His Holiness the Dalai Lama Begins Three-day Teachings in Bodh Gaya

BODH GAYA: His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Sunday began a three-day teaching on Nagarjuna’s “Commentary on Bodhicitta” & Gyalsey Thokme Sangpos’s “Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva” at the Kalachakra maidan, Bodh Gaya in Bihar.

The teaching is being organised at the request of Tibetan and Mongolian devotees. Over 30,000 devotees including 10,000 monks and nuns, 3300 foreigners from 70 different countries attending these teachings.

In his introductory remarks, His Holiness the Dalai Lama spoke about the right motivation on the part of devotees and to confer the teachings on part of the teacher. “The last teaching was mostly for an Indian audience and was publicly translated into Hindi. This time there are many Mongolians among the faithful monastics and lay-people who’ve come to hear the teaching of the Buddha. What’s important to start with is to have a perfect motivation. On the part of the Lama that means not teaching out of any expectation of wealth or fame. Turning the Dharma into a business is very negative. When I learned about Tulku Tsullo’s three commitments—not to eat non-vegetarian food, not to ride animals and not to take any payment for teaching—I was very impressed.”

Addressing the members of the Himalayan region, His Holiness said that the Tibetan Buddhist community has contributed as much to the Himalayan Buddhist community as it has to Tibetans and said that both can be mutually grateful for that. “We also have here many people from the Himalayan region and there are many monks and nuns from their communities in our monasteries and nunneries. They have made up the numbers since the flow of monks and nuns out of Tibet has declined, something we can be mutually grateful for.”

To the devotees from the west, His Holiness called them the new Buddhists and offered a welcome on behalf of the old Buddhists of Tibet and the Himalayan region.

“There are people here too who are not traditionally Buddhist, who come from Judeo-Christian backgrounds. With improved communications and travel facilities many more people have taken an interest in Tibetan religion and culture, have offered us support and have been inspired by the teachings of the Buddha. You are new Buddhists and we old Buddhists of Tibet and the Himalayan Region bid you welcome.”

On 15th morning, His Holiness will give the lay-person’s vows and lead a ceremony for generating the awakening mind and perform the preparatory ritual for an Avalokiteshvara empowerment that he will bestow the following day.