Seoul: In celebration of the 88th Birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, under the guidance of the Director Ven. Geshe Tenzin Namkha, a religious ceremony at Labsum Shredub Ling  was held on 8 July 2023 to celebrate His Holiness’s life and countless contributions to world peace. The event was planned to both cherish this auspicious occasion and to participate in activities that were in the spirit of the teachings of His Holiness.

The events unfolded, in the auspicious presence of the portrait of His Holiness, with long-life prayers, wishing His Holiness the best of health as he tirelessly continues to spread his message of compassion and non-violence throughout the world. The participants also watched a video
message from His Holiness to his followers and friends all over the world who were gathering to celebrate this special day. The video was translated into Korean for the benefit of the many Korean students in attendance.

One of the key commitments at Labsum Shredup Ling has been the dissemination of Buddhists texts in the native Korean language. A significant amount of time and effort has gone into the translation of the first volume of the Compendium of Buddhist Science and Philosophy, which concluded last year. The translation of the second volume is currently underway. These texts, a result of the initiatives taken by His Holiness, will undoubtedly serve a great purpose in presenting concisely, the profound philosophy that underlies the Nalanda Buddhist tradition. To celebrate their tireless efforts, the members of the translation committee were presented with tokens of appreciation, celebrating their wonderful accomplishment, and wishing them continued success with this highly important endeavour.

The ceremony then continued with an organised debate on ‘The Graded Path to Enlightenment’, and ‘The Middle-Way Philosophy’, with a total of six speakers presenting on these materials and addressing the subsequent questions. This was a very successful event and signified the
importance of careful and diligent study of such Buddhist philosophical texts. It also echoed the continued message from His Holiness on the need to study the Buddhists cannons, subjecting them to critical analysis, and building a sound foundational understanding of the Buddhist
philosophy for a happy and harmonious world. Reinvigorated by this enthusiastic debate, the members of Labsum Shredup Ling, vowed to continue their intensive study of these important texts and apply these teachings to both personal and societal transformations.

The participants expressed much happiness in being able to gather and celebrate this most wonderful day after several years of disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ven. Geshe Tenzin Namkha provided the concluding remarks, thanking those in attendance and especially
the tireless volunteers who made this ceremony a huge success. He concluded by re-emphasising the importance of following the teachings of His Holiness and putting into practice his message of peace and compassion.

–Filed by the Office of Tibet, Japan