(TibetanReview.net, Jul03’22) – With the participation of the Deputy Mayor of Taipei city, advanced celebrations marking His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 87th birthday falling on Jul 6 were held in the Taiwanese capital on Jul 2 morning, with the event featuring a virtual address by the exile Tibetan spiritual leader.
Deputy Mayor Huang Shen Shen extended his birthday wishes to His Holiness before he delivered short teaching to the devotees, said the Central Tibetan Administration on its Tibet.net website Jul 2.
Thanking the Taiwanese devotees for hosting the celebrations in his honour, the Dalai Lama has said, “I am a simple Buddhist monk committed to following Buddha dharma in the pursuit of spreading love and compassion worldwide”.
He has further expressed an unyielding commitment to serve sentient beings and dispel the miseries of the world, quoting an excerpt from his daily prayers that explain the stimulus and strength he derives from them.
Making it clear that he would choose to reincarnate in a place “where there is a greater need for my service”, the Dalai Lama has said, “There is no doubt about that. I am quite certain that I will live for another 20-30 years at minimum to serve and give spiritual guidance to the Tibetan people. As my spiritual friends, I ask you to practice compassion in action.”
The virtual address was followed by the telecast of a preview of Finding Happiness, with the Dalai Lama speaking a few words on the creation of this documentary with his late spiritual brother Desmond Tutu of South Africa who passed away in December last year.
The Tibet.net report said a song honouring mother was dedicated to His Holiness, following which the organisers donated 8 medical ambulances to Yunlin County in southern Taiwan in honour of His Holiness’s 87th birthday. The report did not say who the organizers were.