Black Crown
The Black Crown (
wears an orange crown. These crowns were bestowed by the Karmapa.Legend tells that in a previous eon, in a former life as an accomplished
bhumi of the bodhisattvas. At this time, 100,000 dakinis
(female buddhas) manifested their hair as a crown, and offered it to the Karmapa as a symbol of his accomplishment.
Buddha Shakyamuni in the Samadhiraja Sutra
:
A bodhisattva with the lion's roar will appear. He will use the power he achieved in deep meditation to benefit countless beings. By seeing, hearing, touching or thinking of him, they will be led to happiness
Origin
The Karmapas were traditionally the teachers of the successive
Sambhogakaya form of Vajradhara (Tib. Dorje Chang), wearing a black crown on his head. The Karmapa explained to the Emperor that he had seen the 'Vajra
Crown', the power-field of wisdom-energy that is always present above the Karmapa's head. The emperor offered to have a physical replica made so that others could receive its blessing.
A crown encrusted with precious stones and topped by a huge
Rangjung Rigpe Dorje
.
Ceremony
In preparation for the ceremony the Karmapa meditates on inseparability with
Buddha
, then one will receive the blessings of a Buddha). It is said that by merely seeing the Black Crown during the ceremony, one will become a bodhisattva of the first bhumi within three lifespans. This is one of the key reasons why the Black Crown is so important to the Karma Kagyu lineage.
Recent developments
In the early 1960s, the 16th Karmapa brought the Black Crown and other valuable relics of the
Thaye Dorje
, one of the rival candidates for the title of 17th Karmapa. Since then an inventory of valuables is being prepared. The location and integrity of the Black Crown is currently unknown.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Black Crown.
- Black crown ceremony on Kagyu Asia website
- The Origin of the Vajra Crown By Lama Karma Wangchuk
- The Black Crown of the Karmapas Explanation of some of the most significant aspects of the Vajra Crown