Karma Pakshi

The 2nd Karmapa, Karma Pakshi (1204 - 1283)

Extraordinary child, at ten years, it had already acquired the comprehension of the philosophy of the dharma and the meditation. Its Master, Pomdrakpa, had received the transmission Kagyupa of Drogön Rechen, the spiritual heir to the 1st Karmapa. Pomdrakpa realized that the child of which it had the load was the reincarnation of Düsum Khyenpa, as indicated in the letter given to Drogon Rechen. The young person Karma Pakshi assimilated the major lesson without efforts and needed only one reading of a text to memorize it. Pomdrakpa was made nevertheless a duty transmit all the lesson to him in order not to stop the current of authorizations of the line. The 2nd Karmapa remained a long time in méditative retirement. He visited and restored also the monasteries establish by the 1st Karmapa, and he is famous to have introduced at the people Tibetan, the song of will mantra of the compassion " Om mani padme hum ".

At 47 years, it went on a journey 3 years in China, answering an invitation of Kubilai Khan, the grandson of Ghengis Khan. One asked him to reside in China in a permanent way, but it declined the offer, not wishing to be the cause of conflicts with the school of Sakyapas, whose influence was strong in China at that time. During 10 years following, Karmapa travelled in China, Mongolia and to the Tibet, and it became famous teaching. It was particularly honoured by Möngke Khan, the brother of Kubilai, which reigned at the time, and was recognized by the Karmapa like former disciple. After the death of Möngke Khan, Kubilai became Khan. It would have made Beijing, at the time under the name of Khanbalik (Cambalou or Cambaluc, 大都, “big city”, of Turkish “qan balïq”), the capital of the whole of China, from where it controlled a vast empire. It had however an objection against the Karmapa which had refused its invitation of the years before and which had been so near to his/her brother. It ordered its arrest. It is said that the attempts to stop, or to even kill the Karmapa were put in failure by the miracles of this one. At one time, Karmapa would have " gelé" on the spot a battalion of 37.000 soldiers, by using the power of will mudra, while always showing compassion. It was finally let capture and exile, knowing that its miracles and the compassion would bring finally a change of the heart of Kubilai Khan. Turning over to Tibet towards the end of its life, it made build a 16 height meter statue of the Bouddha to Tsourphou, to achieve a dream which it had had a long time before. Little before dying, it informed its principal disciple, Urgyenpa, of the details on the birth of next the Karmapa.

See too

External bonds

Karma Pakschi

Random links: