Taipei – Buddhists and devotees from Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore celebrated His Holiness the Dalai Lama's 88th birthday via the Internet on July 1, 2023 in Taipei, where His Holiness told them he would live another 15 to 20 years and gave a teaching on Bodhicitta and Emptiness.
The Gaden Shartse Institute of Buddhist Studies in Taipei City has organised the 15th "Avalokiteshvara Peace and Bless Concert" to celebrate the 88th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, on July 1, 2023, at the Taipei International Convention Center (TICC), Taiwan. Thousands of Buddhists and devotees from Taiwan, Vietnam and Singapore, as well as Buddhists and Muslims from Malaysia, gathered on screens through the online to celebrate His Holiness the Dalai Lama's birthday. Over 2,000 people from Taiwan gathered in the large auditorium for the celebration, and also donated an Ambulance to a Taipei hospital in the name of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Tibet Religious Foundation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration Office in Taiwan hosted the "2023 Taiwan Joint Celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's 88th Birthday" in Taipei on July 2, 2023. Hundreds of monks and lay people from various Tibetan Buddhist groups in Taiwan, representatives of Tibetan support groups and individuals, and Tibetans living in Taiwan participated in the celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's birthday.
At the birthday celebration on july 1, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said, "I am very grateful to see many of you again today, and you have prepared this event for me, so I would like to express my gratitude for that.
His Holiness went on to say, "Although it is important to have faith in Buddhism, it is more important to use wisdom and analyze the truth, to understand what the Buddha has said in the three sutras. After that, we have to go through our daily life in a way that integrates thought and practice, which is called the spirit of science."
His Holiness added, "Buddhist teachings are in line with the spirit of science, because Buddhist teachings are perfectly aligned with a psychological state of our lives, an explanation of how to attain happiness from suffering. It is very helpful in establishing inner peace, and when you have inner peace, your body will be healthier and more comfortable, and a new sense of well-being is very important, both for our sense of happiness and well-being and for our physical health."
His Holiness said, "So I would urge you to have a kind heart, because that brings happiness, and the best way to do that is to practice bodhicitta. This sincere kindness towards others, this is the essence of the Buddhist doctrine."
His Holiness said, "I think every day, and the main thing is bodhicitta. Every sentient being has Buddha nature, but how to let this Buddha nature grow depends on the thinking of bodhicitta."
His Holiness said, 'Practicing Buddhism is a great help to ourselves, so we need to practice it properly, then share the teachings of Buddhism with others on this basis, and also share with people without religious beliefs about the origin of happiness.'
Finally, His Holiness said, " I am going to be 88 years old, I am in very good health and the main thing is my inner peace. I think I can live another 15 or 20 years, and that should be fine. I will continue to serve all sentient beings by practicing bodhicitta and emptiness. This is the way to lead a meaningful life".
