The BMI: Billion Mantra InitiativeEarly in 2003, a project was conceived by a private individual concerned about the situation limiting people's physical access to the 17th Karmapa.
This project known as The Billion Mantra Initiative had the intention of helping smooth the way for Karmapa to assume his rightful throne and be free to travel the world. By July 18, 2006, it achieved a total of 1,097,540,500 thus substantially exceeding the objective. On the morning of September 9th 2006 in McLeod Ganj, India, Mr. Vic Gabriel, the project's leader, presented the document to HH Karmapa attesting to its success. Universal Role of The Karmapa As the embodiment of the activity of all buddhas and bodhisattvas, Karmapa does not "belong" to one denomination, lineage, or school, nor to any single institution or group. In other words, the compassionate activity of the Gyalwa Karmapa is not solely for the benefit of members of the Kamtsang, or Kagyu, denomination of Buddhism. Anyone can connect with and support Karmapa, whether they are Buddhist or not, by participating in projects such as the BMI. That is, anyone can connect with him through the recitation of the mantra that has been associated with him for hundreds of years.
Since the BMI surpassed its goal in the summer 2006, people who wish to may still take part in this worldwide activity. The extension of the project is called BMI-2. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please note changes as of July 1, 2007 Participants can continue to chant the brief and potent mantra, KARMAPA CHENNO, but do not need to report more than twice a year: near the end of December and before June 26th, HH's birthday. Please submit the number of recitations only for the preceding six (6) months. The change is necessary in consideration of this:
Following the request of His Holiness,
we will emphasize the Vajra Guru Project.
Those who have only been
doing BMI2 should know that the
link between HH Karmapa and devotees
reciting the Karmapa mantra is not
any less strong just because there is no "public report." Anyone who
feels not ready to do the VG mantra (for whatever reason) may
still continue with BMI2. From now on if you wish to report,
please send BMI2 totals only twice a year: about Dec. 24th (in
time for New Year's ) and before June 24th (in time for HH birthday.)
***Since HH especially requested
we do the Vajra
Guru mantra and since we wish to act in solidarity with
the representatives of Tsurphu and Rumtek, we
encourage everyone to join the VGP
in order to swiftly overcome obstacles.
In that way we will also help accomplish
the 2006-2007 Drubchen (Great
Prayer Offering) objective of 1 Billion VGM.***
Thank you for your
continued participation,
Khandro
PS Please email me if you have
any questions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Besides establishing and enhancing powerful spiritual connections, news of the project directs attention to the current situation. Therefore participation is a skilful means to accomplishing a worthy end in the peaceful satyagraha way made famous 70 years ago by Mohandas K. Gandhi. The Karmapa Mantra Encouragement for the BMI first came from Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche, who found merit in the idea and publicly encouraged participation. He explained that the Karmapa mantra was first introduced by the 8th Karmapa Mikyo Dorje (1507-1554) in the context of a teaching concerning the tradition of "Calling the Lama from afar." Here is the mantra written in Tibetan:
In Central Tibet, Sikkim and Bhutan, it is pronounced Karmapa mKyen-no or Karmapa khen-no. In East Tibet, it is pronounced "Karmapa chenno." Naturally, if you are used to saying it like that, there is no need to change your pronunciation. The potency of the Karmapa mantra is described by Lama Surya Das in Auspicious Tales of HH the 16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje:
