His Holiness the Dalai Lama “The Buddha explained that things appear in certain ways, but they do not actually exist the way they appear. If you analyse everything that appears to you, you’ll find none of them exist in and of themselves. Things do not exist from their own side; they exist only by way of designation.

April 10, 2025. Thekchen Chöling, Dharamsala, HP, India – This morning His Holiness the Dalai Lama walked from the gate to his residence through the courtyard to the veranda below the Tsuglagkhang, the Main Tibetan Temple. Serkhong Rinpoché, who was born in Spiti, led the way, incense in hand. His Holiness stopped to bless the various objects, malas, bottles of water, sacred images and so forth, laid out for the purpose on several tables. Women in their traditional best clothes lined the aisle to greet him, jugs of milk and curd in their hands. His Holiness smiled warmly and waved to the 1300 or so people of all ages from Spiti as they sat on either side of the courtyard. Once His Holiness had taken his seat, Serkhong Rinpoché offered him a mandala and representations of the body, speech and mind of the Buddha. He then sat down to His Holiness’s right next to a small boy who is the reincarnation of the former Abbot of Tabo. A group representing the people of Spiti carried a series of offerings past the throne. The entire gathering recited the prayer for His Holiness’s long life composed by his two tutors, Ling Rinpoché and Trijang Rinpoché.

Addressing the monastics and lay-people seated before him, His Holiness began:

“My Dharma friends, what I want to tell you is that when I came into exile in India, I discovered there were communities of people in the North-west regions of the country who placed their faith and trust in me. People in Tibet have a devout trust in me and you people from Spiti and the Transhimalayan region have shown a similar dedication and helped me where you can. You are loyal and devoted.

“I have the name Dalai Lama, which by itself doesn’t mean very much, but since I was recognized as a child, I have studied Awareness and Knowledge (Tib. lo rig) and Signs and Reasoning (Tib. ta rig)—logic and reasoning—as well as the Perfection of Wisdom and Middle Way philosophy. Then came Higher Knowledge (Abhidharma), which I found difficult because much of what it contains cannot be verified. Next, I studied Vinaya and after that, Tantra.

“I have found that Buddhism has a great deal to offer in terms of understanding the workings of the mind and how to tackle our emotions. My faith in the Buddha is founded on understanding what he taught. Because of this I meditate on the awakening mind of bodhichitta and the view of emptiness every morning as soon as I wake.

“What’s more, whenever I can I advise people to be kind and explain how things are empty of inherent existence.

“In China people have faith, but they don’t study very much. This is why I think our Tibetan tradition could help interested Chinese people understand Buddhism better. Read the rest of this entry »

Sua Santità il Dalai Lama “Senza parlare di vite passate e future, cerco di dire alle persone come sviluppare la pace mentale in questo mondo, qui e ora, sviluppando la comprensione della nostra mente e delle nostre emozioni – e molte persone lo apprezzano, soprattutto gli scienziati moderni come i neuroscienziati e gli psicologi.

2 aprile 2025. Thekchen Chöling, Dharamsala, HP, India – Era una mattina luminosa quella di oggi, quando Sua Santità il Dalai Lama è stato accolto al cancello della sua residenza dal Ven. Thuksey Rinpoche e da altre persone. Poi, a bordo di un golf cart, si è recato ai piedi dello Tsuglagkhang, il principale Tempio tibetano. Il corridoio al centro del cortile era fiancheggiato da monaci e monache che lo hanno salutato. Sua Santità è stato scortato da monaci che suonavano i corni e portavano un ombrello cerimoniale. Salito in ascensore al piano principale, ha fatto il giro del Tempio Kalachakra e dello Tsuglagkhang prima di entrare nel Tempio principale e prendere posto sul trono. Thuksey Rinpoche, che ha presieduto la cerimonia, ha offerto una sciarpa di seta come benvenuto.

