Trijang Rinpoche and Karmapa
Mind blowing connections between two enlightened and perfected beings!
His Holiness 16th Karmapa was very close friends with His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche. They spent much time together talking, discussing and joking. They had a very warm and close relationship for lifetimes in fact. Karmapa would even visit Trijang Rinpoche in his house with short notice. This warm, holy and sacred picture says it all. Karmapa is Chenresik and Trijang Rinpoche is Vajra Yogini. These are two living Buddhas manifesting in human form for the benefit of many beings. Om Svasti!
There is an interesting story regarding H.H. the 8th Karmapa and H.H. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche to show enlightenment has no borders no matter what tradition you hail from. Karmapa may be Karma Kagyu and Trijang Rinpoche Gelug, but that is just our labels. A fully enlightened being of the Kagyu and Gelug has no difference. Same for Sakya, Nyingma, Mahayana, Zen, Theravadin, etc. How can a Buddha be defined by time, place, tradition, sect or lineage? Impossible.
A Buddha is beyond all labels and projections. Projections arise from untamed mind with wrong view and that certainly does not apply to a Buddha mind. So someone who follows the Karma Kagyu tradition and practices diligently can be fully enlightened just like a Gelug practioner of course. Buddha’s teachings have no ultimate borders. All lineages are potent to produce Buddhas from ordinary beings. Anyone practicing diligently and correctly from any tradition can become fully enlightened.
To illustrate this point, in the time of Karmapa’s 8th incarnation Migyo Dorje, Karmapa and Trijang Rinpoche “exchanged” identity, where the mind of the previous Karmapa reincarnated into a boy who was later recognized as the new incarnation of Trijang Rinpoche, while the previous Trijang Rinpoche reincarnated into a boy who was later recognized as the 8th Karmapa, so the previous Karmapa became the new Trijang Rinpoche and practised and upheld the Gelug lineage for his whole lifetime, while the previous Trijang Rinpoche became the 8th Karmapa and learned, practised, taught and upheld the Karma Kagyu lineage for his whole lifetime.
After that incarnation, both of them reincarnated into their respective lineages again, i.e. the original Karmapa into Kagyu lineage, and the original Trijang Rinpoche into Gelug lineage. But for that one lifetime, they “exchanged” roles into each other’s lineage. This is established and accepted. Hence in the *Trungrab thangka of Trijang Rinpoche’s previous incarnation the 8th Karmapa is portrayed. Beautiful isn’t it? Karmapa and Trijang Rinpoche are both enlightened manifesting again and again for the benefit of others. How fortunate we are to live in a time and dimension that holy beings can manifest and have direct interaction with us propelling us toward liberation as taught by the Dharma of the infallible Lord Buddha.
Please share this picture with many and allow them a chance to be blessed also just like us. Seeing in this case is planting seeds of liberation in our mind streams. I am so happy to share this with everyone. I feel so blessed to see this and feel it’s such a great honour for me to share this story and picture with all of you. Please share with others.
May H.H. Gyalwa Karmapa and H.H. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s current incarnations live long, bring dharma to many and have their wishes fulfilled.
Much care, prayers and blessings,
Tsem Rinpoche
*See the Trungrab thangka of Trijang Rinpoche’s previous life as Karmapa see here.
H.H. the 1st Karmapa Dusum Khyenpa. Click on image to enlarge or click here for more beautiful thangkas.
His Holiness the 16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje. Click on image to enlarge or click here for more beautiful thangkas.
The personal Dharma Protector of the Karmapas, known as Mahakala Bernagchen, together with Dorje Shugden. Click on image to enlarge or click here for more beautiful thangkas.
For more interesting information:
- Prayers for me by HH Trijang Rinpoche & Kensur Rinpoche Konchok Tsering
- Can anyone translate biography of Trijang Rinpoche?
