THE KARMAPA-ACTIVITIES

Drawings of His Holiness XVII. Karmapa:

http://www.maitreya.at/17--Karmapa/Worte-und-Zeichnungen-des-17--Karmapa/

KARMAPA AND THE ENVIROMENT

His Holiness the XVII.  Karmapa raised the subject of environmental protection at various occasions and talks, but it was first in 2007 when he began strongly advocating for environmental protection activities within the Kagyu-Community. At the 2007 Kagyu Monlam in Bodhgaya, His Holiness made environmental protection a priority and strongly recommended to live vegetarian resp. reduce eating meat. He also made a special request to his monasteries to plant 1.000 trees.

In March of 2009, His Holiness hosted the First Environmental Conference for Kagyu Monasteries, Centers and Community in Sarnath, where he launched a new 24-page book, titled Environmental Guidelines for Karma Kagyu Buddhist Monasteries, Centers and Community (http://www.kagyuoffice.org/Images-09/09-0212-EnviroGuide/EnglishArchana.pdf) to explain the importance of caring for the environment to his followers, and give some practical advice on how to do so. The conference was attended by 60 representatives from 22 monasteries and nunneries in India and Nepal who were trained on environmental issues and in understanding why environmental protection is so important in the Himalayas and in Tibet. The participants made commitments to work on environmental issues that most affect their own community. As an outcome of the conference, 108 Things You Can Do To Save the Environment and http://www.kagyuoffice.org/Images-09/09-0420-108Solutions/108_Things_to_Do.pdf were published, July 2009, with detailed recommendations for the protection of forests, rivers and lakes, the protection of wildlife, as well as measures on energy and water saving, waste management and recycling. Climate change and renewable energies were given special consideration.

Already in October 2009 the Second Environmental Protection Conference took place in Gyuto. His Holiness stressed that environmental issues should be understood as an essential part of dharma practice: working for the benefit of all sentient beings, as was taught by the Buddha.

“This earth is like a grain of sand in the vastness of the cosmos, but it is our only home and we have nowhere else to go. (…) We have to work together to preserve and protect it.”

At the conclusion Karmapa shared his personal aspiration with all those present: if he had the power he would become the protector of the earth and cover it like a tent.

For more information see: www.khoryug.com. The Official Website for Environmental Protection, launched Dec. 22, 2009.