Chicago Karma Thegsum Chöling

Chicago Karma Thegsum Chöling (KTC) is a Tibetan Buddhist meditation center dedicated to fulfilling the vision of His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, spiritual leader of the Karma Kagyu tradition to spread the teachings of the Buddha in America. The Karma Kagyu is an unbroken lineage which has been passed from master to disciple since the time of the great Buddhist saints Tilopa (988-1069) and Naropa (1016-1100), tracing its origins back to the Buddha himself.

 

Chicago KTC formed in the late 1970s under the auspices of His Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, who passed away in 1981 in a hospital in Zion, Illinois, just outside Chicago. The 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, was born in Tibet in 1985 and recognized at the age of seven as the reincarnation of the Karmapa. Since January 2000, His Holiness has been living in India, where he continues his studies, presents teachings, and conducts monastic prayer festivals for the benefit of all beings.

 

His Holiness visited the United States for the first time in 2008 and then again in 2011. and has said that he hopes to visit centers like Chicago KTC in the near future. The Chicago KTC aspires to host a visit from His Holiness in Chicago, the site of the parinirvana of the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje.

　

Beginning January 2015, Chicago KTC would like to begin the next phase of "sustaining the vision." This project is the construction of an elegant "green room," providing a personal space for His Holiness to meditate, conduct private interviews, and relax while visiting Chicago. The lounge will be located on the second floor of the building across from the shrine room.

 

Funding for the project will cover construction, furnishings, and roof repair. The fundraising goal for this project is $150,000.