Vienna 2017
40th Anniversary of the Black Crown Ceremony performed by the 16th Karmapa
The 40th anniversary of the Black Crown Ceremony that was given by the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa in 1977 in many Western cities was celebrated in Vienna in autumn 2017 with a unique exhibition. Under the heading “Space and Joy. Living Buddhism”, it offered a setting that allowed visitors to dive into the experience of contemporary Buddhists. Thanks to the cooperation of the Austrian Diamond Way Foundation and the Diamond Way Buddhism Foundation, more than 100 statues, scroll paintings, and ritual objects could be exhibited in Vienna. Some personal objects of the 16th Karmapa were shown to the public for the very first time.
Part of the exhibition was dedicated to the Black Crown Ceremony. The black crown and the corresponding ritual are closely connected to the Karmapa, the head of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. The Black Crown Ceremony has an unimaginably powerful and joyful effect on all levels. It activates the full potential of mind for the path to enlightenment for the benefit of all and is a method of liberation by seeing.
The exhibition was a great success, as mirrored in many reports in the media. In its series of documentaries entitled “Religions of the World”, the Austrian television reported extensively.