Karmapas meet and unite to work together to preserve and strengthen Kagyu lineage

DHARAMSALA, Oct 11: The two main claimants to the title of the 17th Karmapa, the head of Tibetan Buddhism’s Kagyue lineage has met for the first time.

The Karmapas; Ogyen Trinley Dorje and Trinley Thaye Dorje has met recently in a rural location in France to get to know each other personally and held discussions on how they might work together to preserve and strengthen the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.

“We are both very pleased to have had this opportunity to meet and get to know each other in a peaceful and relaxed environment. We both had this wish for many years, and we are gratified that this wish has now been fulfilled,” read the joint statement issued after their meeting.

“The purpose of our meeting was primarily to spend time together so that we could establish a personal relationship. We were able to talk together freely and to learn about each other for the first time. We were thus able to begin what we expect will develop into a strong connection. While we were together we also talked about ways that we could work to heal the divisions that have unfortunately developed within our precious Karma Kagyu lineage in recent years. We view it as our duty and responsibility to do whatever we can to bring the lineage together,” the statement said.

The two Karmapas’ have further said in the joint statement that resolving the sectarian divide within the lineage is critically important for the future of the Karma Kagyu lineage as well as for the future of Tibetan Buddhism and the benefit of all sentient beings.

“We, therefore, ask everyone within the Karma Kagyu community to join us in our efforts to strengthen and preserve our lineage. We view it as our collective responsibility to restore harmony to our tradition which is a lineage of wisdom and compassion,” the statement concluded.