DHARAMSHALAIn the Himalayan town of Dharamshala, where the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism has been living in exile since escaping Chinese authority in Tibet in 1959, hundreds of devotees gathered to celebrate the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday on Sunday.
He remarked, “When I look back on my life, I see that I have not wasted it at all,” in front of a crowded audience that included hundreds of red-robed monks and nuns who withstood the rain to see him.
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He said, “I dedicate my life to serving other sentient beings.”
A group of monks brought the Dalai Lama, who was wearing a traditional robe and a flowing yellow wrap, to the temple courtyard while senior lamas banged cymbals in his honor and Tibetan musicians played bagpipes and drums. As the musicians performed the Tibetan anthem, Penpa Tsering, the leader of the democratically elected Tibetan government-in-exile, raised the Tibetan flag.
The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, who is well-known around the globe for his red robes and broad smile, calls himself an ordinary Buddhist monk. However, he is revered by millions of Tibetan Buddhists as a living embodiment of Chenrezig, the Buddhist deity of mercy.
A week of birthday activities culminated in a celebration.
The Nobel Peace Prize recipient ended years of speculation that he would be the last person to hold the position by announcing at the birthday party that he intends to reincarnate after his death, capping a week of festivities. Additionally, he stated that the next Dalai Lama ought to be acknowledged in accordance with earlier Buddhist customs.
The Dalai Lama expressed his desire to live to be 130 years old on Saturday.
The Dalai Lama has already stated that his successor will be born outside of China in a free world. However, many Tibetans living in exile worry that China may appoint its own Dalai Lama successor in order to strengthen its hold on Tibet, which it invaded with soldiers in 1950 and has dominated ever since.
China, which considers the Dalai Lama to be a separatist, has stated time and again that it is the only body with the power to choose the next Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader. It further declares that anyone selected without Beijing’s approval will be rejected.
Celebrities and world leaders expressed well wishes.
The Tibetan leader received well wishes from dignitaries, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to Rubio, the Buddhist spiritual leader continues to inspire people by emulating a message of compassion, unity, and peace. Modi said the Dalai Lama has been a timeless symbol of love, compassion, patience, and moral discipline.
Hollywood movie star Richard Gere was among the hundreds of followers from around the world who attended the event.
Gere declared, “He is the most extraordinary man to ever walk on this planet,” amid a thunderous round of applause from the audience.
The Dalai Lama reaffirmed that he was merely an ordinary Buddhist monk in a birthday greeting posted on his website on Saturday. He also said that he would continue to concentrate on his responsibilities to uphold religious harmony and human values.
Hundreds of Tibetan exiles, monks, and foreign diplomats celebrated the day with Buddhist prayers, singing, and dances in Kathmandu, Nepal.
In 1937, the Tibetan throne was thrown onto the Dalai Lama. After a failed insurrection was put down by Chinese soldiers in the 1950s, he was forced to flee to India with hundreds of his supporters, where he set up an exile government.
Since then, he has lived in exile for more than 70 years, supporting a country in exile by creating a community that has preserved Tibetan identity and culture. Leading a Tibetan diaspora in their fight for independence and resistance to China’s rule over Tibet, the Dalai Lama has also grown to become one of the most well-known individuals in the world.
