The Gyalwa Karmapa landed on Clermont soil on April 18 at dawn. He was received by Jigme Rinpoche and several lamas who accompanied him to his house in the heart of the monastic hermitage of Kundreul Ling. The main purpose of his visit to Kundreul Ling this time was to transmit the required initiations to the retreatants who started their first three-year-retreat last February.
On Tuesday April 19 the monastic sangha in their purple and saffron robes and the lay practitioners living in the surrounding area assembled in the big temple to await  the sound of the gyalings, which announced the arrival of His Holiness for the welcoming ceremony. The traditional offerings (tea and cakes) were distributed to all those present. The lamas responsible for the retreat centres then made symbolic offerings of body (ku), speech (sung) and mind (thuk), represented by a statue, a holy text and a stupa respectively, to the Gyalwa Karmapa. His Holiness gave his blessing to all  present.

During the first days after his arrival the Gyalwa Karmapa, aided by Lama Karma Wangdu and accompanied by the drupens (retreat masters), started the transmission of a series of initiations to the men in first retreat in the retreat centres of Le Bost. His Holiness then continued in Laussedat, where he gave the same initiations to the women in first retreat there. The retreatants were very busy for several days beforehand, preparing tormas, shrines and all the required offering materials, aware of the exceptional opportunity of receiving these initiations in such favourable circumstances. This was the first time the Gyalwa Karmapa had given these transmissions in the retreat centres, just as Shamar Rinpoche had done previously.

In the course of his stay at Kundreul Ling the Gyalwa Karmapa did us the honour of participating in the practice of Milarepa at the full moon. Many local practitioners came to share this precious moment with the monastic sangha. His Holiness rejoiced in this shared practice and expressed the wish to carry out another such offering feast some ten days later, on May 15. He requested that the offerings for this occasion be even more abundant. The entire community got organised, with some preparing the offerings and others taking care of the parking areas etc. Vacuum cleaners and irons were busy, until the temple shone in its full splendour. Giant tormas and fragrant flowers decorated the shrines. Members of the Belvis, Paris and Perpignan KTTs and others from all directions came together to join in the ceremony. The big temple was completely full. The atmosphere was light and joyful – a memorable day for everybody present… but how could it be otherwise in such company?

Everyone was touched by the Gyalwa Karmapa’s great availability at all times, as well as his simplicity. The nuns at Laussedat invited him to share a meal with them, and the monks surpassed themselves in preparing a succulent dinner for him in Le Bost. Once he had completed the initiations, His Holiness also visited the centres for second retreat. He also gave a long interview to the practising trainees in which he particularly insisted that everybody should contribute to the activity of the dharma to the best of their abilities, placing special emphasis on the necessity to overcome ego-clinging.

“Work on your ego-clinging, go beyond it, eradicate it – that’s all I’m asking of you !"

On the occasion of an informal meeting in Laussedat, His Holiness assured the assembled monastic sangha of his support and his continued presence at their side, both in the present and the future. It was like a promise that, in spite of his impending departure, he would soon return to his “second home”. All those who received his blessing during the thanksgiving ceremony will retain fond memories of the occasion.

The community also profited from the presence of the monks who joined the Karmapa a few days after his arrival. Lekshe Wangshuk and Dejang-la shared all their know-how about the fabrication of tormas with the sangha during their stay in Kundreul Ling. The Gyalwa Karmapa himself also gave some expert advice and indications concerning the continuation of the work in the main temple.

On May 18 at dawn, after a last blessing, a few last smiles and several rather sleepy katas waved behind his car, everybody  in Kundreul Ling started a new day, inspired by the Gyalwa Karmapa’s freshness and ardour which had left an invisible imprint in all our hearts.

The consecration and filling of the stupa dedicated to Gendun Rinpoche took place on three consecutive days.

On February 16 the whole sangha gathered to carry out the rabne ritual in order to consecrate both the support and the substances which would be used for the filling.

On February 17 a team of stapras and lamas filled the inside of the stupa, a rather delicate operation as the stupa had to be laid on its side for the filling to be carried out from the bottom.

On February 18 the final public consecration took place. After that the stupa was placed in front of the Buddha statue in the big temple, awaiting the Karmapa’s decision on its final location.

