(TibetanReview.net, Jul07’26) – Attending celebrations marking his 91st birthday in the Union Territory of Ladakh’s capital Leh before a crowd of around 25,000, the Dalai Lama has on Jul 6 delighted his followers by reiterating his confidence to live to be 130 years of age.
“I’m 91, but according to indications in my dreams it seems I may yet live to be 130. So, I hope to be able to help Chinese people through the teaching of the Buddha and also to help people around the world to lead good, positive lives. This is what I aspire to do.”
The Dalai Lama further said: “Everyone prays for peace in the world. I do too through the practice of bodhichitta, the awakening mind, I also make prayers to benefit the teaching and beings as soon as I wake up.”
Despite what Mao Zedong told him during his visit to China in 1954-55 about religion being like opium, the Dalai Lama said its practice was not just about propitiating deities and saying prayers. “It’s actually about transforming your mind and turning your mind towards the practice of virtue. The significance of the practice of Dharma is to have a calm mind, to train the mind.”
And he said, “During my travels I’ve seen that the Buddhadharma has great influence on Chinese people,” and that among Chinese people Buddhism was being revived and was spreading widely.
‘And in many other parts of the world people are taking interest in the teaching of love and compassion. Warm-heartedness, the intention to benefit others, is something that people everywhere admire.”
Those who took part in the event, which was held on the Shewatsel teaching ground, included the top leaders of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), leaders of Ladakh’s Buddhist bodies, Thiksé Rinpoché, and other. CTA Sikyong Penpa Tsering and Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile speaker Dolma Tsering Teykhang joined Thiksé Rinpoché and Chering Dorjay Lakrook, President of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), in the ceremony of presenting representations of the body, speech and mind of the Buddha to His Holiness.
The two Tibetan leaders read their official statements for the occasion. And the President of All Ladakh Gonpa Association (LGA), Geshé Lobsang Yashi, delivered the words of thanks, praying that His Holiness would live long.
Ashraf Ali Barch offered felicitations on behalf of the Muslim communities in Leh and Kargil.