.jpg)
Historic First Visit TO THE WEST: His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa to visit the U.S.
This May and June 2008, His Holiness the Karmapa will visit the West for the first time. People from North America and beyond will travel to three U.S. cities to meet one of the greatest spiritual masters of our era.
His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, is head of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. Although just 22 years old, the Karmapa is seen as the embodiment of wisdom and compassion and is regarded by many followers as a ‘living Buddha.’
For more information about this historic event please visit:
Download schedule (PDF format)
Read more about H.H. Gyalwa Karmapa (kagyu.org)
Latest Chicago KTC Website News:
The March/April 2008 newsletter is now on-line, click on the KTC Newsletter link to view (newsletter in PDF format).
Please take a moment to sign up for our new web site e-mail announcement system . You now have two choices when signing up: 1) to receive notification of all significant web site updates 2) receive notification of only the addition of new Dharma teachings (audio, video, etc).
Photos from the KTC Shrine Consecration ceremony are now on-line on KTC's new Photo Gallery! If you have any good photos from the weekend you would like to share please e-mail them to webmaster@chicagoktc.org.
H.H. the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Orgyen Trinley Dorje, taught on Vegetarianism during the 24th annual Kagyu Monlam at Bodhgaya, India. This very important teaching can now be read on-line at kagyumonlam.org (direct link). Regardless of the choices made in the Sangha (the community), KTD and the KTCs will no longer serve or prepare any meat dishes (H.H. Karmapa is very specific about this).
Audio and video recordings of Chicago KTC Dharma teachings are now available on-line for free. Please enjoy these precious teachings and pass on the word!
Chicago Karma Thegsum Chöling (KTC) is the official home of His Holiness the Seventeenth Gyalwang Karmapa, Orgyen Trinley Dorje in Chicago. We are a center for study and practice in the Karma Kagyu Buddhist tradition of Tibet. We are affiliated with Karma Triyana Dharmachakra (KTD) in New York, and are under the guidance of Ven. Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche and Ven. Bardor Tulku Rinpoche, the resident teachers at KTD.
KTC offers instruction for newcomers to meditation, and group meditation sessions for anyone who wishes to attend. Meditation instruction and group practice sessions are offered free of charge. Ongoing classes on Tibetan Buddhism are also available at KTC. Several times a year we have the good fortune of hosting visits of accomplished Buddhist teachers of the Kagyu lineage. These teachers have included Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, Bardor Tulku Rinpoche and Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche.
The Kagyu tradition dates back to the 10th century in India and remains a flourishing lineage today in the 21st century. The seventeenth Karmapa, Orgyen Trinley Dorje, who currently resides in India, continues this long tradition of sacred Buddhist instruction.
Chicago KTC was founded over twenty-five years ago after a visit of the Ven. Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche. Our membership includes a number of senior students who are available to answer your questions and lend their support. Another helpful resource is the library of several hundred books on Buddhism that have been collected by our members over the years.
In the winter of 2003, on the day before the Tibetan New Year, we moved into our current location. The main portion of the building on the upper level is being renovated into a traditional Tibetan Buddhist shrine. The walls of the bright and spacious shrine room are ornamented with mantras and traditional designs which were painted by Tibetan artists and KTC members. Our current major project is the construction of a shrine cabinet to house our 4-foot tall, gold-leafed Buddha statue and other religious statuary. We are also renovating other portions of the building to accommodate visiting teachers and guests.