Firstly I want to say that I am very happy that you have finished the retreat. I think when one is in retreat it is not always easy. So it is wonderful that you have finished the retreat without obstacles. I am very happy to see you all again. Everybody looks happy and healthy so the practice must have been good. Of course some people will continue again with a second retreat. Also for those druplas who have now completed seven years of retreat, it is very important for you to continue practising. Just as Lama Tsonyi has explained how Karmapa has emphasised for nearly thirty years that the establishment of the dharma in western countries depends upon people developing their potential. That is why Karmapa actually asked Gendun Rinpoche to come here to transmit the teaching. This has been accomplished and now you have received all the teachings. So until you get good results, or in other words good realisation, my feeling is that you always have to continue practising. This is very important

So I think the fact that so many are happy to support this work is very important. I would especially like to thank the drupons. They have put in a great deal of effort and have shown a very good example as they all follow Gendun Rinpoche’s instructions and through their commitment they remain here and try to help. I think this is very wonderful. In the same way this has been shown by the example of all the Lamas who are committed to following the instructions of Karmapa and Gendun Rinpoche.

When things were starting, in the beginning, everybody was very young and for me this has set a good example because many came to the dharma almost as teenagers and now nearly thirty years later they remain and continue their work. This is nice. It is a good example, a good reference for you to be able to stay and do the same as them. You have a good reference in the teachings and good examples in all the Lamas, especially the Drupons who support you and then Shamar Rinpoche and Karmapa are like the bedrock of support, a backing of all qualities. So the conditions here are rich and it is a good opportunity and great fortune to have a connection with this. Since you are connected and you have already done a lot of practice it is still important as I have emphasised to continue practising. It is not like an impossible dream. Past Lamas have done this and you could all do this. I think this is one of the most important things. Since you are committed to the dharma accomplishment is very important and so are all the facilities, places and conditions which enable this.
I would also like to thank all the sponsors, all the people who have and are helping you. Thanks to their support you have been able to dedicate your time for practice and now there are good results. But it is not finished and you have to continue practising, it is important that practitioners continue with their practice.

Anyway we have to continue and I myself try to support you as much as I can. As I have told you there is the place, the teachers, the facilities, so if you feel that it is necessary to continue there is nothing that needs to be changed. The teachings and practices you have received should be continued following the examples of the past great Kagyu Lamas who continued with their practice even though they had become like elders or an example of the teachings. So everybody has the ability to do this and we should keep this in mind. We should not think that we are useless or unable to succeed.
Dharma practice is based on this notion that everyone has good capacities and as the Buddha said, everyone possesses Buddha nature and the possibility to reach enlightenment. So we should focus on this possibility to reach enlightenment and also we have to focus on what we have learnt, the instructions we have received and practiced up until now. This is something we all have to feel and have confidence in and so by continuing in this way we will reach a proper result. As I have told you, we are not alone, there is a great deal of support and blessing coming from the instructions, the Lamas, particularly the Karmapa and Shamar Rinpoche. We also have all the important lineages and so we have all the necessary facilities and conditions present. So therefore this means we must continue. So in order to continue I think we should take things progressively, discuss the correct way to proceed and then we can go ahead. I think this will be very nice for you and very good for all other sentient beings.

As you know everything has come about due to people making efforts. I’m thinking of the example of all the retreat places, the temple, all of these things have come about because everybody put in a little bit of effort. So the result of this little bit of effort is that together we have some nice facilities within which people have practised. So for the future there is the possibility of having many good Lamas, good teachers and good practitioners. Through this we can help many other beings. Even though the world can be a nice place at times we can see that there is also a lot of negativity. With all this negativity the fact that such places exist where people are practising, making wishes and prayers is something which is really beneficial. So on the relative level everybody is suffering and on the absolute level everyone could reach good results through practice. So we do have all these positive conditions and facilities here but you don't need to feel over important and too imbued with a feeling of responsibility. You don't need to think about this, you just do the very simple thing which is to continue practising and through this step by step everyone could have the proper capacity, the proper ability to help many beings and, of course, to help yourselves.

