Diamond Way Buddhism
Encyclopedia
Diamond Way Buddhism (Diamond Way Buddhism - Karma Kagyu Lineage) is a lay
organization within the Karma Kagyu
school of Tibetan Buddhism
. The first Diamond Way Buddhist centre was founded in 1972 by Hannah and Ole Nydahl
. It is led by Ole Nydahl under the spiritual guidance of Trinley Thaye Dorje, one of two claimants to the title of the 17th Karmapa (See Karmapa Controversy
). There are approximately 600 Diamond Way Buddhist centres world wide.
. The head of Karma Kagyu
school, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje
, the 16th Karmapa, also left Tibet in 1959 and established Rumtek monastery
in Sikkim
, India as his main seat in exile. The exodus of Tibetans ultimately made Tibetan Buddhism
more accessible to the rest of the world. Many young Westerners on the hippie trail
from Europe to India and Nepal came in contact with the Tibetans and some became interested in their religion. Among these first Westerners to come into contact with the Tibetans in exile were Hannah and Ole Nydahl, who went on their honeymoon
to the Himalayas
. They first became students of Lopon Tsechu Rinpoche. In 1969 they met the 16th Karmapa
and became his closest Western students. After meditating and studying Buddhism for three years, the 16th Karmapa asked Ole and Hannah to start meditation centres in his name in the West
. The first Karma Kagyu center in the West was founded in 1972 in Copenhagen
, Denmark
.
In 1973 the 16th Karmapa visited Europe at the invitation of Ole and Hannah Nydahl. Following this visit and at the 16th Karmapa's request, Ole Nydahl began travelling further across Europe in order to teach the basic doctrines of Karma Kagyu
Buddhism
. As more became interested more centers were founded and their number increased over time, particularly in Germany
and Poland
. The individual groups grew steadily. He later travelled to the United States
and across South America
and Russia
, founding more centres.
In 1992, controversy erupted over the recognition of the 17th Karmapa when Tai Situ Rinpoche announced Orgyen Trinley Dorje as his candidate for the title. Although an alternative candidate to Orgyen Trinley Dorje had not yet been revealed, Hannah and Ole Nydahl trusted Shamar Rinpoche
, who stated that the prediction letter presented by Tai Situ was forged. Although the majority of Tibetan lama
s, including the Dalai Lama
, supported Tai Situ’s choice, Hannah and Ole Nydahl supported Shamar Rinpoche, who stood in opposition.
In the two year hiatus prior to Trinley Thaye Dorje being announced as Shamar Rinpoche’s candidate for the title of 17th Karmapa, Karma Kagyu Buddhist centres were obliged to decide whether to accept Orgyen Trinley Dorje, who was recognised by Tai Situ, the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government, or to support Shamar Rinpoche. In the course of the 1990s, while a majority of Kagyu monasteries elected to accept Orgyen Trinley Dorje, most Diamond Way centres under Ole Nydahl accepted Thaye Dorje.
Diamond Way Buddhism was founded as a legally distinct organization within the Karma Kagyu umbrella in 1993. Until then, the Nydahls had transferred all ownership of the centers they founded to the Karma Kagyu administration. However, it is common for Karma Kagyu lamas to each have their own organization for their students, as each teacher has a different style and approach. For example, Shamarpa
has the Bodhipath organization, Chogyam Trungpa
had the Vajradhatu
, etc. The goals of the Diamond Way organization remain "the creation and maintenance of a permanent basis from which to enable both laypeople and achievers to maintain, cultivate and practice Buddhist religion, philosophy and culture in countries that are not originally Buddhist, within the traditional manner of the Diamond Way transmission of the Karma Kagyu lineage", Buddhist art
, supporting translations of authentic Buddhist text, and funding retreats etc. The "spiritual counsel" of the organisation is provided by the 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje (India
), Kunzing Shamar Rinpoche (India) and
Jigme Rinpoche
(France
).
