“The name of Gyaltsab (Regent) is not only a mere name. It is necessary that the name matches its meaning. So one does not need to introduce the meaning of the name with long, wordy explanations, but that it is clear by itself inherently. . . Nowadays, I deeply feel that it is so rare to have a teacher’s body, speech and mind without any affectation like Gyaltsab Rinpoche, I feel great reverence for him and believe in him deeply. The reason we are able to receive teachings from him in person, is due to eons of karmic accumulation. It can never be just some sheer good luck.” –17th Karmapa (2024)
Today, 6th July 2025 is the 71st birthday commemoration of HE 12th Gyaltsab Rinpoche, one of the most important Karma Kagyu lineage masters, historically and currently. HH the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa has also, recently on several occasions, spoken about how crucial the Goshir Gyaltsab lineage has been for the preservation and continuation of the Karma Kagyu teachings, and activities of the Karmapas and that without the Goshri Gyaltsab tulku lineage, particularly during the time of the 8th and 10th Karmapas in particular, the Goshri Gyaltsab master was central in importance in “governing all the monasteries in central Tibet” keeping the Dharma alive there with his “gentle,” “delicate” methods. Constantly governing, protecting and propagating the Dharma when the lineage suffered from the “calamity” of the Mongolian invasion and destruction of Karma Kagyu shedras, property and texts with the support of the Gelugpas.
Yesterday, and today (5-6 July 2025), I was fortunate to be able to commemorate that birthday in person with Rinpoche, with first an incredible Mahakala and Mahakali puja to pacify the Mamos and obstacles of natural disasters and catastrophes, in which due to the vajra mastery of Gyaltsab Rinpoche, the primordial awareness “descending” and the brilliant chanting and music of the Kagyu monks, and my own practice and devotion of the Karmapas joint protectors, Rangjung Gyalmo and Black-Cloaked Bernagchen, the primordial awareness protectors descended and took full”possession” of my body, speech and mind.Opening the central channel right up and melodies of devotion, longing, wrathful compassion and bliss pouring out.
In the evening, there was a small “private dinner” birthday event for about hundred people in an Indian restaurant on the outskirts of Taipei, which I was kindly invited to, even though again another female had tried to block someone inviting me, more on that in the report too. The 17th Karmapa’s sister, who had also attended the final day of the Kagyu Monlam also attended the dinner, although to the disappointment of myself and am sure many others, the 17th Karmapa was absent (no reasons or explanations given) [1].
Today, the second day was the birthday itself, the morning of which was chockablock, as we say, with strange energies, and obstacle-makers acting as volunteer “policemen” (with almost zero prior connection to Karma Kagyu and Karmapa or it seems interested in participating in the ritual) manhandling me and telling me to move from chairs that were empty for no reason and treating me like some common criminal. Some of the female volunteers rudely and aggressively even tried to block me entering the actual room at times, even when one of the organiser volunteers had saved a seat for me there One woman I have never met before kept insisting I leave my seat even though it was empty when I sat down after everyone had been seated and when I refused trying to explain to her that the seat was not taken and also that the seat had been saved for me, she threatened to call the police, seriously! I have never been treated in such a strange and disrespectful way at a Dharma event before and it also left me feeling unwelcome and a bit shaken/disturbed. I resisted the strong temptation/pride of my ego mind to leave the event and not return for the afternoon empowerment. However, there seemed to be a lot of mental energy being focused on me by many of the female volunteers, which I did not find flattering or friendly! Every time I looked round, there were several people openly staring at me and when I looked at them they did not smile or look away. It was kind of creepy and overbearing at times, and did not feel flattering, although to be fair many other people kept telling me how beautiful I was too ha ha ha. When I walked in the room many “heads turned” to put it mildly, ha ha ha. More on that “drama” in the report!
To be fair, this also happened a lot when I was just walking around the streets of Taipei. People openly staring like I was an alien and not looking away when I looked at them. Although I did notice there were generally hardly any white people, or foreign tourists in Taiwan the whole time I was there, especially compared to other big cities (and I have been to many), so perhaps it was the novelty I presented there too. Have no idea why anyone would seek to be famous though, no thanks!
However, after the event, I spoke to a couple of people I had met there briefly and they told me they were also shocked and upset at the way the event volunteers had treated attendees, and that it seemed to be mainly about who was paying money, and that others had found the volunteer “gatekeepers” there rude, aggressive and intent on making people feel like they were “worthless” unless they were being seated in the VIP seating area at the front.
However, despite the rather strange energy and “disturbing” morning events, which also seemed to “disturb” Rinpoche’s mind too this morning, the afternoon event of the 1st Karmapa’s five-deity Tara empowerment went much smoother, and the beautiful blue lotus flower of Tara in the heart centre as the mind empowerment was lovely indeed as a sweet taste of Arya Tārā’s Dharmakāya mind. As soon as that ended there was a lot of commotion again though, and the speeches of the Tibetan and Chinese translators about Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche were drowned out by people all chatting loudly at the back. Not so sweet….ha ha.
In any case, “Dharma drama” aside, it was a joy to be able to participate at the event and to support one of Karma Kagyu great lineage masters. However, without the 17th Karmapa there too, it really felt like something was “sorely missing” and not quite right. Some speculated there that he could not get a visa, which was odd considering his sister was there. Others stated it was political decision or driven by Gelugpa sectarian annoyance at the Karmapa’s absence at their recent religious conference in Dharamsala on 2nd July. Whatever the reason, his absence was heartbreaking and obvious.
For other original research, reports, and translations about the Goshir (some say Goshri) Gyaltsab Lineage and activities, see here. Below is my report of the birthday event, rituals and dinner, with some personal observations thrown in for entertainment and information!
Music? Gyalwang 17th Karmapa offering long-life ritual to Gyaltsab Rinpoche at an undisclosed location in January 2025 and Long-Life Prayer for Goshri Gyaltsab Rinpoche composed by the 16th Karmapa, Rigpe Dorje. Green Tara mantra by Dakini Songs/Adele Tomlin.
The importance of the Goshri Gyaltsab Rinpoche lineage for the Karma Kagyu and Karmapas
As I documented in my Treasury of Lives biography for the 2nd Goshir Gyaltsab (གོ་ཤྲི་རྒྱལ་ཚབ ༠༢ བཀྲ་ཤིས་རྣམ་རྒྱལ། 1490 – 1518), Tashi Namgyel here, his intervention and participation in the recognition of a young boy as 8th Karmapa (especially when a fake candidate had been pushed forward by many), was essential for ensuring that the correct candidate, Mikyo Dorje was chosen for the right reasons. And how right he was about that! The 8th Karmapa went on to have one of the most prolific, vast and deep Collected Works in the history of Tibetan Buddhism.
Then, later the 17th Century in particular, after the brutal, violent Mongolian army invasion of Tibet supported and led by the Gelugpas, that led to the institution of the political tulku lineage of the Dalai Lama (a Mongolian name), the 6th Gyaltsab Rinpoche (who some say was the biological son of the 10th Karmapa, Choying Dorje and his Naxi consort, conceived when he had to flee into Chinese exile in Yunnan, and live like a beggar there for many years. He was not allowed to return to the Karmapas’ seat Tsurphu in Tibet, for almost twenty years and the Karmapa’s precious property and sacred gifts from Chinese Emperors were stolen or destroyed by the Gelugpa-Mongol alliance. At that time, 6th Gyaltsab Rinpoche and the 8th Khenting Tai Situpa both became important preservers of the Karma Kagyu and Karmapa lineages using Lijiang and other parts of South China, Yunnan, to set up a temporary base. Those monasteries are still flourishing today, unlike the huge Little Potala in that region consturcted by the Gelug “army” which is now a tourist “Disneyland” type attraction. Karma works in not so subtle ways. For more on my trip to Lijiang, in which I document these five main Karma Kagyu monasteries there, see here.
Then, more recently, in the 20th century, HE 12th Gyaltsab Rinpoche was said to be key to ensuring the preservation and continuation of the Karma Kagyu activities and teachings at Rumtek Monastery, when the 14th Zhamarpa wrongly used the Indian military to storm Rumtek monastery and try and take over it by forceful means. For more on that see the recent podcast with Mick Brown, author of the Dance of 17 Lives, here.
The 17th Karmapa has also mentioned on more than one occasion the stainless samaya of Gyaltsab Rinpoche and this is clear for sure. Despite pressures on him to no doubt capitulate to Gelug sectarian agendas and ways, and to other pressures from other factions whose attitudes and activities run counter to and block those of the 17th Karmapa, Gyaltsab Rinpoche has never faltered it seems, and remained true to his guru and samaya.
In that respect, I was therefore delighted to have been able to spend last night and today, celebrating Rinpoche’s birthday (which was also attended by the 17th Karmapa’s sister, Chime Pelzom, as their guest). Interestingly she was seated next to the monastic sangha, on a higher seat on the stage (seemingly in contravention of Vinaya norms and rules) and displaying a nepotism, which is not normally seen in the Karma Kagyu circles until recently.
