Monlam Pavillion, Bodhgaya,
Morning Session,
12 February 2025

Of the four heart-sons of the Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, only two remain; they are the revered and much-loved Chamgon Tai Situ Rinpoche, and Gyalwa'i Gyaltsab Drung Goshir Rinpoche. They are the sacred ornaments of the Practice Lineage's teachings and it is essential that, as the protectors of the teachings and beings, they have long lives.

The Gyalwang Karmapa determined that the morning of February 12th would be the most auspicious date and time to perform these Long Life offerings, after the Monlam programme proper had concluded, and that it should be the Three Roots Combined practice. The long-life practice of the Three Roots Combined is one of the rituals associated particularly with the Karma Kamtsang. Although it can be traced back to Third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje, the practice has been revived and revised by the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, who first gave the empowerment for the practice at the Kagyu Monlam in 2016. 

The Monlam Pavillion was crowded with devotees—monks, nuns and laypeople —as Drung Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche and a portrait of Chamgon Tai Situ Rinpoche entered, heralded by gyalins, and preceded by incense bearers, notably, in ascending order of seniority, Khenchen Lodrö Dönyo Rinpoche, Bokar Rinpoche, Mingyur Rinpoche and Zurmang Rinpoche, wearing their ceremonial Gampopa hats. Gyaltsab Rinpoche took his place on the throne beside a second throne bearing Tai Situ Rinpoche’s portrait. As part of the ceremony, there was a simultaneous, extensive mandala offering to both Rinpoches.

Monlam Pavillion
Afternoon Session, 
12 February 2015

As requested by the Gyalwang Karmapa, in the afternoon, Drung Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche returned to the Monlam stage to bestow the empowerment for the practice of the Three Roots Combined and to perform the Red Crown ceremony. Rinpoche gave this empowerment previously at the 2017 Kagyu Monlam in Bodhgaya.

The Gyalwang Karmapa’s description of the practice and its history can be found at:
https://kagyuoffice.org/reviving-the-karmapas-traditions-the-empowerment-and-practice-of-the-three-roots-combined/

The sacred Red Crown Ceremony belongs to the category of thongdrol—liberation on seeing. Witnessing the ceremony is believed to plant the seeds in one’s mind stream for future awakening. Karma Pakshi said that seeing the Vajra Crown ceremony would also prevent rebirth in the lower realms.
Vajra crown ceremonies are an important aspect of the Karma Kamtsang lineage. 
The tradition began with the Karmapas who have the Black Vajra Crown. However, Red Vajra Crowns have been bestowed by the Karmapas on their heart sons:  Tais Situ Rinpoche, Shamar Rinpoche and Gyaltsab Rinpoche.

Drung Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche first performed the Red Crown ceremony at the Kagyu Monlam in February 2017. He also gave the Long-Life Empowerment of the Three Roots Combined before the ceremony.

More details of the Red Crown Ceremony can be found here: https://kagyuoffice.org/historic-red-crown-ceremony-in-bodhgaya/

Hyatt Place, Bodhgaya
11 February 2025

Gyalwa Drikungpa Kyabgön Chetsang Rinpoche, Könchok Tenzin Kunsang Trinley Lhundrup, the 37th throne holder of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage, is currently residing in Bodhgaya, and graciously granted an audience to the leading figures of the Kagyu Monlam Chenmo. Gyalwai Gyaltsab Rinpoche, Kyabje Zurmang Garwang Rinpoche, Kyabje Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, Kyabje Bokar Choktrul Rinpoche, and Kyabje Khenchen Rinpoche met with him at the Hyatt Place hotel in Bodhgaya. They were accompanied by Khen Rinpoche Lodrö Dönyö and Lama Chödrak, the CEO of the Kagyu Monlam Chenmo, and other Labrang staff.

9 February 2025

The audience was held in the shrine hall of Tergar Monastery.
Gyaltsab Rinpoche gave a short address in which he first spoke about how well the 39th Monlam is going. The primary reason, he said, was because of the blessings and compassion of the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, but also because of the support of the members of the Friends of Kagyu Monlam and the hard work that all the volunteers put in, and he thanked both the members and the volunteers.
In general, Buddhism teaches that everything rests on our aspirations. For buddhas to appear, for Shakyamuni Buddha to appear, depends on aspirations. This is true for all the buddhas of the future. In addition, it was because of their aspirations that the Buddha’s first disciples, the group of five who heard the first sermon; and the great arhats such as Shariputra, Maudgalyāyana, Mahākāśyapa, and so forth, all heard the Buddha’s teachings, because of the power of their aspirations. After the Buddha passed away, in order for the Dharma to flourish, there were many arhats and siddhas and scholars who appeared, because of their aspirations and their diligence.
Similarly, in Tibet, there were many great masters who appeared, and the Dharma spread widely, and that was because of people’s aspirations. Similarly, with the Karmapas, there have been seventeen until now and there will be many in the future, all based on their aspirations.
It is very good to be making aspirations in Bodhgaya. Basically, everything we do in Monlam is related to our aspirations. Starting with refuge and the generation of bodhicitta in the morning, we are making aspirations. When we make offerings, we are making aspirations. When we make confession, we are making aspirations. Everything, the whole way through, is related to aspirations.
One of the particular features of Buddhism is the view that basically all phenomena — the whole of samsara — depends upon the mind. Liberation depends upon the mind. It’s primary. Even when we consider the teachings such as the Four Noble Truths, they also depend on the mind. Anything we are doing, depends upon our mind.
With regards to the Kagyu Monlam, there are common and shared purposes, and there is also a particular purpose. The common purpose is that by making aspirations it helps create the conditions for natural disasters such as wildfires and such, and war and conflict to be pacified. By making the aspirations, we are able to help sentient beings. That is why we make aspirations on a general level. Specifically, we make aspirations that the teachings of the Buddha may last for a long time. In order for Buddhism to remain in the world, we need the teachings of scripture and realisation, and both of these also come down to our aspirations. If we have the aspirations, these will remain, hence the Buddha’s teachings will remain, and people will be able to continue practising Buddhism.
When we make these aspirations together at the Monlam, rather than just one or two people on their own doing aspirations, the effects are far more powerful. When we gather at the Monlam, it is not just who we can see—the congregation of monks, nuns and laypeople—that are present; there are also all of the buddhas, bodhisattvas, deities and so forth joining with us and making the aspirations.

After Rinpoche had finished speaking, all the volunteers and the members of the Friends of Kagyu Monlam were able to line up one-by-one to receive Rinpoche’s blessing.