An Interview with HH17 Karmapa Thaye Dorje - #1
Menlo Park, California, USA, sept 2003

Buddhism Today: It is a great pleasure to speak to you during your very first visit to the United States. What are your impressions of America and American people?
Karmapa: In America everything is very big … I see big roads, big cars, even big people … (laughter). But generally, people have open minds, which is very important for Buddhism.
Since I was very small, back in Tibet, I always wanted to travel. The possibility of seeing different places made me very excited. When I was traveling in Europe, or anywhere else, this gave me a learning experience, and it has been the same here. Even though I've been staying in one place for two months now, I am still learning a lot. All in all, it's been a great experience.

BT: What are the most essential points of Buddhism?
Karmapa: Buddhism is not a religion or a philosophy. What makes Buddhism so special, and different from all the other religions, is the fact that it is a method that enables us to connect to our true essence. Based on Buddhist methods, we can realize the nature of everything. One can say realize the nature of mind, because mind creates this samsaric world. For that reason, mind is quite important, but otherwise, in a simple way one could say "the nature of everything." Whatever we see, whatever we feel, whatever we create, Buddhism describes the nature of it all.
Buddhism is just a method. It is not based on what someone said or on faith; it is based on facts. When using this method, as we try to get to the truth, we not only use the dharma but also all other resources, whatever knowledge we can gain from this world without clinging to any of it.

BT: Where does bodhicitta (the bodhisattva mind) fit in?
Karmapa: For us Karma Kagyu practitioners, who follow the Mahayana and Vajrayana paths, bodhicitta is very important. Bodhicitta makes everything very different. Whatever we do, even though we still do it thinking of ourselves, we should do it with the intention of benefiting others. This is essential for Vajrayana Buddhism.
Both Mahayana and Vajrayana work with bodhicitta.
The Mahayana way is broader and clearer, but it goes by the book, following instructions. Vajrayana uses more direct tools; it is more risky and tempting. We go directly to the last stage, and from that point we try to look back and see how we reached there.
The Hinayana and the Mahayana schools will first plant a seed, then water it and give it more soil, and then they will get fruit. They use a very systematic approach. Within the Vajrayana we try to combine the planting of the seed with the fruit itself. We try to bring them closer and use every possible way to have that fruit within days.

BT: So you take the goal as a starting point.
Karmapa: Yes. That's how we use the most effective tools.

BT: It's like adding fertilizer and using genetic engineering.
Karmapa: (laughter)

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