Long Life Ceremony for His Holiness

By Loren Hendin / October 17, 2014;

His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Photo: OHHDL

His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave a four-day teaching “Nagarjuna’s Fundamental Wisdom Treatise of the Middle Way”, starting on October 6, at Dharamshala’s main temple, Tsuglakhang. The teaching was at the request of a group of Taiwanese Buddhists. His audience numbered over 4,000 people, with 800 from Taiwan and people representing 61 other countries.

His Holiness began his teachings with an introduction to the major branches of Buddhism. He asked his audience to remember the roots of Buddhism and that, despite differences between Buddhist sects, they are all one.

“We all are followers of Nagarjuna. We are all one in that sense. Even in the various sects of Tibetan Buddhism, though there may be several minor differences in the branches, the foundation is the same. So, we should emphasise more on the principals to attain a deeper and purer level of understanding.”

HH with Keutsang Rinpoche Photo: Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL

His Holiness with Keutsang Rinpoche
Photo: Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL

On the morning of October 8, the third day of the teachings and a full-moon day, which is propitious, His Holiness was offered a Long Life Ceremony by Keutsang Rinpoche. His Holiness declared a special affection for Rinpoche because it was his predecessor who discovered him in 1937. Keutsang Rinpoche was part of the delegation dispatched to Amdo in north-east Tibet to find the 13th Dalai Lama’s reincarnation, then a small boy. At Chija Taktser, a village in the vicinity of Kumbum, they conducted traditional tests to confirm that the boy was the reincarnation. The Dalai Lama happily received the Long Life Ceremony, conducted by monks of Namgyal Monastery, led by their Abbot, Thamtog Rinpoche, while audience members shared snacks and butter tea.

On the third day, His Holiness led a ceremony to generate the awakening mind of bodhichitta.

His Holiness spoke of the need to remove negative emotions, to save ourselves and others from suffering, and to find lasting, rather than temporary, happiness. He said that enlightenment is to find peace of mind and integrity within ourselves, but is also for the benefit of all sentient beings. Throughout the teachings he reiterated, “As human beings we survive on love and affection.”