- Various Aspects of Tantra by His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche
- His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang
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Pictures of His Holiness 16th Karmapa with His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche tells a thousand words. Karmapa is Chenresik , while Trijang Rinpoche is Vajra Yogini. This is a true display of spirituality of two greatest masters of Tibetan Buddhism. They are really close together and have a good relationship just for benefit of beings regardless of the traditions they belong as such as Gelupa or Karmapa. Together they even cross incarnation each other, working together for the growth of Dharma. We are fortunate to see this rare photo of this Great Dharma Master.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
A rare holy, sacred and precious picture of His Holiness 16th Karmapa with His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche tells a thousand words. Karmapa is Chenresik and Trijang Rinpoche is Vajra Yogini. In fact there is a mind blowing connections between the two enlightened and perfected beings. Wow…… HH 16th Karmapa and HH Trijang Rinpoche are both enlightened manifesting again and again for the benefit of others. Interesting read showing enlightenment has no borders no matter what tradition one comes from.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
Wow…. a brilliant picture of the two greatest masters of Tibetan Buddhism. Trijang Rinpoche was a Gelugpa monk and the 16th Karmapa, a Karma Kagyu, enjoying a beautiful relationship based on respect and trust. There were no conflict between them. It seem that in one lifetime, both of them did even interchange incarnations. There is an interesting story regarding both of them. Both enlightened manifesting again and again for the benefit of others .From the picture it tell us a thousands word of wisdom between both of them. H.H. the 16th Karmapa and H.H. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche remained close friends throughout their life. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this a brilliant picture of the two greatest masters for us and merely seeing it is a blessing.
This is a powerful picture of Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, Kensur Kyabje Lati Rinpoche and the current incarnation of Trijang Rinpoche meeting together in the year 2000 when Trijang Rinpoche was 18. All three lamas are Dorje Shugden practitioners. In fact Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen was the one that first encouraged my practice of Dorje Shugden when I was 16 years old when I joined his beautiful Thubten Dhargye Ling centre in Los Angeles. I lived with Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen for 8 years before proceeding to Gaden Monastery in South India. Later Kyabje Zong Rinpoche came to our Los Angeles centre and granted sogtae (permission ceremony) to practice Dorje Shugden for life as requested by Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen. Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen had tremendous faith in Trijang Rinpoche.
Kyabje Lati Rinpoche was innovative, dedicated and very much focused on bringing dharma to many. He had tremendous faith in Dorje Shugden as I had the honour to meet him many times. He would seek advice from Dorje Shugden many times via the oracle of Gaden Monastery. Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen and Kensur Kyabje Lati Rinpoche have since passed away while the current Trijang Rinpoche is a perfect lineage holder and practitioner of Dharma while he keeps Dorje Shugden as his personal protector as he has done so for many lifetimes.
This is a powerful and beautiful picture of three great lamas of Buddha’s lineage and also of Gaden Monastery. ~Tsem Rinpoche
谢谢仁波切的分享。
很庆幸我有机缘可以在克切拉学习。
詹仁波切的上师是宋仁波切， 宋仁波切的上师是赤江仁波切， 而且赤江仁波切又和大宝法王有着微妙的关系。
在克切拉可以得到那么多位传承上师的加持是多么无比的幸福。
感恩。
I always liked HH Trijang Rinpoche’s pleasant peaceful smile, it always brought warmth to the heart. It’s such a wonderful photo to see HH 16th Karmapa and HH Trijang Rinpoche together, they look really close together and have a good relationship. I find it really cool how they “exchanged roles” into each other’s lineages, it shows how accepting they are of each others practices and how humble they are. May they have long lives for many eons benefiting many people.
