Addressing Conference on Strengthening Democracy in Asia and Members of the Gymkhana Club

New Delhi, India, 23 March 2015 – It was a bright morning today as His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived at the India International Centre to give the inaugural address at a conference on the theme – ‘Strengthening Democracy in Asia’.However, as Dr George Matthew made clear in his welcome speech, what made the event special was that it was being held to mark the legacy of veteran Indian activist and politician, George Fernandes. Since Fernandes’s failing health (he suffers from Alzheimer’s Syndrome and Parkinson’s disease) prevent his appearing in public, his friends wanted to hold a function to celebrate his legacy.

Carl Gershman, President of the National Endowment for Democracy welcomed His Holiness and Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay before outlining aspects of George Fernandes’s life. Anselmo Lee from Korea mentioned that this was the first time the Asian Democracy Network had participated in a meeting in India. He pointed out that this year, 2015, is the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, Read the rest of this entry »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama conducting preparatory rituals before conferring the White Manjushri permission in New Delhi, India on March 22, 2015. Photo/Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL

His Holiness the Dalai Lama Giving the Permission of White Manjushri

New Delhi, 22 March 2015 – Almost every seat was taken and an expectant hush filled the hall when His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived this morning to begin preparations for the White Manjushri permission he was going to give.

“This ‘permission’ or blessing of Manjushri is related to tantra,” he began, “But there are people who say that the Mahayana and Buddhist tantra were not taught by the Buddha. I’ve even heard it said that the Buddha did not know Sanskrit. However, Nalanda masters like Nagarjuna, Aryadeva and Chandrakirti wrote extensively about Guhyasamaja Tantra. Shantarakshita, who later established the Buddha’s teachings, monastic ordination and the Three Trainings in Tibet, also wrote about Highest Yoga Tantra. Subsequently, Atisha too mentioned the practice of tantra in his work ‘Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment’ https://www.sangye.it/altro/?p=1095 .” Read the rest of this entry »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama during his teaching in New Delhi, India on March 21, 2015. Photo/Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL

Friendly Meetings and Conclusion of Brief Teachings

New Delhi, India, 21 March 2015 – His Holiness the Dalai Lama began the day by meeting with a group of Indians who were professionals in different fields. After Rajiv Mehrotra’s introduction His Holiness made it clear that the most important thing is to recognise that whatever we do, we are all the same as human beings. “We all want to live happy lives. We want our lives to have meaning. Leading a meaningful life doesn’t mean accumulating money, power and fame, but generating happiness. This is why I try to share with whoever I meet that the real source of happiness is within us. No matter how complicated our lives may be, if we can maintain a degree of inner peace, we’ll be happy.

“If we are surrounded by friends and possessions, but are filled with fear and suspicion, we won’t be happy. Read the rest of this entry »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama greeting students as he arrives at their interactive meeting in New Deli, India on March 20, 2015. Photo/Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL

His Holiness the Dalai Lama Interacting with School Students and Teaching from Nagarjuna’s ‘Fundamental Wisdom’ https://www.sangye.it/altro/?p=513

New Delhi, India, 20 March 2015 – Today was the ninth occasion that the Foundation for Universal Responsibility has invited His Holiness the Dalai Lama to teach interested Indians in the national capital in the spring. As it has done before, the Foundation also took the opportunity to arrange for His Holiness to interact with members of the younger generation. 150 students from 18 Delhi schools, a school in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, and the TCV School as Selakui, with 20 mentors and 50 teachers, came together in partnership with the PeaceJam Foundation. The Foundation is an international organization committed to helping create young leaders committed to positive change in themselves, their communities, and the world. The students greeted His Holiness with a rousing cheer when he entered the room.

“I am very happy to be here with you young people,” he told them. “Physically you are full of energy, still growing. For a person of 80 like me to be with you makes me feel fresh, whereas when I’m with other old people I tend to wonder who’ll go first me or them. As human beings, whether we are young or old, from the North or the South, whether we have a religious faith or not, there are no real differences between us. That’s why I always stress that we need to cultivate a sense of the oneness of all 7 billion human beings alive today. Read the rest of this entry »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama presenting a member of delegation of senior Sri Lankan monks with a Buddha statue after their meeting in New Delhi, India on March 19. 2015. Photo/Jeremy Russell/OHHDL

His Holiness the Dalai Lama Dialogue with Sri Lankan Theros and US Diplomats

New Delhi, India, 19 March 2015 – After the bitterly cold and wet weather of Dharamsala over the past week or so, Delhi was comfortably warm when His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived yesterday. This morning he met with a delegation of Sri Lankan Theros, senior monks, for discussions that would include Vinaya or monastic discipline. Having warmly welcomed them, he declared: “We are all followers of the same Buddha. At a time when scientific minded people are expressing some doubts about religion, many of them are expressing an interest in aspects of the Buddha’s teachings. He taught not only about the next life, but also about how we can be happy people in this very life, which is why what he taught is consistent with secular ethics. As some scholars have said, Buddhism can be seen as a branch of humanism.”

