[Opening with Tibetan music]
[ The hard sound of wore-shippers scrapping along the hard road ]
[ Interpreter ] - Where are you from?
- from the Riko monastery
[ Int.] -How long have you been doing this?
- For one year.
[ Int. ] - Where are you going? - To Lasha
[ Int.] -But it is at least 300 miles to Lasha. How long it will take you?
[ Int] - About 3 months.
[ Int.] - How many prostration you do a day?
[ Int. ] - About 3000
[ Int. ] - A day? - Less than 4 miles.
[ Female Narrator ] -Prostrations are spiritual exercises.
It cleanses people of egotism, greed, aggression and ignorance.
[ Local voices of prayers ]
[ Male Narrator ] -Tibetans make a pilgrimage to Lhasa just once in their lives
There they pray for their spiritual leaders; who fled the Country in
1959 in the face of Chinese treats to destroy them.
They honour and venerate Karnapa. Gyalwang Karmapa.
The head of a long established Kagyu line in Tibete.
Older than the Sect of the Dalai Lama.
Kamapa marched with more than 100 monks over the Himalayas into exile.
Untse? Karmapa's tutor, quickly formed a new monastic community.
And the ancient traditional teachings of Tibetan Buddhism continued to florish.
[ Many voices ]
[ Fem. Narrator ]This place is called Rumtek, a monestary Sikkim which
was then a little Buddhist kingdom,
North of India, on the southern slopes of the Himalayas.
The Rumtek monastery became the new headquarters of Karmapa in exile.
[ Male Narrator ] - Karmapa is the holder of the black crown; a
symbol of his mastership. he is the living link of an undropping chain of enlighted
beings back to the historical Buddha Shakyamouni who lived in India
in 700 BC. He is Buddha. Buddah Shakyamouni, transmits his experiences
to his people, who also became enlighted and are able to help thei pupils or
so to reach the stage of self liberation.
In the 12th century, this chain of enlighten beings, led to
the 1st Karmapa. Who then developed the unique ability to predict exactly and
in writing his own reincarnation. As did the 2nd Karmapa and
the 3rd and so fourth up to him
the present the 16th of reincarnation.
of Karmapa. He died 1n 1991 at the age of 57. His body was
cremated at Rumetk monestary. It was a State funeral. nd mourners
gather from all corners of the earth.
Karmapa has millions of followers.
He left behind 4 number of representatives or interim regents.
Sharma on the right, Tai Sitou on the left, Jamgon and Gyaltsab,
the youngest of the interim regents.
Rainbows over the blue sky of Sikkim. In Tibete a sure sign of an enlighten
being has left its body. In Buddhism death is not the end.
Karmapa died with the promise that he would give a clear sign by which
he could be recognised in his new life.
But for a long time no more clues were found.
Until eleven years later.
[ Dalai Lama ] - I've got something new. I've dreamed of the location, the area
where the person is born... One valley is next...
to the stones and lawns...actually it looks high altitude...and then facing the South
there are some streams...small beautiful streams... and then there is a main...
the picture. There is someone there...and it
told me... actually without its form.... that someone...some source, you see, telling
to me : ''This is the place! Where Karmapa was born.
[ Fem. Narrator ] where could this place be?
How could it be found?
[ Tromp Music + ]
[ Male narrator ] - Here in northern India, is where Taï Sitou, one of Karmapas
of 4 interim regents made an interesting disovery.
[ Sound of a box being open ]
[ Male narrator] - pressured by the faithful that hope and expected Karmapa has
left some clues behind, Sitou felt that he should open the talisman
Karmapa had given him 10 months,
before his death with the words: ''this will protect you and some day it will be useful.
His Sanctity has given me this protection. ...pouch.... In early January 1981.
And one day it was sneaking here... I opened that and found an envelope.
And the envelope had red ink letter saying that this should be opened
in the iron horse year. And then I was very very happy.
And then after the , after I offer the letter to Rumtek...it would be taken
in March 1982.
[ Male narrator ] - Traditionally such talisman are never opened; but since no one had
found any indication of Karmapa's rebirth, he decided to open it, afterall.
[ someone ]- But the letter is still... [ Taï Sitou ]- The letter is in Rumtek, yes. the
envelope and the letter, both. It's in alter.
[ Male narrator ] - here in the Rumtek monastery, in the late heathquarters of
the late Karmapa, this most important and holy document is protected by
the secret police; those from outside and inside.
Absolutely no one has access to it.
