A Quiet Revolution, part of the "Women of Tibet" film series, is available for free streaming in memory of Ama Adhe Tapontsang, the star of the film who passed away at the age of 88 on August 3, 2020.
The limited time offer will last until at least August 12. The email invitation to watch the film was sent on August 6, and the invitation stated the film would be available for seven days.
If you miss the free streaming window then I see you can rent it on Vimeo.com for $3.99 or buy the DVD from the Frame of Minds Films website for $25. The movie soundtrack is available for $9.99. A friend recommends the 18 minute video "The Counter Revolutionary" about Ama Adhe Tapontsang, which is available for free on Vimeo anytime.
I watched the 57 minute film A Quiet Revolution over the weekend. It is beautiful, moving, and I enjoyed learning the life stories of several Tibetan women featured in the film. The film includes interviews with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Ama Adhe Tapontsang, Rinchen Khando Choegyal, Tseten Choeden, and Jetsun Pema.
A Quiet Revolution won an EMMY Award in 2009, the 50th anniversary of the Lhasa uprising.
A Quiet Revolution, A Quiet Revolution Facebook.
A Quiet Revolution
Rosemary Rawcliffe wrote in the August 6 email, "A Quiet Revolution begins on March 12, 1959 when 15,000 unarmed Tibetan women took to the streets of Lhasa to oppose the violent occupation of their country by the Communist Chinese army.
"For the first time on film, three generations of Tibetan women and His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama tell the story of one of the great movements of nonviolent resistance in modern history. From the streets of Lhasa to their principal refuge in Dharamsala, India, the stories that live at the heart of this film offer an intimate and direct experience of what it is to lose everything and begin anew."
Executive producer, Rosemary Rawcliffe; director of photography, Peter McCandless; editor, Miriam Telles; music, Michael Becker with Tsering Dorjee Bawa.
Watch the four minute trailer "Women of Tibet: A Quiet Revolution (Trailer)" on the Frame of Mind Films YouTube channel.
Ama Adhe Tapontsang
Rosemary also wrote in the August 6 email, "Remembering Ama Adhe Tapontsang, who passed away August 3, 2020. Official announcement at www.tibetsun.com.
"Many of you already know that Ama Adhe was very precious to me. My crew and the many people I would take to visit her when we were shooting our other Women of Tibet films loved her too.
"Over the years, on my many visits to Dharamsala, I would always make time to visit with her and her husband, Rinchen Samdup, who would make us butter tea while Ama la would sit, beaming at me and whoever else had the good fortune to be there too. Her joy at having us visit was palpable, we laughed, we cried, and always laughed some more.
"It is sad to think that she is with us no more, but my heart is full of love for her and I shall miss visiting her next time I’m in Dharamsala. Her presence will always be there and I am beyond grateful that we were able to spend the time we did together.
"Ama Adhe was the star in Women of Tibet: A Quiet Revolution.
After A Quiet Revolution won an EMMY®, I went to Dharamsala to show her the film in Tibetan and present her with her EMMY® Award certificate. She was thrilled that now the world would know the true story of Tibet as she had lived it.
Watch the Film
Rosemary's email continued, "To honor her and her life-long work for the Tibetan cause I am opening a free 7 day portal of the film in English and Tibetan.
"I hope that by watching the film you will get to know the indomitable warrior spirit that was Ama Adhe and know that her life-long work may have been for Tibet but it was also for all humanity.
"With love and gratitude,
Rosemary and everyone at Frame of Mind Films"
Frame of Mind Films
Rosemary also wrote, "Help us to rebuild after our catastrophic burglary last year, so that we can continue bringing our important and inspiring work to the world's screens; all it takes is a small donation."
You can make a donation through the Frame of Mind Films website.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, www.indialink.com.au.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave a three-day online teaching on Lama Tsongkhapa's text In Praise of Dependent Origination at the request of Tibetan Youth from August 4-6, 2020.
Two Dharma centers, Tibetan Buddhist Centre in Singapore, and Tushita Meditation Centre in India, independently organized online review sessions following each day's teaching.
Geshe Lobsang Yonten, www.savezanskar.org.
These review sessions were led by Tibetan Buddhist Centre resident teacher Geshe Lobsang Yonten and Tushita Meditation Centre visiting teacher Venerable Tenzin Legtsok.
Venerable Tenzin Legtsok and Pema, www.tushita.info.
The recordings of all of these teachings and review sessions, an official summary of each day's teaching, and Lama Tsongkhapa's text In Praise of Dependent Origination are freely available online for anyone to study.
Read the text In Praise of Dependent Origination
Tushita Meditation Centre described the text In Praise of Dependent Origination on www.tushita.info, "Je Tsongkhapa (1357-1419), the author of The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment and the teacher of the First Dalai Lama, is renowned as one of the greatest scholar-saints that Tibet has ever produced.
"He composed his poetic In Praise of Dependent Origination the very morning that he abandoned all doubts about – the final view and attained a clear realization of emptiness, the essence of wisdom. Deeply moved by this experience, his gratitude to Shakyamuni Buddha increased exponentially inspiring him to compose a praise to Buddha for having taught dependent origination, the main reasoning which establishes that all phenomena are empty of inherent existence."
