19th December, 2010
Report by Jo Gibson
Each year the Kagyu Monlam Trust organizes a
special buffet lunch, hosted by the Gyalwang Karmapa, for
all the Rinpoches and the most important sponsors. This
year’s lunch was held at the Royal Residency Hotel, one of
the newer and definitely the grandest hotel in Bodhgaya.
On the way to the Royal Residency, His Holiness visited the
Mahayana Hotel, which serves as a central base for Kagyu
Monlam activities, and was given a tour of the restaurant
where Kagyu Monlam Members dine, the kitchens, and the
dining room for Kagyu Monlam staff. He then sat to sample
the food on offer, to the astonishment of Kagyu Monlam early
birds, freshly arrived for their lunch, after a long morning
of prayers and teachings at the Mahabodhi stupa. They hadn’t
expected to be eating in the presence of the Gyalwang
Karmapa!
Meanwhile, at the Royal Residency the sponsors were waiting
and the greeting the Rinpoches as they arrived. Yongey
Mingyur Rinpoche was one of the first to arrive, followed by
Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, Dolob Tenga Rinpoche and HE
Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche. A jeep pulled up and ten-year old
Drupon Dechen Rinpoche, accompanied by other young rinpoches,
tumbled out and rushed energetically inside.
Everyone was already seated in the restaurant by the time
His Holiness arrived. He took his seat at the top table with
HE Gyaltsab Rinpoche, HE Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Dolob
Tenga Rinpoche, Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche and Yongey Mingyur
Rinpoche. Having finished his own meal, Gyalwang Karmapa
circulated between the tables, greeting everybody warmly,
checking that everybody had what they needed, and that they
were enjoying the food.
He then gave a short speech, thanking the Rinpoches and the
sponsors, first in Tibetan and then in Chinese. Al though he
had a great appreciation for the generosity of the sponsors,
his greatest debt, he said, was to the Rinpoches, who had
given up their precious time to attend the Monlam. He also
thanked the Kagyu Monlam Trust for its hard work.
Then, to the delight of all, he went from table to table,
and personally presented each sponsor with a small bag
containing a copy of his book “The Future is Now” in
Chinese, and a print of the scroll of the Heart Sutra which
he himself had drawn in Chinese calligraphy, and imprinted
with his seal.
