Thu, 29 May 2008
First Meeting
Here's the story of the first time I met the Karmapa. I think I've told this story before, but you start repeating yourself as you get older.
I first met the Sixteenth Karmapa when he did the Black Hat Ceremony in Washington. That was back in June of 1977 at Georgetown University. I got a ride down with Mike and Pat, that was before I had a car. The auditorium was filled, but it was a smaller space than those the Seventeenth Karamap has been using. Before the ceremony a young lama (I think it was Ponlop Rinpoche) came out and gave a dharma talk. I did not unserstand a single word he said. After that was the Black Hat Ceremony. The ceremony was pretty simple. A monk did the traditional mandala offering on a mandala plate, then another monk carried a hat box with the black hat up to the Karmapa. The Karmapa took the hat out of the box and held it on his head while he silently recited one mala round of the mantra, "om mani padme hum." After that, the hat went back in the box and we all filed past to receive the Karmapa's blessing. Everyone received candy as tsok and a protection cord, the first one, I think, I ever got. The attendant monks found a soda machine and all stood around drinking sodas. Fresca was a favorite. And that was that.
