India’s 79th Independence Day: Karmapa’s message

August 14, 2025

On the occasion of India’s 79th Independence Day, Thaye Dorje, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, shares the following message.

A transcript of the message follows.

Dear Dharma friends,

Tomorrow marks India’s 79th Independence Day, and I would like to use this auspicious occasion to offer my gratitude, blessings and prayers for this great nation and all of her children.

The theme of this year’s Independence Day is Honouring Freedom, Inspiring the Future.

This theme reflects the Indian nation’s deep respect for freedom, justice, and the accomplishments of those who have come before us, as well as its firm commitment to building a bright future for the coming generations.

Freedom is indeed a precious gift, and on this day I rejoice in the freedom of India, and extend my heartfelt appreciation to the nation for its continued support for Buddhism in general and our Karma Kagyu school in particular. As the spiritual head of this lineage, I am very aware that it is thanks to the generosity and warm hospitality of India that I have been free to teach, to travel, and to practice the Buddha Dharma to this day.

Dear Dharma friends, the 15th of August 2025 is both an invitation to remember the past with a sense of gratitude, and to look forward to the future with a sense of hope.

It is also an occasion to remind ourselves that it is thanks to the sacrifices made by previous generations that we are able to enjoy freedom in the present and to look forward to what lies ahead with confidence.

Therefore, on this 79th Independence Day, may we recall the past with great appreciation in our hearts, and may we look to the future with unwavering courage.

With prayers,

Thaye Dorje, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa