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America has been immersed, understandably, in the celebration of our 250th birthday. As we focus internally, I suggest that we remain aware of significant events occurring in the world beyond our borders. Today is on such day of importance in Tibetan Culture.
The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, celebrates his 91st birthday today, July 6. He was born on this date in 1935 in the Amdo region of Tibet, and he is the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism. Today, thousands of devotees and well-wishers gathered to celebrate the occasion with traditional ceremonies and prayers.
The birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is highly considered an auspicious day in Tibetan Buddhist culture. The Dalai Lama is recognized as the living emanation of the Bodhisattva of Infinite Compassion, his birth is viewed as a profoundly fortunate event for the world. This day is celebrated as a major spiritual and cultural milestone rather than a standard personal birthday.
An auspicious day in Tibetan Buddhism is a time when the positive or negative results of your actions are greatly multiplied. Devout practitioners use these special dates to build positive energy (merit), clear away bad karma, and engage in spiritual practices like meditation, fasting, and making offerings.
The occasion is being observed worldwide and in centers of the Tibetan diaspora with cake cuttings, cultural presentations, and messages of compassion.
Communities gather to perform intensive Tenshug (long-life prayer rituals) to request that the Dalai Lama remain in this world to teach for a long time. Monks and laypeople make physical and visualized symbolic offerings. Followers are encouraged to release captive animals, give to charity, feed the poor, and strictly practice non-violence to honor the Dalai Lama's lifelong mission with acts of compassion.
Buddhists believe in karma, which is the rule that good actions bring good results, and bad actions bring bad results. On sacred holy days, this cause-and-effect is magnified, multiplying the positive energy of acts of kindness.
His Holiness comes from an ancient cultural tradition, but his message, example and leadership remain relevant in the modern world. Since 1950 he has led the Tibetan diaspora of about 120,00 to 150,00 Tibetans living in exile.
Dan Splaine
Publisher
Publisher’s Perspective is a note from Nashua Independent founder and publisher Dan Splaine, written to leave readers feeling informed and reflective about the community and the journalism that serves it. Each installment aims to slow things down for a moment, invite readers to think more deeply about what’s happening around them, and consider how a strong, engaged news ecosystem can shape the city’s future.