Astounding! The enlightened mind is really out of this world. We cannot put the enlightened mind in a box, a compartment, nor categorized the enlightened mind into categories, this sect, that sect, this lineage, and that lineage. It would be a futile effort. This shows at our current mindset and state we are trying to fit enlightenment, our guru, into something within the definition our polluted mind for our own convenience sake. All qualified lineages will lead one to full enlightenment. We created our own obstacles therefore any of the guru is the best guru we can have because of their enlightened mind being able to help all sentient beings including us.
wishes KARMA KAGIU and GELUG LEANIDGES
inside as well as between may UNITY CHENRESIoneness be.
may KARMAPA proper one “black crown” all lamas&students see sHHarp
may TRIJANG freedom and sHHine heal world need it now&ever
MIND IS UNDUall ,this Masters show on pictuRE:Visible way
ENLIGHTMENT IS POSSIBLE,CAN HAPPEN TO EVERY ONE-MOMMENT HERE NOW
http://vajratool.wordpress.com/2011/01/10/dilgo-khyentse-yangsi-rinpoche-visits-h-h-the-17th-karmapa/
http://karmapa.org/news/hong_kong_13/hongkong_02.htm
DILGO KHENTSE YANGSI,PEWAR RINPOCHE,
TRUNGRAM GYATRUL(MILAREPA ohd harward)
are ENLIGTNENED MASTERS so tHHeir opinion is nice to know17controvercy abt TOO!
with full respect for KALON TRIPA//CTAedu do?//
LOBSAY SANGEY phd,but He is not BHUDDA!
@JALpalyul inspiRE:
HH 5KARMA KUCHEN
previous incarnations
had been find and intronizated
by KARMAPAS&SHAMARPAS
golden swan in turbulent waters ??
indeedNOW DWay monopoly position
as Gialwa Karmapa Representation
HH=HHeal need,pls pray to be all ok
with best wishes for HHDLong live
nice bardo and good reborn without
controvercy
if ole nydahl have HHDL ethics
if HHDL have ole nydahl’trust toXVIKARMAPA
my live LAST 17years looks better.
KAGIUnity wish /zero comPROmiss JAL!/
Thank you Rinpoche for this very interesting post!
The first thought that came to mind is: we can only truly understand and experience life from another’s perspective by putting ourselves in that person’s position. When we understand, we may develop empathy and separation can melt away. If enlightened beings like Trijang Rinpoche and Karmapa can “exchange lives” to illustrate this point, we should follow their example to widen our view beyond labels. As we stop focusing on the differences and start seeing the similarities we share with others, the hatred/dislike can be replaced with tolerance and acceptance. This is not limited to religious matters but life in general. For example, I had a Palestinian and an Isreali classmate who eventually became friends after they actually get to know each other.
The second thought that comes to mind is that we are all the same, we are all one. We all live in pursuit of happiness. We all experience fear. In seeing that we are not defined the lineage we belong to (Gelugpa or Karma Kagyu) but rather we are all learning Dharma with a common goal to attain peace and happiness, we will act differently and begin to practice real Dharma.
This is really amazing with the relationship of Trijang Rinpoche and Karmapa, how they share the linage and working together for the growth of Dharma, how they switch position to bring out the benefit for others, nothing can be more beautiful than this.
For the enlightened being who need to work together to benefits others, don’t even mentioned about human, we can’t work alone, so what we need to learn from here is to put down our judgmental and self cherishing mind and work harmoniously with others, with this only we can achieve more and gain the real happiness.
_/\_ Rinpoche, thank you very much for the post. I did not know H.E Karmapa and Trijang rinpoche are so close to each other. They are truly Buddhas in human form. May who ever catches their sight purify all negative karma and blessed by their enlightened power.
It is interesting to know that Trijang Rinpoche was once the 8th Karmapa and the 7th Karmapa reincarnated and became Trijang Rinpoche at that time! Buddhism is beautiful because we have different lineages and traditions, and even the though the practices, the way we chant our prayers might not be the same, but we share the same teachings from the Buddha. And most importantly, the true Dharma is transformation, not only the rituals or the prayers.
