Bodhgaya: As the four day 27th International Kagyu Monlam Chenmo prayer ceremony took place in Bodhgaya  on 24 December, thousands of disciples spent the day offering their voices, hearts and minds to generate aspirations for the well-being of the world. Along with those who traveled from over 52 countries to attend in person, many more participated from their homes, since this year's Kagyu Monlam is being webcast live at kagyumonlam.tv with the prayers and teachings transmitted in eight languages, including English, French, German, Polish and Russian.

On 24 December, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa told the story of the life of Milarepa to the moment of his passing into nirvana. He then gave advice on how to use adverse conditions for spiritual growth, using the example of a common situation faced by foreigners attending Monlam in Bodhgaya-physical ailments and sickness. His Holiness indicated several ways to make such problems fruitful for Dharma practice. For one, we can use sickness to deepen our recognition of the teachings on death and impermanence. We can also reflect that by undergoing that particular form of suffering, we are experiencing the result of negative karma we created in a past life. We can consider that had we not faced it now, that Karma, in all likelihood, would have ripened in a much more painful form in a future life. Contemplating in this manner can even allow us to face painful situations with a sense of joy. As His Holiness noted in an earlier day's teachings, our suffering is a potent means of deepening our renunciation.

On 24 December, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa told the story of the life of Milarepa to the moment of his passing into nirvana. He then gave advice on how to use adverse conditions for spiritual growth, using the example of a common situation faced by foreigners attending Monlam in Bodhgaya-physical ailments and sickness. His Holiness indicated several ways to make such problems fruitful for Dharma practice. For one, we can use sickness to deepen our recognition of the teachings on death and impermanence. We can also reflect that by undergoing that particular form of suffering, we are experiencing the result of negative karma we created in a past life. We can consider that had we not faced it now, that Karma, in all likelihood, would have ripened in a much more painful form in a future life. Contemplating in this manner can even allow us to face painful situations with a sense of joy. As His Holiness noted in an earlier day's teachings, our suffering is a potent means of deepening our renunciation.