Monsoon floods in India: Karmapa’s message

August 13, 2019

Thaye Dorje, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, shares the following message as monsoon floods have devastated parts of India.

Dear dharma friends

At least 157 people have been killed, and 300,000 people displaced as Kerala, Karnataka and Maharashtra states have been hit by monsoon floods.

While such events are relatively commonplace – floods in Kerala alone killed more than 200 people last year – we must never become desensitised to the loss of human life.

In Buddhism, we understand that every life is precious. As soon as we have the precious gift of this existence, we are at risk of losing it in the very next moment. That’s how precious it is. Therefore, we must try and extract as much benefit from moment to moment. Right now, if we do not feel that our lives are precious, then we must realise that it is in our hands to transform this human existence into a precious one. The Buddha dharmas are like manuals to transform this human life into a precious one.

May we all pray together for the people of India, and all those who suffer in our world.

With compassion

Thaye Dorje

His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa