Dalai Lama begins two-day teaching for Tibetan youth
DHARAMSALA, 1 June: His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s annual Buddhist teaching for the Tibetan youth from schools and colleges began today at Tsug-lag-Khang, the main temple in McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala.
Hundreds of devotees, including Tibetan students from schools and colleges across India along with local Tibetan and foreigners, have gathered for the Tibetan spiritual leader’s teaching.
Encouraging the Tibetan youths to study Buddhism texts, the Dalai Lama said in his introductory teachings to the Tibetan students before he gave the preliminary process of the initiation today that “one does not have to be ordained to study Buddhism texts as we are a follower of the Buddha Dharma.”
“Even if one is an atheist, studying the texts on the path of reasoning (rig-lam) and debate is greatly beneficial,” he added.
The Dalai Lama said that though he is conferring the initiation from Dharamsala, his residence in exile, India, Tibetans in Tibet who have unwavering faith and devotion in him will also receive the initiation.
“When it comes to blessing, distance is irrelative. Tibetans in Tibet with their strong total faith and devotion in me will always receive my blessing as they are always under the purview of my visualisation,” he concluded.
The Tibetan spiritual leader will confer the actual initiation of Avalokiteshvara tomorrow.
Devotees can watch the live webcast of the teachings in Tibetan with translation in English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Hindi, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Italian, Portuguese, Nepali, Ladakhi and Mongolian on the official website, Youtube channel and Facebook page of the office of the Tibetan Nobel Laureate.
Organized by the Buddhism Introductory Committee of Dharamshala, it is the 14th edition of teachings for Tibetan students. The first edition was held at the Upper TCV school in 2007.
During the morning teachings from 1-2 June, the Tibetan spiritual leader will confer the 1000-Armed Avalokiteshvara Initiation (chenresig wang) and also teach on Tsongkhapa’s In Praise of Dependent Origination (tendrel toepa) in the mornings for Tibetan Youth at the Main Tibetan Temple.
