Flooding in Europe: Karmapa’s message

September 21, 2024

Thaye Dorje, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, shares the following message on the recent floods in Europe.

A transcript of the letter follows:

Dear Dharma friends,

It is with profound sadness that I have been following the news about the devastating floods in Central and Eastern Europe these past few days. The record rainfall brought on by ‘Storm Boris’ has wreaked havoc in several countries, as illustrated by the shocking images of torrents of water ripping through towns, flooded roads, evacuated districts, and gentle streams turned into roaring torrents.

The death toll has risen to over twenty, and tens of thousands of people have had to be evacuated, leaving behind all their belongings. Thousands of farmers have seen their harvests destroyed, and countless people face the ruin of their livelihoods.

While the worst is considered to be over in many places, others still have a long way to go. Moreover, it is only now, with water levels slowly falling, that the whole extent of the destruction is starting to become visible, and it is becoming increasingly clear that clean-up operations will take a long time.

Such natural disasters are a source of tremendous suffering to countless human and non-human beings, and I am praying whole-heartedly for all the individuals affected by this calamity.

As always, I would like to encourage all my fellow practitioners to dedicate their aspirations and the merit of their Dharma practice to them, so as to alleviate their pain and help them find peace and comfort.

Please also include in your thoughts and wishes all those who have been working tirelessly to diminish the impact of the disaster: the firefighters, the members of the police and the army, and the countless volunteers. Without their selfless efforts, the catastrophe would have been even worse, and many more lives would have been lost in the floods.
May all beings be free from suffering!

Thaye Dorje, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa