Anchoring the Dharma in the West: Advice from the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa

On July 13, 1978, when the 16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje wrote a letter from his seat Shedrup Chökorling in Rumtek, Sikkim, concerning his vision for maintaining Dharma in the West, he had already taken several long trips to the United States and Canada between 1974 and 1976 and throughout Europe from November 1974 to February 1975 and again in 1976 and 1977, sowing the seeds of liberation in the minds of beings from all walks of life.

In the early 1960s Westerners looking for meaning—like the poet Allen Ginsberg, the Tibetologist Gene Smith, the French director Arnaud Desjardins and his wife Denise, the French artist Yahne Le Toumelin and the Danish couple Hannah and Ole Nydahl—came to meet His Holiness in Rumtek, his seat in exile.

In 1963, he sent Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche to Great Britain and Kalu Rinpoche to the United States in 1971. Then, he was invited to Europe by Gelongma Palmo by way of Georgina and Étienne de Swarte and to America by [1] Tenzin Dorje Namgyal Rinpoche (the Canadian George Leslie Lawson), ordained by the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa himself.

In 1975, he met Pope Paul VI at the Vatican, a key milestone for the recognition of Buddhism in traditionally Christian countries.

The Karmapa’s mind is unlimited, and his vision is as well. As Jigme Rinpoche attests in Radiant Compassion,

The first step Gyalwa Karmapa took in the Western World was like the appearance of the Buddha himself […] From his first trip to North America and Europe, Dharma spread throughout the entire world. We cannot grasp the extent of his influence because it is immeasurable.^[2] 

In a letter written in 1977 the day before his departure from France, concluding his European tour, the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa said,

In the West, there have been many great scientific and technological advances, some of which have brought great benefit. However, these advances cannot bring peace of mind and it is the appreciation of this which has given rise to a spontaneous interest in the precious teachings of the Buddha Dharma on the true nature of mind. The project to establish Dhagpo Kagyu Ling was conceived out of this spontaneous interest.

In this same letter, His Holiness indicates that in order to reply to the interest in the Buddha Dharma, more infrastructure is necessary. He notably refers to plans for the construction of a tsug lag khang (an environment of study and practice), a great teaching hall, a retreat center (drub dra) where the six yogas of Naropa and the profound Mahamudra path can be practiced appropriately, a library capable of holding the Buddha’s teachings in their different aspects, and particularly the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

This is a condensed version of the Karmapa’s wishes to make the Buddha Dharma accessible in the West in all its authenticity, a project that will lead ‘countless beings to an understanding of the true nature of mind.”

Then, in his letter from 1978, he addresses—in a wider way—the United States, Canada and all of the European countries he visited, where he observed an aspiration for the Dharma and a commitment to it. In this letter, His Holiness recalls the immense efforts carried out by India’s mahasiddhas—the countless difficulties overcome by the Tibetan translators “to receive both the Dharma of the sutras and tantras from the renowned panditas and accomplished ones of the Noble land [of India]” thanks to whom “numerous places where study, contemplation and meditation were applied have expanded and flourished.”  For example, he recalls that in Tibet, Marpa the translator travelled to India on three occasions, encountering many difficulties, in order to receive instructions on the profound and secret tantras, which he practiced until he realized and was able to transmit them. 

He adds:

Due to the timely conditions of the great bodhisattvas’ previous aspirations, without forcing anything, the inhabitants of the world in the East and the West devote efforts to meet the lamas with the sole purpose of understanding the meaning of the Dharma despite the difficulties. Without knowing the language, they still attend the pujas, sitting in the back, and they are always filled with confidence, aspiration and joy. If you look, the mindstream of these beings is endowed with the awakened filiation of the Mahayana—this is certain. I believe that it is possible to newly plant, in their countries, the foundation bases for the authentic Dharma due to causes, conditions and auspicious tendrels.

In order to support the ripening of these tendrels, Karmapa sent masters such and Nenang Pawo Rinpoche, his representative Jigme Tsewang, Khenpo Rinpoche Tsültrim Gyamtso and Lama Gendun Rinpoche in order to develop the authentic Dharma.

Karmapa asked his disciples to help spread the authentic Dharma with their body, speech and mind, and he ensured them that he would take care “in this life and the next ones, that it goes in the proper way.” This is how the profound connection between teacher and student is established, with the master’s blessing and the student’s open heart. 

^[1] Cited in Gerd Bausch. Compassion rayonnante. Regards sur la vie et l’activité du 16e Gyalwa Karmapa Rangdjoung Rigpé Dorjé. Tome 1. Editions Karuna, Darmstadt, Germany. 2022. p.11

^[2] Op.cit. p. 241