Hunsur — Monks from Tashi Lhunpo Monastery and Gyudmed Tantric University, offered long-life prayers to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in Karnataka, India. His Holiness said, "Having found this precious human life, we have to make it meaningful. To do so, we require the complete teaching of the Buddha and to be able to engage in the Three Trainings—ethics, concentration and wisdom."
Monks from Tashi Lhunpo Monastery offered long life prayer to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in the debate yard of the Monastery, in Bylakuppé, Karnataka, India, on February 13, 2025. Monks and nuns filled the temple, while more monks, nuns and lay-people sat in the debate yard under a huge awning. An estimated 25000 people gathered to receive the empowerment, with many Tibetans coming from other settlements in Karnataka.
His Holiness addressed the assembly: “Today, we are facing all kinds of difficulties and this visit to Bylakuppé is coming to an end, so, I thought it would be auspicious if I were to give a Long-Life Empowerment. That is what I am going to do. As far as my own lifespan is concerned, I’ve had indications in my dreams that I could live to be 110, but for the time being this empowerment will make an auspicious conclusion.
“This empowerment is in relation to White Tara with whom we have strong karmic connections. A large number of people have gathered here intent on doing Dharma practice not just seeking to improve their name and fame. Therefore, I will be giving this White Tara Empowerment as an auspicious conclusion of this visit,” His Holiness added.
His Holiness said, “Today, I am going to give a Long Life Empowerment. Having found this precious human life, we have to make it meaningful. To do so, we require the complete teaching of the Buddha and to be able to engage in the Three Trainings—ethics, concentration and wisdom. If we are to do that well, we need to have a long life. And we can prolong our lives by relying on a deity like Arya Tara, who has vowed to take care of those who follow the Kadam Tradition.”
“All the four tantras are to be practised in the context of bodhichitta, so first of all you have to take the Bodhisattva vow. Without a bodhichitta motivation tantric practice could be misdirected. Whatever tantric practice you do, it must be founded on bodhichitta, the altruistic wish to be of benefit to others. This is the approach I take. Right from the moment I wake up, I generate bodhichitta. Even at the end of the day, I never forget bodhichitta. I go to sleep with mindfulness of bodhichitta. You think to yourself that you will engage in whatever practices you do for the benefit of all sentient beings. In this way you live your life in the service of others,” His Holiness advised.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama left Tashi Lhunpo monastery for Gyumé Tantric University in Hunsur, Karnataka, India, and 50 km from Bylakuppé, on February 16, 2025. Monks and lay people lined the roads to see him off. Arriving in Hunsur, monks and lay people also lined the roads to enthusiastically welcome His Holiness. He was greeted by the Ganden Trisur Rinpoché, the Shartsé Chöjé, the Abbot and Vice-Abbot of Gyumé and the Representative of Hunsur Settlement. The former Ganden Tri Rinpoché then led the way into the Gyumé assembly hall.
Monks from Gyudmed Tantric University offered long life prayer to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, at the assembly hall of the University, on February 17, 2025. A long mandala offering was performed to request His Holiness the Dalai Lama to live long, followed by a recitation of the Prayer for His Holiness’s Long Life by his two Tutors.
Then His Holiness addressed the congregation by saying: "Since this prayer for my long life is being held here at Gyudmed Tantric University, I will give the oral transmission of a verse to be included in the prayer to the lineage lamas as I have been requested to do."
"The complete teaching of the Buddha has spread in Tibet, teaching that has been practised without a break in its transmission. The Tantric colleges of the Geluk tradition in particular have preserved this. With regard to myself, after I had received teachings, I became really interested in engaging in intensive study of Guhyasamaja Tantra based on the writings of Jé Tsongkhapa," His Holiness concluded.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama left Hunsur, Karnataka, for New Delhi on February 18, 2025. He will soon arrive at his residence in Dharamshala, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, Inda.
