The Karmapa Controversy
by Lama Shree Narayan Singh
The Karmapa Controversy is actually non est from a spiritual point of view!
The spiritual practices of Buddhism merely refine the discernment and opens the heart as also the right cerebral hemisphere of its practitioners to levels of subtlety otherwise inaccessible. The practitioner thus develops a direct contact with oneself and through this portal, the relative world of apparent phenomenon!
Thus, any person who has even a modicum of meditation practice behind one, is able to ascertain directly for one's own self during meditation, as to which is the genuine Karmapa incarnation and which is not. It is therefore at no stage that a serious meditator could ever err in one's assessment.
Out of boundless compassion, such a person would actually be honest with oneself as also the entire world of apparent phenomena, even as he/she manifests the wisdom of the Four Kayas in daily life in varying degrees.
It would stand to reason therefore, that the creators and perpetrators of this Controversy, whoever they might be, actually lack in spiritual realisation. Moreover their level of compassion and commitment to the welfare of beings, remains highly questionable. They actually lack in compassion as they are actively leading their trusting disciples, devotees and followers astray.
This in itself is a terrible act with tremendous karmic consequences. Thus, through their support of the incorrect person, they themselves disqualify themselves as authentic meditators, Lamas and Masters who are in contact with authenticity. In traditional terms, such have broken all the Three Vows of the Vinaya, Mahayana and Vajrayana.
The Buddha has given his followers formal codes of conduct classified as the Vinaya, Bodhisattva Vows and the Covenants of the Vajrayana which deals with that which is termed Samaya or Dam Tshig. A dispassionate analysis would reveal that the creation of a schism in the Sangha ranks amongst the Tsham me pa nga or the Five Inexpiable Sins which automatically results in the loss of the monk's or nun's vows. Creating chaos and confusion in the hearts and minds of sentient beings results in the breakage of the Bodhisattva Vows. Breaches of samaya for more than three years disqualifies the Vajrayana practitioner in toto.
It is understood that at the level of conscience there can be no compromise. Such a deviation from authentic being can come about merely when the participant is confused by a web of concepts. Simply stated, one cannot fool anyone but one's own self.
Thus, such people, whoever they may be and whatever be their worldly status, automatically exit from the Buddha Shasana. Even though they may pretend otherwise, they become anti Dharma. Though, through the inertia of feudal considerations, they may still be considered sanctified and holy, in actuality they are no longer qualified to practise or impart the Dharma to others.
Those who attempt to do so, merely create further negative karma for which each amongst them is personally responsible. For while they are alive, they might succeed in fooling the world into believing in them and remain objects of unrestrained adulation and receivers of donations from devotees and disciples, however, at the time of death, it is only their collection of unskillful actions will accompany them into the beyond!
The second issue relates to the level of the Two Accumulations of the purported Karmapa incarnation. It is an accepted principle within the Buddha Shasana that as far as the level of the Two Accumulations of the person, to whom prostrations and offerings are being made is concerned, should he not be the authentic incarnation, his level of Accumulations of Merit and Wisdom will automatically decrease with time. This will necessarily bring about a deterioration in the daily life situation of that person which will be visible to all.
The manner in which HH the XVIIth. Gyalwang Karmapa, Trinlay Thaye Dorjee is growing in stature and acceptance, not the least by the Govt of Hong Kong and the Russian Federation, with the Govt of India too throwing its weight behind him, is its own testimony to his authenticity.
In direct contrast is the evolving situation with the purported Karmapa incarnation Urgen Trinlay Dorje, who has been 'derecognised' by the Govt of India. His mentors and promoters Tai Situ and Tshurphu Gyaltsab Rinpoches are governed by various strictures of the Govt of India with regard to their movements whilst the former is under investigation for various breaches of the law.
The Royal Govt of Bhutan has reportedly initiated steps to cancel their Bhutanese passports as well. Similarly their efforts to establish themselves merely result in unseemly controversies as has happened with their monastery in Bodh Gaya as also the proposed complex on NH 31 at Chalsa near Gorubathan, WB!
The third is that moreover, the Dharma Protectors will ensure that such a person will be unable to continue as the Karmapa, for an extended period of time.
This had happened in Tsurphu, Tibet, the Seat of the Gyalwang Karmapas, in the early part of the twentieth century. The young son of an aristocrat had been erroneously installed as the 16th incarnation of the Gyalwang Karmapas. The reasons behind the XIIIth Dalai Lama acceding recognition to that youngster, are not known. Reports state that the youngster had fallen off the roof of the monastery when merely 14 and got killed.