I think for the people who are going into the next retreat it is also very important, of course they have created good karma, but it is also extremely fortunate because they will receive regular instructions and all the initiations and blessings will be coming directly from the Karmapa. This is actually quite rare. Even in other places such as Asia this never happened. If you look in the past, for example in the last century this almost never happened. So this is going to happen here. Also the explanations have really been kept properly. Nobody has changed Rinpoche’s teachings, they remain intact. This is very wonderful. All the lamas have done this and so then when you do retreat you are receiving the same transmission of blessings and initiations which is very important. So this is continuing now with Karmapa who will be transmitting all the blessing. I think everybody should understand what a special opportunity it is to do this. Therefore I think it is good to think about continuing one’s practice in retreat. Such an oppurtunity is extremly rare and very fortunate. I would just like to remind you that many people could think about doing retreat. I think it is very nice because in order to do retreat you have to prepare yourself and when you are ready you can go ahead, at anytime. So this is continuing now with another retreat approaching. So therefore I would just like to remind everyone, not just retreat practitioners but the friends, family and also those who are not here now that the practice of the dharma, the commitment required, the retreat and these facilities and conditions are things which are very rare in the world and very important. This is something we should be aware of. When we spend a lot of our time here involved in a lot of dharma events we start to feel that all this is something ordinary or normal. But it is not really normal, it is really rare compared with what is happening in other parts of the world. So I don't want to make propaganda about this but I just want to present what I feel. So if we remind people then they know and then we are able to appreciate just how important and how precious an opportunity it is. Then we can easily carry on and continue with the practice. You are also very lucky because during your retreat Karmapa and Shamarpa often came and in the next retreat it will be the same. I think this is something quite rare and important.

Today I want to give you some encouragement for your practice. I think it is very important to continue practising. Of course it is very important for you but it is also very important for sentient beings. A few years ago Karmapa explained to the Lamas and Druplas that they must help other people. But this is actually the same message for all of you. Of course everybody is willing to help other people but in order to help you need more capacity to do this. I am not saying you have no capacity but you need more capacity and more realisation. So in order to have more of this realisation and capacity, we need to continue our pratice. Actually Gendun Rinpoche emphasised that we need to do a lot of retreat, that we should spend half of our time in retreat. Logically it is very meaningful because if we do continue practice and retreat we get more capacity and become more helpful. Our practice and realisation grow gradually like a tree. Good practice is always improving. For example past lamas have put in a lot of effort in order to help many people. So due to their efforts many people have created a connection with the dharma and are now practicing.

So if you look, of course there are those people who practice a great deal who we do not need to mention. But even people who do not practice so much, who are not so commited and who previously without knowing it, out of ignorance, were engaged in a lot of negative conduct, maybe you know people like this, friends or relatives who, now, through their connection with the dharma have developed a positive outlook and way of acting. So I think, if you try to look, this kind of influence is really helpful. So if we think about this, of course, as I told you, we have to help ourselves to reach enlightenment but at the same time, we should try to think of other people aswell. In society we have many intelligent, well educated people but due to the lack of the message of the dharma, many engage in lot of negative actions which disturb their own future wellbeing and also creates negativity for other beings. So even with a small connection with the dharma I think we could change a lot of negative things and develop a lot of positive things. I think Karmapa spoke about this, but in order to do this, we must use the proper tools, we need more experience and realisation which comes through more practice. Then we will be able to help. If we don't have so much capacity, we could help, but much less. So you have to think about this and then you will know how important it is to continue your practice.

I understand that many druplas will stay in the monastery. This is very important, very nice. It will fulfil Gendun Rinpoche's wish because he asked for a monastery to be built in order that people may stay there. When people do stay their practice will naturally improve, it does not mean that they will just stay and do nothing. So I think this fulfils Gendun Rinpoche's wish and it will also fulfil your own expectations and through this you become able to help other beings. However you do need a lot of patience because, of course, it is not easy. When everyone tells you nice things, of course, things are easy and you feel good. But sometimes the truth has to be told which can be disturbing and uncomfortable and this we have to know. So it is necessary to be patient and to make an effort. This is very important and through this we could achieve the results of the practice . The reason I'm saying this is that I heard from several Lamas that many of you will stay in the monastery. I think this is very wonderful and the people who stay also need support. I want to say thank you to the sponsors who support the practitioners. They are not simply people staying there doing nothing but they continue to keep the teaching alive for the future development of the Dharma in Western countries. Through sponsoring and supporting this it is beneficial for the individual and beneficial for the sangha as a whole. So I would just like to conclude by saying Thank you. So for those who are staying this is a good idea, thank you to the sponsors for enabling all this to continue, and thank you also to the teachers for all your efforts. Finally I would like to say thank you everybody.