The Special Connection
with the XVIth Gyalwang Karmapa: 9

Akong Rinpoché and the Karmapa Succession: Part Three

"So, this year .... Situ Rinpoché wrote to the other eminences, two years ago, to say that he had very good news [5] to tell and could they all meet in Rumtek. But somehow there has been some delay for two years: one (rinpoché) is free but another is not free. Somehow they were not able to meet. So this year he put a demand that this year, on Tibetan New Year fifteenth day, “I will be arriving in Rumtek and I hope that all of you will be able to come because we have to make a decision . If some of you are not able to come then I will have to make the decision because it is late now and if we can’t make a decision this year then that will have been three years’ delay.” So he cannot leave things static and he put a demand letter. Rinpoché asked me to go to Rumtek after the New Year for a meeting so I also went there on March 15th and then the actual meeting that they are able to hold with all the four regents or four eminences: the first meeting is March 19th and the second meeting is March 20th. Thus I was able to take part in some of the meetings. That was the first time he was able to show this particular letter to the other three eminences. Everybody, all the eminences, very very pleased. There were some obstacles but the obstacles were not that big but the decision that was made was that Jamgon Rinpoché have to go to Tibet this year because he has to give initiations in Tsurphu and at the same time his job is to find the XVIIth Karmapa. Then, on July 29th, we were to have a second meeting and Jamgon Rinpoché would report the reincarnation that he found and then August 15th the announcement would be made publicly: that was the decision. Everybody made that decision.

At the same time, Jamgon Rinpoché and Gyaltsab Rinpoché and Situ Rinpoché they had some kind of intuition ... or they had their own meetings and on the 19th and or the 20th there should be some letters, three letters, sent for the preparation of Jamgon Rinpoché coming so that Jamgon Rinpoché would not have to do all the travelling. So they asked me to go to Beijing on March 29th ... most people think I’m going for meeting invited by Chinese but that’s tiny lies [smiles, laughter] ... I had to go to Beijing to take three letters to three particular people to start looking for the reincarnation. My job actually started therefore on March 29th... I actually involved ... not just involved in Rumtek itself and after passing of Jamgon Rinpoché ... I was involved at quite an early time. My job was to send the letter—to take them to the right people—and then to come back and wait until July 29th. Then the sudden accidental death—or death whatever the cause—still it is a mystery, the passing away of Jamgon Rinpoché—that (Situ) Rinpoché asked me to come for the ceremony for seven days. So I went to Rumtek on May 1st and when I got there, there were some few obstacles—you can hear different rumours from different people but rumours are not that important for us—but anyway my job is not just to sit still and do nothing and since I came to Rumtek for the ceremony then Gyaltsab Rinpoché and Tai Situpa theyhad many meetings between themselves. They also invited Shamar Rinpoché but unfortunately Shamar Rinpoché said that he have to be in retreat .. so .. we are unable to communicate but since we are unable to communicate on another hand there is some urgency since we have to find the XVIIth Karmapa.

Then both rinpochés ask me would I be able to go to Tibet to find the XVIIth Karmapa and to carry out the job which was Jamgon Rinpoché’s main meant to be doing. I told them that I had only the one suit I was wearing ...[laughter]... not much money in my pocket...[laughter]...but Rinpoche told me "You can buy suits in every shop ...[laughter]... that’s not an important (reason) to go back to England" and that they can arrange some money for me but this is very urgent and very important and I have the responsibility. So I .... there is officially and unofficially. Officially, I am the representative of Situ Rinpoché and Sherab Gyaltsen is the representative of Gyaltsab Rinpoché—he is his treasurer—and our job is to go to many monasteries that have a connection with Jamgon Rinpoché, within the forty-nine day period of prayer. That was our "label": we have to go to Tibet in order to request prayers for forty-nine days. Unofficially, our job is communication with Tsurphu to find the XVIIth Karmapa as soon as possible, to bring (him) back to Tsurphu and then the two rinpochés will come to do the first ceremony which is hair-cutting ceremony.

