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Emergence of another Karmapa |
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Even before claims and counter-claims between two Tibetan monks on the Karmapa issue could be amicably settled, a third monk, this time from Sikkim, has laid claim to being the 17th reincarnation of Karmapa or the spiritual head of the Tibetan Kagyu sect. Speaking in Chandigarh on June 28, Dawa Tsangpo Dorje, a 25-year old Sikkimese monk, accused the Dalai Lama, who has extended his patronage to Orgyen Trinley Dorje, who escaped from Tibet last year, of being biased towards Tibetans, he said the Dalai Lama would never agree to recognize “a poor Sikkimese boy like me” as Karmapa. He accused the Dalai Lama, Trinley Dorje’s mentor Situ Rimpoche and certain Sikkimese politicians like Nar Bahadur Bhandari of “conspiring to enthrone Trinley Dorje as the 17th Karmapa and to lay their hands of the untold wealth and assets of the Kagyu sect”. He also charged that “Situ Rimpoche is hand-in-glove with the Chinese and part of a larger conspiracy to emerge as the political head of a more autonomous Tibet in exchange for parting with control over Kagyu assets”. Dawa Tsangpo explained that this would become possible because no further reincarnations of the Dalai Lama had been ordained. He sought government of India’s intervention in resolving the succession issue. However, the Tibetan Government-in-exile, which supports Orgyen Trinley Dorje has termed as baseless the claim of Dawa Tsangpo Dorje as the genuine Karmapa. In a statement, it said being the spiritual head of the Tibetans, it was the choice of the Dalai Lama that the people would accept.
Ever since the arrival of the 17th karmapa, Orgyen Trinley Dorje, from Tibet in January last year there have been two other claimants for being the head of the Karma kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism. One is Thaye Dorje, who is being backed by a senior regent, Shamarpa Rimpoche, and the latest claimant Dawa Sangpo Dorje. In view of the dispute between the two rival Karmapa’s the Government of India has repeated requests from Trinley Dorje and the Dalai Lama to allow him to go to the Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim, the Seat of the Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Trinley Dorje celebrated his 17th birthday at Gyuto Tantrik Monastery on June 28 because he has not been allowed to even go to the Sherabling Monastery, also in Himachal Pradesh.
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