July 5th Karma Kagyu protectors ritual: Mahakala and Mahakali and “Dharma Drama” over seating and VIP status seating of volunteers
On the first day of the weekend events in Taipei (5th-6th July), there was an incredibly powerful and stunning Karma Kagyu Protector puja to pacify the Mamos (not momos!) to ward off and avert natural disasters and hindrances, which went on for several hours, of which the chanting by the monks and nuns was blissfully brilliant. As the horns and bells and drums rang and drummed, the central channel, body, speech and mind were taken full possession of by the joint protectors of the Karmapa, Rangjung Gyalmo and Mahakala Bernagchen. Lots of hissing, laughing, and full on roaring of a wide open central channel.
Before the ritual, after everyone had gone inside the main hall, I entered and managed to get a seat third row back from the front, there were several empty seats there. One Taiwanese woman I do not know and never met sitting on the same row (who later when I asked told me she was a volunteer on the first aid team), shouted at me that these were VIP seats only and I had to move. I responded that if she wanted me to show her some respect, I will prostrate to her feet and proceeded to touch her feet with my hands (and Indian tradition for showing respect) to which she started shouting how rude, aggressive, tardy, blah blah I was. When she said I was coming late (even though the event had not even started), I realised she must have been focusing on me far too much, and expecting me to turn up one or two hours before the event like everyone else to desperately reserve a seat. However, I never do that because it is a waste of time and normally wait until everyone has got seats before getting my own. In any case, as this was coming from woman I do not know at all, rather than react to her overt hostility and jealousy, I felt compassion for her and her neediness to be seen as important (VIP etc) and explained to her kindly that all the things she was saying about me were her mind and within her. I said it was better for her she did not speak to me like that again, which seemed to have some silencing effect.
On a more general note, there is always the Dharma drama and politics at such Buddhist events, particularly directed at me by people I have often never even met, know or spoken to! I seem to cause a bit of a “competitive commotion” wherever I go (men and women, although women in particular), wonder why? ha ha ha. Perhaps it is because I do not seek the same external types of validation from them or as they do, or their “office type politics”? Or is it just plain old jealousy?
Anyway, the emotions seemed to be running high, which is also a sign that wisdom is nearby as they say ha ha ha. The vajra mastery of Gyaltsab Rinpoche ensured things ran smoothly, as did the Protectors, and I managed to keep that unoccupied seat there despite the intense, and rather strange protestations by unknown people to be removed. The ritual went on for hours, and at times my ordinary ego mind and body, felt like having a break (and a coffee ha ha) but no chance, the Dharma protector energy was relentless and they also had things to say and show. Including one very intense part where Rangjung Gyalmo/Remati with Phurba/Dagger in hand kept stabbing a yellow hat Gelugpa on the floor with it, and saying (in Tibetan) the yellow hat Gelugpas must leave Tibet and the 17th Karmapa must go to Tibet soon as his activities are being too restricted by them in India and other places.
During the final chants and dedications, the protectors left, and I went into a vajra union with the 17th Karmapa on the top throne where his photo was displayed, and the “deal was done” as they say. Karmic conditions came together in a most auspicious and fitting finale, despite the intense emotions and obstacles in the hall and environs.
Interestingly, even though the image of Palden Lhamo/Mahakali used for the ritual event, was a two armed solitary version, the one that appeared continually in my mind was the four-armed version in union with Mahakala and sometimes solitary too. Here are some photos of the event posted on a Facebook page:
The 17th Karmapa’s sister, Chime Pelzom attended the 12th Gyaltsab Rinpoche birthday events as a “VIP guest” and was interestingly given a higher seat than the monastics sitting there (contravening ordinary protocol and Vinaya rules regarding laypeople and monastics). It also seemed a rather nepotistic thing, which is normally unusual in Karma Kagyu events. For example, at Tsurphu monastery, Tibet when the 17th Karmapa resided there as a young boy, his parents were treated no differently it seems from other laypeople meeting and visiting him. In addition, in Buddhist philosophy respect is given in terms or realisations or vows and practice, not based on family relations, which is considered a more worldly quality.
In any case, despite his sister’s presence at the event, the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa’s public absence was notable and people (including myself) speculated what had caused him to be unable to get a Taiwanese visa, especially as his sister had been able to do so. None of us knew the actual answer to that question though, other than the Karmapa himself perhaps.