Only Karmapa himself when he returns his new reencarnation
has the right to break these seals.
[ Sitou ] - But I have a copy here of the sacred letter and
this is in Tibetanian; so i read this:
[ Translation of reading by Sitou ] - Self awareness is always blessed.
A diamong dirt has no centre or edge; from here to the North
and East of the land of snow is a country where divine
thunders spontaneous blazes.
In a good nomads place
with a sign of a cow.
"methode is Deundroub and wisdom is Lolaga."
Born in the year one used for the earth.
with miraculous far reaching sound of the the white one.
This system is known as karmapa.
He is sustained by a lord Droupa.
Being no sectarian he prevades in all directions.
Staying close to some and distant from others
he is the protector of all beings.
[ Sitou ] -When I discovered these I was very pleased. and actually it
was a tremendous relief; it was
exactly the blessing and also
inspiration of the highest aspect.
In which we have been waiting
and we were finally blessed by it.
So I was very very happy.
[ Sound of a bell ]
[ Narrator ] - This letter was interpreted by Gyaltsab on the left
Jamgon, Sitou and Sharmapa on the right, workinng together.
They al came to a unanimous conclusion which Gyaltsab
reads to us. [ Translator/narrator male ] - From here to the North in the East of the land
of snow, we interpret here as Rumtek, where Karmapa
wrote the letter. And in the East of the land of snow means
we have to look for him in east Tibet because
land of snow is the Tibetan name for Tibet.
Where dine thunders spontaneous blazes
indicates a district in Eastern Tibet.
''Lha'' means divine and ''Thok'' means thunder.
There is only one community in Eastern Tibet named Lhathok.
The letter describes the area more precisely as a good nomad
place with a sign of a cow.
''Goood'' means a good fertile area
this area must have a name which includes the syllabus ''KAh''
meaning cow.
The next line, the method is
Deundroub and wisdom is Lolaga
predicts the name of the parents.
It refers to the Buddhist symbolism.
The sun symbolises the masculine principle of the method. And the
moon symbolises the female principle of wisdom.
Therefore the father must be
named Deundoup, and the mother Lolaga.
Born in the year of the one used for the earth prophecises
the year of his birth.
During the relevant period of the Tibetan calender there
is in addition to snake, dragon, hair and tiger, only one animal
sign used for the earth, the ox, in 1985.
The words the miraculous far reaching sound of the white one
refer to the white conk shell that we use in Tibet in religious music,
which is always called the ''white one''.
Sustained by Lord Droupa, refers to Sitou whom buddhist name of honour is
Droupa. In his previous life, Sitou had identified the last
Karmapa and was chosen to exercise his function once again.
With respect so much for the moment
Jamgon, Karmapa's other Interim Regent
[ Interviewer ] -What do you think personally of the letter?
[ Jamgon ] - very precise
[ Interviewer ] - do you think that the information which the letter contained
and how you interpret it, will enable
you to find the reincarnation of Karmapa?
- Yes; we ought to say that. Yes, it is very clear and very precise. And that
is why we are all very confident
about finding his Holiness... or Him...
[ Narrator ] - Because of visa problems
a copy of the letter is sent together with the interpretation to Tsurphu's
monastery in Tibet.
Tsurphu, has been the seat of all Karmapas for 800 years.
[ The sound of the gong and the tromp ]
[ Male Narrator ] - Drupon Déchen, the abbot of the
monastery gives Lama Tomo
the task of leading the search with the letter as a guide.
[ Translator ] - Take Ashang Letro with you,
and travel to Kham, East Tibet and then follow
the directions in the letter.
The reincarnation of Karmapa, is something so unique; is like
an offering cup made of a pure blue gems.
Hopefully, after 12 years of waiting all our wishes are
going to be fulfilled.
The letter brings a blessing.
For Tomo this is the greatest task of his life. Only a handful
of people know of his mission;
because indications and conditions
could be manipulated and the search could therefore fail.
As discreetly as possible Tomo sets up on his long
journey together with his companions; 70 year old
Ashang Letro, with the white hat, Titi his attendant, a driver and Pato.
[ Fem. Narrator ] - no one in tibet
is allowed to travel without official permission. Therefore Pato
in the black coat government officer,
accompanies them.
[ Music beat for the road ]
[ Fem. Narrator ] - It is more than 1,600 km to Lathok, east of Tibet.
And several military check points
have to be passed.
[ Music beat for the road including a Tibetan song ]
- Pato! ''You simply will say that you are on a official inspection trip;
and that you were kind enough to take us along.''
