Buddhists from all over the world bid farewell in Germany to one of the highest teachers of Tibetan Buddhism (FOTO)

Renchen, Germany (ots) -

Farewell ceremony in the village of Renchen in the Black Forest /
17th Karmapa Thaye Dorje, head of the Karma Kagyu tradition, comes to
Germany in order to accompany the body of his teacher to India

Cross reference: Picture is available via epa european pressphoto
agency and can be downloaded free of charge at:
http://www.presseportal.de/story.htx?firmaid=52714 -

Several thousand Buddhists from all over the world met at Renchen
in Germany to pay their last respects to His Holiness the 14th Kunzig
Shamar Rinpoche. His Holiness the 17th Karmapa Thaye Dorje led the
impressive farewell ceremony for his teacher. He will accompany
Shamar Rinpoche on his last journey to India and several other Asian
countries. Tens of thousands of Buddhists will bid him farewell
there. Shamar Rinpoche himself did not fear death. In one of his last
teachings he said: "You don't need to be afraid of death if you know
how to practice [meditation] in death."

Shamar Rinpoche died of a cardiac arrest on 11th June, at the age
of 61 in the meditation center of his Bodhi Path organization in
Renchen-Ulm. Shamar Rinpoche was, after Karmapa Thaye Dorje, the
highest-ranking teacher in the Karma Kagyu tradition and one of the
most important and influential representatives of Tibetan Buddhism.
He taught worldwide and established various humanitarian foundations
in Europe, the USA and Asia.

After his death, letters of condolence were received from many
high masters of Tibetan Buddhism as well as the Royal Family of the
Kingdom of Bhutan. "I have known Rinpoche for many years and my
family and I will always remember Shamar Rinpoche as a close and dear
friend." His Majesty Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck , the 4th
King of Bhutan, wrote.

Since the death of the 16th Karmapa in the year 1981, Shamar
Rinpoche had continued the centuries-old Karma Kagyu school of
Tibetan Buddhism. Today's spiritual leader of that school, the 17th
Karmapa Thaye Dorje, was recognized, brought out of Tibet and
enthroned by Shamar Rinpoche in 1994.

With its more than 180 meditation and study centers, the Karma
Kagyu is the most widespread Buddhist school in Germany. It is
worldwide represented by more than 900 monasteries as well as
meditation centers under the guidance of Karmapa Thaye Dorje.

More information and press photos:
www.diamondway-buddhism.org/press/
www.bodhipath.org - www.diamondway-buddhism.org - www.shamarpa.org -
www.karmapa.org

Contact:
Bodhi Path - Buddhistisches Zentrum e.V.,
Kaierstr. 18, 77871 Renchen-Ulm, Germany
Phone: +49 7843 7232, info@bodhipath-renchen-ulm.de
www.bodhipath-renchen-ulm.de

Press contact: Bodhi Path - Buddhistisches Zentrum e.V.,
Sabine Teuber
sabine.teuber@t-online.de
Tel. 0173 3409751

Buddhistischer Dachverband Diamantweg e.V.,
Pressebüro Hamburg
Thadenstr. 79, 22767 Hamburg
Holm Ay,
Tel: 0177-8009008,
presse@diamantweg.de