Thursday, 24. June 2004: Graz, Austria
Gyalwa Karmapa travelled to Graz, Austria with Lama Ole, Hannah Nydahl and the accompanying party. In Graz H.H. Karmapa gave theMilarepa initiation to 1,600 dharma students from Austria and other parts of Europe.
Sunday 26.-27. June 2004: Vienna, Austria
Khenpo Chödrag Tenphel Rinpoche, the spiritual director of the studies and meditation program and the practitioners welcomed the 17th Karmapa, Trinlay Thaye Dorje in the Karma Kagyü Sangha (KKS) Buddhist center. Later Gyalwa Karmapa gave the Lung for two important texts and practiced the Mahakala ritual with members of the center attending.
On Sunday morning children of the Sangha enjoyed an audience with Gyalwa Karmapa. Subsequently something took places which was rightfully termed a “centennial event” by Khenpo Chödrag Rinpoche: According to the Tibetan calendar this day was the birthday of Guru Rinpoche as well as his chief female disciple Yeshe Tsogyal. Furthermore, in the present Tibetan year of the Monkey, from a Tibetan astrological point of view, this day was a so-called “Day of the Monkey”, which is very rare and said to be very auspicious. On such days the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa always used to celebrate a Ganachakra. The 17th Gyalwa Karmapa celebrated the Karma Pakshi Ganachakra with members of KKS.
In the afternoon Gyalwa Karmapa gave a public teaching on the „Four Noble Truths, a way to bliss”. Afterwards he bestowed the empowerment as well as the reading transmission on the Green Tara in the tradition of the 1st Karmapa.