Since I have the job and not much choice, I accepted and went to Nepal on May 9th and on May 16th we arrived at Tsurphu. Before we left Nepal, we communicated to Tsurphu and requested that, as we are not able to act officially , could they go as a search party, four or five days earlier than us, so that it is not something obvious that we are coming to find the child. So that’s what they did: went five days earlier than us. When we left Tsurphu we said it was very urgent for us to get to Palpung monastery because that’s Jamgon Rinpoché’s monastery—Jamgon Rinpoché and Situ Rinpoché—and so we have to go there very early on. This urgency was expressed and the Chinese government gave all the permissions needed.

When we arrived in Chamdo, the search party had found (him) successfully and we met in Chamdo. Then when they told us all the news—good news—of what they found and where he was found, in a place called Lhatok and a village called Bagur. When they were in the Lhatok area they asked they came from India and have many letters and they have to give a letter to someone called Mr Loga and so they asked whether there is someone called Mr Loga in the Bagur village. The answer they got was that there was a woman called Loga but no man called Loga. So they have one clear sign, because the Karmapa’s mother is called Loga . Then they asked what was Loga’s husband’s name and they were told Dondrup.In the prediction letter it says that the father’s name is Dondrup and mother’s name is Loga, so there is no more question. The boy was eight years old and born in the Wood Ox year . So there is no kind of question raised about everything predicted in the letter and they have 100% trust. Then they went there—to Bagur, the homeland—and brought His Holiness to a place called Lhatok, into the monastery, until we arrived there.

Since we are the representatives of Situ Rinpoché and Gyaltsab Rinpoché, our duty is to still investigate, to make sure this is the right one. Also, we have all that is necessary, the yellow clothing in which he should be dressed, the special protections that should be offered to him and so on ... that’s our job to do (those things).[Goes to blackboard and points to photo of two people in snow]. So this is where we started—me and Sherab Gyaltsen. It is May but still snow [points to photo of four people sitting on ground in snow] .We wanted to go down through Kham and some people heard I am coming so they came to welcome me. This is just before Chamdo itself. [points to another group photo] This is another Kagyu rinpoché from Chungpo area and he works now in the education department in Chamdo. We told him we were going to find the Karmapa and so we three went together. [points to another photo of outdoor scene] This is roughly the area, the Lhatok landscape. This is Bagur, the area where the XVIIth Karmapa is, near village. This is actually where he was born. You will see small stones: the stones are the place where they were putting tent. This is the father and he sits where the Karmapa is actually born and we are all sitgting together there and these are our horses. On the way there [points to another photo], this is the footprint of Ling Gesar and when we came to seek His Holiness the XVIIth Karmapa, this is the first picture [points to picture of “Apo Gaga” before recognition]. As you can see, we don’t see much difference with any other boy. ....

Then we offered—when we see there is no more question—this yellow chuba , the first official offering [pointing to picture of K17 in golden chuba]. [Now points to picture of Amdo Palden] And then this particular yogi-saint was looking after His Holiness Karmapa from long before birth itself, he was involved. [points to another photo] And this is the first ceremony of purification of the XVIIth Karmapa. These are the before photos.[another photo] This is the Tsurphu monastery where His Holiness Karmapa resides at the moment. During the Cultural Revolution time there was not even a single building left. All this has been rebuilt within ten years. That was a picture taken on June 15th . Our job, as representatives for the ceremony (of Jamgon Rinpoché) was finished on June 14th because that was the end of the forty-nine days. Then we went back to the Chinese officials and said "Now we want to change the label. [laughter] Can we be representatives of two rinpochés for the enthronementof His Holiness Karmapa because now the Karmapa is found and they are in India and we are already here."

They said okay, you can go ahead and do that. Then the label for our assignment is to be the representatives of the two rinpochés for the preparations for the future of the Karmapa. "