Inauguration/
meeting with Mr. Shia

On the morning of February 17, one day before the beginning of his official programme, the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje visited the new dharma centre of Beru Khyentse Rinpoche in Hong Kong to conduct the inauguration ceremony.

Preparations for the inauguration had been going on until the last moment: the whole place had been freshly painted, adorned with thangkas (roll paintings of Buddhist deities) and lavishly decorated with magnificent flower bouquets offered by various members of the Hong Kong sangha for the auspicious occasion.

Tormas (ritual food offerings) and elaborate offerings had been prepared by the Karmapa’s monks, and a number of precious relics were exhibited in Beru Khyentse Rinpoche’s private room.

Long before the ceremony started the place was already packed with practitioners waiting for the ceremony to start, and the staircase was lined with plastic bags containing the shoes of the devotees.

When Gyalwa Karmapa arrived he mounted the throne which had been prepared for him, and the inauguration ceremony started with a mandala offering presented to him by Beru Khyentse Rinpoche, as well as the traditional offering of ku sung thuk (symbolic offering of enlightened body, speech and mind). Karmapa’s monks then continued with the recitations for the inauguration.

The atmposphere is vibrant with expectation

Tea and rice were served to all the participants, and after the recitations were completed the members of the centre queued up in front of Gyalwa Karmapa’s throne to present him with katas (white offering scarves) and other offerings and to receive his blessing. A generous buffet with Chinese delicacies had been set out at the back of the centre, and after the end of the ritual everybody was invited to share the delicious food.

After a break for lunch, Gyalwa Karmapa went to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center where he received Mr. Shiah, an old disciple of the 16th Karmapa.

Mr. Shiah who is based in China was a devoted  student and sponsor of the 16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje.

He is a dharma teacher as well as a master of painting and Feng Shui and has numerous students, a large group of whom he brought along on his visit to the Karmapa.

Mr. Shiah first had a short private meeting with the Gyalwa Karmapa in a secluded area of the big hall. Meanwhile, rows of chairs were set out in a quiet corner for Mr. Shiah’s students, and after the private meeting the Karmapa addressed the group, saying that he much appreciated that they had all gone to the trouble of coming such a long way. He added that he would make wishes so that they would eperience growth and development in all areas of their lives, and advised them to do their best to make some time for dharma practice on a regular basis.

“I understand that while we are here, as human beings, we have no choice but to engage in the material world. But nevertheless, I think that to find a balance between this world and the spiritual dimension is very beneficial. So therefore I would like to ask all of you to make the best possible use of your time and your life.”

At the end of their meeting with Gyalwa Karmapa all of Mr. Shiah’s students one by one went before him to receive his blessing and advice.

Meanwhile, last-minute preparations were being made at the venue of the five-day event, due to start on the next day: a big stage was being set up for the throne of Gyalwa Karmapa and the monks’ benches, and the monks were busy preparing an elaborate sand mandala and the tormas and offerings for the Chenresi empowerment.