Recognized worldwide in his red robes and wide smile, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, describes himself as a “simple Buddhist monk.”
He also said that the next Dalai Lama should be and recognized as per past Buddhist traditions.
On Saturday, the Dalai Lama said he hoped to live until the age of 130.
In the past, the Dalai Lama has said his successor will be born in the “free world” — outside China.
The Dalai Lama was thrust onto the Tibetan throne in 1937.
DHARAMSHALA, India — On Sunday, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, who has been living in exile since escaping Chinese rule in Tibet in 1959, celebrated his 90th birthday in front of thousands of devotees in the Himalayan town of Dharamshala.
“When I look back on my life, I see that I have not wasted it at all,” he said, addressing a crowded audience that included hundreds of red-robed monks and nuns who braved constant rain to see him. “.
He went on to say, “I dedicate my life to serving other sentient beings.”.
While Tibetan musicians played drums and bagpipes and senior lamas struck cymbals in his honor, a group of monks escorted the Dalai Lama, dressed in a traditional robe and a flowing yellow wrap, to the temple courtyard. As the Tibetan anthem was played by the musicians, Penpa Tsering, the leader of the democratically elected Tibetan government-in-exile, raised the Tibetan flag.
In his red robes and broad smile, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, is known all over the world as a “simple Buddhist monk.”. However, he is revered by millions of Tibetan Buddhists as a living embodiment of Chenrezig, the Buddhist deity of compassion.
A week of birthday activities culminated in a celebration.
After years of speculation that he might be the last to hold the position, the Nobel Peace Prize winner announced his intention to reincarnate after his death at the birthday party, which concluded a week of festivities. He added that the next Dalai Lama ought to be acknowledged in accordance with earlier Buddhist customs.
On Saturday, the Dalai Lama expressed his wish to live to be 130 years old.
According to the Dalai Lama, his successor will be born outside of China, in the “free world.”. However, many Tibetan exiles worry that China will appoint its own Dalai Lama successor in order to strengthen its hold on Tibet, which it invaded with troops in 1950 and has dominated ever since.
Viewing the Dalai Lama as a separatist, China has stated time and again that it is the only body with the power to appoint the next spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism. It also declares that anyone selected without Beijing’s approval will be rejected.
Stars and world leaders sent well wishes.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. S. . Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, sent the Tibetan leader their best wishes.
According to Modi, the Dalai Lama has “been an enduring symbol of love, compassion, patience and moral discipline,” and according to Rubio, the Buddhist spiritual leader “continues to inspire people by embodying a message of unity, peace, and compassion.”. “,”.
Hundreds of fans from all over the world, including Hollywood actor Richard Gere, also attended the celebration.
When Gere declared, “He is the most extraordinary man to ever walk on this planet,” the audience erupted in thunderous applause.
In Kathmandu, Nepal, hundreds of Tibetan refugees, monks, and foreign diplomats celebrated the day with Buddhist dances, chanting, and prayers.
In 1937, the Dalai Lama was thrown onto the Tibetan throne. In the 1950s, Chinese troops invaded his country and put down a failed rebellion, forcing him to flee to India with thousands of his supporters, where he set up an exile government.
