(TibetanReview.net, Jun04’22) – The Dalai Lama on Jun 4 led a prayer ceremony for the Tibetan Buddhists’ most sacred month of Saka Dawa, the fourth month of the Tibetan calendar on whose full-moon day the Buddha was born, attained enlightenment, and passed away. Earlier on Jun 1 and 2, the Dalai Lama gave his introductory Buddhism discourse to the Tibetan youth, an annual event especially for Tibetan students and school-children, which was disrupted for the past two years by the Coronavirus pandemic.
The sacred month began on May 31 and it was the second day of Tibetans beginning to recite the mani mantra in the Tsuglakhang, the main Buddhist temple in Dharamsala, which will culminate in a Medicine Buddha invocation prayer service on Jun 10. The gathering will accumulate a collective of 100 million mani mantra recitations in the run up to this event.
The Dalai Lama was reported to have told the gathering that since Tibetans loved to consume Mani Rilbu Pills, he wished to attend the prayer service for the Medicine Buddha invocation meant for its consecration.
Earlier, over Jun 1-2, some 9,500 devotees packed the temple and its yard to listen to the Dalai Lama’s teaching meant especially for the Tibetan youth.
The Dalai Lama followed the teaching with the conferment of the Avalokiteshvara empowerment. On the fact that the empowerment and teaching were being live webcast, the Dalai Lama said he had received several enquiries from people, asking to know if they could really receive the empowerment by this means.
And his answer was: “Yes, if your faith and commitment are unwavering. Tibetans and Chinese Buddhists too have a special connection with Avalokiteshvara, so if your faith and bond of trust are strong, distance is no object. I will keep you all in mind as I go through the procedures.”
As a part of preparations for the empowerment, the Dalai Lama gave a teaching on “In Praise to Dependent Arising”.