Sitting-in-bed ceremony

　　On Sept. 27, the valley where the Curpu Monastery lies was extraordinarily lively with people coming from far and wide. There were also senior officials including Ren Wuzhi, director of the Bureau of Religious Affairs of the State Council, renowned Tibetan Living Buddha Pagbalha Geleg Namgyai, also vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and other senior officials of the Tibet Autonomous Regional Government.

　　The 17th Karma was eight years old. Escorted by lamas and officials at all levels, he did not smile so much at the respectful greetings from various people. He received hada and then put them on the necks of the presenters skillfully. His eyes moved quickly and it was obvious he had been given excellent instructions. A middle-aged lama made way for the young Living Buddha from time to time and arranged attires for him. Besides respect, there was also profound affection in the eyes of the older lama.

　　At noon, the honor guard of lamas welcomed the 17th Kamapa to sit on his throne with religious music. The seat was placed in the middle of the main hall, with parents and siblings of the Living Buddha from the pastoral area seated on one side of the seat. Traditional ghee lamps were lit up and hundreds of Tibetan Buddhist believers from Europe and America, also in purplish red cassocks, sat along with the lamas of the monastery. There were also officials and Living Buddhas from other areas to offer their greetings. Flooded with journalists and photographers, the spacious hall now became very crowded.

　　Monks in the monastery started chanting. The two Kagyu Living Buddhas Situ and Gyaltsab who came from Sikkim especially for the event sat on the two sides of the Living Buddha. Living Buddha Gyaltsab put the black hat with gold trimming on the head of the 17th Karmap while other monks were chanting. The young Living Buddha looked as serious as an adult did. Ren Wuzhi and other officials also presented their greetings, including the congratulation letter of the State Council and Tibet Autonomous Regional Government. There were about 30,000 worshippers praying outside the monastery and the hada they presented looked like a white mountain.

Editor:卢佳颖