Lama Tsongkhapa, CKSL event listing on www.evensi.com.
Read the Official Summary of Each Day's Teaching
Read "‘In Praise of Dependent Arising’ for Young Tibetans — First Day" on www.dalailama.com.
Read "‘In Praise of Dependent Arising’ for Young Tibetans — Second Day" on www.dalailama.com.
Read "‘In Praise of Dependent Arising’ for Young Tibetans — Third Day" on www.dalailama.com.
Watch the Teachings and Review Sessions
Day 1 - August 4, 2020
Watch the recording of "In Praise of Dependent Origination - Day 1" on the Dalai Lama Archive YouTube channel.
Watch the recording of "04.08.2020 Post Teaching Revision - Je Tsongkapa's In Praise of Dependent Origination" on the Tibetan BuddhistCentre YouTube channel.
Watch the recording of "Review Session Day1" on the Tushita Meditation Centre Dharamkot YouTube channel.
Day 2 - August 5, 2020
Watch the recording of "In Praise of Dependent Origination - Day 2" on the Dalai Lama Archive YouTube channel.
Watch the recording of "05.08.2020 Post Teaching Revision - Je Tsongkapa's In Praise of Dependent Origination" on the Tibetan BuddhistCentre YouTube channel.
Watch the recording of "Review Session Day 2" on the Tushita Meditation Centre Dharamkot YouTube channel.
Day 3 - August 6, 2020
Watch the recording of "In Praise of Dependent Origination - Day 3" on the Dalai Lama Archive YouTube channel.
Watch the recording of "06.08.2020 Post Teaching Revision - Je Tsongkapa's In Praise of Dependent Origination" on the Tibetan BuddhistCentre YouTube channel.
Watch the recording of "Review Session Day 3" on the Tushita Meditation Centre Dharamkot YouTube channel.
The journalists were reporting on His Holiness the Dalai Lama's August 6 "Statement on the 75th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki" which had been published on www.dalailama.com but I had not seen. I wanted to try to help by sharing it here.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Statement on the 75th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
His Holiness's statement reads, "On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I take the opportunity to urge governments, organizations and individuals to rededicate themselves to making the achievement of peace the centerpiece of our lives.
"Despite many great developments that also took place, the 20th century was an era of violence in which some 200 million people were killed, including the horrific use of nuclear weapons. Now, in our increasingly interdependent world, we have a chance to make this a more peaceful century.
"When conflicts arise they should be settled through dialogue, not the use of force. We need to eliminate the threat of nuclear weapons, with the ultimate aim of a demilitarized world. War means killing. Violence leads to counter violence. We need to put an end to combat and the production of weapons and construct a more peaceful world.
"We human beings have created many of the problems in today’s world. As long as we have strong negative emotions and we view our fellow beings in terms of ‘us’ and ‘them’, there will be a tendency to try to destroy them. We must recognise the oneness of humanity, and understand that we will not achieve peace merely through prayer; we need to take action.
"With my prayers,
Dalai Lama
6 August 2020"
ICAN supporters in Japan in front of the Genbaku Dome in Hiroshima as ICAN accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, ICAN Facebook December 2017.
International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons
His Holiness the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. In 2017, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN).
The Nobel Prize website reports, "The international campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) is a coalition of non-governmental organizations in one hundred countries promoting adherence to and implementation of the United Nations nuclear weapon ban treaty. This landmark global agreement was adopted in New York on 7 July 2017.
"ICAN began in Australia and was formally launched in Austria in April 2007. Our campaign’s founders were inspired by the tremendous success of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, which a decade earlier had played an instrumental role in the negotiation of the anti-personnel mine ban convention, or Ottawa treaty.
"Since our founding, we have worked to build a powerful global ground-swell of public support for the abolition of nuclear weapons. By engaging a diverse range of groups and working alongside the Red Cross and likeminded governments, we have helped reshape the debate on nuclear weapons and generate momentum towards elimination.
"We were awarded the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize for our 'work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons' and our 'ground-breaking efforts to achieve a trea- ty-based prohibition of such weapons.'"
The Beginning of the End of Nuclear Weapons
Watch the 2019 fifty-six minute documentary "The Beginning of the End of Nuclear Weapons (full-length version)" about ICAN's efforts to abolish nuclear weapons on Pressenza español's YouTube channel.
Pressenza español, part of an international news agency dedicated to news about peace and nonviolence, wrote about the Pressenza film, "This 56 minute documentary film takes the viewer through a brief history of the bomb and the anti-nuclear activism that has pushed to eliminate them ever since their invention. It moves into a consideration of the humanitarian initiative that successfully challenged the dominant security narrative and the historic steps taken since 2010 to turn the treaty from a dream into a reality. Finally, the film shows what can be done by anyone to help bring the treaty into force and to stigmatise nuclear weapons until they are finally eradicated.
"Extracts of fourteen interviews are woven into the story that will leave you feeling inspired!