Ole Nydahl describes Diamond Way as a lay
tradition offering methods for people who have jobs, partners, families and responsibilities. He states "...our work is grown on the basis of friendship and trust... since the Diamond Way teachings aim to bring freedom and independence, it is people who already have those qualities who are generally attracted to our centers." He also says he is keen to avoid what were perceived to be the more exotic or ritualistic aspects of Tibetan Buddhism such as pujas
sung in Tibetan with Tibetan musical accompaniment. In 1998 Ole Nydahl stated "I simply don’t want gifted and critical people who discover us to step right into the middle of a puja as has happened so often in the past. They then think they have landed with Catholics or some other sect and we won’t get a second chance to benefit them or their like-minded friends." Instead, most meditation texts (except mantra
s) are translated and used in native European languages.
view and bring what is learned in meditation into daily life.
Diamond Way Buddhism uses a variety of standard Vajrayana
meditation methods found within the Karma Kagyu
tradition. When the practitioners meet at lectures or for meditation they will typically do the "Guru Yoga meditation", (Skt. Guru yoga, Tib. Lame Naljor) where the practitioner identifies with the enlightened qualities of the teacher in order to develop these qualities. This is then followed by the "Invocation of Black Coat", sung in Tibetan.
Like other Karma Kagyu practitioners, individuals then usually do a preliminary practice called the ngöndro
, consisting of 111,111 repetitions each of 4 different meditations, as given by the 9th Karmapa . The ngöndro must be completed before practitioners can move on to other practices. In most cases, following completion of ngöndro, students practice a meditation on the Eighth Karmapa, Mikyö Dorje
, called "The Guru Yoga in Four Sessions" (Tibetan Tun Shi Lame Naljor).
Other practices include a variant of the meditation on Chenrezig (Sanskrit Avalokiteśvara) composed by the 12th Century siddha
Tang Tong Gyalpo
and the phowa
(transference of consciousness at the time of death).
They receive an explanation of the meditations from more experienced members who are authorized to teach in the Diamond Way Buddhist Centers.
in 1959, deciding that the Dharma
would be served better outside Communist China. The Karmapas were the first incarnations to start the tulku-system
and they are the heads of the Karma Kagyu lineage.
He was the Lama who told the Nydahls to start Karma Kagyu centres in the West and later visited many Karma Kagyu centres, mainly staying in centres founded by the Nydahls or Kalu Rinpoche
. His first visit in the West was in 1974 and he gave numerous teachings and empowerments in the centres.
, Shangpa Rinpoche, Beru Khyentse Rinpoche
, Gyatrul Rinpoche and Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche.
Trinley Thaye Dorje was born in Tibet
but managed to escape in 1994 and was enthroned by Shamarpa at the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute
(KIBI). He has since visited the West several times in order to teach. The first time he visited Europe was in 2000 and the first time he visited the United States was in 2003. Thaye Dorje currently resides in Kalimpong, India
, where he continues his traditional spiritual training combined with Western education.
teacher and translator in the Karma Kagyu
lineage of Tibetan Buddhism
. She was born and died in Copenhagen
, Denmark
.
She and Ole Nydahl were introduced to Buddhism
on their honeymoon
in Nepal
in 1968. They were childhood friends, meeting for the first time when Hannah was 5 and Ole 10. After a three year period of study they were sent back to Europe by the 16th Karmapa to found centres in his name
She was a Buddhist teacher like her husband (sometimes referred to as Lamini or female Lama), but the main role of Hannah Nydahl was as a translator for Lamas like the 16th Karmapa, Lopon Tsechu Rinpoche, Kalu Rinpoche
etc. In an interview she explains "I do not mind teaching but when I am together with Ole it is more natural that he teaches. When I am not with him I mainly translate and organize for the Tibetan lamas."
