(MENAFN- Colombo Gazette) by Chithra Ramakrishnan
Respected and revered by the whole world, spiritual and religious leader of Tibet, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived in Bodhgaya recently.
For the past few years His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrives in Bodhgaya at the end of the year as per an invitation extended by the Indian Prime Minister Sri Narenda Modi. Every year, millions of His Holiness's devotees come to Bodhgaya to catch sight of him and to acquire blessings from him.
Likewise, when His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived in Bodhgaya in 2022 to commence his annual visit, he was warmly welcomed at the Gaya International Airport. The roadside of the route from the airport to Bodhgaya was teeming with His Holiness's devotees who were there to get a glimpse of His Holiness.
From his Tibetan monastery where he was residing to Bodhgaya His Holiness travelled via an uncovered automobile which was powered by a battery. Along with high security measures, His Holiness was heartily welcomed by the Maha Sangha and a huge crowd of lay devotees.
Chief Minister of Bihar and some other Indian government officials visited His Holiness and recieved blessings from him.
This great Buddhist leader will stay in Bodhgaya for a month. During his stay, from 29 – 31 December His Holiness conducted a three-day teaching programme at the Kalachakra Ground on the awakening mind of bodhichitta. More than one hundred thousand devotees attended this teaching.
Last Friday, His Holiness the Dalai Lama did a special preaching at the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya.
In 2002 the Mahabodhi Temple was marked as a UNESCO world heritage. It is said to be the place where the Buddha attained enlightenment 2500 years ago. This is the most revered place out of all Buddhist pilgrim sites in the world. A supposed direct descendant of the original Bodhi Tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment and 7 holy places where Buddha contemplated his enlightenment.
Hotels, rest houses, and other lodging facilities in Bihar were filled with the hundreds of thousands of devotees who came from different parts of the world to see His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The Indian government has taken measures to make sure that the devotees who are visiting Bodhgaya will not face any hardships during their visit.
A special delegation from Sri Lanka also arrived in Bodhgaya in order to partake in His Holiness's Bodhgaya visit. The Maha Sangha, Most Venerable Warakagoda Gnanarathana Thero – Chief Prelate of Asgiriya Chapter of Siyam Maha Nikaya, Most Venerable Niyangoda Vijithasiri Anunayake Thero – Deputy Chief Prelate of Malwatte Chapter of Siyam Maha Nikaya, Most Venerable Makulewe Wimala Mahanayake Thero – Cheif Prelate of Sri Lanka Ramańńa Maha Nikaya and Most Venerable Waskaduwe Mahindawansa Thero – Deputy President of Sri Lanka Amarapura Maha Nikaya took part in this audience together with other scholars.
Even though His Holiness the Dalai Lama was supposed to visit Sri Lanka in 2015, that did not happen. If His Holiness had been able to visit Sri Lanka, it would have been a great help in solving the current economic crisis in Sri Lanka. Because, with the arrival of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, many of his followers and devotees would surely have come to Sri Lanka and that would have been a great positive for the Sri Lankan Tourism Industry. His Holiness has tens and thousands of devotees from USA, Europe, Japan, and Thailand who are also investors, in that manner, His Holiness's arrival would've also been beneficial to boost Sri Lankan Business. Therefore, it is timely for the authorities to focus on supporting His Holiness the Dalai Lama's visit to Sri Lanka under state sponsorship.