"Ray Acheson (Canada), Women's International League for Peace and Freedom; Pedro Arrojo (Spain), Congressman; Beatrice Fihn (Sweden), Executive Director, ICAN; Dr. Ira Helfand (USA), International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War; Daniel Högsta (Sweden), Campaign Coordinator, ICAN; Kathleen Lawand (Canada), Head of Arms Unit, International Committee of the Red Cross; Rafael de la Rubia (Spain), World without Wars and Violence; Alice Slater (USA), Nuclear Age Peace Foundation; Susi Snyder (USA), PAX, The Netherlands; Setsuko Thurlow (Japan), Hiroshima bomb survivor; Carlos Umaña (Costa Rica), International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War; Elayne Whyte Gómez (Costa Rica), President of the UN Ban Treaty negotiating conference; Ward Wilson (USA), Historian and author; Tim Wright (Australia), Treaty Coordinator, ICAN."
Take Action
You can follow ICAN on Twitter at @nuclearban. On August 6 they retweeted an important message from @timmileswright, Treaty Coordinator at ICAN: "With ratifications this week by Ireland, Nigeria, and Niue, just seven more are needed to bring the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons into force."
@nuclearban retweeted @timmileswright on August 6, 2020, Twitter.
If you don't use Twitter then you can follow ICAN on several different social media platforms, all listed on their website www.icanw.org.
You can also sign up to receive emails from ICAN with calls to action, campaign updates, and inspiring stories from around the world.
The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama has listed a number of upcoming livestreaming events on www.dalailama.com for the month of August, and one so far for September 2020.
The first event in August is a three-day teaching requested by Tibetan youth.
Lama Tsongkhapa's In Praise of Dependent Origination
Once again the Tibetan Buddhist Centre in Singapore will be offering an optional review session online following each day's teaching by His Holiness.
The Events
The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote, "His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give a three-day teaching on Tsongkapa's In Praise of Dependent Origination (tendrel toepa) on the mornings of August 4, 5 and 6, 2020 from 9 am to 10 am (Indian Standard Time) at the request of Tibetan youth.
"He will also field questions from the same group from 10 am to 10.30 am.
"Those interested may watch the live webcast of the teachings in Tibetan with translation in English, Chinese, Hindi, French, Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese, Japanese, Mongolian, Korean, German, Portuguese and Italian on the official websites and Facebook pages of the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. People are requested to please follow their local social distancing rules while viewing the live webcast.
Tibetan Buddhist Centre wrote, "Post Teaching Revision - Je Tsongkapa's In Praise of Dependent Origination. Our Centre resident teacher, Ven. Geshe Yonten-la, will be conducting a revision class 10 minutes after the teachings by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama."
August 4-6, 2020 review sessions, Tibetan Buddhist Centre.
Schedule
His Holiness the Dalai Lama
August 4, 5 and 6, 2020
9:00 AM IST - 10:30 AM IST
(August 3, 4, and 5, 2020 from 8:30 PM PT - 10:00 PM PT)
Tibetan Buddhist Centre
August 4, 5, and 6, 2020
10:40 AM IST - 12:10 PM IST
(August 3, 4, and 5, 2020 from 10:10 PM PT - 11:40 PM PT)
His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Korean monastics 2019, www.face2news.com.
Watch the Live Events
His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Watch "In Praise of Dependent Origination - Day 1" on the Dalai Lama Archive YouTube channel.
On Days 2 and 3 visit the Dalai Lama Archive YouTube channel to watch the livestreams. The individual Day 2 and Day 3 livestream video links are not yet posted.
Tibetan Buddhist Centre
Register in advance to join the review sessions on Zoom.
Watch recordings of the review sessions offered July 17-19, 2020, following His Holiness the Dalai Lama's three-day teaching on Chandrakirti's Entering the Middle Way (uma jukpa) at the request of Nalanda Shiksha, a group of Indian Buddhists.
Lama Tsongkhapa
An article about His Holiness the Dalai Lama's July 2014 teaching on In Praise of Dependent Originationsaid, "'Today's teaching is a text by the great master and manifestation of Manjushri, Je Tsongkhapa, whose collected writings comprise 18 volumes,' His Holiness observed. 'His elucidation of both philosophy and tantra was such that when he declared his own teacher Rendawa the 'crown jewel of scholar in Tibet', Rendawa returned the compliment saying it was more appropriate to him. His reading of the Indian classics was thorough and his analysis of them remarkable. He was able to consult Manjushri initially through the visions of his teacher Lama Umapa and later developed his own visions. It was Manjushri who told him that Rendawa would be the best person to teach him the Madhyamaka view, advising that what the teacher could not explain he could discover by reading the Indian treatises.
"He had his first vision of Manjushri in retreat, in the course of which he was given a terse explanation of emptiness that he found hard to understand. Manjushri advised him to do practices that would clear defilements and accumulate merit, so he went into retreat again to do so. He also had a vision of the five masters of Madhyamaka-Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Buddhapalita, Bhavaviveka and Chandrakirti. From amongst them, Buddhapalita, who he noticed had a bluish, dark complexion, came forward and touched the book he carrying to Tsongkhapa's head. Subsequently, he acquired and read the treatise known as Buddhapalita and gained an insight into emptiness.
