Here are four different views of H.H. the XVIth Karmapa wearing the Black Crown. The first (black and white) image was taken in Tibet. It is plain this is not the same black crown he is wearing in the three photographs that follow.
When I attended the Black Crown ceremony, it was with the understanding that merely to see the Karmapa wearing the Black Crown would be sufficient to confer liberation at the time of death. I had the rare opportunity to examine the crown closely, and I do believe it is true: the crown is made from dakini hair.
I heard that the crown was made by the chinese emperor since the real one made of dakini hair is only visible to highly realised beings. E.g. when HH the sixteen Karmapa was to be recognised by the thirteenth Dalai Lama, as they prostrated the later is reported to have said:" Why does this boy not take of his hat" Which showed to the ones present that HH the 13th Dalai Lama could see the crown of Karmapa.
ReplyDeleteI think I read this in Clemens Kubis book about the movie he made about finding the 17th Karmapa.