In June 1982, seven months after the parinirvana of the 16th Karmapa Rangjung Rikpe Dorje, the 14th Shamarpa, Mipham Chökyi Lodrö, now solely responsible for the Karma Kagyü lineage, initiated the International Days of Tibetan Buddhism and Tradition at the Pagode du Bois de Vincennes in Paris, alongside Lama Gendun and Lama Jigme Rinpoche.
The Grande Pagode, which would become the seat of the French Buddhist Union through an agreement with the City of Paris, is located in the former pavilions of the 1931 Colonial Exhibition. Faced with the massive arrival of refugees from Southeast Asia in the 1970s, the site was created to allow them a space for spiritual practice and to maintain ties to their traditions, culture and religion.
These international days were dedicated to encounters and exchange.
The theme is the search for that spark that lies deep within each of us and can lead us to the light. To do this, we wanted to show that East and West are not strangers and that, although cultures differ, the paths converge and the ultimate goal is the same.
Introduction to the conference. (Tendrel no. 3, January 1983)
Künzig Shamarpa gave several lectures on the practice of the Tibetan path, karma and reincarnation and the alchemy of the mind. Dr. Jean-Pierre Schnetzler, a specialist in the relationship between psychology, Buddhism and Western tradition, presented the levels of consciousness, and François Chenique, a doctor of religious sciences and specialist in vedanta, spoke on the transcendent unity of religions. Several films were also shown, including Arnaud Desjardins’ The Kingdom of Bhutan as well as a documentary on the monastery of Rumtek.
These teachings and lectures were attended by more than five hundred people from all walks of life and aroused immense interest. However, their real impact goes beyond numbers and lies at the level of consciousness and experience; everyone left the weekend with Shamarpa feeling that it had been a powerful moment, when the veil that conceals wisdom and compassion was lifted for a moment. We hope that we can all meet again under the best of circumstances every year.
(Tendrel 3, January 1983)
The Vincennes Pagoda remains a place where people can come into contact with the teachings of the Buddha, especially during Buddhist celebrations such as Vesak. In 2025, the French Buddhist Union, one of whose founding members was the late Bernard Lebeau, first president of Dhagpo Kagyu Ling, launched the celebration of its 40th anniversary during Vesak 2025 on May 18 at the Pagoda. The Union brings together Buddhist associations and congregations and liaises with all public authorities. It also works to present Buddhism as one of the great spiritual currents of humanity through the diversity of its traditions, and to develop exchanges between Buddhist thought and modernity, just as the first international days in 1982 promoted by Künzig Shamarpa did.
Ces photos proviennent de nos archives ou ont été recueillies dans le cadre des recherches pour les 50 ans de Dhagpo Kagyu Ling. Nous n’avons pas pu identifier tous les auteurs. L’utilisation des photos est à titre informatif dans le cadre de la célébration des 50 ans de Dhagpo Kagyu Ling. Leur usage est limité à cette actualité et à notre site et n’est pas à usage commercial
Ces photos proviennent de nos archives ou ont été recueillies dans le cadre des recherches pour les 50 ans de Dhagpo Kagyu Ling. Nous n’avons pas pu identifier tous les auteurs. L’utilisation des photos est à titre informatif dans le cadre de la célébration des 50 ans de Dhagpo Kagyu Ling. Leur usage est limité à cette actualité et à notre site et n’est pas à usage commercial
