The Chief Minister of Sikkim Pawan Chamling and the all the members of the Sikkim  Assembly are expected to meet the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to urge that His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje to enter, visit and stay, in Sikkim. Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim is the seat of the Karmapas, and the general opinion of the ethnic Tibetan community here is that it is time that  the Karmapa (who is of Chinese Origin) be allowed to enter Rumtek.

The recognition of the ‘incarnation’ of HH the 16^th Karmapa was shrouded in a complicated controversy, with the discovery of another ‘incarnation’ of the 16^th  Karmapa in Darjeeling. With temperatures running high between the followers of both the Karmapas, one of whom (Ogyen Trinley) was blessed by the Dalai Lama,the prudent move was to let the seat at Rumtek remain vacant until this complicated and highly emotional religious dilemma was sorted out. For a time, the controversy also took on an Indian versus Chinese hue, with a lot of people from other Buddhist sects and traditions  fishing in troubled waters.

One view was that the Karmapa and the Dalai Lama were very high incarnations of equal status, and therefore, the Dalai Lama’s ‘recognition’ of the Karmapa was somewhat out of place. However, it may be mentioned that  the majority of Sikkimese have come round to believing that HH Ogyen Trinley Dorje should occupy the Rumtek seat.

According to one viewpoint, after the 16th Karmapa passed away, the Dalai Lama used his own power to’ force’ the selection of the Karmapa’s reincarnation. The selection had always been an internal matter solely for the Kagyu tradition itself, never for the Dalai Lamas who had historically followed the Gelug tradition. Of the two candidates, one was born in Chinese-occupied Tibet and officially recognised by the Chinese authorities. The other was born in India and recognised by the Kagyu master Shamar Rinpoche. Shamar Rinpoche’s lineage has been closely connected with the Karmapa lineage since the 13th century, and he has always been considered second only to the Karmapa himself within the Kagyu tradition. The Dalai Lama sided with the Chinese and ‘officially’ recognised their candidate. This decision that caused chaos within the Kagyu tradition, and a deep schism that turned this spiritual tradition against itself, and at times has led to violence.

At first, the State government (this was some 25 years ago), prudently steered clear of the controversy, not wishing to interfere in what was clearly a highly volatile situation clouded by allegations and cloaked in a dozen conspiracy theories. Now, the hullabaloo appears to have subsided. However, politically, the Karmapa seems to be in more controversies, a few to do with Chinese connections and foreign exchange violations.

The point asked by other observers is: Is Chamling giving the Rumtek issue a political hue by siding with one faction of the Kagyu tradition?

Come what may, it will be a grand occasion in Sikkim, even if the 17th Karmapa is allowed to visit, if not to stay. One expects that Prime Minister Modi  will accede to this request when Chief Minister Chamling and his team visits him sometime this month.

  Buddhist, Karmapa, Ogyen Triney Dorje, Pawan Chamling, Sikkim, Thaye Trinley Dorje