This had then paved the way for the installation of Rangjung Rigpa'i Dorje as the XVIth Gyalwang Karmapa, the Dharma King loved and worshiped by all who encountered him! It is historically known that Xth. Gyalwang Drukpa had played a pivotal role in the recognition of Rangjung Rigpa'i Dorje.
The historical context of this issue must be emphasised. It was from 1640 CE that the Fifth Taala'i Lama, also termed the Great, had begun the process of squeezing the Xth Gyalwang Karmapa, Choying Dorje, during a protracted and bloody war. This war had claimed the lives of countless monks and nuns and the destruction of hundreds of monasteries merely because they were not Gelugpa. This process later culminated in the squeezing out of existence the Shamarpa incarnations in 1792.
These and various other events highlight the inordinate antipathy the Gelugpa tradition of the Taala'i Lama has held towards the Karma Kagyu. Relations between the present Taala'i Lama and the XVIth. Gyalwang Karmapa were strained to state the least. This is thus a crucial factor in the current controversy and must necessarily be factored into any analysis.
Moreover critically, the 4th. Taala'i Lama had been assassinated even before his enthronement, by the Lhasa aristocracy. None know what happened to the 6th. whilst from amongst the 7th to the 12th not one had lived the entire span of their natural lives, courtesy political conspiracies involving Lhasa and China. The 13th had emerged as the one strong personality after the Great Fifth.
The present 14th Taala'i Lama continues a puppet to the whims and fancies of various foreign powers who have skillfully manipulated him against the interests of his host country India and its immediate neighbours. All this is well documented! His elder brother Gyalo Thondup, who continues to play a crucial role in all the decisions taken by the Taala'i Lama, is hardly a saint in any case.
Given such a tumultuous background, it is only the uninformed or those with specific vested interests, who would ever take the 14th. Taala'i Lama and his pronouncements concerning the Gyalwang Karmapa seriously.
Subsequent to his flight to India Mar 31, 1959 the Taala'i Lama ceased to be the King of Tibet and continues to be regarded merely as the Spiritual Leader of Tibetans by the international community. This too is a misnomer for the simple reason that he is merely the Lineage Holder of the Gelugpa tradition of Tibetan or Himalayan Buddhism. The others such as Nyingmapa, Sakyapa, the various Kagyupa traditions and the Bon, each has its own Head of Tradition totally independent of the Taala'i Lama.
He has been heading the so called Govt of Tibet in Exile based in Dharamsala, HP, India, which is little other than a paper tiger and not recognised by any state. It is true he leads the Free Tibet Movement and is regarded as the political leader of Tibetans merely by those peoples alone.
For the rest of the world he is little else than an erstwhile head of state of Tibet who has lost his kingdom and continues to live in India, having been granted political asylum by India. He has no political locus standi at all; his attempts to impose his erstwhile status merely a cause for amusement, lacking entirely in legitimacy or any substance whatsoever. The seals, logos and headings he uses to invoke his erstwhile authority have no validity in the modern world.
It is true that using this facade, he has emerged as having a tremendous nuisance value for his host country India, and in many instances for his own peoples even though they mostly swear by him, his purported omniscience, infallibility and quality of leadership.
The sins of commission and omission committed by him, his elder brother and his so called Govt of Tibet in exile, read like an unending though extremely fascinating litany. Foremost amongst them are their refusal to accept provisional Indian citizenship for refugees offered by Jawaharlal Nehru, the sale of priceless Tibetan objet d'art by Gyalo Thondup in the international market, the failed coup attempt in Bhutan 1974-6, the assassination of Gungthang Tsultrim, General Secretary of the Khampa Tsog kha chusum, or the Association of Thirteen, May 1978, the bounties of Rs. 100,000/- placed on the heads of Their Holiness the XVIth. Gyalwang Karmapa, Dudjom, Dilgo Khyentse, Pema Norbu and Ven. Dzonang Rinpoches in the late seventies. It was within this context that attempts had been made to poison HH Pema Norbu Rinpoche at least on three occasions, as also Ven. Dzonang Rinpoche.
None knows what happens to all the funds donated to the Taala'i Lama under various heads! But this is Asia where feudal lords are to be followed not questioned! They may do as they please, their lack of rectitude not withstanding!
The XVIth. Gyalwang Karmapa had repeatedly exhorted his disciples to abjure politics, an injunction which has clearly remained unheeded by his immediate disciples. It is amply evident that the training of a politician is in direct conflict with spiritual training, their concerns and dynamics being totally different.
