(TibetanReview.net, Oct05’25) – Some 5,800 devotees, including 1,300 from Taiwan, attended a ceremony for cultivating the awakening mind of bodhichitta and taking the bodhisattva vows conducted by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the Tsuglakhang on Oct 4. The day before, Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche gave an introductory teaching on Buddhism at the same venue.
The Dalai Lama told the audience that while he was not especially enthusiastic about the Buddha’s teachings when he was very young, he came to appreciate how beneficial practices for transforming the mind could be as he grew older.
Contrasting Buddhism from other major religions, he mentioned that while followers of theistic traditions repose their faith in God, for Buddhists in Tibet and China it’s taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha that is most important.
He again referred to the growing interest in Tibetan Buddhism in China. “Although the Chinese communists continue to rule in Tibet, a growing number of Chinese people are taking an interest in Buddhism and the Nalanda Tradition. Historically China was a Buddhist land and it seems that Buddhism may yet be re-established there. I’ve done what I could to encourage this possibility and will continue to do so for the rest of my life.”
He also said: “Sincere practice of religion involves disciplining the mind and taming your emotions. As followers of Shakyamuni Buddha, we should respect all religious traditions because they all have the potential to subdue their followers’ minds. This is why it’s important to admire them.”
He recalled: “When I was in Beijing, I met Mao Zedong several times and on one occasion he told me in all seriousness that religion is poison. I said nothing, but I felt sorry for him because he had no idea how beneficial spiritual practice can be.”
Then, coming to the stage of giving the transmission, the Dalai Lama suggested that in addition to repeating the verse for taking refuge in the Three Jewels – the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha – reciting mantras could provide inspiration. Consequently, asking his listeners to repeat after him, he gave oral transmission of some common mantras — Buddha Shakyamuni’s, Arya Tara’s, Avalokiteshvara’s, and Manjushri’s. In connection with Om ara patsa na dhi, the mantra of Manjushri, His Holiness disclosed that he was convinced that reciting this mantra and making prayers to Manjushri had helped him improve his intelligence and wisdom. He reiterated that reciting the mantras of Manjushri and Avalokiteshvara could really make a difference.
After giving transmission of the mantra of the Medicine Buddha, he noted that people are sometimes concerned that they face obstacles in fulfilling what they want to do and recommended reciting the mantra of Hayagriva. He followed this by reciting the mantra of Guru Padmasambhava. Finally, he observed that most of the people in today’s gathering considered themselves Gelugpas and so gave the transmission of the Mig-tse-ma verse in praise of Jé Tsongkhapa.
(Source: dalailama.com, Oct 4, 2025)