Thekchen Chöling, Dharamsala, HP, India - This morning, when His Holiness the Dalai Lama reached the gate to his residence, on his way to the Tsuglagkhang, the Main Tibetan Temple, he was greeted by the President of the Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Association, Geshé Lobsang Nyendak and former Abbots of Gomang and Gyutö Monasteries, as well as the President of the Dokham Chushi Gangdruk (Four Rivers, Six Ranges) — the first Tibetan voluntary resistance force to defend Tibet. These two organizations were offering prayers for his long life.
As he drove through the temple courtyard His Holiness beamed at members of the two groups of patrons and other well-wishers gathered on either side to greet him.
In the temple, His Holiness’s throne was lavishly decorated with marigold garlands while the table before him was adorned with strings of white champaka flowers. Facing him, and presiding over the ritual was Kundeling Rinpoché. To his right sat the Abbot of Namgyal Monastery; the Abbot of Ganden Shartsé; Khensur Lobsang Khedrup, former Abbot of Gyutö; Khensur Lobsang Gyaltsen, former Abbot of Gomang; and Shartsé Khensur, Jangchub Chöden, who is Secretary General of the International Buddhist Confederation. To Rinpoché’s left sat the Abbot of Ganden Jangtsé, Jigmé Lamsang from Bhutan, as well as the Abbot of Ganden Shartsé, Jangchub Sangyé. In addition to them were representatives of the Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu and Bön traditions.
The ceremony began with a recitation of ‘Clouds of Ambrosial Blessings’ Trulsik Rinpoché’s invocation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s previous lives. It recalls the religious kings of Tibet, Drom Tön Pema Jungné, Jamyang Chöjé, the founder of Drepung monastery and many others in India and Tibet. The verse that refers to His Holiness’s birth goes:
To you, wondrously born in Taktser,
According to the predictions of Shridevi (Palden Lhamo),
Near the birthplace of Guru Manjunath (Jé Tsongkhapa)
In Dhomay (Amdo), to a family that originated in Central [Tibet]--we pray.
The main ceremony, following the ‘Long Life Ceremony of White Tara of the Wish-Fulfilling Wheel’ by the Great Fifth Dalai Lama, began next. Arising from the white syllable TAM, White Tara was invoked. Her body is as white as the autumn moon. She has one face with three eyes, two arms, and the youthful appearance of a sixteen-year-old. Her right hand is in the gesture of granting sublime accomplishments. Between the ring finger and thumb of her left hand she holds the stem of a white Utpala flower at her heart. She sits legs crossed in the vajra posture. The following prayer was addressed to her:
Blessed one, over countless aeons,
you have trained in compassion out of loving affection.
Your aspirations are vast, your visions complete,
And now is the time to fulfill your pledge to benefit living beings.
A long series of offerings was made to her beginning with water to drink, water to wash the feet, water to wash the face, purifying water (sprinkled to remove obstructive forces), flowers, incense, light, fragrance, food, music, and so forth. There were offerings of garments, ornaments, the seven precious possessions, the seven subsidiary precious possessions, the eight auspicious symbols, the five sense objects — visual forms, music, fragrances, flavours and objects to touch. A parasol, a victory banner and a decorative banner, fabric, and music were also given.
Tara was praised:
Mother 'Tare', you liberate beings from samsara.
With 'tuttare', you liberate beings from the eight fears.
With 'tare', you liberate beings from death.
We prostrate to you, O Tara.
Next, at the heart of the Lama visualized as Tara a white wheel was described. It was of the nature of the moon, with eight spokes and five rims. At its hub was the white seed syllable TAM surrounded by His Holiness’s name mantra — Om Ah Guru Vajradhara Bhattarak Manjushri Vagindra Sumati Jnana Shasana Dhara Samudra Shri Bhadra Siddhi Ayur Punya Jnana Pushtim Kuru.
A series of verses following the pattern of this first stanza invoked the lineage masters of this practice:
Blessed one, Buddha, Lord of the Sages-
We invite you to come to this place.
