Wed, 11 Jun 2008
Karmapa Wrapup
The Seventeenth Kamapa's visit is long over and all that's left now is the sweeping up. The Krmapa Visit blog is reduced to flogging the merch that they couldn't move during the visit and fishing for inspirational stories. The picture of the Karmapa frowning while drinking Starbucks coffee is making the rounds. There was a famous picture, taken more than thirty years ago, of the Dalai Lama smiling while drinking a Coke. I'm sure that Starbucks would have preferred something similar. The picture graces the blog of a Buddhust who attended the Karmapa's talks in Seattle. He liked the talk, but apprently was put off because the Karmapa attracted so many filthy hippies.
Nothing makes me want to head the other way more than a large crowd of Buddhists at a Dharma event. It is the weird combination of a "New Age" vibe, hippy dippy commentary and attitudes, and a general feeling like I'm in the middle of a giant human herd.
