KOYASAN, Japan: Continuing his two-day teachings on sacred Mount Koya in Japan, His Holiness the Dalai Lama today conferred empowerment on Buddhist followers on how to generate compassionate heart for the well-being of other sentient beings, saying it is the key to your own happiness.
Over a thousand Buddhist followers, including Japanese, Koreans, Chinese and Mongolians, attended the teachings and initiation.
While teachings on Tsongkhapa’s Concise Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Lamrim Dudon) and Geshe Langri Thangpa’s 8 Verses of Training the Mind (lojong tsik gyema), His Holiness the Dalai Lama called on the devotees to study Buddha’s teachings and ancient India’s Nalanda tradition.
His Holiness lamented that human beings are deluded by negative afflictions despite the fact that the antidotes are clearly contained in ancient India’s Nalanda tradition kept alive in the Tibetan Buddhism.
He said practice of warm-heartedness and tolerance are key to happiness in one’s life. “In the practice of tolerance, one’s enemy is the best teacher,” he added.
His Holiness urged the devotees to study and contemplate on Tsongkhapa’s teachings on Concise Stages of the Path to Enlightenment in their day to day life.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama also conferred the empowerment of Vairocana-Abhisambodhi (namnang ngoenjang wang), which is one of the central tenets of followers of Japan’s Shingon Buddhism.
During the course of the empowerment, He told the devotees to pledge to cultivate compassion heart and avoid selfishness, underlining that it is the key to your own happiness. “Cultivation and practice of compassion is the only way to help for others well-being. It will result in your physical as well as inner happiness,” he said.
A Buddhist follower in Japan said she has attended His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachings for the last many years. “His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s messages of peace and happiness for the humanity always inspire me and I try to make my own effort in that endeavour,” she said.
Another Buddhist devotee from South Korea said His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachings have helped her to lead a positive life. Around 100 people from Korea have come to Japan to attend His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachings and talk on religion and ethics. During an audience with him yesterday, the Koreans expressed their long time desire for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visit to their country.
Tomorrow, His Holiness the Dalai Lama will conclude his three-day visit to Koyasan with a public talk on a theme titled “How should live our lives? – Religion and Ethics in the 21st century.” (Watch live webcast)
On 17 April, His Holiness will give a day-long teaching on Gyalsey Thokme Sangpo’s 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva (laklen sodunma) at Hotel Okura in Tokyo.
(View video of second day teaching and empowerment)
