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Dalai Lama confers teaching on the 15th day of Saga Dawa

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His Holiness the Dalai Lama during the Avalokiteshwara Empowerment on May 30 (Photo OHHDL)
His Holiness the Dalai Lama during the Avalokiteshwara Empowerment on May 30 (Photo OHHDL)

By Choekyi Lhamo

DHARAMSHALA, June 5: Foremost Buddhist leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Friday conferred an online teaching, on cultivating the awakened mind on the 15th day of the auspicious month of Saga Dawa, considered the most important religious festival by Buddhists. The Tibetan spiritual leader spoke mainly about developing compassion during the holy month as it celebrates the birth, death, and enlightenment of Buddha.

“We need to overcome the ignorance and the misconception of reality by developing the wisdom to realize our reality,” His Holiness told the virtual audience. He further said that knowledge of compassion and emptiness comes from the teachings of Buddha. It is most important to reflect on Bodhichitta with the wisdom of emptiness.

The octogenarian Tibetan leader said, “Before assuming enlightenment, he [Buddha] went through the practice of austerity for 6 years by developing the antidotes to negative emotions with carrying the wisdom of emptiness.” He urged everybody on the virtual platform to perform the Bodhichitta ceremony together with him and advised the audience to make it an annual practice if possible.

He noted, “So if we wish to be selfish, we need to be wisely selfish. It is a very practical way to be selfish. When you are kind to others, you are bound to make more friends, but if you are unkind, then you would not be happy, you’d be suspicious of others,” adding that the most important thing for the practice of compassion is to have an altruistic attitude towards others.

“All the sentient beings across the expanse of space do not want suffering but happiness,” he said reiterating the need for compassion to attain happiness. He cited master Shantideva who said that all good things come through wishing others to be happy, and suffering comes from wishing oneself to be happy. He asked his followers to work for others whenever an opportunity of service comes across.

The teaching is the third virtual appearance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama since the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been conducted especially for his followers on the full moon day of the auspicious holy month of Saga Dawa. The month is considered a holy month by Buddhists as Buddha performed many of his key milestones during the month.

 

 

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