Taiwanese President Lai Chin De’s Congratulatory Message
After the ritual finished, offerings and mandalas were offered to Gyaltsab Rinpoche by the attendees and a letter was read out in Chinese and English from the Taiwanese President, which I have copied here below. It is interesting to note that there had been prior reports of an earthquake possibly happening in Taiwan:
“It is with great pleasure that we extend our sincere congratulations on the day of the puja for National Protection and Calamity-Relief to be held on July 5, 2025.
We earnestly commend the continued promotion of the noble ideals of benefiting society and bringing well-being to the people. May this puja further illuminate the profound spiritual essence, foster unwavering faith, cultivate inner peace, and strengthen the collective resolve. It is our hope that, through such efforts, we may jointly contribute to building harmonious and vibrant communities throughout our cities and countryside.
We wish the event every success and all participants good health and auspiciousness.
President: Lai, Chin-de”
Evening birthday dinner celebration with HE 12th Gyaltsab Rinpoche, and the 17th Karmapa’s sister as guest of honour
After the first day ritual, there was a private evening dinner with birthday cake cutting for Rinpoche, at an Indian restaurant (they served Chinese food though, and I love Indian food ha ha) on the outskirts of Taipei.
Even though, some also tried to block me from being invited to the birthday dinner too, I was kindly invited by one of the Taiwanese female organisers who was an admirer of my work/website. I was late, due to a variety of obstacles, being told an hour before where it was it was an hour train ride outside central Taipei), not having any cash on me (I had “lost/misplaced” my purse temporarily the previous day), no cash on my metro travel card etc and at one point as I was travelling on the metro to the restaurant, I thought I might miss the dinner itself! Laughing and crying.
However, the karmic causes and conditions, and protectors (as well as Rinpoche’s and the woman’s vast kindness) ensured I got there in good time before the cake-cutting and with an arranged seat and food saved for me. Needless to say, a few faces visibly dropped their smiles when they saw me turn up there, body language never lies as they say, but I tried not to let it spoil the dinner there.
Thankfully, all the food was vegetarian too (unlike other so called Buddhist events I have attended like Vesak day in Ho Chih Minh City, where delegates had meat options available if they wanted!). Surely people can give up eating murdered animals for a day or two?!
The 17th Karmapa’s sister was also seated at the “top table” with Rinpoche when I arrived, and the dining hall had about one hundred volunteers from the event, and monastics. The birthday cake was very feminine and lovely, lots of pink roses (love the flowers).
There was a very brief song by a Taiwanese man (who I later found out created some music for Ralang Monastery, Sikkim, the monastery of Gyaltsab Rinpoche) but sadly the volume was very low (his voice or the mic) and so it was mainly inaudible (and a little out of tune). I had requested a couple of time before and there that I would like to offer a brief song for Rinpoche, especially now the “dakini central channel” voice was in full flow, but I was told it was not possible time-wise and due to it having been arranged months before. It was a little disappointing that the spontaneous offering was not accepted, but I knew the karma was there of having offered it, and that is the main thing. It was a very joyful event, and felt like singing and offering some of that joy and gratitude!
An unexpected “gift” of HH 17th Karmapa’s blessing cord from his Thailand trip
As I left the Rinpoche’s private birthday dinner event, with the kind woman who had arranged my seat and invite there, a Tibetan monk who had been working for the Tsurphu Labrang for twenty years (he told me), approached her and offered to share his taxi with her to central Taipei. We both had been planning to get the metro train back, about an hour’s journey, so it was great timing he offered to share his car ride with us there.
I had seen this monk over the years many times in India, Nepal and other Karma Kagyu monasteries, and he also remembered seeing me many times he told me. The monk then kindly offered myself and the woman a blessing thread each, white and blue entwined (see photo) that he told us had been blessed by the 17th Karmapa himself recently in Thailand. I asked him where the Karmapa was and he said he did not know.
The hotel the monk was dropped off at, which he said some nuns who were staying there had offered him a room at, was a five star one at a costly (for most ordinary working people anyway) 8000 TWD per night. As a “poor” lotsawa/translator backpacker traveller, I was struggling to find a decent room on Saturday night for 2000 TWD, a quarter of that price, and realised again the huge amounts of money that are spent on these events, and on hosting the people attending many of whom, with all due respect, other than busy talking and walking around here and there, who (I might be wrong) but do not seem to really be doing that much for the Karma Kagyu, Karmapa or the Buddha Dharma!
Five-Deity Tara teaching and empowerment: the blue lotus heart/mind empowerment
The final day today, ended with Rinpoche giving a lovely and profound teaching on the importance of transforming emotions like anger, desire and so on in Vajrayana and how in that respect we can use negative emotions wisely on the path.
