A Report on Teachings by His Holiness Karmapa

American Embassy School in Delhi, India. September 17-19, 2009
by Mitra Tyler Dewar / photos by Ellen Weeren

A short time ago, I had the amazing good fortune of being requested to translate for some very special teachings of His Holiness the 17^th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, in Delhi, India, from September 17-19, 2009. It was a wonderful trip, and all of His Holiness's activities went smoothly. His Holiness spoke fondly of his trip to the United States last year and was in very good spirits and excellent health, and his teachings were wonderful.

At the Gurumaa Ashram, a multifaith-inspired spiritual practice center, His Holiness was received and introduced by the ashram's founder and principle teacher, Anandmurti Gurumaa, a woman of great eloquence and presence. Her community, with each of its members swathed in white cotton attire, received His Holiness with great pomp and enthusiasm. Both Gurumaa and His Holiness gave short talks in front of an assembly of Gurumaa's students. The students had a nice energy about them and also did some lovely prayers, accompanied by amplified music and rhythmic hand clapping, all of which having the effect of causing at least one translator to resist the urge to shake that shakti out a little bit.

In his remarks, His Holiness talked about his respect for the land and people of India, and the historical context of the great Tibetan masters highly valuing the opportunity to be in India. He said he tries to emulate this example, and that he held this respect and faith toward India with every step he took during his escape from Tibet. He planted a tree sapling before he departed the beautiful ashram and its sprawling property in Sonepat (Haryana State).

At the American Embassy School, His Holiness engaged in a full day of activities as the guest of honor for the school's celebration of International Peace Day.

In the morning, he was greeted by faculty and administrators and offered presentations and slide shows detailing the history the school, its partnerships with the Tibetan Children's Villages, the highly Buddhism-friendly mission statement and methodologies of the school. It was very touching especially to see the uncontrived and unpretentious way in which the school's children expressed their excitement to see His Holiness and interest in interacting with him.

In the morning, His Holiness gave a short talk on peace in which he said that peace is always with us but is something we have to constantly choose. In the context of this principle, he led a brief meditation session for the children. (Roughly recalled, "Test this out for yourself: is peace really always with me? Let's try to just pay attention to our breath for one minute.") Throughout the day, he gave six separate Q&A sessions for small groups of students ranging from first grade through high school. The students asked him some great questions, ranging from "How do you find peace in yourself?" to "What would you do if you were attacked?"

In the afternoon, he gave a talk to the school's high school-level students and adults. He spoke about establishing the interdependent conditions for inner peace and happiness. He said that, although practicing mindfulness and developing wisdom and compassion through the unique meditation techniques of Buddhism is important, before we do any of these things there are other conditions we need. Before we are practitioners, we are human beings and members of families. If our families are not harmonious, it is very difficult, he said, for our practice to go well. He also said that, even in the perilous times we live in, it is still possible to derive peace and a deep sense of wellbeing through dwelling within the present moment. 

At the end of the day the students etc. expressed their great appreciation for His Holiness's presence and teachings.

Throughout the other, smaller audiences His Holiness gave while in Delhi, one of the themes that seemed to run through his remarks was hope. He stressed the importance of having hope in one's heart that is unassailable, hope, moreover, in oneself, hope towards one's own future, one's own ability to contribute to the world. He spoke several times about appreciating that whatever happiness one enjoys, it comes about due to other sentient beings. In addition to that, the world itself as an environment is a source of benevolence toward oneself. Taking time to reflect on this, he said, can be very transformative.

I felt incredibly lucky to have the chance to serve as His Holiness's translator during these teachings and to carry the good wishes of all students of Nalandabodhi into his presence. I had the chance to present His Holiness with gifts on behalf of the entire Nalandabodhi sangha, and to formally ask His Holiness for his blessings for all of our activities for the benefit of self and other, and especially our activities of service to our teacher, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, to flourish.

And, of course, I conveyed our sentiments that we are eagerly awaiting the next opportunity to welcome him back to the lands of the West, and that we are aspiring that this next opportunity will arise very soon!