In the magazine Kagyu Life International she was described in this way: "Hannah Nydahl is a much sought after translator and interpreter of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy. She divides her time between translating for the lamas at the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute in New Delhi, India, participating in various Buddhist text translation projects, organizing schedules and visits of high Rinpoches in the lineage, and traveling around the world with Lama Ole."
She spoke German
, English
and Tibetan
fluently. As few teachers spoke English, she learned Tibetan, from Tarab Tulku at the University in Denmark. Since all texts were in Tibetan they had to translate them themselves, which Hannah did. Her work included translating for the teaching Lamas at the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute
in New Delhi
, India
, participation in various Buddhist text translation projects, as well as organizing and translating lectures for Tibetan Lamas.
She was deeply respected for her work, devotion and accomplishments as a Buddhist practitioner. A Danish newspaper even referred to her as the "Mother of Buddhism". Jørn Borup, Department of Study of Religion at University of Aarhus said: "The most lasting influence on the Buddhist practice scene in Denmark was triggered by Ole and Hannah Nydahl backpacking in the spiritual East during their honeymoon in Nepal in 1968."
, India, after the death of the 16th Karmapa. He has officially recognized Trinlay Thaye Dorje as the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa. Shamarpa spends most of his time teaching, travelling around the world.
He is the founder of Bodhi Path, another Karma Kagyu Buddhist group.
, but left the country when he was 13 in order to study and practice Buddhism in Nepal
. He met the 16th Karmapa in 1944 and the Karmapa became his most important teacher. He visited Europe for the first time in 1987 at the invitation of the Nydahls, who where his first Western students. He traveled extensively throughout Europe, the Americas, and Australia giving teachings and initiations. He completed 17 stupa
s (Buddhist monuments) in Europe and Asia, including two important stupas in Spain
: A Kalachakra stupa
and the Benalmádena Stupa, the biggest stupa outside Asia.
Burkhard Scherer, a pupil of Thaye Dorje and Ole Nydahl, aims to present a different view of Nydahl by adding the hitherto neglected historical-critical approach of Tibetan Buddhist Studies. He regrets that Nydahl continues to be ignored by Tibet scholars.
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
organization within the Karma Kagyu
Karma Kagyu
Karma Kagyu , or Kamtsang Kagyu, is probably the largest and certainly the most widely practiced lineage within the Kagyu school, one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The lineage has long-standing monasteries in Tibet, China, Russia, Mongolia, India, Nepal, and Bhutan, and current...
school of Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
. The first Diamond Way Buddhist centre was founded in 1972 by Hannah and Ole Nydahl
Ole Nydahl
Ole Nydahl is a lama in the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism under guidance of Trinley Thaye Dorje. Since the early 1970s, Nydahl has toured the world giving lectures and meditation courses. With his wife, Hannah Nydahl, he founded Diamond Way Buddhism, a worldwide lay organization of Karma...
. It is led by Ole Nydahl under the spiritual guidance of Trinley Thaye Dorje, one of two claimants to the title of the 17th Karmapa (See Karmapa Controversy
Karmapa controversy
The recognition of the Seventeenth Karmapa, the head of the Karma Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism, has been the subject of controversy. Since the death of the sixteenth Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, in 1981, two candidates have been put forward:...
). There are approximately 600 Diamond Way Buddhist centres world wide.
History and Development
Following the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1950, and the subsequent self-exile of the Dalai Lama to India in 1959, thousands of Tibetans fled Chinese-occupied Tibet as refugees, creating the Tibetan diasporaTibetan diaspora
The Tibetan diaspora is a term used to refer to the communities of Tibetan people living outside Tibet. Tibetan emigration happened in two waves: one in 1959 following the 14th Dalai Lama's self-exile in India, and the other in the 1980s when Tibet was opened to trade and tourism. The third wave...
. The head of Karma Kagyu
Karma Kagyu
Karma Kagyu , or Kamtsang Kagyu, is probably the largest and certainly the most widely practiced lineage within the Kagyu school, one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The lineage has long-standing monasteries in Tibet, China, Russia, Mongolia, India, Nepal, and Bhutan, and current...
school, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje
Rangjung Rigpe Dorje
The sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje was spiritual leader of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism...