I have received the five-deity Tara empowerment a few times now from Rinpoche, including recently in Bodh Gaya, but this one was quick and not very detailed. As I had recently translated the long introduction to the new Five-Deity Tara text composed by the 17th Karmapa (see here) from Tibetan to English, I was familiar with the visualisations and entered into the mandala of the empowerment, even though Rinpoche did not explain it at all. The mind empowerment of the blue lotus flower of Tara into the heart chakra was stunning and blissful though and sealed the day in an auspicious way. TAM!
Heavy-handed “policing” and blocking by unknown volunteers at the Taiwan event
As a more general observation, as someone who has attended many Karma Kagyu events in India, Nepal, SE Asia , the “policing” by mainly female volunteers wearing red vests with Taiwan Karma Kagyu Association written on them, yet who seem to have had no real prior connection to the Karmapa or Karma Kagyu and certainly were not participating in the rituals, was heavy-handed, rude and excessive to say the least. Several female volunteers whom I did not know and had not spoken to, insisted I not enter, sit at the back, even though there were many empty seats at the front, after everyone had seated and just before it was due to start. They even tried to stop me entering the hall and taking a seat arranged for me by one of the organising volunteers. I tried to tell these women (who came up to me in a group) that a seat had been saved but they continued to block my entry.
On the second day this weekend, the heavy scrutiny, policing and focusing on me by the female volunteers there reached a new low/peak and I was even barred from entering the event itself. I then felt I had no choice but to explain to them that I had sat inside previously and had translated many texts and research on the Karma Kagyu and Karmapas, but the volunteers (most of whom spoke no English) refused to discuss it and just rudely told me to leave. It was all rather strange indeed, and it started to feel like unseen beings were deliberately disrupting the event who were anti Karma Kagyu and Karmapa. One woman even threatened to call the police when I refused to leave an empty seat I had sat down on! I think the police probably have much better things to do than deal with such minor trivialities, but there you go. Cultural differences and all that, right?
One woman whom seemed “well-connected” and seemed to be telling the volunteers what to do at the back of the hall, I tried to seek help from, even told me that it was all equal there and so we should just sit anywhere, I tried to explain to her that I had been told to leave an empty seat, even one at the back, and also that there were rows of reserved VIP seats at the front, several of which were empty. So it was not true that everyone was being treated equally there at all. She then got annoyed with me and swore saying not to speak “sh**” (charming!).
In any case, I also realised tha perhaps Taiwanese are much more “strict” and “rule-focused”, many people there were still wearing surgical masks for example, even though COVID is an endemic virus and restrictions were lifted globally a year or so ago. I am also more used to the relaxed and Dharma atmosphere of Indian and other SE Asian Dharma events (the other extreme perhaps) where people sat where they wanted generally, unless there were a few special guests [2]. However, it seems many others were also unhappy at how they had been spoken to, handled and treated by the volunteer gatekeepers there, and felt it was excessive too.
When I tried to take a photo of how many volunteers there were seated at the back who who targeting me, I was told not to take any photos, even though people at these events were taking everyone’s photos without permission or consent, including mine! In any case, I took this one which does not identify anyone individually/blurry, and most of them are wearing face masks anyway.
Endnotes
[1] Interestingly, the 17th Karmapa did not attend the religious conference on 2nd July in Dharamsala with other lineage teachers to discuss the succession of the 14th Dalai Lama. I was relieved to hear he had stayed away as it was a politically motivated event, about the continuation of Gelugpa sectarian power and aims, and of no real benefit the “bigger cause” of Tibet, Tibetan Buddhism as a whole, and harmony and less conflict between India, China, Tibet and SE Asia. More on that perhaps in another article, although frankly I am rather tired of saying these things and it falling on mainly “deaf ears”!
[2] It sadly reminded me again of all those “VIP laywomen” at the Marme Monlam concerts organised by the 17th Karmapa with “dollybird” women MCs and music business managers given front row seats, yet a publicly recognised translator-scholar-practitioner who has spent years offering body, speech and mind service to the Karma Kagyu and Karmapa, without any explicit acknowledgement or payment was manhandled and rudely told to sit at the back. Wisdom and karma has funny and sad ways of showing you what you really do not want to see or look at, right!? ha ha. Anyway, it is OK because I know that when people do such things, the only people they humiliate and embarass and “look cheap” are themselves. Compassion, love and patience but also wisdom are the practice after all.