At the end of a smooth flight from Delhi, His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived this morning in Japan. He was received by a protocol officer of Japan Airlines and a representative of the Indian Embassy as he stepped off the plane. On his way through the airport he stopped to speak to members of the media, telling them about his commitments to making people aware that we are all the same as human beings and that the real source of happiness is within us. He also mentioned his commitment to encouraging inter-religious harmony and finally joked about how much he likes Japanese rice. He was welcomed by priests of the Soto Zen tradition and greeted by several old friends.
In the course of this visit to Japan, his 21st, His Holiness will make his first visit to the northern island of Hokkaido tomorrow. He will give several public talks and Buddhist teachings on ‘The Heart Sutra’, Nagarjuna’s ‘Commentary on the Awakening Mind of Bodhichitta’ & the Middle Volume of Kamalashila’s ‘Stages of Meditation’