To the Noble Sangha

Having just read Chris Randol's lovely, full description of the visit of the XVIIth Gyalwa Karmapa to Boulder this last weekend, I am inspired to add a few reflections.

I am hardly an authority on the visit, not having worked on it, and having attended only two events, but the events I witnessed were overwhelmingly beautiful. All the sanghas intermixed for the first time in recent memory--since His Holiness Khyentse Rinpoche's tour of the major centers, following the Vidyadhara's Paranirvana in 1987. Macky Auditorium was filled with older and younger vajra brothers and sisters, and many newer people, who--you could tell by the look on their faces and their brief comments--were amazed and delighted by the radiance of what they had just experienced. Over 4,000 people saw His Holiness in one day here.

His Holiness's manifestation was indescribably harmonious, precise, leonine, awake; he has a thorough education; he answered the questioner beyond the question; he showed great humor and didn't pretend to know any special "secrets" (as he put it), as the Vidyadhara did. At one point His Holiness said that, while doing visualization practice of deities with many heads and arms would be difficult, in the future it would be easy for him to visualize us. He was very loving, and very easily so.  He said that nothing could stop him from returning to us in the future. Many tears were quietly flowing.

I sensed a great relaxation descend over the larger community, now that the unifying principle of His Holiness' enlightenment has once again been made apparent. And I sensed a great sadness at the same time somehow. The Vidyadhara said, "sadder and sadder," apparently referring to how one progresses on the path. In any case, whatever wounds one has sustained are brought to light in such gentle, wakeful air. Maybe this is an old warrior's observation, or maybe it is always true--heaven knows.

"May the great mind mandala of Mahamudra be present!"

-Bill Karelis