, the 16th Karmapa, also left Tibet in 1959 and established Rumtek monastery
Rumtek Monastery
Rumtek , also called the Dharmachakra Centre, is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery located in the Indian state of Sikkim near the capital Gangtok...
in Sikkim
Sikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
, India as his main seat in exile. The exodus of Tibetans ultimately made Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
more accessible to the rest of the world. Many young Westerners on the hippie trail
Hippie trail
The hippie trail is a term used to describe the journeys taken by hippies and others in the 1960s and 1970s from Europe overland to and from southern Asia, mainly India, Pakistan and Nepal...
from Europe to India and Nepal came in contact with the Tibetans and some became interested in their religion. Among these first Westerners to come into contact with the Tibetans in exile were Hannah and Ole Nydahl, who went on their honeymoon
Honeymoon
-History:One early reference to a honeymoon is in Deuteronomy 24:5 “When a man is newly wed, he need not go out on a military expedition, nor shall any public duty be imposed on him...
to the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
. They first became students of Lopon Tsechu Rinpoche. In 1969 they met the 16th Karmapa
Rangjung Rigpe Dorje
The sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje was spiritual leader of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism...
and became his closest Western students. After meditating and studying Buddhism for three years, the 16th Karmapa asked Ole and Hannah to start meditation centres in his name in the West
West
West is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.West is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of east and is perpendicular to north and south.By convention, the left side of a map is west....
. The first Karma Kagyu center in the West was founded in 1972 in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
.
In 1973 the 16th Karmapa visited Europe at the invitation of Ole and Hannah Nydahl. Following this visit and at the 16th Karmapa's request, Ole Nydahl began travelling further across Europe in order to teach the basic doctrines of Karma Kagyu
Karma Kagyu
Karma Kagyu , or Kamtsang Kagyu, is probably the largest and certainly the most widely practiced lineage within the Kagyu school, one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The lineage has long-standing monasteries in Tibet, China, Russia, Mongolia, India, Nepal, and Bhutan, and current...
Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
. As more became interested more centers were founded and their number increased over time, particularly in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. The individual groups grew steadily. He later travelled to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and across South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, founding more centres.
In 1992, controversy erupted over the recognition of the 17th Karmapa when Tai Situ Rinpoche announced Orgyen Trinley Dorje as his candidate for the title. Although an alternative candidate to Orgyen Trinley Dorje had not yet been revealed, Hannah and Ole Nydahl trusted Shamar Rinpoche
Mipham Chokyi Lodro
Mipham Chokyi Lodro is the 14th and current Shamarpa. He is also known as Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche. He is the second most important teacher of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism after the Karmapa...
, who stated that the prediction letter presented by Tai Situ was forged. Although the majority of Tibetan lama
Lama
Lama is a title for a Tibetan teacher of the Dharma. The name is similar to the Sanskrit term guru .Historically, the term was used for venerated spiritual masters or heads of monasteries...
s, including the Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
, supported Tai Situ’s choice, Hannah and Ole Nydahl supported Shamar Rinpoche, who stood in opposition.
In the two year hiatus prior to Trinley Thaye Dorje being announced as Shamar Rinpoche’s candidate for the title of 17th Karmapa, Karma Kagyu Buddhist centres were obliged to decide whether to accept Orgyen Trinley Dorje, who was recognised by Tai Situ, the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government, or to support Shamar Rinpoche. In the course of the 1990s, while a majority of Kagyu monasteries elected to accept Orgyen Trinley Dorje, most Diamond Way centres under Ole Nydahl accepted Thaye Dorje.