- ''Tomo Lama will not tell anyone
of what we are looking for; we will pretend to be pilgrims.''
[ fem. Narrator ] - The job they have to do is very risky; because
searching for reincarnation is condemned as a superstition
activity by the Chinese and severely punished.
Therefore they have to keep the reason for their journey
strictly a secret. And if they really find Karmapa their
hope is that Karmapa wil protect them.
Karmaka is not like an ordinary reincarnation; He is a living Buddha.
And the Chinese would provoke an upraise in Tibet
if the chose to condemn him; as they did up to now with many others.
[ Male Narrator ] - For 30 years the Tibetans
have been strictly forbidden for practising their religion.
In the meantime however very few selected monasteries
were given permission to rebuild.
The monasteries were centres of education for everyone.
the country on the roof of the world
is as big as west Europe or a quarter of the US.
But onlly with 6,000.000 inhabitants.
Since 1960, Beijing has been oppressing
Tibet wit one half million soldiers.
Colonising it for what there are now
8,000,000 new Chinese settlers.
[ Fem. Narrator ] - More than a 1,000.000
Tibetans have been killed. The country has been looted.
Tibet national resources are plundered and nearly all of
the wild animals have been wiped out.
Before the Chinese started to build roads one could see
great hordes of antelopes wild donkeys and Yaks.
Today only a few birds are left.
[ Male narrator ] - Tibetans do not kill animals just for fun or profit;
it would be against their faith.
The majority are nomads who live with and not against nature.
Tibetan sounds... traditional song with English theme ''misery'' ]
The Himalayan Valley can be so large that it takes
all day to cross it.
If the jeep has a breakdown there is no one who can help.
It is so cold that in the morning
one can drive over frozen rivers
but by midday they've thaw out again.
These extremes of temperature are repeated day after day.
Tibetan sounds... traditional song with English theme ''misery'' ]
[Fem. Narrator ] - This is a search where nothing can go wrong.
The monks from Tsurphu bear an enormous responsibility.
If they're not able to find Karmapa
they will disappoint millions of people whose faith in reincarnation
as a law of nature, would be deeply shaken.
[ Male Narrator ] - The search party now
has to proceed on horse back, because there are no roads
into the district of Lhathok .
They need 4 riding horses and 1 pack horse for at least 2 weeks.
Horses are rear and not easy to get but with friendly words
they quickly come to terms.
[ Sound of dialogue and bell ringing ]
Before drinking one always sacrifices
a few drops to the angry spirits.
[ Fem. Narrator ] - If the beer is made out of barley or salted
butter tea which tastes like a greasy grog.
[ Sound of dialogue and bell ringing ]
[ Male Narrator ] - The horses of the Himalayas are pretty small
and pretty tough.
[ Sound of dialogue and bell ringing ]
[ Male Narrator ] - Without giving themselves away the men
continue the search.
Now the arduous part of the journey begins. The day's ride
to Lhathok over high passes are too dangerous ravines
[ Rhythmic tambourine sounds ]
[ Male Narrator ] - The monks of Tsurphu have sent Pato on ahead
to see if the coast is clear and to find accomodation in Lhathok.
After thee days in the saddle
Pato reaches Lhathok.
Above the village at the C--- monastery
which was completed destroyed by the invaders
in 1966 and recently rebuilt.
The Abbot Lama Palden welcomes the camouflaged pilgrims fro Tsurphu.
He spent 25 years in prison.
Now once again he looks after the little boys sent to the monastery
for education.
[ Fem. Narrator ] - Could Karmapa only be among them?
[ Male Interviwer ]- Lama Palden, do you
have any unusual children?
[ Translator ] - Recently many children from the area have again begun
to enter the monastery and although
I am able to see if a child has special skills and qualities
I'm not able to see where they've been in their previous lives.
[ A Bhutanese Voice...]
[ Fem. narrator ] - Tradition says that there had been earlier incarnation
of karmapa who identified themselves
with they're very first words: '' I am Karmapa''
In the case of such a child however,
his personal data always has to correspond exactly with the
indications in the letter of prophecies.
[ Voices of happy children ]
[ Male narrator ] - Tomo and lodro not only interviewed monks . They also
talked to people outside the monastery.
[ Translator ] - They asked me about a place with "Kor" in its name.
Yes i said: Bakor the Valley of the cows.
And they wanted to know if there was a woman named Lolaga.
Yes there is. And her husband is called Deundoup.