It was this same muddled thinking which had preferred to recognise a Tibetan boy as the 17th. Karmapa even though the entire thing was clearly a manipulation with the sordid intent of dismembering Sikkim from India. These Tibetan feudal and religious lords would rather have an impostor as the Karmapa incarnation in the form of a Tibetan they could manipulate, rather than a genuine multiracial person born in an Indian form. It is amazing indeed that these very same religious leaders, who had considered the XVIth. Gyalwang Karmapa as the Buddha, had sought to deny the XVIth. Gyalwang Karmapa his prerogative to chose his next incarnation -- surely they must have considered themselves and still do, as superior in wisdom to their Principal Master in thinking and acting thus!
Thus it was that the most beloved of His Holiness' disciples, HE Jamgon Rinpoche, was made to needlessly die in a created BMW car accident near Siliguri April 24, 1992 so that he would not uncover the carefully hatched Sino-Tibetan conspiracy concerning Urgen Trinlay Dorjee. The resultant takeover by pro-Chinese and pro-Taala'i Lama forces, of Dharma Chakra Centre, Rumtek, the attack on the Karmapa International Institute in New Delhi Mar 23, 1996 which went on for nearly four hours and captured on video, by followers of the Taala'i Lama and Tai Situpa -- these are all dark blots in the history of Tibetan Buddhism particularly the Karma Kagyu. Even now, when they have a racially pure Tibetan Karmapa in the form of Trinlay Thaye Dorje, this muddle headed feudal leadership whilst continuing with its perfidy, refuses to acknowledge him in his rightful place.
It would thus be preferable to use the term Himalayan Buddhism to refer to these traditions of Buddhism divesting it of the prefix Tibetan, a term replete with political and nationalistic connotations. These merely detract from the purity of the Dharma!
This person who is impersonating as the Karmapa, will himself feel uncomfortable in various ways as he knows that he is in actuality enacting the role of someone he is not! He will in stages fall sick, suffer from various other psychosomatic disorders and unfavourable manifestations! The Govt of India has already reportedly withdrawn official support to him in multifarious ways.
The same would naturally happen to those who have actively promoted and supported him in this misconceived venture. His followers moreover, would be deprived of the authentic blessings of the Karma Kagyu Lineage which would thus weaken! This would be in fulfillment of the professed aim and policy of the Fifth Taala'i Lama for whom the Karmapa was anathema, a legacy which certainly continues to this day. It is mind boggling as to how Tai Situpa and Tsurphu Gyaltsabpa have both naively fallen into this trap and taken a large part of the Karma Kagyu sangha with them!
It would be in the welfare of all, were this impostor to relinquish his claim and simply vanish into thin air. The time for him to do this is right now before the going gets any rougher for him, his mentors, patrons and supporters!
Original Suit # 2199 of 03 filed by this writer is lis pendence in the Delhi High Court in which Urgen Trinlay Dorjee has already produced legally inadmissible documents bearing the seal and invoking the non-existent authority of the Taala'i Lama. The Taala'i Lama, a law unto himself and answerable to none, has naturally not presented himself in court. Tai Situpa is watching the proceedings through his lawyer, rather than having the courage to face up to the accusations leveled at him and his protege!
It is also simultaneously true that the Buddha Activity of the Karmapa cannot be strait jacketed by racist whims and fancies as has been the attempt since the early eighties. The Gyalwang Karmapa belongs to Indians, Russians, Americans, Europeans, Chinese -- in short, the entire human race, not just Tibetans alone as many believe in their myopic confusion!
In fact, he belongs to the entirety of the universe!
Who then are we to even attempt to qualify him?
The unfortunate part of life is that it is extremely easy for people to create situations which merely further the suffering of themselves and others. Conditions for the perpetration of happiness are few and far between as is only too evident currently.
It is certain however, that, in spite of any other non spiritual concerns and confabulations, the truth must become self evident.
The Government of India has demonstrated exemplary farsightedness when it derecognised Urgyen Trinlay Dorjee as being the 17th Karmapa as reported in the Hindi daily Dainik Jagaran, New Delhi edition dtd Dec 24, 08. Details are awaited from both the Central Govt and the Govt of Bihar.
It is thus that we all await the emergence of the authentic Karmapa incarnation to lead his followers along the path of righteousness and rectitude in the full majesty of his high calling!
Iti shubham! Munger, Bihar, India March 30, 2009
