Visit the Kid's Website • SMD's Role in Kid's Lives • SMD Student's Personal Stories • Eco-Club & Roots and Shoots • Swimming
Spring Letter Sonam Dolma • Best Effort Award • Drama Contest • Licensed to Learn Tutoring • SMD Idol • Democracy Thrives at SMD
Peace Day • SMD Teachers Win Football Tournament • The Football Game • Sherab's Story • SMD Band records Bring Back Peace
A river of sewage: Kid's Story Hijacked by Local Daily • Our Friend Daniel Collins • Sex-Education at SMD: A First in Nepal
Love and Peace Club • Celebrating 17th Karmapa's Birthday • Art and Craft • My Friend the Cobbler • Making Momos for Lunch
INTERVIEWS • Sarzum • Laxmi Gurung • Tulku Damcho • Tsering Samten • Phur Diki • Choygal Lama • Karma Palden

 

Celebrating HH the 17th Karmapa’s Birthday

There are four lineages in the Buddhism of Tibet; among them one is the Kagyu lineage, which we SMD students follow. In the Tibetan language “ka” means teaching and “gyu” means lineage. So, “Kagyu” means the teachings that are being passed from the teacher to the students.

All four lineages have their own leaders. In these lineages, there are leaders, and the leader of our lineage lineage is His Holiness The 17th Karmapa, Oygen Trinley Dorje. We regard June 26th as a special occasion for all Kagyupa's because it is the day our lineage leader was born. Here in Boudhanath, all Kagyu followers gather at Dhapsang Monastery, to celebrate and to make this occasion successful.

We celebrate by dancing, singing, and chanting “Karmapa Khenno" which means, "Karmapa know me", and we pray for world peace. Many lamas, khenpos (scholar monks), tulkus (reincarnates) and other monks and nuns are present on this occasion. SMD Boarding School is the only school invited.


SMD Kid's Lining up for Blessing

This year is the Karmapa’s 24th birthday. This year also, we didn't miss this great opportunity. WE went to Dhapsang Monastery like we’ve done in the past .We didn't have a big programme this year because of several reasons: the deaths of thousands of people due to natural disasters in Burma and China and because of the demonstration that Tibetans were doing in different parts of the world against the Olympic torch. These sad events didn't make us enjoy, instead we prayed for their safety, for peace, and for their departed hearts.

We offered "khatas”, white silk scarves to the image of His Holiness Karmapa and returned to our school. This special day made us more conscious towards suffering beings and we and pray for them. According to my analysis, Karmapa has given his peace of heart to all of us, and makes us think in the way he thinks …for all sentient beings.

It was a day that we all enjoyed. We met many other Kagyupas; it's like meeting our own family members once a year.

Grade: 10

                
Praying for His Holiness