Himachal: 1,300 people from Taiwan attended Dalai Lama’s sermon

Himachal Pradesh: The Dalai Lama today concluded his two-day teaching for Taiwanese Buddhists at his main temple in Mcleodganj. The teaching, scheduled from September 30 to October 1, was held on three major aspects of the path of Tsongkhapa. This morning, the Dalai Lama made his way around the main Tibetan temple, Tsuglagkhang, where he was scheduled to address about 7,000 people, including 1,300 from Taiwan and many monks from monasteries in South India who had come for the holiday. He smiled at people passing by, occasionally extending a hand to an elderly man or woman who caught his eye. At the temple, the Dalai Lama warmly welcomed the Ganden throneholder and took his place on the throne. The ‘Heart Sutra’ was chanted in Chinese, after which he was presented with a ‘mandala’. The Dalai Lama said, “When I was coming here, hearing your voice praying to Je Tsongkhapa reminded me that not only was I born near his birthplace, but I also share his philosophical views. However, the existence of Buddhism is not tied to any particular place and those of us who are in exile have done our best to keep it alive. Je Rinpoche’s teaching has spread around the world and I have done my best to make it clear.” He added, “While I was in Tibet and even after I left the Land of Snows, one of my most important practices has been reading the 18 volumes of Je Rinpoche’s collected works. I have special respect for him and feel a close connection to him.” The Dalai Lama said the core identity of Tibetans is centered on Buddhism. He said, “We have kept it alive and we have maintained it well through study and practice. As a result, many people interested in the religion are paying attention to our traditions.”