Buddhist nuns from all sects jointly offered Tenshug to His Holiness
By Lobsang Tenchoe
DHARAMSALA, March 1: Buddhist nuns from all five Tibetan schools of Buddhism collectively offered long life prayers (Tenshug) to His Holiness the Dalai Lama today at Tsuglag-Khang, the main temple in Mcleod Ganj, Dharamsala.
Around 875 nuns form 40 nunneries across India, Nepal and Bhutan attended the ceremony apart from dignitaries from the Tibetan administration and hundreds of Tibetans and followers of the Buddhist faith
Following the prayer ceremony, the Dalai Lama briefly addressed the congregation and thanked the nuns from all five Tibetan schools of Buddhism for their unwavering dedication and applauded the efforts made by nuns in completing Geshemas degree.
“Geshe degree was previously awarded only for monks and when I spoke about awarding Geshemas degrees to nuns, some senior gejLamas were sceptical at first, so I told them, when the Lord Buddha has permitted both Gelongpha and Gelongma without any discrimination on gender why can’t we have Geshemas,” the Dalai Lama said and further encouraged the nuns to continue their studies and service to dharma
The Tibetan spiritual leader took a liking to the Buddha’s statues offered to him during the tenshug and enquired whose idea was it and further added that “Buddha is not just the founder of Buddhism but a talented scientist as well who encouraged to examine his teachings.”
“Though I am 83 years old now, your unwavering dedication motivates me. Your unwavering dedication and service be it for the dharma or the Tibetan movement is the real tenshug,” the Dalai Lama concluded.
The Buddhist nuns from all five Tibetan schools of Buddhism; Sakya, Nyingma, Kagyu, Gelug and Bon pledged to follow His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s advice, to support ‘Middle Way’ policy adopted by the Tibetan administration as the official policy to seek autonomy for Tibet and not to propitiate Dholgyal or Shugden and to completely relinquish religious and material ties with Dholgyal worshippers.
