The Karmapa Prophecies

530 Pages·2010·134.957 MB·English

by  Sylvia Wong

The Karmapa Prophecies

The Karrnapa Prophecies
Sylvia Wong
MOTILAL BANARSIDASS PUBLISHERS
?RIVA TE LIMITED • DELHI
First Edition: Delhi, 2010
0 2009 by SYLVIA WONG
All Rights ~!lerved
ISBN : 978-81-208-~480-4
MOTILAL BANARSIDASS
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Cuuer art: 18'" century Lhangka from Tsurphu Monaslery.
Cover art details: 9'" Karmapa ( cenler), 6'" Shamarpa ( righl),
I 0'" Karmapa (left), and 7'" Shamarpa (lower left).
Cover art: polished by Ruby Shiu
Cover design: Michael K. Wong
Boolc tksign: Michael K. Wong
Printed In India
By Jainendra Prakash Jain al Shri Jainendra Press,
A-45, Naraina, Phase-1, New Delhi 110 028
and Published by Narendra Prakash Jain for
Molilal Banarsidass Publishers Privale Limiled,
Bungalow Road, Delhi 110 007
Contents
Glossary .................................................................................................................................... ix
Introduction·····························-···················. . ··········································································· 1
Part One: On Prophecies and Visions ............................................................................. 17
Introduction to Part One. ...................................................................................................... 19
1. The S'h Karrnapa 's Prophecies ................................................................................. 21
2. On the Visions of Chokgyur Lingpa-Geshe Dawa Gyaltsen ...................... 51
3. On the Prophecies of the 16'hK armapa-Geshe Da-,va Gyaltsen ................ 67
4. Guru Rinpoche's Prediction Resurfaces ................................................................. 83
Part Two: Clarification of History ................................................................................... 99
Introduction to Part Two ....................................................................................................... 101
5. AMisquoteofShakabpa ........................................................................................... lOS
6. Misrepresentation of the 6"' Shamarpa .................................................................. 111
7. The lOhKarrnapaNarrates ....................................................................................... llS
8. Grudges Did Not Lead toW ar ............................................................................. 123
9. The Chagrno Lama ...................................................................................................... 131
10. The lOh Sha!narpa........................................................... .. ........................................ 139
11. KarrnaChagrned .......................................................................................................... l49
Part Three: Karrnapa'sAd.ministration at Risk .................... ....................................... 155
Introduction to Part Three ................................................................................................... 157
12. Malaise in Rwntek ......................................................................................................... 161
13. Tulku UrgyenRinpoche's Views. ............................................................................. l71
14. False Accusation and Failed Bribe .................................... ................................... 175
15. OneTrusteeTrickedtoResign ................................. .......................................... 181
VI THE KARMAPA PROPHECIES
16. How Three Rinpoches Became KCT Trustees ................................................. 187
17. The Dissolution of the Four Regents ................................................................... 193
18. SiruRequestsMeetingin 1986 ................................................................................. 197
19. Shamarpa's Search Proves Promising ................................................................... 203
20. Groundless Rumblings Target T opga .................................................................... 207
21. Shamarpa Announces Karrr~apa Thaye Dorje's Name in 1991 .................. 211
22. Siru'sPredictionl..etter .............................................................................................. 213
23. Final Meeting withJ.ungon ...................................................................................... 217
24. RoychoudhurySpeaks Up ......................................................................................... 221
25. DiscordinSikkirn ........................................................................................................ 225
26. On the Sale ofTa shi Choling ................................................................................. 229
27. ARealityCheck ............................................................................................................ 243
Part Four: The 17'hK arrriapa Controversy .................................................................. 249
