Dharamshala: It was a bright morning today as His Holiness the Dalai Lama was greeted at the gate to his residence by Ven Thuksey Rinpoché and others. He then drove in a golf cart to the foot of the Tsuglagkhang, the Main Tibetan Temple. The aisle up the middle of the courtyard was lined by monks and nuns who greeted him. His Holiness was escorted by monks playing horns and carrying a ceremonial umbrella. He rode in a lift up to the main floor and walked around the Kalachakra Temple and Tsuglagkhang before entering the Main Temple and taking his seat on the throne. Thuksey Rinpoché, who presided over the ceremony, offered a silk scarf by way of welcome.
The ceremony offered today was based on an Amitayus ritual entitled ‘One Life, One Vase’. Among a gathering of an estimated 5000 people, the Drukpa Kagyu group of monks, nuns and tokdens—monks who spend their lives in meditation retreat—numbered just over 300. They sat in the middle of the temple. Members of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile sat down the side of the temple to His Holiness’s left, while Secretaries of the Central Tibetan Administration sat down the side to his right. Serving and former Kalöns sat to the left of the throne and to the right sat Trulshik Rinpoché, Gyutö Khensur, Segyu Khenpo, the Tashi Lhunpo Khenpo and the Drepung Loseling Khensur.
The ceremony began with the ‘Prayer of the Three Continuums’, the chanting led by a male and female chantmaster, who were supported by the steady rhythm of cymbals, horns and drums.
Tea and sweet rice were served to the gathering.
A table was set up in front of the throne on which were placed five ritual cakes coloured white, yellow, red, green and blue. Five monks dressed as dakinis (Skyfarers) entered the temple wearing elaborate silk brocade robes and five-leafed crowns. They gathered in front of the throne where they danced. The purpose of this part of the ceremony was to deflect the dakinis from their wish to take the Lama to their pure lands. After being offered verses and presented with a ritual cake that serves as kind of ransom, one by one, the dakinis circled the throne and left the temple.