DHARAMSHALA, March 4: The Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama, turning 80 this year, was offered a long life prayer offering (Tenshug) by five organizations at the Tsuglakhang temple here today.
The grand ceremonial prayer, jointly organized by the Lhoka Community, Dharamsala Shopkeepers’ Welfare Association, Belgium Tibetan Community, Tibetan United Association and Lhasa Community, was held to wish “long life” and at the same time pray for the “simultaneous fulfillment of all the wishes of His Holiness the Dalai Lama”,
His Eminence Tsetrul Rinpoche, the head of the Nyingmapa tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, and Khyokhim Rinpoche convened the ceremony. The Tenshug ceremony was attended among others by Chief Justice Commissioner Kagyu Dhondup, Tibetan PM Lobsang Sangay, Tibetan ministers, Justice Commissioners, members of the Tibetan Parliament, officials of the Tibetan exile government, representatives of the non-governmental organisations, schools and institutions.
His Eminence Tsetrul Rinpoche did the mandala recitation as monks performed rituals and prayers for the longlife offering ceremony. A procession of offerings carried by hundreds of people representing the five organizations passed before His Holiness.
The Tibetan leader thanked the five organizations and their people for the longlife offering. He, however, told the gathering that they must engage in meritorious behavior which is the essence of a longlife offering. He also told them that there must be goodwill between teacher and pupil without which an offering would be meaningless.
Tibetans believe conducting long life prayer offerings will clear the obstructions in one’s life, thereby advancing one’s continued wellbeing.
Born Lhamo Dhondrub on July 6, 1935, to a peasant family in northeastern Tibet, the current Dalai Lama was identified through several tests at the age of 2 as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso.
In 1950, the People’s Republic of China invaded and occupied Tibet. A popular uprising in 1959 against continuing Chinese presence failed, and forced the Dalai Lama and thousands of Tibetan to flee Tibet. Since 1960, the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government have been in exile in Dharmsala, from where they lobby the world to help regain Tibetan freedom.
