I was just thinking yesterday that there has been remarkably little in the news about His Holiness the Karmapa, currently in the United States. It really is a big deal. But today there is a feature story about him in the New York Times.� Highlights:
His Holiness expressed reluctance to assume the leadership of Tibetan Buddhism when His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama dies. However, many are looking to him to continue the work of� obtaining at least some meaningful autonomy for Tibet, if not liberation from China.� The article quotes Robert J. Barnett, director of the Modern Tibetan Studies Program at Columbia University --
"The Karmapa is perfectly placed to be someone who could broker a solution in the future," Mr. Barnett said. "This is one of the rather rare issues where exiles and those in Tibet are in agreement. They have very wide respect for the Karmapa."
This next part comes under the heading "Don't shoot me; I'm only the messenger" --
The rival Karmapa, Trinley Thaye Dorje, has the backing of one senior lama in the Kagyu tradition and some followers in the West (who managed to secure the rights to the Web address karmapa.org). But Mr. Barnett likened the rivalry to the "birther controversy" involving President Obama. "For most people, this is a settled issue," he said.
His Holiness seems a bit more outspoken about politics than he was when he was here in 2008. Tibet is in an emergency, he said.
His Holiness is speaking tonight at Hunter College in New York. I wish I could be there, but I will be on Long Island preparing to celebrate my son's wedding tomorrow (yay).
Elsewhere -- Time magazine has profiles of four other lamas who accompanied the Dalai Lama to Washington this month. Enjoy.
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