La cerimonia di oggi era basata su un rituale di Amitayus intitolato “Una vita, Un Vaso”. Tra le circa 5000 persone presenti, il gruppo Drukpa Kagyu, composto da monaci, monache e tokdens, che trascorrono la loro vita in ritiro meditativo, era composto da poco più di 300 persone. Si sono seduti al centro del tempio. I membri del Parlamento tibetano in esilio si sono seduti sul lato del tempio alla sinistra di Sua Santità, mentre i segretari dell’Amministrazione centrale tibetana si sono seduti sul lato alla sua destra. Alla sinistra del trono sedevano i Kalön in carica e quelli precedenti, mentre alla destra sedevano Trulshik Rinpoche, Gyutö Khensur, Segyu Khenpo, Tashi Lhunpo Khenpo e Drepung Loseling Khensur.

La cerimonia è iniziata con la “Preghiera dei Tre Continuum”, il cui canto è stato guidato da un maestro di canto maschile e uno femminile, sostenuti dal ritmo costante di cimbali, corni e tamburi.

All’assemblea sono stati serviti tè e riso dolce.

Davanti al trono è stato allestito un tavolo sul quale sono state poste cinque torte rituali di colore bianco, giallo, rosso, verde e blu. Cinque monaci vestiti da dakini (viandanti del cielo) sono entrati nel tempio indossando elaborati abiti di broccato di seta e corone a cinque foglie. Si sono riuniti davanti al trono e hanno danzato. Lo scopo di questa parte della cerimonia era quello di distogliere le dakini dal loro desiderio di portare il Lama nelle loro terre pure. Dopo aver offerto dei versi e aver ricevuto una torta rituale che funge da riscatto, una dopo l’altra le dakini hanno girato intorno al trono e hanno lasciato il tempio. Read the rest of this entry »

Monks dressed as dakinis performing rituals during the Long Life Prayers for His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Main Tibetan Temple in Dharamsala, HP, India on April 2, 2025. Photo by Ven Zamling Norbu

April 2, 2025. Thekchen Chöling, Dharamsala, HP, India – It was a bright morning today as His Holiness the Dalai Lama was greeted at the gate to his residence by Ven Thuksey Rinpoché and others. He then drove in a golf cart to the foot of the Tsuglagkhang, the Main Tibetan Temple. The aisle up the middle of the courtyard was lined by monks and nuns who greeted him. His Holiness was escorted by monks playing horns and carrying a ceremonial umbrella. He rode in a lift up to the main floor and walked around the Kalachakra Temple and Tsuglagkhang before entering the Main Temple and taking his seat on the throne. Thuksey Rinpoché, who presided over the ceremony, offered a silk scarf by way of welcome.

The ceremony offered today was based on an Amitayus ritual entitled ‘One Life, One Vase’. Among a gathering of an estimated 5000 people, the Drukpa Kagyu group of monks, nuns and tokdens—monks who spend their lives in meditation retreat—numbered just over 300. They sat in the middle of the temple. Members of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile sat down the side of the temple to His Holiness’s left, while Secretaries of the Central Tibetan Administration sat down the side to his right. Serving and former Kalöns sat to the left of the throne and to the right sat Trulshik Rinpoché, Gyutö Khensur, Segyu Khenpo, the Tashi Lhunpo Khenpo and the Drepung Loseling Khensur.

The ceremony began with the ‘Prayer of the Three Continuums’, the chanting led by a male and female chantmaster, who were supported by the steady rhythm of cymbals, horns and drums.

Tea and sweet rice were served to the gathering.

A table was set up in front of the throne on which were placed five ritual cakes coloured white, yellow, red, green and blue. Five monks dressed as dakinis (Skyfarers) entered the temple wearing elaborate silk brocade robes and five-leafed crowns. They gathered in front of the throne where they danced. The purpose of this part of the ceremony was to deflect the dakinis from their wish to take the Lama to their pure lands. After being offered verses and presented with a ritual cake that serves as kind of ransom, one by one, the dakinis circled the throne and left the temple.

The prayers continued including such lines as, “Please bless the Lama to live long; May the Lama live for 100 aeons.” The Seven-limb Prayer from the Samantabhadra Prayer was recited. Thuksey Rinpoché came forward to present His Holiness with a red and blue hat like a beret that derives from an episode in the life of Tsangpa Gyaré who founded the Drukpa lineage. His Holiness put it on. Read the rest of this entry »