His Holiness explained how when he meets other people, no matter who they are, he thinks of himself as just another human being like them. To think of yourself as different from them, as someone special, is to create distance and a barrier between yourself and others, which can lead to isolation and loneliness. On their part, the Sri Lankan monks disclosed that among them were the chief prelates of the three principal traditions of Sri Lankan Buddhism: the Ramanya, Shiyam and Amarapura Nikayas, members of the Asgiri Chapter and the President of the Mahabodhi Society. Their spokesman said: “Yesterday we discussed the Vinaya all day. We compared the Theravada and Mulasarvastivada traditions, which are the Vinaya traditions of Sri Lanka and Tibet respectively, and found no significant differences between them.” Read the rest of this entry »

ICT PUBBLICA UN RAPPORTO SU 20 CASI DI AUTOIMMOLATI TIBETANI SOPRAVVISSUTI.

13 marzo 2015. International Campaign for Tibet ha reso pubblico il 20 marzo un rapporto in cui prende in esame i casi di venti tibetani sopravvissuti all’autoimmolazione con il fuoco. Il documento, intitolato “I sopravvissuti tibetani: repressione e scomparsa”, rivela che quanti non hanno trovato la morte hanno subito indicibili sofferenze fisiche e psicologiche.

A distanza di anni, alcune delle famiglie degli eroi tibetani ancora non sanno se i loro congiunti sono vivi o morti. Gli amici e i famigliari degli autoimmolati, a volte assieme a intere comunità, sono stati puniti o arrestati perché ritenuti responsabili di averli incitati o aiutati a portare a compimento il loro atto estremo: almeno 90 tibetani sono scomparsi o sono stati arrestati in Tibet perché ritenuti coinvolti in casi di autoimmolazione. Read the rest of this entry »

A Longevity Empowerment, ‘Lamp for the Path’ and a Long-Life Offering at Sherabling

Upper Bhattu, Himachal Pradesh, India, 12 March 2015 – On his way to the Lungrik Jamphel Ling Institute at Palpung Sherabling this morning, His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited first the nuns’ retreat centre and then the Naro Meditation Centre, where monks are in retreat. In both places he recited brief consecration prayers. On reaching the newly constructed Lungrik Jamphel Ling Institute, with Tai Situ Rinpoche beside him, His Holiness cut the ribbon at the door and proceeded directly to the back of the hall where he recited consecrating verses before the statues of Marpa Lotsawa, Manjushri, Buddha Shakyamuni, Guru Rinpoche and Situ Panchen, Chökyi Jungney. Read the rest of this entry »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is Given a Warm Welcome at Palpung Sherabling

Upper Bhattu, Himachal Pradesh, India, 11 March 2015 – Well-wishers, Tibetan and foreign were gathered outside the gate to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s residence to see him off this morning. Other small groups were waiting see him as he drove down the bumpy Dharamsala roads. Outside Gyutö Tantric College more than 100 monks waited to greet him as he passed, white silk scarves and incense in their hands. At Gopalpur, the entire population of the TCV School, hundreds of children and staff lined the road for 200 metres or more, smiles on their faces and their hands folded together in respect. Read the rest of this entry »

Norchuk

Una donna tibetana si autoimmola a Ngaba. arrestato un giovane monaco.

8 marzo 2015. Norchuk, una donna nomade tibetana di 47 anni è deceduta dopo essersi data fuoco a Ngaba, nella regione nord orientale dell’Amdo. Il nuovo caso di autoimmolazione, il 137° all’interno del Tibet occupato, il quinto a Ngaba, è avvenuto nella notte tra il 4 e il 5 marzo. Norchuk risiedeva nel villaggio Dhowa situato nelle adiacenze della città di Trotsik Yultso.

La nuova immolata tibetana aveva partecipato assieme ai nomadi convenuti da ogni parte della regione all’annuale raduno di preghiera presso il monastero di Ngayul Dephu. Nel corso della cerimonia aveva fatto voto di non mangiare più carne e diventare totalmente vegetariana in segno di auspicio per la lunga vita del Dalai Lama. Lascia due figlie e un figlio.

Fonti tibetane hanno riferito al Ven. Kanyak Tsering, coordinatore del monastero di Kirti a Dharamsala, che i tibetani del luogo hanno cremato il suo corpo la mattina di venerdì 6 marzo nel timore che le autorità cinesi potessero sottrarlo ai famigliari ed effettuare la cremazione contro il volere dei parenti stretti. Non è dato conoscere se prima di morire la donna abbia gridato slogan. Read the rest of this entry »

Reading a Jataka Tale on the ‘Day of Miracles’

Dharamsala, HP, India, 5 March 2015 – Since it was the 15th day of the first Tibetan month, the full moon day, early this morning His Holiness the Dalai Lama joined the assembled monks and nuns in the Tsuglagkhang at Thekchen Chöling for the bi-monthly Sojong or ‘restoration and purification’ ceremony. At about 8 o’clock he was escorted down to the courtyard in front of the temple, beneath a ceremonial golden umbrella. While most of the monks and nuns stayed upstairs in the temple, where they could follow the proceedings on a video feed, the temple courtyard was packed with lay-people; Tibetans and visitors from many parts of the world. Read the rest of this entry »

Long Life Prayers Offered to His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Dharamsala, HP, India, 4 March 2015 – On a bright but chilly morning today, the fresh snow on the mountains brilliant against the blue sky, a complex Long Life Prayer in connection with Amitayus, the Buddha of Longevity, was offered to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Read the rest of this entry »