Bodhgaya, Bihar, India - This morning as people thronged the Bodhgaya streets to see him off, His Holiness the Dalai Lama first visited the Mahabodhi Stupa to pay his respects before the image of Buddha in the main chapel and at the Seat of Enlightenment. He then drove to Gaya airport to fly to Delhi, where he will undergo routine medical tests before returning to Dharamsala on 1st February.
Yesterday, in addition to granting audiences to many members of the local Indian administration and their families, His Holiness received Kathok Getse Rinpoche, who was elected Head of the Nyingma Tradition a couple of days ago. Rinpoche formally offered a mandala and representations of the body, speech and mind of the enlightened one. His Holiness congratulated him, wished him very well and presented him with a statue of Guru Padmasambhava, after which they took tea together.
In the course of their conversation His Holiness expressed the following wish:
By the Buddha’s appearance in the world,
The Dharma’s shining like the light of the sun,
And friendly harmony among those who uphold it
May goodwill long prevail.
