Tibetan Communities Across World Pray for Victims of Kyigudo Earthquake  [Thursday, 6 May 2010, 3:07 p.m.]

Tibetans and Taiwanese gathered in Taipei to offer special prayers on the third week since the tragedy that claimed thousands of lives and rendered many thousands homeless in Tibet’s Kyigudo region on April 14, 2010

Dharamshala: The
Diaspora Tibetan communities based in different parts of the world on
Monday (4 May) conducted special prayer sessions to observe the
customary third week of the death of those people since the deadly
earthquake that struck Tibet’s Kyigudo region on April 14. The
simultaneous prayer service began with a minute’s silence at 7:49 am
(local time) in the respective Tibetan communities under the direction
of the Kashag.  The Tibet Religious Foundation of His Holiness
the Dalai Lama based in Taipei organised a mass prayer services in
Taipei and Taoyoun city on May 4, 2010 for the victims of Kyigudo
earthquake. Venerable Jangtse Choeje Rinpoche led the prayer at
Foundation’s prayer hall along with other 50 Tibetan monks from
different Tibetan Buddhist centers in Taipei. The staff members of His
Holiness’ foundation and Tibetans from Taipei city also joined the
prayer. Another prayer service was organised at Chenrey-sig Tibetan
Buddhist Center located in Taoyoun. Four Tibetan Monks and the Tibetans
residing in Taoyoun city and county joined the prayer service.  In Tokyo, around sixty Japanese and Tibetan offered prayers at Joenji, a Buddhist Temple in Shinjuku.  Mr.
Lhakpa Tshoko, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Japan
and East Asia, gave a briefing on the earthquake tragedy and general
situation in Tibet. He said the prayer session is not only for people
perished in Kyigudo earthquake disaster but also to sincerely pray so
that such natural disaster doesn’t occur again in any part of the
world. Tibetan prayer leaflets, such as Dolma [in praise of Tara], Mani (root mantra), Guru prayers and Ways of Boddhisattavas [Choe-jug] with
Japanese transliteration were made available for the participants. Both
Tibetans and Japanese recited the sacred texts for two hours at the
Japanese Temple. In his closing remark, Mr. Lhakpa Tshoko thanked the
participants and for their continued support for Tibetan cause. He
requested them to join again for the 4th week prayer session [dun-tsik
shi-pa] to be conducted shortly.

Tibetans and Japanese sympathisers join for special prayers at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo on 4 May 2010

The
Tibetan people residing in Choejor, Gyalphak and Jokhel settlements in
Nepal gathered at their respective localities to offer prayers for the
quake victims in Tibet.  In Switzerland, a two-hour prayer
congregation from 7 – 8 am was presided over by the abbot and other
monastic officials at Rikon Choekhor Monastery located in Zurich.
Around 200 Tibetans attended the service. Mr. Sonam Phuntsok, member of
Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile from Europe, Mr. Kelsang Gyaltsen, Envoy of
His Holiness the Dalai Lama and and Mr. Tseten Samdup, Representative
of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, were present. Special prayer
services were also held in groups and by individuals across Italy.
Around 28 Tibetans from Milan, Monza and Bergamo joined in Gepheling in
Milan to offer prayers for those dead and speedy recovery of those
injured and homeless in the tragedy in Kyigudo. The prayer service was
led by Venerable Tenzin Khenrab Rinpoche, Tibetans in Italy.  Eleven
Tibetans who reside in Pomaia gathered for special prayer service led
by Ven. Geshe Tenzin Temphel.The Office of Tibet based in
Pretoria, South Africa, organised a two-hour special prayer service at
a Buddhist Institution in Johannesburg. Around 30 South African
supporters of Tibet joined staff members of the Office of Tibet to pray
for the victims of Kyigudo earthquake in Tibet. The service began with
a minute’s silence followed a prayer recitation.His Holiness the Dalai Lama presided over the prayer congregation held at Tsuglagkhang in Dharamshala.