(TibetanReview.net, Jun03’24) — The Dalai Lama is to travel to the United States in the coming couple of weeks or so, his first abroad in many years, to seek treatment for his knee problem. His office did not say Jun 3 when exactly his travel will take place. It only said “no engagements, including public audiences will be scheduled from Jun 20 onwards until further notice.”
The Dalai Lama has previously said a nagging knee problem was his only health issue and it could entail him eventually using a wheelchair.
The Dalai Lama reportedly last visited the United States in Jun 2017, during which he underwent a routine, annual medical check-up in the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota state.
The exile spiritual leader of Tibet is currently giving religious teachings to the Tibetan youth over Jun 3-4. It is a yearly summer event which he began many years ago. This year’s teaching is on Key to the Middle Way (umay demig) and is being given at the Tsuglakhang, the main Tibetan Buddhist temple in Dharamshala.
The only other officially scheduled religious programme he has before Jun 20 is the Long-Life Prayer ceremony being offered by former staff of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Mentseekhang and ex-kusungs (his former security service staff members) on Jun 11.
While it is not clear how long his US stay will last, the Dalai Lama has a series of five teaching and other schedules in September in Dharamshala. These include the conferring of the Avalokiteshvara Initiation (chenresig wang) and a long-life ceremony offering from the Monpa Community of India’s Tibet-border state of Arunachal Pradesh over Sep 6-7.
Later over Sep 12-13, he is to give religious teachings requested by a group from Southeast Asian countries.
Then on Sep 18, the Tibetan Women’s Association, Ex-Students of CST Dalhousie and Tibetans from the Lhasa districts will make a long-life ceremonial offering to him.
Over Sep 30-Oct 2, His Holiness will give religious teachings at the request of devotees from Taiwan and will be offered a long-life prayer ceremony by them.
It was also reported in Mar 2024 that the Dalai Lama had accepted a request to visit Ladakh this summer. The request was reported to have been made by the Ladakh Buddhist Association, All Ladakh Gonpa Association and Sapi village. However, no dates have been fixed yet.
In previous years, the Dalai Lama has annually sojourned in Ladakh for around a month, beginning from July and through much of August, except during the three Covid-19 lockdown years that began in 2020.