Phayul Photo: Kunsang Gashon

The Tibetan leader arrived this morning from Dharamshala, some 60 kilometres from here. Tai Situpa Rinpoche, who led the search for the current 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorjee, welcomed His Holiness inside the main prayer hall where the official function for the day began.

His Holiness blessed the prayer hall immediately after his arrival as leading lamas from Kagyu tradition greeted him in reverence.

Situ Rinpoche offering mandala to His Holiness the Dalai Lama/Sherabling, March 11, 2015 Phayul Photo: Kunsang Gashon

Local Tibetans from Bir and Chauntra Tibetan settlements, children from TCV school Suja and Sambhota School watched the proceedings outside the hall on giant screens.

His Holiness lauded the works done by the monastic staff of Sherabling under the leadership of Tai Situpa Rinpoche and advised the monks to commit themselves to study and transform the monastery into a genuine learning centre. He said that the monastic seat must concentrate on the quality of education and not on sheer number of monks and nuns.

The Tibetan leader also spoke about the project of translation into Tibetan of various excerpts from Kargyur and Tengyur (great canyons of Tibetan Buddhism), which are not necessarily Buddhism related. His Holiness said the translations were done with even non believers in mind under three main categories, science, ideology and religion.

The Speaker of Tibetan Parliament, Penpa Tsering, and Kalon for religion, Pema Chinjor, also expressed their appreciation to Tai Situpa Rinpoche for his contribution to the Buddha Dharma and setting up the learning centre in 1977.

Tai Situpa Rinpoche expressed his gratitude to His Holiness blessing the monastic seat by his presence and teachings and initiations, which will take place tomorrow. Situ Rinpoche also talked about past relationships between different Situpas and the Dalai Lamas. Situ Rinpoche recalled a visit by the current Dalai Lama to Derge in 1955 and bestowing upon him a dharma name.

Monks recited excerpts and interpretations from various scriptures and also exhibited their knowledge of various field of traditional Tibetan sciences.

The rest is here:
Dalai Lama blesses Palpung Sherab Ling monastic seat