Dalai Lama Expresses Condolences to Leh Cloudburst Victims

August 19th 2010

Kais, HP, India, 18 August 2010 (ANI) – Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, expressed his condolences to Leh cloudburst victims during a discourse at the famous Dagpo Shedrupling Monastery in Kullu district on Tuesday.

During his visit, the Dalai Lama spoke about various natural calamities, taking place around the world.

“Everybody wants happy life, nobody wants suffering. Yet, there are disasters by nature and immense suffering. There was a disaster in Pakistan, Leh area, in China and also in Russia. There was fire, drought and a lot of damage,” said the Dalai Lama.

“We can only pray. I want to express my condolence to those who have lost family members. So now, what is important is despite of these disaster and immense suffering, you should not lose your hope and your self-confidence. You must work hard and look forward to more development and happier days. That is very important,” he added.

The Dalai Lama is currently on a religious tour of Kullu-Manali, visiting monasteries and delivering sermons.

Scores of foreign devotees from across the world thronged the Dagpo Shedrupling Monastery for an audience of the Tibetan spiritual leader and to listen to his discourse.

The Dagpo Shedrupling Monastery situated at Kais village near Naggar in picturesque Kullu Valley, with its serene surroundings, was built to commemorate the 15th century Dagpo Monastery that was destroyed in Tibet during the Chinese invasion in 1959.

Tibetans living in-exile in India view this new monastery as a way of preserving their religion and culture. http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/572-dalai-lama-expresses-condolences-to-leh-cloudburst-victims

His Holiness the Dalai Lama Prays for the Loss of Lives in the Floods

August 14th 2010

I have been deeply saddened by the loss of many lives and the destruction of property caused by the floods in Pakistan and India. I have offered my condolences and prayers as well as token donations towards relief and rescue work.

I am also very sad that there has been a massive landslide in Drugchu (Chinese: Zhouqu) in the south-east of Kanlho (Chinese: Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu province in which many people have lost their lives. It is reported that this is one of the deadliest incidents in decades. I understand that Premier Wen Jiabao visited Zhouqu to oversee relief and rescue work.

I pray for all those who have lost their lives and offer my sympathy and heart-felt condolences to the bereaved and all those who have been affected by this natural calamity.

According to experts these very unusual floods and the devastating fires in Russia are symptoms of a deeper malaise occurring due to unprecedented global warming and other environmental causes. Therefore, a concerted international effort is needed to think about measures to preserve our common and delicate ecology.

Special public prayer services have been conducted. This morning I joined another prayer service here at the main Temple (Tsuglakhang) in McLeod Ganj to pray for those who have died and been affected in these tragedies.

Dharamsala

August 14, 2010

http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/570-his-holiness-the-dalai-lama-prays-for-the-loss-of-lives-in-the-floods