"When I was small, I was able to memorize this 'In Praise of Dependent Origination' in one morning. Later, I asked the monks of Namgyal Monastery to memorize it too. It is a text that bears the blessings of the hard work Tsongkhapa put into understanding emptiness. I received the transmission of it from the Kinnauri Lama, Gyen Rigzin Tenpa, who in turn had heard it from Khangsar Rinpoche."
His Holiness the Dalai Lama and His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa, www.buddhachannel.tv.
On the occasion of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's 85th Birthday, His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa shared a video message on Facebook in Tibetan.
Watch the video message posted on the Karmapa Facebook page.
It is a greeting to His Holiness the Dalai Lama but also a message to all of us. His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa is urging us to put His Holiness's advice into practice.
His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa's Greetings to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the Occasion of His Eighty-Fifth Birthday
"In the realm encircled by snow mountains, You are the source of all benefit and happiness. Tenzin Gyatso, powerful Chenrezik, May you remain until samsara’s end.
"To His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Nobel Laureate, the kind protector of the Land of Snow, Lord of the Victorious Ones, I offer my infinite good wishes on his eighty-fifth birthday. Along with these, I wish him a very long life and pray that all his compassionate wishes and instructions will be spontaneously accomplished.
"This year the Central Tibetan Administration has organized a celebration to remember His Holiness’ kindness. Ignoring numerous difficulties and full of life, from the past to the present moment His Holiness has been engaging with powerful compassion in immense and vast activity for the planet in general and for Tibet in particular. It goes without saying that with a mind filled with gratitude, we should support his efforts with our body, speech, and mind.
"Especially, for the sake of all Tibetan people, through his loving-kindness, His Holiness seeks to increase their harmonious relationships with each other as well as their freedom and happiness. Further, for benefit of the whole world, through his kindness and promotion of nonviolence, he encourages us to study Buddhist philosophy and engage in practice. By uniting traditional Buddhist teachings with contemporary ways of scientific thinking, he makes clear what we should abandon and embody.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama and His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa, www.tibetanjournal.com.
"All of these activities bring benefit universally and individually, for self and other. For this reason, more than ever before, we should pay attention and make serious efforts to follow his teachings, which give clear guidance on what we should give up and take up.
"What is most important is that for our part, we strive to foster activity that, in accord with the wishes of His Holiness, benefits living beings in general as well as all Tibetans and those who walk the path of virtue.
"All along, His Holiness has been giving us abundant advice. The two main points we should take away from his teachings are the need to transform our minds and to increase our understanding of what to abandon and what to embody. The outcome of our practice depends on our individual efforts. If we do not try to do this, then the counsel he has given us becomes meaningless: it is critical that we put it into practice.
"At this fortunate time, we are able to meet and listen to the teachings of His Holiness, who is like the Buddha himself. If we are going to make these connections with him, now is the time to do it. Thinking that we will do it in the future has no benefit. Using his Holiness’ name to seek benefit to ourselves brings us no advantage. Not only will it not help us, we could actually be harming ourselves and others as well. One could say that there is no greater negative action that using Chenrezik’s name for our own benefit and harming others.
"His Holiness looks after the Tibetan people like a parent cares for their child nurturing them with affection and love. Tibetans argue about the three different regions of Tibet and about the different spiritual traditions in Tibet. This is like a child who does not care for its elderly parents and upsets them. This disruption of harmony will be the greatest disappointment for His Holiness. To speak honestly, I have the feeling that from his point of view, more than those who criticize him personally, he is disturbed by those who do not take into consideration all Tibetans, but promote inner strife among them.
"It is very easy to say 'gratitude,' and very difficult to analyze one’s own inner feelings and actually put gratitude into practice. Why is this so? Naturally and innately, we all have a very dense habit of grasping onto the characteristics of an object and grasping onto the reality of a self. Therefore, we must train by making a real effort to develop our ability to care for others more than ourselves and think carefully about the meaning of what constitutes the public good.
"We should listen to and reflect again and again on His Holiness’ teachings, and not only think about them but actually put them into practice. This way we will become better people and continue to develop ourselves further.
"In conclusion, I pray that His Holiness will remain with us for a long time and that all his activity will be spontaneously accomplished. Thank you."
His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa and His Holiness the Dalai Lama, www.hillpost.in.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, www.dalailama.com, photo by Tenzin Choejor.
On July 13, 2020, I posted details about His Holiness the Dalai Lama's July 17-19 livestream event. There have been several recent updates. The information below is the most current information I have at this time.
The Event
The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama has updated www.dalailama.com so it now says, "His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give a three-day teaching on Chandrakirti's Entering the Middle Way (uma jukpa) on the mornings of July 17, 18 and 19, 2020 from 9 am to 10 am (Indian Standard Time) at the request of Nalanda Shiksha, a group of Indian Buddhists.
"He will also field questions from the same group from 10 am to 10.30 am.
"Those interested may watch the live webcast of the teachings in Tibetan with translation in English, Chinese, Hindi, French, Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese, Japanese, Mongolian, Korean, German, Portuguese and Italian on the official websites and Facebook pages of the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. People are requested to please follow their local social distancing rules while viewing the live webcast."
