Fri, 26 Jun 2009
Tendrel
Today they're celebrating the Seventeenth Karmapa's birthday. So far I've had little contact with the Karmapa. I've only seen him once, at the Medicine Buddha empowerment in New Jersey. But there's a term in Tibetan, tendrel, that stands for the many subtle connections between phenomena that exist between phenomena. And I believe that the Seventeenth Karmapa's blessing has worked in many subtle ways in my life. I first met Michael in a Tibetan language class. He gave me some pills that had been blessed by the Karmapa from his trip to Tibet. I asked Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche what to do with them and he told me to wear them in an amulet around my neck. The Tibetan class ended when our teacher left for New York. I heard little from Michael, who lives in Annapolis, until we talked during Lama Gursam's visit. At that time he told me about Lama Phurbu Tashi. So I believe the Karmapa crated a connection that brought me together with my teacher.
