Conditions of Stay 
Events 
"Buddhism is a way of life through which we develop the qualities of our mind.
This way of life is very unusual, as it is a means to attain happiness without harming others.
THE 17th GYALWA KARMAPA
Commemorating Shamarpa's Parinirvana with Karmapa in Kalimpong
Times and Recognition - Sunday, June 4th, preparatory rituals continue. The sand mandala is not finished and the mandala makers are busy while we perform the ritual, finishing at the end of the morning. Just about three hours of puja (for those who are familiar with it: we practiced the dakyé – visualization of oneself – and a tsok – a festive offering – of Gyalwa Gyamtso).
Commemorating Shamarpa's Parinirvana with Karmapa in Kalimpong
Considerations on drupcho (and its gastronomy) - A drupcho is a compassionate mechanism, an awakening process that dissipates obscuration and generates blessings. What is a drupcho? It is an intensive practice of a specific meditation deity over several days and in a group, in our case, Gyalwa Gyamtso, red Chenrezig.
Read more: # 8: Considerations on drupcho (and its gastronomy)
Commemorating Shamarpa's Parinirvana with Karmapa in Kalimpong
Weariness to fundamental thoughts - Today the Gyalwa Karmapa did not lead the drupcho. He came at the very beginning, walked around the mandala then went away. Just the same, everything went as if he was there. A little more intense and a little longer each day (the first day, we began at 8:00 then at 7:00, then 6:30 with the end of the day remaining at about 7:00 p.m.).
Commemorating Shamarpa's Parinirvana with Karmapa in Kalimpong
Speed, fire and possible distraction - This time it started at 6 am (half an hour earlier than expected, luckily we were warned 10 minutes ahead of time). The Gyalwa Karmapa was not present, but Lodro Rabsel and Shabdrung Rinpoches arrived the day before and joined us for the ritual of course. And most importantly, the altar of the temple was decorated with the stupa of Shamarpa with its relics.
Commemorating Shamarpa's Parinirvana with Karmapa in Kalimpong
A pile of sacred sand and a publishing house - The morning is devoted to the conclusion ritual; it is the ritual Gyalwa Gyamtso accomplished daily, but without the slow melodies and read at a human speed. In the ritual, there is a phase called "self-empowerment".
Read more: #11: A pile of sacred sand and a publishing house
Commemorating Shamarpa's Parinirvana with Karmapa in Kalimpong
Finally, the river - The departure is scheduled at 9am, and it is after 10am that the procession begins to descend towards the river. Before that, the urn with the sand from the mandala is shepherded in great pomp (the words here are weak) to the truck, the first vehicle in the long convoy, after the police van with sirens blaring, followed by the car with the Karmapa then a dozen vehicles including two small dump trucks full of motley monks.
Commemorating Shamarpa's Parinirvana with Karmapa in Kalimpong
Education and transmissions - The multitudes of competencies which roll out during the drupcho are the fruit of difficult training of preserving and passing down of knowledge which takes years. Here are some of the Karmapa’s educational projects along with the links to the activity in France.
Commemorating Shamarpa's Parinirvana with Karmapa in Kalimpong
Enthusiasm ! - We could say that Karmapa closed the ceremonies of Shamar Rinpoche’s parinirvana with the transmission of long life. Hundreds of Tibetans, Indians, and Nepalese gathered to receive it. Before the transmission, Karmapa taught in Tibetan (translated into Nepalese). Then, he gave a shorter summary in English.
June 11, 2017, three years after Shamar Rinpoche's passing, we paid homage with a day of practice dedicated to the ritual of Amitabha Buddha and closed with an offering feast (tsok).
Dear friends, next Saturday, we will celebrate Karmapa's birthday, May 6. This day will be dedicated to the practices of study and meditation.
