The spiritual leader of Buddhist religion, His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Sunday began the three day teaching to more than 30,000 devotees at Bodh Gaya. His Holiness while beginning the teachings told that while reciting the ‘Heart Sutra’ where the Chances adds a verse, it tells us that the Chinese are traditionally Buddhist.
“This tells us that the Chinese are traditionally Buddhist. The wisdom celebrated here isn’t just any knowledge, but the wisdom realizing selflessness. After the ravages of the cultural revolution the Buddhist population in China is growing again.” told His Holiness the Dalai Lama after a reading the verse the Chinese add after the Heart Sutra.
The three-day teaching on Nagarjuna’s “Commentary on Bodhicitta” & Gyalsey Thokme Sangpos’s “Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva” 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 this teachings.
“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.” His Holiness told the gathering during the teaching.
His Holiness also welcomed this people who have come to attend the teachings despite not being traditionally Buddhists.
“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.” added His Holiness.
After offering his teachings for the day, His Holiness informed that tomorrow, he will give the lay-person’s vows, lead a ceremony for generating the awakening mind and perform the preparatory ritual for an Avalokiteshvara empowerment that he will bestow the following day.
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