Diamond Way Buddhism was founded as a legally distinct organization within the Karma Kagyu umbrella in 1993. Until then, the Nydahls had transferred all ownership of the centers they founded to the Karma Kagyu administration. However, it is common for Karma Kagyu lamas to each have their own organization for their students, as each teacher has a different style and approach. For example, Shamarpa
Shamarpa
Shamarpa of the Red Crown"), also known as Shamar Rinpoche or more formally Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche is a lineage holder of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism and the mind manifestation of Amitabha Buddha, He is traditionally associated with Yangpachen monastery near Lhasa.The first...
has the Bodhipath organization, Chogyam Trungpa
Chögyam Trungpa
Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche was a Buddhist meditation master and holder of both the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages, the eleventh Trungpa tülku, a tertön, supreme abbot of the Surmang monasteries, scholar, teacher, poet, artist, and originator of a radical re-presentation of Shambhala vision.Recognized...
had the Vajradhatu
Vajradhatu
Vajradhatu was the name of the umbrella organization of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, one of the first Tibetan Buddhist lamas to visit and teach in the West. It served as the vehicle for the promulgation of his Buddhist teachings, and was also the name by which his community was known from 1973 until...
, etc. The goals of the Diamond Way organization remain "the creation and maintenance of a permanent basis from which to enable both laypeople and achievers to maintain, cultivate and practice Buddhist religion, philosophy and culture in countries that are not originally Buddhist, within the traditional manner of the Diamond Way transmission of the Karma Kagyu lineage", Buddhist art
Buddhist art
Buddhist art originated on the Indian subcontinent following the historical life of Siddhartha Gautama, 6th to 5th century BC, and thereafter evolved by contact with other cultures as it spread throughout Asia and the world....
, supporting translations of authentic Buddhist text, and funding retreats etc. The "spiritual counsel" of the organisation is provided by the 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje (India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
), Kunzing Shamar Rinpoche (India) and
Jigme Rinpoche
Jigme Rinpoche
Jigme Rinpoche can refer to one of the following Tibetan Buddhist lamas:*Jigme Rinpoche, of the Karma Kagyu school;*Jigme Tromge Rinpoche, of the Nyingma school....
(France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
).
Ideals
Diamond Way describes itself as an adaptation of the Karma Kagyu tradition to Western culture combined with a resolve to dispense with unnecessary Tibetan customs, trappings and organisational structures.Ole Nydahl describes Diamond Way as a lay
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
tradition offering methods for people who have jobs, partners, families and responsibilities. He states "...our work is grown on the basis of friendship and trust... since the Diamond Way teachings aim to bring freedom and independence, it is people who already have those qualities who are generally attracted to our centers." He also says he is keen to avoid what were perceived to be the more exotic or ritualistic aspects of Tibetan Buddhism such as pujas
Puja (Buddhism)
In Buddhism, puja are expressions of "honour, worship and devotional attention." Acts of puja include bowing, making offerings and chanting...
sung in Tibetan with Tibetan musical accompaniment. In 1998 Ole Nydahl stated "I simply don’t want gifted and critical people who discover us to step right into the middle of a puja as has happened so often in the past. They then think they have landed with Catholics or some other sect and we won’t get a second chance to benefit them or their like-minded friends." Instead, most meditation texts (except mantra
Mantra
A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation"...
s) are translated and used in native European languages.
Practices
The most important practice in Diamond Way Buddhism is considered to be identification with the teacher and following that to try to sustain the MahamudraMahamudra
Mahāmudrā literally means "great seal" or "great symbol." It "is a multivalent term of great importance in later Indian Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism" which "also occurs occasionally in Hindu and East Asian Buddhist esotericism."The name refers to the way one who...
view and bring what is learned in meditation into daily life.
