i love this picture of the Dalai Lama as a child and i love taking the occasion of his 86th birthday to celebrate his powerful planetary presence with a few of his inspiring words…
“Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”
May I be a guard for those who need protection
A guide for those on the path
A boat, a raft, a bridge for those who wish to cross the flood
May I be a lamp in the darkness
A resting place for the weary
A healing medicine for all who are sick
A vase of plenty, a tree of miracles
And for the boundless multitudes of living beings
May I bring sustenance and awakening
Enduring like the earth and sky
Until all beings are freed from sorrow
And all are awakened.
(prayed every morning by HH)
“Inner peace is the key: if you have inner peace, the external problems do not affect your deep sense of peace and tranquility…without this inner peace, no matter how comfortable your life is materially, you may still be worried, disturbed, or unhappy because of circumstances.
I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It is the ultimate source of success in life.”
enjoy his message for his 86th turn around the sun…
“Now that it’s nearly my birthday, I want to express my deep appreciation for all of my friends who have really shown me love, respect, and trust. I want to express my thanks. For myself, I can assure you that for the rest of my life, I’m committed to serving humanity and working to protect the climate condition. Since I became a refugee and now settled in India, I have taken full advantage of India’s freedom and religious harmony. I want to assure you that for the rest of my life, I’ll be fully committed to this work. And then also, I really appreciate the Indian concept of secular values, not dependent on religion, such as honesty, karuna (compassion), and ahimsa (non-violence).
So, my dear friends, on my birthday, this is my gift. Please keep it in mind. I myself am committed to non-violence and compassion until my death. This is my offering to my friends. I hope my friends will also keep non-violence and compassion for the rest of your lives. So firstly, this is like a report about my life. And secondly, all my human brothers, sisters, should keep these two things, non-violence and compassion, until your death. Thank you.”
may we all breathe in his blessings of gratitude, compassion and service deeply through our one heart… i’d like to close with a few more words from His Holiness, words he said as he was leaving Portalandia following an Earth Summit here back in 2013…
“I’m always mentioning that mentally, emotionally and physically we are the same human being. So the potential which I have and that I use – you also have that same potential. You must realize that potential and utilize that potential as much as you can. Then you will be a happy person and live a meaningful life.”
Happy Birthday! May you continue to live for a very long time being compassionate presence and may we give you what you said would be the best birthday gift – to practice your three commitments of wherever we are creating an atmosphere of compassion, a society of compassion; of being harmony and of sharing the ancient and useful Tibetan knowledge of Nalanda …