|
|
- Early
Childhood
His Holiness the Seventeenth Gyalwa Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje,
was born in 1985 in the Lhothok, Tibet. He was called "Apo
Gaga" by his older sisters when he was a little boy. Apo
Gaga was sent to Kalek monastery in his early age and received
a special education by the abbot of Kalek monastery.
- Identification
and Confirmation
In May of 1992, Apo Gaga was officially located in Lhothok†
region of Tibet. Not only the locale in which he is living matched
the place described by the prediction letter left to Tai Situ
Rinpoche by the Sixteen Karmapa but also the names of the parents
and the boy himself all matched what the prediction letter has
described. His Holiness the Dalai Lama and His Eminence Tai Situ
Rinpoche also confirmed the identification.
- Returning
to Tsurphu
After a short time spent at Kalek monastery, preparations were
made for the journey to Tsurphu where His Holiness received his
early education in dharma studies from His Eminence Tai Situ Rinpoche,
His Eminence Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche, and the late Drupon Dechen
Rinpoche, the abbot of Tsurphu. The return of the Seventeenth
Karmapa also brought back the physical rebuilding of Tsurphu Monastery
as well as new building such as the Shera was added.
- Escape
to India
During the years at Tsurphu Monastery, The Karmapa's activities
were restricted from teaching his disciples and receiving teachings
from his lineage masters. In order benefit the sentient beings
with his future teaching and receiving teachings from his lineage
masters His holiness decided to escape from Tsurphu Monastery
to India. On January 1, 2000, as the Western calendar marked a
new millennium, His Holiness began a new journey. Just a few days
earlier, on December 28, the fourteen-year old Karmapa, left Tsurphu
Monastery with a few of attendants, and secretly escaped from
Tibet. On January 5, he arrived safely in Dharamsala, India where
he met His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.
- Present
Since that time, His Holiness Karmapa has been living temporarily
at Gyuto Ramoche Tantric University near Dharamsala. At Gyuto,
he has been able to continue his studies in Buddhist philosophy
and receive instructions, transmissions, and empowerments of Karma
Kagyu vajrayana practices from masters of the lineage. His principal
tutor has been Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, an eminent scholar of
the Kagyu lineage.
|
|