Diamond Way Buddhism uses a variety of standard Vajrayana
Vajrayana
Vajrayāna Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and the Diamond Vehicle...
meditation methods found within the Karma Kagyu
Karma Kagyu
Karma Kagyu , or Kamtsang Kagyu, is probably the largest and certainly the most widely practiced lineage within the Kagyu school, one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The lineage has long-standing monasteries in Tibet, China, Russia, Mongolia, India, Nepal, and Bhutan, and current...
tradition. When the practitioners meet at lectures or for meditation they will typically do the "Guru Yoga meditation", (Skt. Guru yoga, Tib. Lame Naljor) where the practitioner identifies with the enlightened qualities of the teacher in order to develop these qualities. This is then followed by the "Invocation of Black Coat", sung in Tibetan.
Like other Karma Kagyu practitioners, individuals then usually do a preliminary practice called the ngöndro
Ngöndro
Ngöndro refers to the preliminary, preparatory or foundational 'practices' or 'disciplines' common to all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism and also to Bön...
, consisting of 111,111 repetitions each of 4 different meditations, as given by the 9th Karmapa . The ngöndro must be completed before practitioners can move on to other practices. In most cases, following completion of ngöndro, students practice a meditation on the Eighth Karmapa, Mikyö Dorje
Mikyö Dorje
Mikyö Dorje , also Mikyo Dorje, was the eighth Gyalwa Karmapa, head of the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism.Mikyö Dorje was born in Satam, Kham. According to the legend, he said after being born: "I am Karmapa." and was recognized by Tai Situpa. In this case there was another child from Amdo who...
, called "The Guru Yoga in Four Sessions" (Tibetan Tun Shi Lame Naljor).
Other practices include a variant of the meditation on Chenrezig (Sanskrit Avalokiteśvara) composed by the 12th Century siddha
Siddha
A Siddha सिद्ध in Sanskrit means "one who is accomplished" and refers to perfected masters who, according to Hindu belief, have transcended the ahamkara , have subdued their minds to be subservient to their Awareness, and have transformed their bodies into a different kind of body dominated by...
Tang Tong Gyalpo
Thang Tong Gyalpo
Thangtong Gyalpo also known as Drubthob Chakzampa and Tsundru Zangpo was a great Buddhist adept, a yogi, physician, blacksmith, architect, and a pioneering civil engineer....
and the phowa
Phowa
Phowa is a Vajrayāna Buddhist meditation practice...
(transference of consciousness at the time of death).
They receive an explanation of the meditations from more experienced members who are authorized to teach in the Diamond Way Buddhist Centers.
The 16th Karmapa
The 16th Karmapa Ranjung Rigpe Dorje (1924–1981) was born in Derge in eastern Tibet. Karmapa left the People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
in 1959, deciding that the Dharma
Dharma
Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
would be served better outside Communist China. The Karmapas were the first incarnations to start the tulku-system
Tulku
In Tibetan Buddhism, a tulku is a particular high-ranking lama, of whom the Dalai Lama is one, who can choose the manner of his rebirth. Normally the lama would be reincarnated as a human, and of the same sex as his predecessor. In contrast to a tulku, all other sentient beings including other...
and they are the heads of the Karma Kagyu lineage.
He was the Lama who told the Nydahls to start Karma Kagyu centres in the West and later visited many Karma Kagyu centres, mainly staying in centres founded by the Nydahls or Kalu Rinpoche
Kalu Rinpoche
Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche was a Buddhist meditation master, scholar and teacher. He was one of the first Tibetan masters to teach in the West.-Early life and teachers:...
. His first visit in the West was in 1974 and he gave numerous teachings and empowerments in the centres.
The 17th Karmapa
Trinley Thaye Dorje (born 1983) is the current head of the Karma Kagyu School and one of the candidates to the reincarnation of the 16th Karmapa. He is considered the true incarnation of the Karmapa by the Diamond Way Buddhist Centers, as well as by ShamarpaShamarpa
Shamarpa of the Red Crown"), also known as Shamar Rinpoche or more formally Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche is a lineage holder of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism and the mind manifestation of Amitabha Buddha, He is traditionally associated with Yangpachen monastery near Lhasa.The first...
