Thekchen Chöling, Dharamsala, HP, India - This morning the Tsuglagkhang, the Main Tibetan Temple, was decorated with garlands of marigolds as part of a ceremony to pray for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s long life. Brilliant sunlight illuminated the mountain peaks that stood stark against a clear blue sky.
As His Holiness reached the gate to his residence Gibong Rinpoché and Lochen Rinpoché representing the people of Kinnaur stepped up to greet him. At the edge of the temple yard a Kinnauri man and women presented a traditional welcome, offering His Holiness tsampa and curd.
The aisle was lined by Kinnauri women in their finery, richly patterned shawls and elaborate headgear. They sang to His Holiness to greet him. He waved to members of the public gathered on either side to watch him pass, smiling warmly at them. Meanwhile, in the temple a mantra was recited that combined that of Arya Tara with His Holiness’s long name mantra.
Facing His Holiness after he had taken his seat, and presiding over today’s long-life ceremony, was Gibong Rinpoché, the reincarnation of Gyen Rigzin Tenpa, one of His Holiness’s teachers. To His Holiness’s left sat Lochen Rinpoché and to his right the reincarnation of Khunnu Lama Tenzin Gyaltsen another of his teachers. The Lamas were joined by 1800 people from Kinnaur in upper Himachal Pradesh.
Prayers began with the ‘Prayer in Three Parts’ followed by the ‘Seven Limb Prayer’. Tea and ceremonial sweet rice were offered and distributed among the crowd. A procession of Kinnauris bearing offerings such as sacred statues and volumes of scripture filed through the temple.
Gibong Rinpoché offered His Holiness a mandala of the universe along with representations of the body, speech and mind of enlightenment. Lochen Rinpoché offered the Long-life Vase, blessed during the ritual of Arya Tara the Wish-granting Wheel, as well as the nectar and pills of longevity. They were followed, as participants in the offering, by Khunu Lama Jangchub Nyima and Ga Rinpoché. His Holiness gave each of them a statue of the Buddha.
The prayer for His Holiness’s long life composed by his two Tutors, Ling Rinpoché and Trijang Rinpoche was recited. The prayer includes a refrain:
... we offer our prayers with fervent devotion:
That Tenzin Gyatso, protector of the Land of Snows live for a hundred aeons.
Shower on him your blessings so that his aspirations are fulfilled without hindrance.
and goes on:
We pray that by the power of this prayer
Expressed from a heart filled with fervent devotion and humility,
May the body, speech and mind of the heart of the Land of Snows,
The supreme Ngawang Lobsang Tenzin Gyatso,
Be indestructible, unfluctuating and unceasing;
May he live for a hundred aeons,
Seated on a diamond throne, transcending decay and destruction.
Addressing the congregation, His Holiness began:
“Today, here we are assembled in a place where people interested in the Buddhadharma can gather in joy and delight. I am someone who was born in Amdo and travelled to Lhasa, where I sat for my final exams in courtyards of the great monastic universities and the Jokhang temple.
“I have received oral transmissions, guided instructions and empowerments and many teachings from my Senior Tutor Ling Rinpoché to whom I am most grateful. He didn’t make light of things and was often quite stern, but he was very dedicated when it came to teaching. I studied philosophy with him. Trijang Rinpoché kindly taught me too.
“In addition, I received the support of a number of Debate Assistants. Among them Deyang Tsenshab was learned but humble, and in debate I took advantage of that. Ngodup Tsognyi was skilled at capturing the precise point of the debate. He was really helpful.
“Now, we’ve been in exile a long time, but we have gained opportunities too. If we had not come into exile, I doubt that I would have been able to study as thoroughly as I did. I’d have been caught up in all sorts of rituals and so forth.
“Tibetans inside and outside Tibet have shown great faith in me and I’ve done my best to fulfil that faith. Today, members of the monasteries and nunneries and the lay communities of Kinnaur are offering prayers for my long-life based on White Tara the Wish-granting Wheel.”
