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Karma
Gyurmed was born in 1794, the thirteenth rabjung year
of the Wood Tiger, into the Khanglep family in the Me-chu
Gang area of Me Shod. From Karma Lhawang, he received
all of the transmissions of
kama
and terma, as practiced in the Palyul tradition.
Like
the majority of the great throne holders of this
tradition, much of Karma Gyurmed’s life was spent in
solitary retreat. His principal meditational deity was
Vajrakilaya (of Duddul Dorje’s revelation) and he
often had visions of all seventy-five deities in
Vajrakilaya’s assembly. During one pure vision,
Padmasambhava came and instructed him to begin the
great Dharma Medicine Accomplishment ceremony in the
Palyul monastery each year of the sheep. He also began
the tradition of performing Guru Chowang’s pure
vision tenth day Black Hat Dance at the Palyul
monastery.
When
Karma Gyurmed actualized realization of the Great
Perfection Ati Yoga, each one of his disciples
simultaneously developed insights by just hearing the
sound of his voice. Without any obstruction, not only
could he read the minds of others, he could also
comprehend their innermost secret thoughts and
needs.
Karma
Gyurmed periodically displayed his miraculous powers
for the sake of guiding sentient beings. On one such
occasion, he focused his mind upon negative forces in
order to subdue them and when he threw his vajra, it
penetrated through three wall partitions. When he
traveled to the
hot springs
of Tilung, the impression of his footprints remained
clearly in the stones.
In
1851, the year of the Iron Pig, on the twelfth day of
the fifth month, Karma Gyurmed was fifty-eight years
old, when he experienced the presence of the Sugatas
in every direction of space. Instructing his disciples
to arrange many offerings, on the thirteenth day, he
dissolved his mind into the great sphere of truth. His
holy body shrank to the size of a cubit, eighteen
inches in length, while his complexion remained very
fresh and life-like. Astonishing signs, such as
unusual cloud formations and rainbows appeared in
abundance. His principal heart disciple, Gyatrul
Rinpoche, built a temple and a two storey gold and
copper stupa to contain the holy body of the second
Karma Kuchen Rinpoche, Karma Gyurmed. |