Wisdom Publications has made the English translation of the text Chandrakirti's Entering the Middle Way (uma jukpa), translated by Geshe Thupten Jinpa, available to everyone for free download.
Tibetan Buddhist Centre in Singapore is offering free review classes following all three days of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's teachings. The review sessions will begin ten minutes after His Holiness the Dalai Lama's livestream ends. Each review session will last 1.5 hours and will be held on Zoom.
Tibetan Buddhist Centre was founded in 2006 under the direction of His Holiness the Dalai Lama but I am guessing that these review sessions were organized independently by the Dharma center and not by the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Post Teaching Revision, Tibetan Buddhist Centre Facebook.
The Tibetan Buddhist Centre Facebook page says, "[Entering The Middle Way: Post Teaching Revision] 🎉Great News! 🥁
"Our centre resident teacher, Ven. Geshe Yonten will be conducting a revision class after the teaching by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama on Entering The Middle Way from 17 to 19 July 2020, 10:30am to 12:00pm (Singapore GMT+8). The revision class will begin 10 minutes after teaching.
The Tibetan Buddhist Centre website says, "Geshe Lobsang Yonten was born in Zanskar, a remote part of northern India that is historically and ethnically Tibetan. At the age of ten he chose to become a monk joining the local monastery and studying there for five years. Upon completing the exams at his local monastery he travelled to South India to begin the twenty-six year program of scholarly study to become a Lharampa Geshe at Drepung Gomang Monastery. This degree is the highest monastic degree in the Gelug School of Buddhism. During these 26 years he was tested on his knowledge of Buddhist philosophy in front of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
"Geshe Yonten is a member of a small group of monks selected by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to study English, western philosophy, and science so that he may teach, collaborate and study with scientists, philosophers, educators and others across the world. Geshe Yonten is specially appointed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to be Tibetan Buddhist Centre Resident Teacher."
The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been regularly adding livestreaming events to his calendar on www.dalailama.com. Here are the three upcoming events currently listed for July 2020.
A conversation with Gaur Gopal Das, a member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON
The Event
Gaur Gopal Das shared on Facebook on July 9, 2020, "Join me for an interactive discussion with HH Dalai Lama on Tuesday July 14th 2020 at 8am IST. Live at Gaur Gopal Das (facebook and YouTube)."
Gaur Gopal Das Facebook.
Schedule
July 14, 2020
8:00AM - 9:00AM IST
(July 13 from 7:30PM - 8:30PM PT)
Watch the Livestream Watch His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Gaur Gopal Das on the Dalai Lama Archive YouTube channel or the Gaur Gopal Das YouTube channel. A Three-Day Teaching on Chandrakirti's text Entering the Middle Way Requested by Nalanda Shiksha
The Event
The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote on www.dalailama.com, "His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give a three-day teaching on Chandrakirti's Entering the Middle Way (uma jukpa) on the mornings of July 17, 18 and 19, 2020 from 8 am to 9 am (Indian Standard Time) at the request of Nalanda Shiksha, a group of Indian Buddhists. He will also field questions from the same group from 9 am to 9.30 am."
Talk on Compassion in Medical Practice to the Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, Yoga Scholars PGIMER, and India Yoga Association
The Event
The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote on www.dalailama.com, "His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give a short talk on Compassion in Medical Practice followed by a question and answer session to members of the Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO), Yoga Scholars PGIMER (Integrative Medicine Case Reports) & India Yoga Association (Chandigarh) from 9 am to 10 am (Indian Standard Time)."
His Holiness has also been kindly engaging in conversations with journalists around the world. These conversations have been independently published by media outlets.
The 2019 film Dalai Lama -- Scientist can be watched for free on Vimeo until July 14, 2020, in honor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's 85th birthday. Afterwards rent it on Vimeo.
The film is 134 minutes long.
It was written and directed by Dawn Gifford Engle.
IMDb says, "Dawn Gifford Engle is an activist, filmmaker and Co-Founder of the The PeaceJam Foundation, a nonprofit organization led by fourteen Nobel Peace Laureates and a global leader in developing young leaders and engaging adults and youth in their local and global communities. In addition, she co-authored the book, PEACEJAM: A Billion Simple Acts of Peace, which was published by Penguin in 2008, and directed the award-winning documentary films Rigoberta Menchu: Daughter of the Maya, Desmond Tutu: Children of the Light, Adolfo Perez Esquivel: Rivers of Hope, Oscar Arias: Without a Shot Fired, Betty Williams: Contagious Courage, and The Dalai Lama -- Scientist."
The Dalai Lama -- Scientist film.
A press release from PeaceJam about the film says, "Starting in 1987, he began conferring regularly with the world’s greatest scientists, including psychologist Paul Ekman, mathematician and geneticist Eric Lander, neuroscientist Christof Koch, astrophysicist George Greenstein, professor of psychology and psychiatry Richard J. Davidson, and the neuroscientist Francisco Varela. They questioned the origins of our universe, whether or not multiple universes exist, the complexities of our consciousness, and the nature of humanity.
