Tibetan delegation led by His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Representative Dr Nawang Rabgyal (1st L) and LTWA Director Geshe Lhakdor, (2nd L) meeting Tuva Parliament Speaker (R)
Moscow: Ven. Geshe Lhakdor, Director of Library of Tibetan Works & Archives in Dharamsala and former translator of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, visited Russian Federation for a series of public teachings and talks from 1st to 20th September 2012, at the joint invitation extended from Moscow-based Tibet Culture & Information Center, which is an official agency of Central Tibetan Administration, Save Tibet Foundation in Moscow, Kalmyk Buddhist Temple and Tuva Buddhist Community.
His first leg of the visit started in Elista, capital of Kalmyk Republic, where Geshe Lhakdor was warmly received with the Flame of Truth torch and Representative Nawang Rabgyal. During this tour to Kalmyk Republic on 2-7 September, Geshe Lhakdor gave a series of teachings on “Practical comment to Kamalashila’s text: The Middle Stage of Meditation” at the Kalmyk Buddhist Temple headed by Rev. Telo Tulku Rinpoche, and public talks at schools, colleges and university of the Republic. He conducted seminars for school teachers on the “Basics of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics” and participated on round-table discussion with scholars on “Religion and Modernity:New Approaches”. He participated in the events of 20th anniversary of founding of Friends of Tibet Society in Kalmyk Republic and Tibetan Memorial Quilts Exhibition. He was interviewed by Kalmyk TV and journals.
Members of the audience listen to talk by the Tibetan delegation
From Elista, Geshe Lhakdor and Representative N. Rabgyal took flight to Tuva Republic in Siberian region of Russia. This visit is their return to Tuva after 20 years, as both Geshe Lhakdor and Representative N. Rabgyal had an opportunity to accompany the entourage members of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s first visit to Tuva Republic in September 1992. President of Tuva Mr Sholban Kara-ool, Speaker of Parliament Mr Dawa Kan-ool Timyrovitch, heads of Buddhist community and people warmly received the Tibetan delegation. On the first event of their one-week (8-15 September) programmes in Tuva, they gave public talk on “His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Perspective on Science and Spirituality”. Thereafter Geshe Lhakdor gave a series of public talks at Tuva university, institutes and schools, where Representative Rabgyal also attended and introduced him and gave a brief Tibet-related talks. He lectured to students of Tuva University and several schools on “Wisdom and Compassion: Sources of Meaningful Life”. He had meeting with scholars of Tuva University and Institute of Humanitarian Studies and gave talk on “Buddhism in the 21st Century”. He conducted seminars for teachers of a new discipline on the “Basics of Religious Culture and Secular Ethics”, which was organized by Tuva Ministry of Education. He participated in the Conference on “Education, Science and Religion in the Modern World: New Approach”. Geshe la gave public teachings to Buddhist believers in preparation for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachings in South India on “The Gradual Path to Enlightenment”. He attended the meeting with Friends of Tibet Society in Tuva and prayer for Tibetans suffering in occupied-Tibet, with Flame of Truth torch and Tibetan Memorial Quilts Exhibition. He signed an agreement with Tuva University for cultural and educational cooperation and exchange. Mrs Julia Jironkina, Director of Save Tibet Foundation, accompanied him and translated his public teachings and talks.
Geshe Lhakdor’s third leg of teaching events were organized in Moscow on 17-19 September. He gave public teachings on “Boddhichitta as a Basis for the Buddhist Practice” for two days and his last public talk was on ” What it means to be a Buddhist?” at Nicholas Roerick Museum in Moscow. Ms Natasha Inozemtseva translated his teachings and talk.
This is Ven. Geshe Lhakdor’s second visit of a series of public teachings and talks in Russian Federation. The first one was organised in February 2010. The organisers of his visit heartily thank him and highly appreciate his wonderful and meaningful teachings and talks.
Report filed by Office of Tibet, Moscow
