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His Holiness the Dalai Lama Arrives to Warm Welcome in Bodh Gaya

His Holiness the Dalai Lama leaves for Bodh Gaya after concluding five-day Varanasi visit. Photo/Tenzin Jigme/DIIR

BODH GAYA: His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived here in Bodh Gaya today to a warm welcome by local Indian officials, Tibetans and non-Tibetan devotees.

The Tibetan spiritual leader will be in Bodh Gaya till 16 January to give a series of Buddhist teachings.

According to reports, His Holiness’ security umbrella at Bodh Gaya far exceeds the total sanctioned strength of the district police, which is less than 2000. Besides heavy police deployment, the height of Mahabodhi Temple’s boundary wall has been raised to meet the requirements of foolproof security.

Addressing the press, Gaya DM Kumar Ravi has said e-rickshaws would be plying in the area near the shrine. A control room too has been set up to monitor everything. “The Dalai Lama, who was earlier scheduled to arrive on January 2, will reach here on January 1,” the DM said.

His Holiness’ upcoming engagements in Bodh Gaya

From 5 to 7 January, His Holiness will give a three-day teaching on Dharmachakra Parivaretan Sutra on The Four Noble Truths (chokyi khorlo korwe do) & Sutra on Dependent Origination (tendrel chi do) in the mornings at the request of Indians.

From 14 – 16 January, His Holiness will give teachings on Nagarjuna’s Commentary on Bodhicitta (jangchup semdrel) & Gyalsey Thokme Sangpos’s Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva (laklen sodunma). His Holiness will also confer the Avalokiteshvera Initiation (chenresig wangchen) on the mornings of January 15 and 16.

Following the initiation on January 16 morning, a long life offering ceremony (tenshug) to His Holiness will be made at the joint request of Lamyn Gegeen Tenzinjamphelchoijisheinen Tulku of Mongolia and Namgyal Monastery.