"The film breaks these scientific dialogues into five major areas of inquiry: cosmology; quantum physics; cognitive science; neuroscience; molecular biology and genetics. It provides a lucid summary of the more challenging philosophical tenets of Tibetan Buddhism and the knottier concepts of modern science. A recurrent theme is the need to be openminded; repeatedly the Dalai Lama rejects dogmatism and insists that all ideas and beliefs must be challenged in the search for truth."
Happy 85th Birthday to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Birthday Message From His Holiness the Dalai Lama
His Holiness released a video message on the morning of his birthday today, addressed to the Tibetan community. He said, "However, if you want to celebrate my birthday, I'd like to ask you to recite the Mani mantra (Om Mani Padme Hung) at least one thousand times."
I shared some online birthday celebration events on July 4 and July 5. After watching His Holiness the Dalai Lama's message above, I thought to re-share the Kurukulla Center event.
The Event
Kurukulla Center wrote on their Facebook page, "Monday, July 6th is the 85th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The Office of His Holiness has advised all his followers to recite 1,000 OM MANI PADME HUM mantras (10 malas) and dedicate the merit for the long life of HIs Holiness, the long life of all the holy gurus, and for peace all over the world.
"Geshe Tenley will lead four sessions of MANI recitation on Monday, July 6th. All sessions will be broadcast on Facebook Live. Feel free to join anytime!
On July 4 I also shared a Facebook message from Geshe Thupten Jinpa announcing he had written a new poem. Everyone is welcome to come together to chant the poem in Tibetan and English at a scheduled time.
A Prayer Celebrating the Enlightened Life and Deeds of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama on the Occasion of His Eighty-Fifth Birthday
OM SVASTI
1. Shakyamuni Buddha, supreme savior of boundless beings; Sublime dharma, supreme medicine that cures the sickness of suffering; Excellent sangha, supreme assembly of the realized and free; May the infallible Three Jewels proclaim the power of goodness.
2. This Iron-Bird year of the Seventeenth Rabjung cycle, O glorious Tenzin Gyatso, protector of the Land of Snows, As you, our refuge, reach eight-five years, We recall your peerless deeds and kindness.
3. Among all ordained elders, you, the most excellent. Among Tibet’s masters, you, the crown jewel. Among yogins of tantra’s twin stages, you reign supreme. Treasury of compassion, you are the great bodhisattva.
4. Thanks to Avalokiteshvara’s ancient pledge, indeed, His rosary of lives in the Land of Snows remained unbroken. And now, at the end of this age he has appeared As you, the fourteenth Dalai Lama, protector of Tibet. Remembering this, our joy and devotion rise high. We thank you, Great Treasury of Compassion.
5. From the time of your youth your courage was incomparable. As dangerous storms gathered from afar, Threatening to destroy the welfare of Tibet, You took on the burden of spiritual and temporal leadership. Remembering this, our joy and devotion rise high. We thank you, Great Treasury of Compassion.
6. In this degenerate age, Tibet and its people Are ever assailed by the forces of darkness, Leaving us gasping for breath just to survive. You remain Tibet’s sole source of hope. Remembering this, our joy and devotion rise high. We thank you, Great Treasury of Compassion.
7. Even in exile you uphold the Buddha’s dharma, Building institutions for study, teaching, and meditation. With modern education and democratic systems, you showed How the ancient and the modern can unite in harmony. Remembering this, our joy and devotion rise high. We thank you, Great Treasury of Compassion.
8. When Tibetan Buddhism, the heritage of our ancestors, Encountered the views and the ways of modernity, You bravely took this as an opportunity To illuminate the treasures of Tibet. Remembering this, our joy and devotion rise high. We thank you, Great Treasury of Compassion.
9. You showed how the insights of Buddhist philosophy, Especially the traditions of logic and Madhyamaka, Can stand with modern science as equals, Sharing the realms of international enquiry. Remembering this, our joy and devotion rise high. We thank you, Great Treasury of Compassion.
10. For the great lineages of Tibet’s traditions – Sakya, Geluk, Kagyu, Nyingma, Jonang, and Bon – You showed us an excellent way: to admire each other, Together upholding the dharma, like siblings. Remembering this, our joy and devotion rise high. We thank you, Great Treasury of Compassion.
11. Tibetan Buddhism, the most complete Buddhist teaching, Encompasses the three vehicles and four tantras. You have shown us through stainless reasoning, How ours is indeed the great Nalanda tradition. Remembering this, our joy and devotion rise high. We thank you, Great Treasury of Compassion.
12. You are indeed the world’s spiritual teacher, Showing us that the way to peace is rooted in compassion. Teaching us to seek within for the path to happiness, You have proclaimed that all humanity is one. Remembering this, our joy and devotion rise high. We thank you, Great Treasury of Compassion.
13. You have taught the entire world That morality and ethics can be fostered by all, Based not on where religions differ, But on what they hold in common. Remembering this, our joy and devotion rise high. We thank you, Great Treasury of Compassion.
14. For the world’s many faiths, Each with its own long history, You showed us a better way: setting aside conflict For friendship and mutual admiration. Remembering this, our joy and devotion rise high. We thank you, Great Treasury of Compassion.
15. You showed how even in this modern age, India’s ancient traditions, especially concerning consciousness, Maintain great meaning as foundations of knowledge. You shine sunlight on India’s age-old treasures. Remembering this, our joy and devotion rise high. We thank you, Great Treasury of Compassion.