, Shangpa Rinpoche, Beru Khyentse Rinpoche
Beru Khyentse Rinpoche
His Eminence 2nd Beru Khyentse Rinpoche is an important lineageholder of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. Rinpoche is a veryprominent contemporary Kalachakra Tantra master...
, Gyatrul Rinpoche and Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche.
Trinley Thaye Dorje was born in Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
but managed to escape in 1994 and was enthroned by Shamarpa at the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute
Karmapa International Buddhist Institute
Karmapa International Buddhist Institute is a school of higher learning based on the great treatises of Buddhism. Founded by Shamar Rinpoche, K.I.B.I. aims at furthering wisdom and compassion based on the Karma Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.K.I.B.I...
(KIBI). He has since visited the West several times in order to teach. The first time he visited Europe was in 2000 and the first time he visited the United States was in 2003. Thaye Dorje currently resides in Kalimpong, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, where he continues his traditional spiritual training combined with Western education.
Ole Nydahl
Ole Nydahl (born 1941 near Copenhagen, Denmark), is a Buddhist Lama and one of the main figures in the spreading of Karma Kagyu Buddhism in the West. Since the early 1970s he has toured the world, giving lectures and meditation courses, and together with his wife Hannah Nydahl (1946–2007) founded Diamond Way Buddhism. He is often referred to as Lama Ole Nydahl or Lama Ole.Hannah Nydahl
Hannah Nydahl (1946–2007), wife of Ole Nydahl, was an important DanishDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
teacher and translator in the Karma Kagyu
Kagyu
The Kagyu, Kagyupa, or Kagyud school, also known as the "Oral Lineage" or Whispered Transmission school, is today regarded as one of six main schools of Himalayan or Tibetan Buddhism, the other five being the Nyingma, Sakya, Jonang, Bon and Gelug...
lineage of Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
. She was born and died in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
.
She and Ole Nydahl were introduced to Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
on their honeymoon
Honeymoon
-History:One early reference to a honeymoon is in Deuteronomy 24:5 “When a man is newly wed, he need not go out on a military expedition, nor shall any public duty be imposed on him...
in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
in 1968. They were childhood friends, meeting for the first time when Hannah was 5 and Ole 10. After a three year period of study they were sent back to Europe by the 16th Karmapa to found centres in his name
She was a Buddhist teacher like her husband (sometimes referred to as Lamini or female Lama), but the main role of Hannah Nydahl was as a translator for Lamas like the 16th Karmapa, Lopon Tsechu Rinpoche, Kalu Rinpoche
Kalu Rinpoche
Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche was a Buddhist meditation master, scholar and teacher. He was one of the first Tibetan masters to teach in the West.-Early life and teachers:...
etc. In an interview she explains "I do not mind teaching but when I am together with Ole it is more natural that he teaches. When I am not with him I mainly translate and organize for the Tibetan lamas."
In the magazine Kagyu Life International she was described in this way: "Hannah Nydahl is a much sought after translator and interpreter of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy. She divides her time between translating for the lamas at the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute in New Delhi, India, participating in various Buddhist text translation projects, organizing schedules and visits of high Rinpoches in the lineage, and traveling around the world with Lama Ole."
She spoke German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Tibetan
Tibetan language
The Tibetan languages are a cluster of mutually-unintelligible Tibeto-Burman languages spoken primarily by Tibetan peoples who live across a wide area of eastern Central Asia bordering the Indian subcontinent, including the Tibetan Plateau and the northern Indian subcontinent in Baltistan, Ladakh,...
fluently. As few teachers spoke English, she learned Tibetan, from Tarab Tulku at the University in Denmark. Since all texts were in Tibetan they had to translate them themselves, which Hannah did. Her work included translating for the teaching Lamas at the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute
Karmapa International Buddhist Institute
Karmapa International Buddhist Institute is a school of higher learning based on the great treatises of Buddhism. Founded by Shamar Rinpoche, K.I.B.I. aims at furthering wisdom and compassion based on the Karma Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.K.I.B.I...
in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, participation in various Buddhist text translation projects, as well as organizing and translating lectures for Tibetan Lamas.
