(June 21-24, 2018) Following the request of Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche’s students, His Holiness arranged three days of practice for Rinpoche, who is ninety-five this year. They took place in the beautifully decorated shrine hall at Karma Triyana Dharmachakra (KTD). A golden pavilion enshrined a long life vase and on the wall behind it hung a tall thangka of Amitabha, the deity of long life. Nearby, was a shrine for the five Tseringma sisters with a special torma evoking their mountain residence and a brilliant statue of Milarepa, who was their guru.

These two shrines reflected the two practices that were performed three days. The morning saw the practice known as “The Citadel of Indestructible Vajra Life: A Long-Life Offering of the Three Roots Combined in the Karma Kamtsang Tradition.” The central figure of the practice is the red deity Amitayus who has three faces and six arms. In reference to the three roots (lama, yidam, and protector), the Karmapa has explained that the aspect of the lama is Tsepakme (Amitayus); the aspect of the yidam is the great compassionate one, Gyalwa Gyatso (Jinasagara); and the aspect of the Dharma protector is the wisdom protector Bernakchen (Mahakala). In this way, all the three roots are complete in this single form.