DHARAMSHALA, March 30: His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in a private ceremony inside his residential premises, accepted a long life offering from the monastery where he gave his first sermon outside Tibet in 1959 upon fleeing Tibet.
Guru Ripoche, the abbot of the Ganden Lhatse Monastery in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, accompanied by around 50 monks of the monastery, took part in the ceremony lasting a few hours.
The mandala offering ritual for the ceremony was conducted by Guru Rinpoche, who said the ritual and prayers for the ceremony was unique to his monastery. “This ritual is called Kadam Thikley Chodruk, which is not performed by many. So we at our monastery decided to offer this ritual on His Holiness turning 80 this year”, said Guru Rinpoche.
Asked what His Holiness told them after the ceremony, Guru Rinpoche said, “His Holiness told us that we must teach Buddhist philosophies not as a religion but an academic subject, not necessarily based on any faith. He lauded our efforts to teach Tibetan language to our youngsters as Tibetan is the only language that can best explain the Kagyur and Tengyur (the great canons of Tibetan Buddhism).”
He said he urged His Holiness, in his mandala recitation, to continue to be the light in his followers’ search for happiness and a meaningful life.
The people of Tawang last year in December offered a long life offering to the Tibetan leader who turns 80 this year. Tibetans all over the world are holding various events including a grand long life offering ceremony in the US later this year to mark the 80th birthday of their leader. Honoring and celebrating 80th birthday of head of the family, especially in Amdo, has been a customary practice in Tibet.