I think to all the high lamas, there is no difference between the tradition and lineage. To benefit others, they go beyond the labels that limit people’s mind. If I see obstacles greater than the purpose to serve others, then it shows I have no kindness and gratitude for what I have, because all the things that I have now are due to the kindness and others hard works.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this lovely photo and opened up our eyes and mind to see how enlightened beings go beyond labels and limitations to serve others. We should take them as our role model. 🙂
Thank you Rinpoche to share this rare photo of these Great Dharma Masters with us.We are very fortunate to witness true Dharma in action.Their sincere action shows us that true Dharma have no boundaries. Both of them display inner and outer bliss when they are together.These accomplish Dharma masters are indeed compassionate and generous.Without them a lot of rare tantric practice would be lost.It is through their devotion and commitment that ,through their tied less effort to initiate and spread Dharma to motivate it to a higher level.
Wishing their current reincarnation long life to spread Dharma to all.
The lives and work of enlightened masters are truly inspirational. They are great examples to follow and their actions are teachings in themselves. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche (the Buddha’s charioteer)in previous lives, had been Indian pandits and mahasiddhas, Ganden Tripas several times, and great Tibetan masters. These bodhisattvas return again and again to help sentient beings become enlightened by showing them the path. We are indeed fortunate to live in these times where Buddhist masters are spreading the Buddhadharma far and wide.
People asked me about the different lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. i told them it is just our labels. They are all the same and leads to enlightenment.
This story of exchanging entity between these two high liames is interesting to read, but more importantly it is very touching. From their mind, they already know the path to enlightenment. and lables such as Kagyu, Gelug are merely labels we put…
I am amazed at how Karmapa and Trijang Rinpoche “exchanged” identity and that they learnt another tradition during that lifetime. Maybe this was already pre-arranged between two of these enlightened beings before that particular re-incarnation. This is also a beautiful story for me for with this identity exchange, another tradition is learnt during that particular lifetime.
With this article, I learnt too that there is no border when it comes to enlightenment. We can all become enlightened if we do practice and learn hard enough.
What a beautiful picture of two such illustrious masters. True spirituality at its best! A celebration of commonalities and not differences which makes this a most touching imagery!.
If only we can all use this simple pictorial example of how true peace (inner and outer) can be achieved with such a relatively “easy” lesson in acceptance and tolerance.
The current incarnations of H.H. Gyalwa Karmapa and H.H. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s are back and continuing to benefit others I rejoice that they will continue to turn the wheel of dharma always!
I always thought of enlightened beings as being the nature of clear, pristine. When water mixes with water there is no difference between them and since all Buddhas have the same type of minds they can occupy the different bodies. A show of their control over life and death.
I think this is a very interesting piece of information regarding Trijang Rinpoche and the Karmapa. I think that they are definitely highly evolved beings that have returned to bring tremendous benefit to us and to ensure the flourishing of the teachings. Hence, I am sure the Karmapa and Trijang Rinpoche planned this switch as a show of their eternal and divine friendship.
They also did this because they want to show the world that both lineages are just as valid and there is no real separation. The spirit of the Karma Kagyus and the Gelug tradition is exactly the same, the difference is mere on the technical, which is the method. They are not the only Lamas to do this. Even Lama Zopa in his previous lives was a Nyingma lama and in this life, he has manifested as a powerful Gelug lama. The labels is just placed on the teachings but the spirit of each and every lineage is really the same. Wonderful! I think the message is to stick to our practice and lineage and go all the way with it.
What a beautiful photo which demonstrates the real love, harmony, peace and equanimity that can arise out of every true practitioner, whatever your faith, tradition, school or even religion. There are some similar photos of the Dalai Lama with leaders of other faiths, like the Pope or some Christian Bishops, and that same sense of harmony and understanding is pervasive in all those photos.
It’s really only all the rest of us, many levels down from these enlightened minds, who put the labels and make that distinction between what is truly good and what isn’t – that’s where all the trouble starts! The clashes, conflicts and problems that arise out of religion are very rarely from the spiritual leaders themselves, but by many of the people below, who clearly haven’t yet reached that level of understanding equanimity and compassion as their own leaders have. If we could only emulate our teachers, or those we look up to within our faiths and practice what they show in their own perfect examples, we would have saved a helluva lot of conflict and war in the last few thousand years!
