(TibetanReview.net, Aug28’24) – The Dalai Lama has returned to his exile home at McLeod Ganj, Dharmshala, this morning after being away since Jun 21, mainly for a knee-replacement surgery in New York city. He was welcomed by large crowds of Tibetans and other well-wishers in New Delhi and Dharamshala. He is to give a series of religious teachings next month and will be offered long-life prayer ceremonies as well.
Earlier, Dr David Mayman, MD, Chief of the Adult Reconstruction and Joint Replacement Service at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, said last month that the Dalai Lama was recovering well and expected to continue improving, with physical therapy, over the next six to 12 months.
During his stay in the US, the Dalai Lama was offered a long-life prayers ceremony in a capacity-packed UBS Arena in New York City on Aug 22 by Tibetans as well as Mongol and Himalayan Buddhists.
He was also visited by Under Secretary of State Ms Uzra Zeya, who is designated as the Biden Administration’s Special Coordinator for Tibetan issues. The meeting was condemned by China as interference in its internal affairs and an encouragement of what it called Tibetan independence “separatists”.
Ms Zeya was accompanied by Kelly Razzouk, Special Assistant to the President and National Security Council Senior Director for Democracy and Human Rights.
Over the coming days, the Dalai Lama is scheduled to give religious teachings at three events in the Tsuglakhang, located just across his residence, next month.
Over Sep 6-7, His Holiness will confer the Avalokiteshvara Initiation (chenresig wang) and will be offered a long-life prayers ceremony by the Monpa Community from Arunachal Pradesh.
Over Sep 12 – 13, the Dalai Lama will teach on a yet to be decided topic at the request of a group from Southeast Asia in the mornings and there will also be a long-life prayers offering.
On Sep 18, the Dalai Lama will be offered a long-life prayers ceremony jointly by the Tibetan Women’s Association, Ex-Students of CST Dalhousie and people from Lhasa Districts.
Then, over Sep 30-Oct 2, His Holiness will give teachings on Shantideva’s A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life (chodjug) at the request of Taiwanese devotees and attend a long-life prayers offering to be made by them.