16. Because of your great deeds around the globe,
You are hailed as “the Dalai Lama of Tibet,” Revered as the crown jewel of humans, Exalting the words “Tibet” and “Tibetan.” Remembering this, our joy and devotion rise high. We thank you, Great Treasury of Compassion.
17. In brief, be it the fate of Tibet and its people, Be it world peace, or the welfare of the dharma and of beings, You have borne these burdens of your past vows. We pray that you once again uphold these pledges with care.
18. You are the master of all the Buddha’s teachings. You are the sole refuge of the people of Tibet. You are truly the basis of our hope. Pray remain steadfast, never wavering in your ancient pledge.
19. Through the blessings of the Three Jewels, Through the infallible truth of dependent origination, Through the power of our pure aspirations, And through the support of oath-bound guardians,
20. May you, Tenzin Gyatso, protector of the Land of Snows, Remain invincible and may you live long. May all your noble aspirations be achieved, And may these, our prayers, be fulfilled.
This aspirational prayer entitled “Garland of Words Enhancing the Joy of Devotion,” a supplication prayer to His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama – the most revered Jampel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso – has been composed to honor the peerless deeds and contributions of this protector of the Land of Snows on the occasion of the celebration of his eighty-fifth birthday. It has been written also to make supplications to His Holiness to live long for the welfare of both the dharma and sentient beings, and in particular, for the sake of the people of the Land of Snows who have a historical connection with him through their karma and their aspirations. With the palms of devotion folded at his heart and with profound joy, this prayer has been composed by Thupten Jinpa Langri, a Lharampa who sits among His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s students and who has had the good fortune to serve His Holiness as his principal English translator for over three decades. May goodness prevail.
Birthday Tribute Music Video
Just for fun, I searched YouTube for music videos created for His Holiness the Dalai Lama's birthday.
Enjoy watching this cute one, "CHAKNA PADMO | KALSANG DOLMA |NEW LADAKHI SONG 2020 | OFFICIAL VIDEO | DALAI LAMA 85 BIRTHDAY" on producer's Jigstob_ Official YouTube channel.
Those earlier shared events as well as the events below are open to everyone. Help His Holiness the Dalai Lama celebrate his birthday. Tibet House New Delhi
Tibet House New Delhi has added two more programs to their celebrations. All are welcome to join.
Tibet House New Delhi, Tibet House New Delhi e-newsletter.
The Newly Added Events
Virtual Certificate Distribution Ceremony for Graduates of the First Batch of the Nalanda Diploma Course 2018-2019
A talk on "The Four Commitments of His Holiness the Dalai Lama" by Ven. Geshe Dorji Damdul, Director, Tibet House, New Delhi, at the request of Ven. Geshe Lobsang Tenzin, Director, Menlhai Jamtse Tibetan Buddhist Centre, Mumbai.
Schedule
Virtual Certificate Distribution Ceremony
July 6, 2020
12:30PM - 01:00PM IST
(July 6, 2020 from 12:00AM - 12:30AM PT)
A talk on "The Four Commitments of His Holiness the Dalai Lama"
July 6, 2020
6:00PM - 7:30PM IST
(July 6, 2020 from 5:30AM - 7:00AM PT)
The talk on "The Four Commitments of His Holiness the Dalai Lama" will be an online interactive session that will also livestream onto Facebook. To join the interactive session register in advance by completing the Google Docs form.
Choe Khor Sum Ling
Sangha members in Maratika, Nepal, will livestream practices on YouTube live for His Holiness the Dalai Lama's birthday that anyone can watch and participate in.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Choe Khor Sum Ling Facebook.
The Event
Choe Khor Sum Ling wrote on their Facebook page, "We welcome all of you to celebrate Holiness the Dalai Lama's 85th Birthday with us, by rejoicing in His Holiness's many precious qualities and doing practices according to the advice of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche. The practices will include the Sixteen Arhat Puja and will be led by Ven. Tenzin Namjong on Monday, July 6, at 9 am Indian Standard Time (GMT+5.5), broadcast live from Maratika, Nepal.
"The Dalai Lamas are believed by Tibetan Buddhists to be manifestations of Avalokiteshvara or Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. The qualities of His Holiness are inconceivable. His Holiness has done a lot of work promoting universal ethics, preserving the teachings of the Buddha and promoting religious harmony all over the world.
"Seeing his holy body is great purification—it makes preparation in our mind for us to be liberated from the oceans of samsaric suffering and plants the seed of enlightenment.
"But His Holiness’s holy mind is totally free from obscurations, from disturbing emotional thoughts such as desire and so forth. His Holiness’s holy mind does not have even the slightest stain or taint of these. Numberless eons ago, His Holiness became free from the stains of self-cherishing thought, with no thought of seeking happiness for the self arising even for one second.
"His Holiness is also purest in morality, or ethics, and is the Omniscient One, whose compassion embraces numberless sentient beings, never giving them up even for one second. His Holiness benefits sentient beings limitlessly, like the sky.
