“The [Karmapa’s] repository burned down around the year 1644, during the late Ming period when it was set ablaze by Mongol forces. At that time, Gusri Khan, the Khoshut prince and founder of the Khoshut Khanate, led a large army into the Tibetan region, defeating the Tibetan rulers who supported the Karma Kagyu tradition. This… Continue reading THE SIXTEEN ARHAT STATUES OF THE KARMAPA “LOOTED AND EXHIBITED” BY GELUGPA: Origin, history and style of sacred “Yongxuan” Arhat statues gifted to the 5th Karmapa by the Chinese Yongle Emperor, looted by the Mongolian-Gelugpa invaders, and stored for centuries in Drepung Monastery, and the inaccurate sourcing and lack of objective “analysis” of the origin of such artworks by contemporary “western” scholars and art historians
Tag: yongle emperor
THE 5TH KARMAPA WHO SAID ‘NO’ TO WORLDLY POWER: 5th Karmapa’s refusal to take control of Tibet; Je Tsongkhapa; famous Chinese translators, Zhiguang and Palden Tashi; the Chinese ‘Marco Polo’ explorer, Zhenghe; and a $45 million thangka. Good Deeds teaching by 17th Karmapa (Day 10: Part I).
“For the teachings of the Buddha to flourish, there is no one greater than Dezhin Shekpa, Karmapa”. Je Tsongkhapa In Day 10 of the Good Deeds teaching, (see video here), the 17th Karmapa continued to explain the remarkable connection between the 5th Karmapa, Dezhin Shegpa and the Yongle Emperor(永樂, r.1402-1424), including his refusal to take… Continue reading THE 5TH KARMAPA WHO SAID ‘NO’ TO WORLDLY POWER: 5th Karmapa’s refusal to take control of Tibet; Je Tsongkhapa; famous Chinese translators, Zhiguang and Palden Tashi; the Chinese ‘Marco Polo’ explorer, Zhenghe; and a $45 million thangka. Good Deeds teaching by 17th Karmapa (Day 10: Part I).
EMPRESS XU’S DREAM REVELATION OF A SUTRA BY AVALOKITESVARA AND ADVOCATE OF WOMEN’S EDUCATION. ‘Good Deeds’ by 17th Karmapa (Day 9: part 2)
Empress Xu (徐皇后) (1362 – 1407) with her husband, Yongle, Ming Emperor Today, is a short post about the Empress Xu (徐皇后) (1362 – 1407), consort of the Yongle Emperor, her background and life, and the teaching the 17th Karmapa recently gave about her connection with the 5th Karmapa, Dezhin Shegpa, and an extraordinary dream in which Avalokiteśvara dictated… Continue reading EMPRESS XU’S DREAM REVELATION OF A SUTRA BY AVALOKITESVARA AND ADVOCATE OF WOMEN’S EDUCATION. ‘Good Deeds’ by 17th Karmapa (Day 9: part 2)
OFFICIAL SEAL OF APPROVAL: White jade seal, paintings and precious objects given by Chinese Emperor to the 5th Karmapa, and other Tibetan seals, their language and origin. ‘Good Deeds’ teaching by 7th Karmapa (Day 9)
5th Karmapa pictured with the Yongle Emperor In the first half of day nine of the teachings on ‘Good Deeds’ by 8th Karmapa, HH 17th Karmapa gave an account of the birth and early life of the 5th Karmapa, Dezhin Shegpa (1384-1415), and explained, in particular, his connection to the Chinese Ming emperor, Yongle. Today’s… Continue reading OFFICIAL SEAL OF APPROVAL: White jade seal, paintings and precious objects given by Chinese Emperor to the 5th Karmapa, and other Tibetan seals, their language and origin. ‘Good Deeds’ teaching by 7th Karmapa (Day 9)
The Chinese and the Karmapas: Historical survey from the 2nd to 19th Karmapas
"Marvellous indeed is the play which comes to its end before a large audience. The duty of a monk is to go wherever a peaceful place is to be found and to help spread the doctrines through compassion to all beings." –4th Karmapa, Rolpe Dorje to Chinese Emperor and Ministers Tibet has always had a strong… Continue reading The Chinese and the Karmapas: Historical survey from the 2nd to 19th Karmapas