on 27th and 28th Feb. 3rd day of the New year...

Jangchub Choeling Monastery

Today is 28th Feb and I feel relaxed as the new year's events are already past although the new year lasts for 15 days. I was busy yesterday and also there was no internet connection so I could not update. In fact, yesterday was the 3rd day of the new year, so we all gathered at the hall and paid respect to HH Dalai Lama's portrait and did prayers as usual. I got a chance to see many of the camp people gather there to pay respect to HH Dalai Lama's portrait.

Tashi Palkhel Tibetan People are gathering for prayer during New Year.

This made me recall past times when I was a kid. Many old people today I see were one time young and energetic as well as good looking. Today I saw quite a lot of old people, most whom are even old enough to be grandmothers and grandfathers. I just feel time never waits for us and we are getting older every moment without stop until our death. So I think over and feel that we don't have much time and must make good use of it.

3rd Day of Tibetan New year gathering (lighting a Lamp)

During that gathering, the people were very happy to see me as most of the time I travel and they are also busy with their work, so we hardly have a chance to meet. The camp people are somehow very much connected with us because when the monastery was very poor and not developed like today, they are the ones who volunteered their hard work and donated whatever little they had as financial help to sustain the monastery and keep its Dharma activity alive. They did not have much to offer monetarily as they were very poor at that time but they have so much devotion to the monastery and the Sangha so they never hesitate to offer their little savings to the cause of Dharma activities.

All our Sangha and I always appreciate them from the depth of our hearts. We always make good wishes for them and also render any spiritual assistance to them whenever our services are needed.

On behalf of Tashi Palkhel camp I am offering Khata to the couple who sponsored the building of the multipurpose Hall at Tashi Palkhel Tibetan Camp.

In this gathering I met a western couple. The lady was wearing a Tibetan dress. They were so kind to the camp people; they sponsored the multi-purpose hall for the Tibetan people to use during special occasions. This hall is used when there are many recitations of prayers and also for our 8 pairs of Fasting Nyungne Retreat because the monastery does not have enough space for a few hundred people to sit in and practice. Overall, because of this hall, everybody can comfortably gather and practice very often. So I really thank them and their contributions are very meaningful indeed.

After lunch, I was requested by one of the devotees from the Tibetan camp to give Amitayus initiation for his parents' 80th year celebration. The couple's children and other family members all came from various places but all came to celebrate that the couple is 80 years old. In the Tibetan tradition, when elderly people turn 80, it is very auspicious for the whole family and they celebrate this by giving the elderly people Khata and gift with good wishes. On the day of the celebration, they wear completely white clothing and usually they receive initiation for longevity and pujas so they they can get even longer life and healthy.

On this occasion, there were about 50 over people gathered and before the initiation I gave them short teachings about how to make good use of our lives for the good cause and also the value of our life to oneself and for benefit of others. I also emphasized the good tradition of having strong ties between parents and children which we have and should be preserved. We should always be grateful towards our parents and love them more than anyone else as they are the ones who gave us so much of their love and cared for us when we needed it, such as when we were born and growing up. Without their love and care, we may not even exist in this world and be what we are like now. I was very happy to see them showing their love towards their parents and arrange such a gathering party. I also offered the couple Khata and white shawls for good wishes.

28th Feb I visited an Old Age Home.

The next day, which is today, I just felt like visiting an old folks' home and just prepared a small gift for them and then went without informing them as a surprise. When I entered the gate, many of the elderly people rushed to see me and get hand blessings from me as usual. I then gave them a small gift and blessing pills as well as asked them about their health condition. Also I encouraged them to recite the Mantra of Avalokiteshvara which they always recite.

Everyone was so happy and some of them were in tears and held my hand and made wishes for my longevity. Some of them can't hear well so I had to shout in their ear which feels funny but they all are happy to hear me speak so I shouted. Ha ha.

After blessings and receiving of gifts, I took a photo with some of the senior people.

Old age is actually a very tough time as they do not have energy to do all their daily works and just simply worry about many things such as their children, grand-children etc. Also they are physically weak, so many type of sickness start to appear and there is pain and uncomfortable everywhere. In this aged home, what I always advise is don't take old age as a burden but however longer you live, it's a great opportunity for you to practice and develop yourself and become free from Samsara. So every little discomfort is just a part of purification and we should accept it happily as in this way one can purify Karma. The elderly people here seem quite satisfied with their life as they have plenty of time to practice Dharma. I do feel good after visiting them.

Tomorrow I will be attending an opening ceremony of a Nepalese Temple and day after tomorrow I will be giving Tara initiation to them. I will write on the details after that event and now I have to go as some people are waiting to see me.

Panoramic view of Monastery and Tibetan camp taken today evening.