I have read several accounts about Trijang Rinpoche’s previous life and his relationship he is building with Lamas from various traditions, including Karmapa. Sometimes I wonder why some people still bicker or discuss about which sects of Buddhism are better and try to defend one and oppose the other. It is really a meaningless discussion and the time spent can be used instead ot benefit others.
I think it is very beautiful to have good relationships that lasted for many lifetimes and served as examples and inspirations for many others.
What a touching and beautiful photo of H.H.16th Karmapa and H.H. Trijang Rinpoche together. One can actually feel the closeness,love and warmth between these two great Masters.The photo also reflects their love for each other , the love that they shared for eons of lifetimes together.
They are just so very comfortable in each other’s company. Their love and compassion transcends all the different traditions.
It is man who puts labels onto everything, eg a sparrow does not know it’s a sparrow – man labelled it and gave it a name. It is the same that man causes the separation between race, religions, cultures when basically we are all the same. We all aim for the same thing – Universal Peace, Love and Harmony .
The amazing story of the ‘cross incarnation ‘ between H.H. 8th Karmapa and H.H. Trijang Rinpoche clearly shows that there are no boundaries,no limitations , no labels, no segregation, when it comes to serving and benefiting all sentient beings.
What a wonderful picture of true enlightened beings who practised the Dharma and lived in bliss. No labels, separation nor differences prevail within their mind stream as all they do is to live their lives in many many reincarnations to benefit all forms of sentient beings.
Thank you, Rinpoche for giving this teaching and the conviction that as long as the upholders of all spiritual practices are pure and authentic, the basis of spirituality is same. To live a virtuous life to benefit all and space that we are in.
In order to understand how profound and similar all types of Buddhism are, the education on pure Dharma is so important. For this I thank Rinpoche and our Pastors and Dharma teachers in Kechara.
Thank you Rinpoche for showing us that, for fully Enlightened and compassionate beings,there are no conventionally set boundaries of time,space, sects and lineage. Here are two great Enlightened Beings, emanations of Chenrezig and Vajrayogini, who are so close friends. The great friendship of HH the Sixteenth Karmapa and HH Trijang Rinpoche spans many lifetimes.
The sole purpose of these two great masters is to benefit sentient beings. Hence they will come back lifetime after lifetime,be it as a Gelug master or a Karma Kagyu master. Both have interchanged ‘labels’. In fact HH 8th Karmapa and HH Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche – have interchanged places- Trijang Rinpoche coming back as a Karma Kagyu master and HH 8th Karmapa as a Gelug master.
I rejoice at Great Compassion that transcends labels.It is ridiculous to accuse such great masters of the Gelug lineage like Pabongka Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche and Zong Rinpoche, of being sectarian.
A while ago Tsem Rinpoche put a post highlighting the supreme wisdom of Dilgo Kyentse Rinpoche and now this post about the 16th Karmapa. I like that very much because it encourages readers to be broad in their thinking rather than narrowly focused on a particular lineage which may lead one to develop a sense of discrimination and superiority which is not something the Dharma intends for practitioners.
Just looking at the picture alone is cause for joy – two enlightened beings together in the form of such high masters and that also reminds me how fortunate we are to be living in an age where Dharma is available and highly attained masters walk the earth. Incidentally both Trijang Rinpoche and the 16th Karmapa have returned in present reincarnations to continue turning the wheel of Dharma.
Oh my this so brilliant to know! I like the fact that Trijang Rinpoche and the Karmapa exchanged roles in one life time to knows us that they are both equal and that true Dharma has no boundaries and no labels as it is all for one ultimate goal… to spread Dharma to the ten direction. It is intriguing to know that these two Lamas can literally take full control of their mind and some how show that there is non-duality in real Dharma.
