Dharamshala — His Holiness the Dalai Lama attended a Long Life Prayer offered to him by the Tibetan Women's Association, Ex-Students of CST Dalhousie and Lhasa Districts on Wednesday and His Holiness said, "We, the people of the Three Provinces of Tibet, maintain these incredible traditions, the heritage we received from Nalanda. I would like to thank all of you for the various contributions you have made."
The Tibetan Women's Association, Ex-Students of former students of the Central School for Tibetans, Dalhousie, and Lhasa Districts (eight districts) offered a Long Life Prayer to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the spritual leader of Tibet, at the Main Tibetan Temple (Tsuklakhang), Dharamshala, on September 18, 2024.
When His Holiness the Dalai Lama reached gate of Tsuklakhang from his resident, representatives of the groups offering long life ceremony stepped forward to pay their respects and welcome His Holiness. The people in the temple welcomed His Holiness with smiles and devotion, offering him white and yellow khatags, filled with joy at seeing His Holiness. His Holiness smiled and waved to those who were greeting him. The courtyard was well decorated with colourful garments and flowers (marigold garlands).
After His Holiness the Dalai Lama sat on the throne, the head lama of the long life ceremony, Ven Samdhong Rinpoche, offered him a khatag, the monks inside the temple and the people outside the temple prostrated themselves before His Holiness with great devotion and tears of joy, and received blessings from him.
Prayers and the recitation of wishes for long life continued. A prayer invoking the Dharma Protectors of Tibet, including the twelve Ten-mas, composed by His Holiness in the 1970s, was recited. Ven Samdhong Rinpoche and a representative of the Tibetan Women's Association (TWA) offered a mandala to His Holiness requesting him to live long.
Then His Holiness addressed the gathering and said, "So, today, you have repeated these prayers and made a request to me to live long. You have referred to me as someone who can help the people of the Three Provinces of Tibet. We are gathered here together as a result of merit and prayers we have accumulated in the past, but we have been born at a difficult time."
"I was born in Amdo and named Lhamo Dhondup, but I became someone able to explain the Dharma and engage in fruitful discussions with scientists. I believe I have been able to make a contribution to the cause of Tibet and to the preservation of the Buddhadharma. I have also created the karma and made prayers to be of benefit to the people of China, where there is growing interest in the Buddha’s teaching," the spiritual leader of Tibet explained.
His Holiness said, "I will continue to try to fulfil the wishes of the Buddha. Meanwhile, the spirit of the people of Tibet remains undaunted, please, I urge you, keep your spirits up. We, the people of the Three Provinces of Tibet, maintain these incredible traditions, the heritage we received from Nalanda. I would like to thank all of you for the various contributions you have made."
The ceremony concluded with prayers and wishes of long life to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
