The Black Hat Lama and some observations

Yesterday at the local De Slegte, a second hand book store, I found a good copy of "Karmapa, the Black Hat Lama of Tibet" by Douglas and White for just € 16.99. My heart skipped a beat. It is almost impossible to get this book, and in Karma Kagyu circles it is almost considered to be a relic from the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa himself. It must be said, though, that most of the information is either: a) available in better translations from other sources (the biographies of the 16 incarnations of Gyalwa Karmapa) or b) rather useless (a 7-page description of the "precious treasures of the karma-kargyudpa sect"). Still, it's a blessing.
The cheapest copy I could find for sale on the internet is $ 180. The most expensive one a whopping $ 565.94. So I guess the dakinis once again saw it fit to smile upon me, for which I'm grateful.

Some other observations: at the Feithhuis, a cafe with more ambition than either quality or talent but which is a good place to sit and read and not be disturbed, the "bitterballen" I ordered were brought to me by a really thin girl. This somehow seemed significant.

I found a marble on the street, the day before yesterday. I tossed it in a pond. But later, at home, I felt a bit odd about this. So I tossed another marble out of the window onto the street. Stuff is alright again now.

picture: His Holiness Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa