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a r m a . K a g y u . T r a d i t i o n
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The 17th Gyalwa Karmapa arrived at Kundreul Ling on the evening of 25th May after a brief stay in Paris. He was accompanied by the three tulkus Nendo Tenam Rinpoche, Drupsing Rinpoche and Gyaltrul Rinpoche, who are going into retreat with him to receive the transmission of the six yogas of Naropa.
The Sangha and all the community were waiting for him, along with hundreds of people who had come from all over Europe and the United States to welcome him with the ritual Mandala offerings of body, speech and mind, and food and drink.
On the following morning, Sunday 26th May, Sangyepa Dutchen day (commemoration of the enlightenment and Paranirvana of Buddha Shakyamouni) Gyalwa Karmapa and the three Rinpoches carried out a purification by smoke and offerings as part of their preparation for retreat, and in the afternoon they received transmissions from Khentchen Rinpoche.
On the same day the Sangha performed a consecration ritual for the deer and the wheel, the Dharma emblems which had been installed on the front of the big Temple. After his retreat Gyalwa Karmapa himself will finally consecrate this traditional ornament.
The preparations for entering into retreat continued until Monday 27th May, when at the end of the afternoon, a little after the arrival of Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche at Kundreul Ling, Khenchen Rinpoché gave Karmapa and the three other Rinpoches the Dorje Palmo initiation. After dinner, at about 8 o'clock, Gyalwa Karmapa, Nendo Tenam Rinpoché, Droupsing Rinpoché and Gyaltrul Rinpoché went into retreat while outside the Sangha performed the closing of the retreat ritual.
At 9 o'clock the Gyalwa Karmapa and the three Rinpoches, accompanied by Khenchen Rinpoche, together opened the retreat with a Dorje Palmo Tsok puja. At the end of the puja, they each retired to their rooms to begin the first session of practice.
