This is an important annoucement made by the Tibetan community in exile to contribute toward Tenshug to the Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama on his 80th birthday next year. The Tenshug Committee also requested Tibetans in India
to donate Rs 3 and others living across the world to offer the same amount in their respective currencies by February 28, 2015.Phayul[Monday, July 28, 2014 22:00]
By Phuntsok Yangchen
Thomtok Rinpoche, the abbot of Namgyal monastery, Religion and Culture Secretary Dhondup Dorjee and Tenpay Ngodup, President of Tibetan Do-med Association. DHARAMSHALA, July 28: The Tibetan government in exile along with International Gelukpa Association and Tibetan Do-med Association will offer a Long life prayer ceremony (Tenshug) to the Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama on his 80th birthday next year.
The Long Life Prayer ceremony will be held on June 21, 2015 due to his pre-scheduled programs in United States of America on His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday.
The Long Life prayer ceremony was first proposed by Tibetan Do-med Association in 2012 and later joined by Tibetan government in exile and International Gelugpa Association in organizing the ceremony.
Addressing a press conference, Lhundup Dorjee, Secretary of Department of Religion and Culture said, “We have been advised to make this long life prayer ceremony jointly, which we accepted gladly because Tibetans always believe the confluence of prayer, confluence of your offering have more value than doing it individually. So, we treat this as a very auspicious occasion and we gladly accepted it.”
The Tenshug Committee also requested Tibetans in India to donate Rs 3 and others living across the world to offer the same amount in their respective currencies by February 28, 2015.
Thomtok Rinpoche, the abbot of Namgyal monastery representing the International Gelugpa Association, also noted that besides the Long Life prayer ceremony the International Gelugpa Association will organize various programs including a discussion on religion and education.
Tenpay Ngodup, President of Tibetan Do-med Association said, “In Domed region of Tibet, it is a custom to celebrate 80th birthday of any member in a family or high lama in a grand way to pay tribute to the person. And His Holiness the Dalai Lama is loved and respected by not just Tibetans but many people around the globe.”
The Tibetan government in exile in May announced a series of major events as part of the “2014 Year of His Holiness the Dalai Lama”.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso, was born Lhamo Dhondub to a peasant family in a small village called Taktser in Amdo (Ch: Qinghai) Province, north-eastern Tibet on 6 July, 1935.
For Tibetans the world over, the Dalai Lama’s birthday is one of the most important and auspicious occasions in a year and is normally marked by elaborate celebrations in traditional Tibetan way.