My story by 12th Gangri Karma Rinpoche
I was born on the 15th June, 1964 at Markham in east Tibet. Since a young age while studying Buddhist metaphysics, I was very keen to understand the origins of life in the universe. However, as I couldn’t find a competent teacher to answer my questions and satisfy my curiosity about the world, I decided to go into exile in India. I knew the dangers and challenges of crossing the high Himalayan ranges, snow covered passes, the icy precipices and the tumbling glacial rivers. We had to walk through valleys and cross mountains that were far from the main roads guarded by Chinese soldiers. The escape journey took us nearly a month during the course of which I personally saw a number of young Tibetans slip and fall down in the icy rivers. That really moved me deeply and I resolved at that time to return to Tibet after my education in India so that Tibetan children may get educational facilities within Tibet without the need to take such dangerous journey across the mighty Himalayas.
Once safely arrived in India, I got the necessary amenities and support to pursue a scientific Buddhist education that was most satisfying and enriching.
(On the 11th October 1987 H.H. Twelfth Gangri Karma Rinpoche was recognised by His Holiness Sakya Trizin and H.H. Dalai Lama on the 15th December 1987 as the major Siddha possessing merit of achievement in rainbow body and Dzogchen (Great Perfection), and was the reincarnation of H.E. Eleventh Gangri Karma Rinpoche )
In 1993, I returned to Tibet and established a Scientific Buddhist School in my hometown of Markham in east Tibet. At the same time, seeing that there was a high incidence of infant mortality, especially at the time of child-birth due to lack of basic medical knowledge and health care facilities in the villages, I also established a small Tibetan Medical School to train young Tibetan medical practitioners. I especially chose 120 Tibetans whose backgrounds were destitute such as orphans and semi-orphans and from very poor families.
( my Scientific Buddhist institute in the Tibet) (Tibetan Medical School)
As the school progressed and the student numbers grew, I arranged for the senior students of the monks at the Scientific Buddhist School to assume responsibility for teaching the novice monks at the lower classes. Likewise, at the Tibetan Medical School, the senior students were able to start preparing various kinds of common herbal medicinal pills and concoctions. In this way, the educational training for both the young monks and lay members of the community were beginning to bear fruit. However, the Chinese government didn’t like my efforts in rescuing and reinvigorating these important aspects of Tibetan Buddhist culture. So in 1997, on trumped up charges of illegal activities, I got arrested, imprisoned and subjected to beatings and torture. However, to me the closure of the Schools that caused incalculable loss to the poor local Tibetan people was far greater than my own physical suffering.
As I have resolved to make it my life mission to strive to help alleviate and reduce the suffering and hardships of life faced by the disadvantaged and the needs of people in this world, I appeal to all caring, compassionate and privileged friends to support my charity work with kindness and generosity.
