Our Life - On The way to Karmapa

Provided by Pema

First Pilgrimage to India
By Karma Pema Wangmo

Dear Mimi,

I'm so happy to get to know you. I hope you can come to visit His Holiness in April 24, 2001, so I can meet you and get to know you better. I wish you were nearby so you could teach me some web site development. Most of my web site was developed by my friend Joe; I have cut his hair almost 7 years. I'm still learning about computing and information technology.I have seen so many Web sites about Tibetan Buddhism, but I like your Web very much. You should feel confident and talk to the web master who designed the web for Thrangu Dharma Society; he is very good too.

Another thing is up date the schedule of His Holiness because He just give public audience 4 days a week (4 months ago) at 2:30 PM on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. If people want to visit His Holiness, they can go to New Delhi, then take a taxi (don't pay it first inside the airport) to Tibetan camp, from there can take a Tibetan bus go straight to Dharamsala. Last time, I paid 700 rupees inside the airport, the taxi driver did not took me to Tibetan camp but took me to Indian public bus nearby, I go to Jalanyar, from there I paid 40 dollars for a taxi go to Dharamsala . For me it is very important to know what days His Holiness give public audience, because it takes me 3 days to get to Dharamsala from Virgina,U.S.A. You have good karma that His Holiness remember you.Few months ago, I left behind few envelopes for my monks friend brought to His Holiness when his friends visited Him with my name in the envelop. I'll send His Holiness my web with pictures in it.

On August 3, 2000, the day Buddha taught first time thousands years ago, I had a private audience with His Holiness. I was waiting with one Tibetan family, then we walked up stair to the 4 floors, I was out of breath and nervous. Few minutes later the Tibetan left the room, my hands hold the white scarf I looked at His Holiness and He gave me a serious look, I prostrated 3 times and He put the scarf and His blessing red silk on me. I felt so peaceful and fulfilling, just stood there. I didn't know His Holiness already sat down in front of me! Lama Punsok asked me "Sit down" few times, finally I just sat down up close right in front of His Holiness, because His power was on over me, I didn't move an inch. Again Lama asked me: Do you speak Chinese or what? I answered I'll speak English. His Holiness looked at me and I felt so close to Him just like the first time I met my daddy, that was the moment that I was waiting in 47 years of my life. First, I said I'm a member of KTD at Woodstock, New York , which temple belongs to Your Holiness. Without waiting for the translation to English, he smiled. That means He understands English very well. Then I said I live in Virginia and I'm a neighbor of Ichi Tsephel, who was your former translator. His Holiness said "Ichi" with a happy voice and a beautiful smiled. Next, I said to His Holiness, my teacher Khenpo Rinpoche in Woodstock already has a nun named Samten. That was the same name he gave me. I don't like it, and I would like Your Holiness to give me another name. His Holiness smiled. Then he thought seriously, and said: Pema. Lama Punsok said Karma Pema? Again, His Holiness said Pema. I looked at His Holiness, and asked my last question: Could Your Holiness tell me if I can become a nun in this lifetime? His Holiness smiled and told me that He can't tell me that I can become a nun in this lifetime or the next lifetime; it is up to my karma. Without looking up I bowed my head and then heard Him say Thank You (in English) with His beautiful voice. I couldn't believe my ears. My guru root was so humble to me. I was the one who needed to say thanks to Him. While I walked out the room, I could hear Him laugh. It sounded just like the sound I heard in the video tape about 16th Karmapa, when He laughed as He saw the monkeys dance in the zoo! The next day, I brought to Him my thank you letter and shared with Him my feeling about His laughter. It was a wonderful feeling to receive the powerful blessing from His Holiness Karmapa. I'm counting every day till April 24, 2001 to visit Him again.

I'm praying for Him to gain freedom soon.

Nice to talk to you.

Karma Pema Wangmo
02-Jan-2001