His Holiness the Dalai Lama concluded 34th Kalachakra Initiations on 14th January 2017 after he accepted the Long Life Offering made to him. The Dalai Lama on the final day of the Kalachakra teachings he reaffirmed the gathering that he will live for more than 100 years.
“You are making this Long Life Offering to me and praying ‘May you live 10,000 years’, but we know that’s not possible.
However, my dreams and other indications have shown that I could live to be 113. I don’t know about that, but I think I can say I’ll live to be 100. So, be happy, be at ease,” His Holiness said to the gathering which reacted with huge round of applause.
This year the Kalachakra initiations was in absence of the thousands of absolute devotees of the Dalai Lama from inside Tibet due the strict restrictions laid out by the Chinese followers against those who were prepared to attend the religious event in India. Thousands of Tibetans who had already travelled all the way to India to the attend the Kalachakra were called back against serious warnings just at the beginning of the teaching!
However, there were still many Tibetans risking the serious warnings of the Chinese authorities to stay back for the teachings. Despite lack of thousands Tibetan devotees of the Dalai Lama, the 34th Kalachakra went on successfully. The largest religious event by His Holiness the Dalai Lama attracted at least 2,00,000 devotees from across 92 countries with record number of attendance from Himalayan buddhist community.
What China said was just an opinion. Nevertheless, Tibetans were warned that if they didn’t return in time, they would face trouble or their relatives would face penalties. This kind of action contributes nothing towards social harmony, it is just disruptive,” His Holiness noted and expressed his optimism that there will change in Tibet soon.
“His Holiness offered special prayers on Wednesday, 11 January, for the devotees who could not attend the Kalachakra initiation on account of the restrictions imposed by the Chinese authorities.” according to the official report of Central Tibetan Administration.
“You all have come here for the Kalachakra Initiation. The purpose of receiving this initiation is to make a profound transformation within the self. Therefore, even though you are returning in the same body, your mind should be transformed,” His Holiness the Dalai Lama advised the devotees in the concluding ceremony.