The ObjectiveOur goal, to offer H.H. Urgyen Trinley Dorje one billion (1, 000, 000, 000) mantras, was substantially surpassed when, on July 18th, 2006, we realized a total of 1,097,068,170. Late submissions eventually raised this to 1, 097, 574, 500. Between February and June 2003, with both individuals and dharma groups taking part, we had already collected 35 million recitations. From about 1,250,000 recitations received at this web site between May 2004 and October 2005, monthly contributions rapidly increased ten-fold. On Dec. 10/04 with reference to the BMI, Wangchen Rinpoche said, "The world is given a gift which is Holiness Karmapa." He added that it would be such a pity if His teachings are not heard by the world, so we should keep on praying for this purpose. In March 2005, Khenpo Tsultrim's ani-gompas (nunneries) in India and Bhutan (Karma Drubdey Gomba,) Thrangu Rinpoche's Tara Abbey, Tenga Rinpoche's seat of Benchen Phuntsok in Darjeeling, Karma Lekshey Ling in Nepal and Jamgon Kongtrul's Pullahari Monastery expressed commitments to the BMI. In May 2005, we posted information to Tibet Times, and made available the BMI letter in Chinese. In July 2005, the project appeared in prestigious Thar Lam magazine. In October 2005, the nuns of the ani gompa in Nangchen established by Sonam Chotso, Bardor Rinpoche's wife, expressed a commitment. Hundreds of students, monks, nuns and lay practitioners of the various Kagyu lineages took part in the BMI, most contributing as part of a group. Apart from those, 284 individuals from 17 different countries sent in mantra totals. Judging mainly by names, half are men and half women. 4 or 5 people contributed several million apiece. This co-ordinator responded personally to every submission coming via KhandroNet, and every notice of contribution was kept on file to ensure that no one's name was omitted from the token of this great offering. Endorsements Besides having the confidence of Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, who wrote an official letter to the effect, and by Khenpo Tsultrim, whose ani gompa joined early on, the BMI was approved by Ven. Bardor Tulku and the monks of Raktrul Monastery (east Tibet.) The chant master at Rumtek Dharmachakra (Sikkim) and the monks there also contributed. Wangchen Rinpoche of Mahavajra Center in Los Angeles and Bengen Monastery in Kham expressed a commitment. Early in May 2006, T. D. Lharisang, Honorary Secretary of Pal Karmapa's Dhungdrub Tsogpa in Rumtek, Sikkim, reported support for the BMI from several important Kagyu monasteries. In Sikkim:
In West Bengal:
Then, on May 15/06, Rumtek.Org, the official web site of the 17th Karmapa's Dharma Chakra Center (Shedrup Chokhor Ling,) posted the request for participation during the week of June 11th, of all Karma Kagyu monasteries. The Dhungdrub Tsogpa (Laypersons' Association Offering) On June 11th/06, we received news of a Karkhyen Dhungdrub Tsogpa. Every year since 1983, a puja organized by Karmapa's Dhungdrub Tsogpa (association) is held at the main seat of His Holiness Karmapa in Rumtek, Sikkim. It takes place at Saga Dawa and usually consists of a 100-million recitations of the Vajrasattva mantra. This time, as proposed by Ven. Dilyak Drubpon Rinpoche, the General Secretary of the Tsurphu Labrang [Tsurphu in Tibet is the historical seat of the Karmapas,] the Dhungdrub Association decided to join in the recitation of "Karkhen" (Karmapa khenno) and send the totals to the BMI.
Jul 14/06: Monasteries participating in the BMI as part of the Dhungdrub Puja submitted 365,285,572. The layperson's association of Rumtek submitted 163,494,820. The total for both the above came to 528,780,392. On July 18/06: The total had come to 1,097,068,170 but with a few late submissions, we achieved 1,097,540,500. The Actual OfferingJun 26/06: Due to our expectations that the objective would soon be attained, we arranged for HH the 17th Karmapa to receive the small exquisite longevity tangka on the occasion of his 21st birthday (according to Western calculation.) It was delivered on our behalf by Bardor Tulku Rinpoche.
Namgyelma (Skt. Ushnishavijaya) as painted by Karma Tsering Lama, Thamel, Nepal.
The tangka was framed by Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche of KTD.
