22th April 08, McLeod Ganj, Dharmashala. Traveling by local bus to Gyuto Monastery.
I am going to meet The 17th Gyalwang Karmapa in half an hour time.
His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, is the head of the 900 year old Karma Kagyu Lineage and guide to millions of Buddhists around the world.
Born in 1985, the Karmapa resides in his temporary home at Gyuto Monastery in India after making a dramatic escape from Tibet in the year 2000.
The 17th Gyalwang Karmapa is the second of importance after the Dalai Lama.
I do not know what drove me so urgently to meet The Karmapa, but it looked right and immediate for me to meet him, at the end of my journey. I was more than happy that it did happened!
On Sarurday I went to the Gyuto Monastery were Karmapa’s home is permanently located. He is the second of importance after the Dalai Lama. He is 23 years old now, and was chosen at the age of 3. Until the age of 21 he studied and got prepared for the high position in the Tibetan world. He is the 17th Gyalwa Karma-pa, and now he is taken the full responsibilities as the spiritual Karma Kagyan lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. He was smuggled to India at the age of 14.
The young Buddhist priest that sets the meetings, asked me about the reasons and what are the needs of me to meet the Karma-pa. He questioned me of the importance of that meeting for me, looking deep into my eyes, watching at my body language. Then he asked me: “You are not a Buddhist, aren’t you? Ask not too many questions!” he added.
At the end he was convinced. But then the priest asked me: “What are Your questions? that you are going to ask him?”
I stopped breathing and stopped thinking! I didn’t know what to answer him. What were my important questions???
I was with another Israeli woman, that hesitated about the all thing, and he quickly noticed it, and pushed her aside. He did not waist time, and was going to talk to the next guy queuing after me.
I had to focus and give him quickly my questions!
“Two questions!!” I said with great confidence.
“I am going to ask The Karmapa two important questions, one personal and one on collective matters!”
He looked at me again with some interest. “Give me your passport.” He said. “Karmapa is very busy, he sees just very few people a day.”
I had to tell the Buddhist monk my questions, before signing me in! and I did.
The meeting was set in 2 days time, as I told him that I am leaving India. I was very happy that I convinced him.
I was extremely excited before the meeting with the Karmapa. Strange enough already in the bus I felt on the edge of cry.
I felt clean and pure as Cristal in my talk with Karmapa!
I’ll wrote about that special meeting with The Karmapa, in my blog in Hebrew on 5.6.2021 – פגישה אישית עם רום מעלתו – הקרמה-פה
No doubt, today was one of the most wonderful days in my journey. After the meeting to relax, I had Tibetan soup with a Chines guy called Lixuan. He was sitting next to me.
A few days after the meeting with Karmapa I went to Norbulinka Institute.
Norbulinka – is an institute preserving Tibetan Culture. (pics. Below)
I saw artists painting the Thangka paintings which are in use as a basis for meditative practicing. It was great sitting in the Japanese gardens and listening to the dream-like waterfalls.
