Holiness’ wishes, to continue his activities and to find and enthrone the 17th Karmapa.

In January of 1981, the XVlth Gyalwang Karmapa, gave to his heart son, the Xllth Tai Situpa, a protection amulet with a brocade cover, and said, “This is your protection amulet. In the future, it will confer great benefit.” Many years later, the amulet was discovered to contain the prediction letter for the rebirth of His Holiness.

The identity of a Karmapa is not decided by a popular vote or a debate between groups. It is decided only by the prediction of the previous Karmapa. The 16th Karmapa’s sacred letter of prediction stated that he would be reborn “to the north in the east of the land of snow.” This was interpreted at the March 1992 meeting of the council of the four seat holders to mean that he would be reborn in eastern Tibet (north of Rumtek). In May, the Karmapa was officially located in the Lhotak region of Tibet.

As predicted in the 16th Karmapa’s letter, the Seventeenth Gyalwang Karmapa was born in the nomad community of Bakor, eastern Tibet, on the eighth day of the fifth Tibetan month, year of the Wood Ox (June 26, 1985). His father is Karma Döndrub and mother is Loga. He has six sisters and three brothers. The village in which he was born had about 72 nomadic families, comprising about 430 people.

After consideration of the evidence and additional meetings with Their Eminences Tai Situ Rinpoche, Tsurphu Gyaltsab Rinpoche and Shamar Rinpoche, His Holiness the Dalai Lama granted the Buktham Rinpoche, the official notification of the Dalai Lama’s approval of the identity of His Holiness the Seventeenth Karmapa.

As dancing and singing in the courtyard continued for many hours into the late evening, opera singers resplendent in their colorful costumes and masks together with some other singers celebrated the historic arrival of the XVIIth Karmapa to Tsurphu Monastery–home and original seat of all the glorious Karmapas on June 15, 1992.

In the traditional Ngasol ceremony, the Karmapa was consecrated the seven year old Karmapa with the eight precious ingredients, the eight auspicious symbols and the seven possessions of universal monarchs. His Holiness the Seventeenth Karmapa had fulfilled the prediction of the Sixteenth, returning to the seat of the Karmapas.

Though isolated parts of Tsurphu Monastery had been repaired after the destruction of the 1960s, the return of the Seventeenth Karmapa brought reconstruction of Tsurphu Monastery to a completely different level. Most of the original Tsurphu complex was restored, and new buildings, such as the shedra, or monastic college, were added.

Though isolated parts of Tsurphu Monastery had been repaired after the destruction of the 1960s, the return of the Seventeenth Karmapa brought reconstruction of Tsurphu Monastery to a completely different level. Most of the original Tsurphu complex was restored, and new buildings, such as the shedra, or monastic college, were added.

During the years the Karmapa was at Tsurphu Monastery, government restrictions limited the Karmapa’s ability to teach his disciples and receive teachings from lineage masters. His Holiness decided that it would benefit beings if he were no longer to stay in Tibet. Shortly before the turn of the millenium, His Holiness slipped out of Tsurphu in secret.

His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa celebrated Losar at his temporary residence in Gyoto Tantric University.

Karmapa Australia Inc would like to wish all readers a Happy New Year with prayers that the Earth Mouse year brings you happiness, prosperity and good health.