Tibetan Nuns Offer Their First Tenshug

By Tenzin Samten / March 6, 2018;

Photo: vot.org

Tibetan nuns from over 40 nunneries across India, Nepal and Bhutan made their first-ever tenshug (long life prayer offering) to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on March 2 at Tsuglakhang, the main temple in Dharamshala. The nuns represented all the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism and Bon tradition.

On receipt of their offering, His Holiness said,“I am indeed happy that this offering is being made together by nuns of all five sects of Tibetan Buddhism. It is indeed applaudable”. While acknowledging with gratitude their grand long life prayer offering, told them that the most meaningful offering to him would be their “unfaltering dedication and service” to the dharma.

Nuns carrying offerings during the long life offering ceremony for His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Photo:tibet.net

Speaking about the importance of studying Buddhist texts and basing that study on reasoning, His Holiness recounted that in Tibet Buddhism has spread throughout the country but said that the majority of people follow out of blind faith. “After coming to India and reviving monasteries and nunneries successfully, I encouraged monks and nuns to pursue the study of Buddha’s teachings, root texts and the five great treatises” said His Holiness.

“I am very proud of your achievement” he continued, “And encourage all of you to pursue the highest scholarship in Buddhist study. This is the 21st century and we need to understand the Buddha’s teachings in the light of reason. When we study, contemplate and practice the teachings, we need to do so on the basis of reason”. His Holiness was referring to fact that nuns are now able to achieve the Geshe degree – a level of study previously only permitted to monks.

Thousands of crowd gathered at temple to listen to His Holiness teaching
Photo: dalailama.com

The following day, March 2, Tibet’s spiritual leader gave a short teaching from the Jataka Tales followed by a teaching on Tsongkhapa’s In Praise of Dependent Origination (tendrel toepa) to a packed crowd at Tsugla Khang. His Holiness’s foreign schedules have been cut down to avoid long and tiring journeys as, at 82, he now finds international travel exhausting.