She was deeply respected for her work, devotion and accomplishments as a Buddhist practitioner. A Danish newspaper even referred to her as the "Mother of Buddhism". Jørn Borup, Department of Study of Religion at University of Aarhus said: "The most lasting influence on the Buddhist practice scene in Denmark was triggered by Ole and Hannah Nydahl backpacking in the spiritual East during their honeymoon in Nepal in 1968."
Shamarpa
Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche, born 1952 in Derge, Tibet, is second to the Gyalwa Karmapa in the spiritual hierarchy of the Karma Kagyu School. He fled Tibet at the age of 9 with the 16th Karmapa. Shamarpa is also known as Red Hat Karmapa, and is, together with the 17th Karmapa, the current holder of the Karma Kagyu lineage. Shamarpa completed the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute (KIBI) in New DelhiNew Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, India, after the death of the 16th Karmapa. He has officially recognized Trinlay Thaye Dorje as the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa. Shamarpa spends most of his time teaching, travelling around the world.
He is the founder of Bodhi Path, another Karma Kagyu Buddhist group.
Lopon Tsechu Rinpoche
Lopon Tsechu Rinpoche (1918–2003) was the first teacher of Hannah and Ole Nydahl. He was born in BhutanBhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
, but left the country when he was 13 in order to study and practice Buddhism in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. He met the 16th Karmapa in 1944 and the Karmapa became his most important teacher. He visited Europe for the first time in 1987 at the invitation of the Nydahls, who where his first Western students. He traveled extensively throughout Europe, the Americas, and Australia giving teachings and initiations. He completed 17 stupa
Stupa
A stupa is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, typically the remains of Buddha, used by Buddhists as a place of worship....
s (Buddhist monuments) in Europe and Asia, including two important stupas in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
: A Kalachakra stupa
Kalachakra stupa
In Buddhism, a Kalachakra stupa is a stupa whose symbolism is not connected to events in the Buddha's life, but instead to the symbolism of the Kalachakra Tantra, created to protect against negative energies...
and the Benalmádena Stupa, the biggest stupa outside Asia.
Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche
Maniwa Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche (born 1950), in Nepal. He was ordained in Rumtek by the 16th Karmapa. The title "Maniwa" is a title given to a master of the Chenrezig practice, who have accomplished a billion Om mani peme hung mantras.Other lamas
Other teachers mentioned as teachers by DiamondWay-Buddhism.org- Jigme RinpocheJigme RinpocheJigme Rinpoche can refer to one of the following Tibetan Buddhist lamas:*Jigme Rinpoche, of the Karma Kagyu school;*Jigme Tromge Rinpoche, of the Nyingma school....
- Shangpa Rinpoche
Disputes
The greatest concentration of Diamond Way centers in Europe is to be found in Germany. Between late 1999 and April 2000 there was a public dispute between the German Buddhist Union (DBU) and the German Diamond Way Organisation (BDD) because of Nydahl's attitude to Islam, his political statements, his manner of expressing himself, his manner of presenting himself and his relationships with women. There was a meeting between the two sides on 4 October 2000 and, although differences were clear, both sides expressed a willingness to learn from the past and resolved to work together to promote mutual cooperation for the future.Criticism
Since the 1992 controversy over the 17th Karmapa, the teachers supporting Diamond Way Buddhism and Thaye Dorje as the 17th Karmapa have been the subject of some criticism. In particular, Lama Ole Nydahl has been criticized by some Western academics. Martin Baumann, professor of Religion at the University of Lucerne, remarked in a 2005 newspaper interview:Burkhard Scherer, a pupil of Thaye Dorje and Ole Nydahl, aims to present a different view of Nydahl by adding the hitherto neglected historical-critical approach of Tibetan Buddhist Studies. He regrets that Nydahl continues to be ignored by Tibet scholars.