"This is also the quickest way to awaken us from the deep sleep of ignorance, for us to meet the Dharma, actualize the path, and achieve enlightenment. We will celebrate His Holiness's 85th Birthday by remembering the great qualities he possesses and vowing to become like him."
Download the free text the sangha members will be using, "How to Do the Great Festival of His Holiness's Birthday in the Best Possible Way."
Sera Jey Translation Department
The Sera Jey Translation Department was established in 2012 in Sera Jey Monastic University. The purpose of the department is to train the monks in translation methodology and translating Buddhist texts from English to Tibetan and vice versa.
The department is organizing an event for His Holiness the Dalai Lama's birthday.
Celebrating His Holiness's Birthday, Sera Jey Translation Department - English Facebook.
The Event
The Sera Jey Translation Department - English wrote on their Facebook page, "Celebrating His Holiness the Dalai Lama's 85th Birthday by highlighting the Essence of HHDL's Contributions:
"1. His Contribution to the World 2. His Contribution to India 3. His Contribution to Tibet"
Speakers include:
Geshe Tenzin Namdak speaking on "Contribution to the World," Tulku Tenzin Gyurme speaking on "Contribution to Tibet," and Venerable Thupten Kalden speaking on "Contribution to India."
Kurukulla Center will be celebrating His Holiness the Dalai Lama's birthday led by Geshe Ngawang Tenley.
His Holiness Dalai Lama's 85th Birthday, Kurukulla Center Facebook.
The Event
Kurukulla Center wrote on their Facebook page, "Monday, July 6th is the 85th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The Office of His Holiness has advised all his followers to recite 1,000 OM MANI PADME HUM mantras (10 malas) and dedicate the merit for the long life of HIs Holiness, the long life of all the holy gurus, and for peace all over the world.
"Geshe Tenley will lead four sessions of MANI recitation on Monday, July 6th. All sessions will be broadcast on Facebook Live. Feel free to join anytime!
Infinite Potential Film Screening and Panel Discussion
The film "Infinite Potential: The Life and Ideas of David Bohm" is has been made available for free viewing in celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's birthday. A group online viewing will be followed by a panel discussion.
Free Screening of Infinite Potential, Infinite Potential Facebook.
The Event
The film's website says, "'INFINITE POTENTIAL' takes us on a mystical and scientific journey into the nature of life and reality with David Bohm, the man Einstein called his 'spiritual son' and the Dalai Lama his 'science guru.' A physicist and explorer of Consciousness, Bohm turned to Eastern wisdom to develop groundbreaking insights into the profound interconnectedness of the Universe and our place within it.
Everyone is welcome to join "The Dalai Lama & Science - A Birthday Celebration" to watch the film followed by a panel discussion and live question and answer session.
Moderator: Sandra de Castro Buffington Founder of StoryAction UCLA’s Global Media Center for Social Impact
Panelists: Paul Howard, Film Director and Producer Robert Thurman, Founder of Tibet House Thupten Jinpa Langri, Dalai Lama’s English Translator for 35 Years Khen Rinpoche Nicholas Vreeland, First Western Abbot of a Tibetan Monastery
Schedule
July 5, 2020
5:30PM PT to watch the film
7:00PM PT to watch just the panel discussion
Watch the Event
Register in advance to watch the group screening of the film and the panel discussion. Register even if you can't join it live. A recording of the event will be sent afterwards.
Watch the Film Now
The filmmakers have already made the film available for free on YouTube.
Tibet Bureau Geneva will be celebrating His Holiness the Dalai Lama's birthday with a presentation on SEE Learning from guest speaker Professor Lobsang Tenzin Negi, Professor of Pedagogy and Executive Director of Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics, Emory University, US.
Chapter 2: SEE Learning, Tibet TV Facebook.
The Event
Tibet TV wrote on Facebook, "༄༅། །སྤྱི་ནོར་༧གོང་ས་༧སྐྱབས་མགོན་ཆེན་པོ་མཆོག་གི་མཛད་འཕྲིན་ལ་བཀའ་དྲིན་རྗེས་དྲན། ལེའུ་ ༢ ཿ སི་སློབ་གཉེར། A virtual interactive gratitude series dedicated to His Holiness the Dalai Lama Chapter 2 : SEE Learning
"Tibet Bureau Geneva and Tibet TV will be hosting the second chapter of the virtual interactive gratitude series titled “Thank You His Holiness the Dalai Lama” on SEE Learning program. The guest speaker for the live interactive discussion will be Professor Lobsang Tenzin Negi, Professor of Pedagogy and Executive Director of Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics, Emory University, USA.
"The virtual interactive discussion is part of the 'Thank You His Holiness the Dalai Lama' program being initiated by Tibet Bureau Geneva. The Central Tibetan Administration has dedicated the year 2020 as the Year of Gratitude to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. As part of this observance, Tibet Bureau Geneva will be hosting a monthly virtual interactive series dedicated to His Holiness the Dalai Lama to understand and express sincere gratitude for the many benefactions of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
"The virtual program will be held on the first Sunday of every month and will host a guest speaker who will discuss the various contributions and benefactions of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, especially highlighting His four important life-time commitments and the roles and responsibilities of Tibetans in fulfilling these commitments."
