Breaking news via Bernie Simon on Twitter: Venerable Khenpo Karma Tharchin Rinpoche has suffered “a small stroke,” but he “appears to be doing well.”
A student of Buddhism since the age of twelve, Rinpoche was ordained at twenty by His Eminence the 11th Tai Situ Rinpoche at Palpung Monastery. By the time he was thirty, he had received his Khenpo degree. After fleeing Tibet, following the Chinese occupation, he lived in Bhutan and later taught at Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim.
In 1976, His Holiness the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa asked him to go to North America to establish a seat and monastery for Kagyu Tibetan Buddhism there. Eventually settling in Woodstock, NY, Rinpoche founded Karma Triyana Dharmachakra (more popularly known as KTD).
His many books include The Instructions of Gampopa: A Precious Garland of the Supreme Path and the brilliant Dharma Paths.
The 16th Karmapa once said the following about Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche: “He is a master of the Karma Kagyu tradition and is most learned in the origin, differences, and respective aspects of the various stages of Buddhism, from Hinayana to Vajrayana. Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche possesses the all benefiting nature of a bodhisattva.”
The Ninth Khenchen Thrangu Tulku has composed the following “Long Life Prayer for Rinpoche”, which I will be reciting this evening:
RAP JAM GYAL WAY T’HUK JE JIN LAP DANG
Through the blessing of infinite, all-conquering compassion and
DAK CHAK LOP BANG HLAK SAM DAK PAY T’HÜ
Through the power of pure motivation in us, your students,
GYAL WAY WANG PO PAL DEN KAR MA PAY
You who fulfill the supremely victorious and magnificent
T’HRIN LE T’HAR CHHIN JE PO ZHAP TEN SOL
Karmapa’s activity, we pray that your life be long.