Introduction to Part Four ........................................................................................................... 251
28. Topga Arlalyses Siru's Prediction Letter ................................................................ 253
29. On the So-called "Hean Sons"-Shamar Rinpoche ........................................ 275
30. Praise Their Own and Denigrate Others ............................................................. 279
31. WhoisAkongTulku?-Karrria Wangchuk ........................................................ 285
32. Bite the Hand that Feeds-Jigme Rinpoche ....................................................... 293
33. A Red Herring ............................................................................................................. 303
34. Rumtek Monastery-Karrria W angchuk .............................................................. 329
35. OneVajraCrown ....................................................................................................... 343
36. Limidess Karrria-Geshe Dawa Gyaltsen ............................................................ 355
37. DelhiHighCourtAsksforProof .. ,. .................................................................... 365
38. The Dust Settles ........................................................................................................... 375
Bibliography ........................................................................................................................ 399
Appendix A: Letters and References .............................................................................. 401
A-1: ChandraDasDictionarydefinition of"Natha" ................................................. 402
A-2: LenerdatedNov 11,2005 fromKhenpo TseringtoL. Terhune ............... 403
A-3: Excerpt from Tibet: A Political History, Shakabpa: page 98. ........................ 405
CONTENTS vu
A-4: Situ Rinpoche's prediction letter and M. Martin's translation ........................ 406
A-5: Cover of videotape distributed in Taiwan ........................................................... 408
A-6: 2006 letter from Rumtek Monks to Tenzing Chonyi of KlD ..................... 409
A-7: The 5'"Dalai Lama's Hierarchy of Lamas -17th Century .............................. 413
A-8: Chen Li-An's secret meet in Gangtok exposed in Indian Express ............... 420
A-9: Letter dated July 19, 2005 from Khenpo Chodrag toM. Brown. ............... 421
A-10:Letter dated Jan 31,2006 fromJigme Rinpoche toM. Brown ................... 424
A-11 :Letter dated Sep 19, 1983 from Jamgon Rinpoche to L. Terhune .............. 425
A -12: Letter dated Sep 21, 2004 from Professor R. Thurman ................................ 426
A-13:Karmapa Ogyen Trinley quoted in Sikkim news-NOW!. ............................ 427
A-14: Institution of Shamarpas absent in Karmapa the Sacred Prophery .................... 428
A-15:Letter from Akong to Chief Minister N.B. Bhandari .................................... 436
A-16:Letter from Shamarpa to Bhandari dated January 15, 1994 ........................ 437
Appendix B: Karmapa Charitable Trust Letters and Minutes on Tashi Choling ... 441
B-1: Letter dated Nov 10, 1986 from Topga to Bhutan Gov't ............................. 442
B-2: Karmapa Charitable Trust minutes dated May 5, 1988 -excerpts ............... 443
B-3: Reply dated June 7, 1988 from Bhutan Gov't to KCT ................................... 445
B-4: Letter dated June 14, 1988 from Topga to Bhutan Gov't ............................. 447
B-5: Letter dated Jan 31, 1989 from Bhutan Gov't to KCT .................................. 450
B-6: Letter dated Feb 19, 1989 from T.S. Gyaltsen to Bhutan Gov't ................... 451
B-7: Letter dated March 9, 1989 from Topga to Bhutan Gov't ............................ 455
B-8: Agreement dated June 1, 1989 between Bhutan Gov't and KCT ............... 456
B-9: Karmapa Chartable Trust minutes dated April13, 1989 .............................. 458
B-1 0: Karmapa Charitable Trust minutes dated Sep 3, 1989 ................................... 461
Appendix C: Court Decisions and Reports on Rumtek Monastery ...................... 463
C-1: The Gangtok, Sikkim Court decision dated August 26, 2003 ........................ 464
C-2: The Supreme Court decision on appeal July 5, 2004 ....................................... 469
C-3: 1bree bulletins on court case filed in Gangtok, Sikkim ................................... 471
C-4: Inventory check at Rumtek. ..................................................................................... 481
vw THE Kt\RMi\P PROPHECIES
Appendix D: Tibetan Originals of the Prophecies .................................................... 483
D-1: The sd• Karmapa's prophecies in Tibetan ............................................................. 484
D-2: Guru Rinpoche's Book of Predictions-excerpts ............................................ 487
Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ 489
Index ...................................................................................................................................... 490