While his words were translated into Hindi, His Holiness put on a Kinnauri hat and smiled. He reiterated that although coming into exile involved being parted from his country, the experience had also provided Kinnauris, Tibetans and growing numbers of people from around the world to appreciate what he had to say.
“As human beings,” he continued, “we should live in a way that accords with dignity, honesty and warm-heartedness. Without concern for past or future lives, as human beings our primary interest should be in helping others. This is something that people who are not Buddhists, as well as Buddhists, can appreciate.
“I teach how to cultivate humility and a peaceful mind. If we can achieve love and compassion, it will lead to harmony among people around the world. And if we do that, our lives will have been meaningful and worthwhile. On the other hand, it would just be unfortunate to fight on the basis of ‘us’ and ‘them’. To share our lives with others out of love and compassion for them and a sense of the oneness of humanity is the best way to lead our lives.
“As human beings living on this earth, we need to be honest and truthful, to cultivate love and compassion for each other and avoid making enemies. I feel I have made some contribution to helping others appreciate this and you too have done your best—for which I thank you.”
His Holiness declared that the best gift of the Dharma is generate the Bodhisattva vow. He remarked that he meditates on the awakening mind of bodhichitta as soon as he wakes every morning and he renews his Bodhisattva vow soon after.
He noted that in exile he’s faced many ups and downs, but has taken strength from the Buddha’s teaching that speaks of nurturing a good heart—a kind intention to benefit others.
“Dharma,” he said, “is about taming our minds and cultivating a heart intent on being of help to others. Here we are in the Land of the Buddha where we can take the Bodhisattva vow and observe Bodhichitta as part of our daily lives.
“As I’ve already said, I renew my Bodhisattva vow every day. I feel it gives me the love, compassion and courage to work for others. It helps me dedicate myself to the well-being of others, which is why it is fundamentally beneficial.
“The Buddha Shakyamuni passed away more than 2500 years ago and yet his teaching has not become stale, it remains relevant today. Consequently, today, people without any prior connection or interest in Buddhism are taking an interest in it. Even in China, where there has been strong opposition to religion, people’s faith in Buddhism is firm.
“So, let’s seize this precious opportunity to take the Bodhisattva vow with delight in our hearts. This will be something significant. Please think about how fortunate we are.”
His Holiness described how to visualize the Buddha in front surrounded by the Sixteen Arhats, the Six Ornaments and Two Supremes, the Tibetan Dharma Kings and masters of all the Tibetan Buddhist traditions. He asked the congregation to recite the following verses three times after him and to try to take the vow daily as he himself does.
I seek refuge in the Three Jewels;
Each and every wrongdoing I confess.
I rejoice in the virtues of all beings.
I take to heart the state of Buddhahood.
I go for refuge until I am enlightened
To the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Supreme Assembly,
In order to fulfil the aims of myself and others
I develop the awakening mind.
Having developed the aspiration for highest enlightenment,
I invite all sentient beings as my guests,
I shall enact the delightful supreme enlightening practices.
May I become a Buddha to benefit all sentient beings.
After that His Holiness gave the transmission of the mantras of the Buddha, of Avalokiteshvara, Tara and Guru Rinpoché.
He thanked all those who had contributed to offering prayers today for his long life. He told them that indications in his dreams suggest that he will live to be more than one hundred and ten years old, which was met with joyful applause.
His Holiness reviewed his life once more, recalling his birth in Siling, his studies in Central Tibet, his visit to China and his coming into exile. In the face of different ups and downs, he affirmed that it has been bodhichitta that has brought him peace of mind, a good heart, courage and inner strength.
The long-life ceremony came to an end with the recitation of the ‘Prayer of the Words of Truth’ that His Holiness composed in 1960. The prayer ends:
Thus, the protector Chenrezig made vast prayers
Before the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas
To fully embrace the Land of Snows;
May the good results of these prayers now quickly appear.
By the profound interdependence of emptiness and relative forms,
Together with the force of great compassion in the Three Jewels and their Words of Truth,
And through the power of the infallible law of actions and their fruits,
May this truthful prayer be unhindered and quickly fulfilled.
