By Lewis Gwilt
This month is one of celebration as people all over the world pay their respects to honour His Holiness the Dalai Lama on his 90th birthday this Sunday.
The Dalai Lama’s work has left an indelible mark on Buddhism and its place in the world today – how it is perceived, engaged with and practised. With his inclusive, compassionate approach, he serves not only as a leader of Tibetan Buddhism but Buddhism in general.
There is so much to celebrate which his birthday encompasses. Here are just a few things representative of this landmark occasion.
Power of compassion
We are incredibly fortunate to have benefited from the vast wisdom and compassion His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama has shared with the world throughout his remarkable life. His enduring message of peace and kindness has profoundly touched countless individuals, allowing the Dharma to flourish globally. Revered as the reincarnation of Avalokiteshvara, the great bodhisattva of compassion, His Holiness embodies a singular concern for the equality of all beings, inspiring harmony and understanding across cultures.
In his speech for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, awarded for his efforts in liberating the Tibetan people, he perfectly summarises – “we are all basically the same human beings, who seek happiness and try to avoid suffering”. All his work and teachings are informed by this wisdom, which all compassion naturally springs from.
Growing scientific interest
Aside from highlighting compassion as the spirit of Buddhism, the Dalai Lama has been at the forefront of developing interfaith and East-West dialogue. Perhaps most notably, through countless conversations and books, such as the Art of Happiness, he has clarified how accessible the Buddha’s teachings are and their inherently scientific and psychological value.
Raising awareness through dialogue has been the catalyst for developing the scientific engagement with Buddhism which is ever-expanding. The growth in understanding has developed into such areas as mindfulness and meditation research and, more recently, exploring the similarities between Buddhism and quantum physics.
Buddhism’s social visibility and involvement
Spreading the wisdom of the Dharma through compassion and investigating the mind have been essential components of Buddhism’s public perception and its changing role in the world. Thanks to the Dalai Lama, the rising visibility of its universal spirit has addressed preconceptions some may have of Buddhism as a tradition closed off from the world, whose practices and teachings only relate to monastic communities.
So integral is His Holiness in expanding Buddhism’s global reach, that it is no exaggeration to say his public image and presence is the image and presence of Buddhism put out to the world. The Dalai Lama has been devoted to the Dharma for almost a century. He has helped illuminate Buddhism’s practical value, with it now being as accessible as it has ever been.
“among the incarnations of the Dalai Lamas, of whom there are now fourteen, there hasn’t been anyone like this incarnation. The fourteenth Dalai Lama has benefitted the world the most, and more and more in the West… His Holiness has taken responsibility for the preservation and spread of the entire teaching of Buddha” – Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Ways to celebrate
Three ways you can celebrate HH birthday this month:
Attend the gathering on Saturday at the Tibetan Peace Garden around the corner from Jamyang hosted by the Tibetan Community in Britain.
Make a donation towards the one hundred Buddha statues that will be offered to His Holiness the Dalai Lama by the FPMT organisation on his birthday this Sunday. if you would like to make an offering to His Holiness you can do so here.
To honour His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday, our friends at Jamyang Leeds have begun a great initiative: planting a new woodland of 90 native trees in a beautiful nature reserve in Skipbridge, North Yorkshire. Find out more and how you can get involved here.