< photo courtesy Bob Holt
Documentation The list of contributors to the BMI comprising the names of over 280 individual practitioners (without identifying individual totals,) and that of the many monasteries, nunneries, retreat centers and dharma centers was given to HH's secretary. On the 9th of September 2006 at around 3 pm, a formal document in the Tibetan language celebrating the achievement of the BMI was presented in person to Karmapa by the project's originator, whose words follow:
How to Join the BMI-2If you were a contributor to the BMI, just continue sending in monthly totals as before. Any submission after July 18th 2006 "enrolls" you in BMI-2. If you are new to this and want to participate, please send a first email message (link at the foot of any Khandro.Net page) stating that you desire to join the BMI-2. This confirms your aspiration to join in the mantra offering of heartfelt connection with the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje. Your name will be added to the new list at the time of your first monthly contribution. Thereafter, regular monthly updates are appreciated. All and any numbers of recitations are welcome. Even little drops eventually create an ocean. If you don't mind, please send the actual number of recitations rather than the number of mala-rounds. Submitting Group PracticeSangha leaders or umdzei, please join us. You can either email Tenzin with group updates, or email us. You can also send a postcard or a letter. When recitation is done as apart of a group practice, the person whose role is to collect the total can just multiply the number of participants by the number of rounds of mala [string of beads.] Or, since the mantra is short, you can calculate how many minutes it takes for the group to say 108, and then just use the passage of time as a way of keeping count. Individuals can also use a "clicker" type of counting device. The Karmapa mantra is frequently recited as part of a regular monastery or group practice, such as that of Karma Pakshi. However, we can only include these recitations as a contribution to the BMI-2 if someone, with the approval of their sangha, decides to notify us of the numbers completed. This can be done by mail, fax or email. UpdatesPlease send monthly updates of previously unreported NEW totals to: Use the name you wish, but please be consistent so we can present an accurate list of participants. Feedback You can follow the totals of BMI-2 on Khandro.Net's Home page, where submissions are tallied almost as soon as received. We try and publish (with the approx. time) as soon as your most recent contribution arrives so participants can get some feedback. (However, as most submissions from dharma groups and gompas are sent to Simhas.Org they do not appear until a new "world total" is calculated.) Khandro.Net keeps all BMI email messages and posts numbers on paper and on the Net as soon as we receive them. This helps prevent possible duplications or errors in bookkeeping. We do not revise "backwards," so for example, when recitations are done in September but not sent until Oct. 2nd, the amount will be included (and appear on the Home page) as part of an October sub-total. More About the Karmapa MantraIn 1996, it was observed that when the 17th Karmapa rubbed his robe against some stones, Karmapa khyenno spontaneously appeared, as if the rock were responding with iron oxide script. [An image can be found on the Web.] The mantra was instituted by the 8th Karmapa, however it is not only favored by Kagyu people. Its efficacy in times of trouble and as a support for spiritual practice is well known. In fact, it is related to the mantra invoking Chenresi (Avalokiteshvara.) Furthermore, it contains the blessings of all buddhas:
When we join in the recitation of this mantra, we become part of the Karmapa mandala and participate in the activity of the Buddhas. Although it is not a requirement for participation in the BMI, occasionally you might like to renew the context by recalling the continuity, as expressed inThe original practice taught by the 8th KarmapaAfter taking Refuge and engendering bodhicitta, say: Boundless Lord, Dharmakaya itself, [Amitabha, Buddha of infinite light] Noble and excellent Avalokitesvara, Who is the mighty Samboghakaya, The One who Arose from a Lotus [Padmasambhava "Guru Rinpoche"], Who attained the wisdom body [Nirmanakaya] And the great glorious Karmapa, Who gathers all [three kayas] into one essence, We pray that you grant us your blessings. Recite the following mantras [3x, 7x, or 21x, etc.] OM AH.MI DE.WA HRI [mantra of Amitabha] OM MANI PEME HUNG HRI [mantra of Avalokitesvara] OM AH HUNG VAJRA GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG [mantra of Padmasambhava] KARMAPA KYEN.NO [mantra of Karmapa] Then, dedicate the merit as follows: By the merit that we have accumulated through reciting and meditating in this manner, may I, all those with whom I come in contact, and all beings, miraculously be born in Dewachen. As soon as we are born there, and reach the tenth level of bodhisattva, may we send out emanations in the ten directions for the benefit of others. Now visualize and say: O wonderful Buddha of Limitless Light, To your right is the Lord of Great Compassion [Avalokitesvara], and to your left is the Bodhisattva of Great Power [Vajrapani]. You are surrounded by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, measureless in number. In this land called Dewachen there is joy and happiness without limit. May I be born there as soon as I pass from this life, without taking birth anywhere else. Having been born there, may I see Amitabha's face. May the Buddhas and Boddhisattvas of the ten directions give us their blessings so that the wish expressed in this prayer may be accomplished without hindrance. TE.YA.TA PENTSEN DRI.YA AWA BO.DHA.NI, SO.HA ~ from the complete practice as given in Jan. 2000 by Lama Lodu of KDK in S. F. ________________________________________________________________________ thangka: The Tibetan word, also transliterated as tangka, refers to a scroll painting usually bordered by brocade material, like the one depicted on this page. It is intended to be portable and it can be hung on a wall or studied on a table.
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"Embodiment of the compassion of all Buddhas, take heed of
me." 