Having come to this supreme abode,
May you prolong the life of our
Glorious sacred Lama by a hundred aeons.
Please grant him the spiritual accomplishment of an immortal life.
Om Tare Tuttare Ture Satgu Rora Ayur Punya Jnana Pushtim Kuru Svaha
Amitabha, who adorned the head of the Lama, transformed into Amitayus, the protector of immeasurable longevity and primordial wisdom, holding a golden vase filled with the nectar of immortality. A stream of nectar rises, overflowed the vase, and entered the body of the glorious Lama through the opening at the crown of his head. His entire body was filled with nectar, purifying all dangers of disease, negative influences, harmful actions, obscurations, and premature death that appear to impure perception — so the Lama attained the spiritual accomplishment of immortality.
The Lamas conducting the ritual led the congregation of an estimated 5000 people in reciting the mantra Om Tare Tuttare Ture Satgu Rora Ayur Punya Jnana Pushtim Kuru Svaha as many times as possible.
Kundeling Rinpoché, with the former President of the Dokham Chushi Gangdruk and the President of the Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Association, offered a mandala to His Holiness, requesting him to live long. Representations of the body, speech and mind of the Buddha, a vase containing the elixir of life, symbols of the Buddhas of the five families, long-life liquor, long-life pills, the seven precious royal emblems, the eight auspicious symbols and the eight auspicious substances were offered as well.
As is customary, the ‘Song of Immortality’, the prayer for His Holiness’s long life composed by his Two Tutors was recited. It contains the following refrain:
To you, we offer our prayers with fervent devotion:
That Tenzin Gyatso, protector of the Land of Snows, live for a hundred eons.
Shower on him your blessings
So that his aspirations are fulfilled without hindrance.
Members of the two groups offering prayers today filed through the temple carrying images of the enlightened ones, scriptures and so forth. Their representives approached the throne to receive His Holiness’s blessings.
A heartfelt request was made to His Holiness: “We the Dokham Chushi Gangdruk wish to greet you. We pray that the sun may soon shine once more on Tibet and that we Tibetans may gather together there. 135 monks and nuns have performed longevity rituals for Your Holiness over the last three days.”
An ornamental memento indicating gratitude and respect for His Holiness was presented to him, and its features explained, by representatives of the Dokham Chushi Gangdruk.
Lamas belonging to the Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Association presented a silver conch with an accompanying citation that His Holiness read. They said: “In connection with the celebrations of His Holiness’s 90th birthday and the Year of Compassion we pray for the welfare of all beings, especially the people of Tibet. This silver conch we offer to you in gratitude.”
Two lay reprentatives of the Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Association presented His Holiness with a mounted ornamental bodhi leaf telling him that they had inscribed it with words of respect for his work to preserve Tibet’s culture, literature and natural environment. “Protector of the beings and teachings of Tibet, may all your good wishes be fulfilled.”
Members of the Chushi Gangdruk sang songs composed by the Sixth Dalai Lama, including the famous prediction about his successor "White crane! Lend me your wings, I will not fly far, From Lithang, I shall return."
His Holiness was presented with a thanksgiving mandala in gratitude for his agreement to live long. There followed a prayer to Amitayus, deity of longevity, and a recitation of ‘The Sage's Harmonious Song of Truth — A Prayer for the Flourishing of the Teachings of the Buddha without Sectarianism’, that includes the verse:
May the lives of the masters who uphold these teachings be secure and harmonious!
May the sangha preserve these teachings through their study, meditation and activity!
May the world be filled with faithful individuals intent on following these teachings!
And long may the non-sectarian teachings of the Buddha continue to flourish!
The ceremony concluded with the prayer of the ‘Words of Truth’.
As His Holiness was leaving the temple he beaconed two young tulkus to him and gave them words of encouragement. Similarly, as he walked to the lift, he paid particular attention to elderly and young members of the crowd, but all the while keeping a smile for everyone lining the way.