To us normal layman who are so used to labels this concept may be hard to digest as we tend to always have a mind set that what we do in our lives is not the same as our spiritual practice. I often here people say this is my “family” (the one they were born in) and this is my spiritual life (their spiritual practice) and they some how put these two in separate compartments and one does not mix with the other. They say Dharma work is spiritual practice and Family is family/their real life, 2 separate entities. But what if we can join the both together? Wouldn’t that be much easier for us to focus and wouldn’t that be easier to for us cherish the preciousness of Dharma… if Dharma isn’t life then what do we do or how do we act when we’re with our personal family or friends? Hmmmm – food for thought.
Thank you Rinpoche for this eye opening post… I find it most refreshing that there proven real life facts that there is no discrimination in Enlightened minds! And if really there was no Tulku system, we’d probably not even know about these two great beings incarnation as such which I suppose is a different subject 🙂
Thank you for sharing this story about the incarnations crossing back and forth! It is quite an amazing illustration of how highly attained beings are not constrained by our preconceived ideas of how things should be. This is an example of how the enlightened minds transcend duality, which is just a perception of our deluded minds.
The Buddha said there are 84,000 ways to achieve enlightenment and the different ways are merely because they will each appeal to the 84,000 different types of minds. I do think that all the mainstream religions teach the universal values of wisdom and compassion. Instead of focusing on the differences, we could focus on the similarities and see how we can happily live together and respect the different faiths we have.
For another example of the unity and harmony across different Buddhist lineages, we can read Rinpoche’s post about the Gelugpa Lama, HH the 10th Panchen Lama and the Nyingma Lama, HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/great-lamas-masters/padmasambhava-meets-tsongkapa.html
and even across different faiths,
http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/great-lamas-masters/his-holiness-the-cardinal.html
Rinpoche has always emphasised on harmony and respect for different schools of Buddhism and different religions. These core principles of maintaining harmony and respect is the core of Rinpoche’s vision of Kechara World Peace Centre. If more people have acceptance and tolerance of other’s beliefs without judgment, i firmly believe this will solve the many problems in our world historically as well as today and world peace is definitely possible.
In a way, we should be grateful and lucky to have this picture being capture with the two living Buddhas exchanging their views. We should keep this picture as evergreen as possible or print it out to be shared purpose.
I truly agreed with Rinpoche explanation on whether is the Kagyu or Gelug school, it does not matter as long we practiced diligently, we will obtain the benefits. I followed Kagyu school teaching before leading by current Karmapa. In the beginning, we tend to compare but the more we behave and think this way, it does not serve us well moreover others.
For the benefit to others and sentient beings, if we do dharma, regardless which school, we do it correctly,selflessly, that’s more important after all.
In a secular way to explain, being a trained life coach, “label” on someone is how and we perceived in our mind on others. Until we understood fully the “meaning” of we perceived, then labeling on others will no longer be useful. Otherwise, our “labeling” thought is constantly being “clouded” with our other negative thoughts, perspective and paradigm that hold us rigidly. Our current education system did a very surface level in educating us the meaning behind of each labeling.
This intro from Dream Works on every single animation movies tell us why we need to clear our mind and focus the right purpose, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmGecljl6gk
Often seen are pictures of great spiritual masters together talking and discussing spirituality regardless of their religious belief. And this is one of those pictures of the two great masters of Vajrayana Buddhism.
True spirituality has no border, creed and race.
This is a true display of spirituality. Labels are fine as long as we use it to serve the purpose of universal growth and harmony. Labels doesn’t serve anyone when it is used to divide and separate. When this happens, it contradicts growth.
I love this picture and the explanation Rinpoche provided about the Karmapa and Trijang Rinpoche being such close friends and the deeper and “mysterious” aspects of what these two great beings did in a previous lifetime to show that there is actually no labels and difference.
If only we can consider the possibility that to achieve ultimate happiness, we need to depend on each other and the need to serve each other, then we will have a better and brighter future for the younger generations. If we believe in incarnation, then we will certainly also benefit from developing the universal mind of compassion.
Very nice thoughts Pastor Susan..thank you. TR