Thekchen Chöling, Dharamsala, HP, India - This morning, the Tsuglagkhang, the Main Tibetan Temple, was decorated with marigold garlands and the courtyard criss-crossed with lines of Tibetan and Buddhist flags. These were part of the ceremony for offering prayers for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s long life. The patrons on this occasion were former students of the Central School for Tibetans (CST) Darjeeling, the Tibetan Community of New York & New Jersey (TCNYNJ) and the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota (TAFM).
Led by the sound of horns, drums and singers, His Holiness drove up the aisle through the courtyard in a golfcart happily returning greetings from well-wishers on either side. At the temple balcony he stopped to survey members of the estimated 5500 strong crowd and wave to them.
In the temple His Holiness took his seat on the throne and the prayers began. These were presided over by Ven Samdhong Rinpoché, flanked to the right by Keutsang Rinpoché and to the left by Chokhor Rinpoché. Verses in praise of the Buddha were followed by the Long Life ritual 'Granting the Essence of Immortality' composed by the Great Fifth Dalai Lama following a vision he had of Guru Padmasambhava in the form of Amitayus.
There were verses invoking the dakinis to clear obstacles and grant the Lama long life. The Lama, the source of all benefit and happiness for all sentient beings, was requested to live for a long time. Meanwhile a procession from among the groups of patrons made its way from the courtyard, up through the temple, past the throne and back down again. Proferred were statues of the enlightened ones, volumes of scripture and finally a huge rolled carpet.
Tea, blessed by the recitation of a verse in praise of Nagarjuna, was served followed by the distribution of sweet rice. A verse was said requesting the Lama to live long to glorify the tradition of Jé Tsongkhapa.
At the start of the actual long-life prayer the Lama was imagined arising from emptiness in the form of Buddha Amitayus, white in colour, with one face and two hands, which hold a vase of immortality. A series of verses addressed to the eight aspects of Guru Padmasambhava and the dakini Yeshé Tsogyal concluded with the lines:
... the time has come,
Please grant the spiritual accomplishment of immortal life.
Samdhong Rinpoché presented His Holiness with the long-life arrow, which he took and briefly flourished in the air. Next, His Holiness was offered tsog from which he took a token portion.
Protector of teachings and the beings of Tibet
You who greatly elucidate the path combining emptiness and compassion
Ocean of teachings Tenzin Gyatso, Padmapani,
Holding a lotus in your hand
To you I pray, may all your wishes be spontaneously be fulfilled.
After this verse had been recited three times, a mandala representing the entire universe was offered to His Holiness, addressed by his long name Jampel Ngagwang Lobzang Yéshé Tendzin Gyatso, with the request that he live hundreds of aeons. Next were presented to him representations of the body, speech and mind of the Buddha, the Long-life Vase, Long-life Nectar, and Long-life pills. Ritual cakes signifying the four activities relating to peace, increase, control and force were offered to overcome all diseases, negative forces and obstacles. Offerings were made of the royal emblems, the auspicious objects and the auspicious substances.
Recitation of the Prayer for His Holiness’s Long Life composed by his two Tutors was followed by the prayer written by Jamyang Khyentsé Chökyi Lodrö.
Attention turned to three Tibetan women, the leader of whom proclaimed a prayer to His Holiness entitled the ‘Nectar of Immortality’s Pleasing Melody’.
You who embody the great love and wisdom of all Conquerors
In a single form white like a snow-capped mountain,
Nirmanakaya, Supreme Arya Lokeshvara,
Guru to beings wandering throughout the three realms
May you be victorious.
Your wonders are without peer in the three worlds
Noble like the udumbara flower
Omniscient One, crown jewel of the teachings and beings of this world,
Great Conqueror Padmapani, may your life be long and secure.
Although you were a Buddha from the start
You awakened your mind and made a pledge as firm as a vajra
To reach out to beings and care for them in this age of strife.
Great Lord of the ten grounds, may your life be long and secure.
May you manifest realizations of the stages of the path to enlightenment.
From you indivisibly merged three secrets
Arose your inconceivable qualities of knowledge and love,
Second Lord of Sages presiding over the northern land of Tibet
May your life be long and secure.
Nothing hinders or impedes your ability to explain, debate or compose.
With your eight great repositories of confidence
You are completely free.
Teaching the Dharma with a knowledge that unerringly
Dissolves individual phenomena.
Great One, Victorious Over All,
May your life be long and secure
Embodiment of emptiness and compassion
Your Holiness, you are the patron deity of Tibet
Upon whom our flowers of prayer have fallen.
“On the occasion of your 90th birthday we perform this song composed by Drubtop Thangtong Gyalpo.”
The leader sang each line of the following verse, which her companions echoed in a chorus. At the end the congregation erupted in fervent applause.
In the heavenly realm of Tibet, surrounded by a chain of snow mountains,
The source of all happiness and help for beings
Is Tenzin Gyatso—Chenrezig in person—
May his life be secure for hundreds of aeons!
A thanksgiving mandala was offered and His Holiness addressed the crowd.
“Today, Former students of the Central School for Tibetans, Darjeeling, the Tibetan Community of New York & New Jersey and the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota have offered these prayers for my long life.
“I was born near Siling, moved to Lhasa, and received novice monk and fully ordained monk’s vows from my Abbot, Yongzin Ling Rinpoché before the Jowo statue.
“I may have told you before about an occasion when I had a dream or vision of the Buddha. He was there before me in person and I was among those around him. He beckoned me to him so I respectfully approached. He patted my head with the kindness of one taking care of his disciples. I made a prayer, “May the Dharma long endure”, and determined that I would serve it.
“The tradition we preserve in Tibet represents the essence of all the Buddha’s teachings. He patted my head and expressed approval of what I have done.
“I had nothing to offer except a piece of chocolate which I gave to him and he was pleased. I was amazed at the way he kindly and compassionately showed care for me.
“As you know, I fled Tibet and came to India where I’ve lived most of my life. I’ve been able to visit Bodhgaya and many other places, where I have been able to give teachings, which has been very good.
“Putting the teachings I received from Lama Dorjé Chang, Ling Rinpoché, into practice, I’ve been able to transform my mind. In China, Mao Zedong was friendly to me. He praised my interest in modern science, but also remarked that religion is poison. From this I could tell he was hostile to the Dharma.
“I’ve also been able to travel to many other countries and contribute to the flourishing of the Dharma by teaching. Within my engagement in the Three Trainings of ethics, concentration and wisdom, my main practice has been to cultivate the awakening mind of bodhichitta and the view of emptiness.
“Although we followers of Buddha Shakyamuni live at a time when the teachings are in decline, we can revive them within ourselves. It seems that even those who have been opposed to what the Buddha taught may eventually take interest in it.
“We are human beings who have encountered the teaching of the Buddha. On my own part, I try my best to serve the Buddhadharma. Every morning, the moment I wake, I generate bodhichitta and the view of emptiness and I pray that I may be of service to others. Since we may say you are my students, I explain how I practise to you, how I meditate on bodhichitta and emptiness. This is what you should try to cultivate too. That’s all I have to say—Tashi Delek.”
The ceremony was concluded with prayers for the flourishing of the Buddha’s teachings, the ‘Words of Truth’ and the verse for the thriving of bodhichitta. His Holiness walked from the temple to the lift smiling and waving to the crowd along the way. In the courtyard he boarded the golfcart once more to ride back to his residence. He looked pleased.
