Tibetans and Koreans celebrate His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama's 90th birthday with a long-life prayer ceremony

The event, known in Korean as Jangsu Kido Beobhoe, began at 9:30 AM and was marked by traditional Tibetan and Korean Buddhist rituals. A large portrait of His Holiness was placed before the temple's main altar, which features the thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara (Gwaneum Bosal), symbolising compassion--a virtue strongly associated with the Dalai Lama.

The spiritual ceremony included mandala offerings, long-life prayers, and collective chanting of Guru Yoga by both Tibetan and Korean monks. Lay practitioners and attendees offered ceremonial white scarves, or khatags, to the portrait of the Dalai Lama, expressing their respect and prayers for his continued guidance.

Leaders from the Korean Buddhist sangha delivered remarks highlighting the Dalai Lama's contributions to global peace and harmony. The atmosphere was both reverent and celebratory, with emotional moments during shared prayers and the symbolic uniting of Tibetan and Korean traditions.

Following the ceremony, participants shared a vegetarian meal and enjoyed a three-tiered birthday cake inscribed with "Happy Birthday to Your Holiness the Dalai Lama." Group photos and warm conversations followed, strengthening bonds between the two communities.

The term "Dalai Lama" means "Ocean of Wisdom" in Mongolian. In Tibetan Buddhism, Dalai Lamas are revered as incarnations of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. After the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1949, the 14th Dalai Lama assumed full political authority but fled to India in 1959 after a failed uprising.

Since then, His Holiness has lived in exile in Dharamshala, India, promoting peace, compassion, and Tibetan cultural preservation. Celebrations of his 90th birthday took place not only in South Korea but across Tibetan communities worldwide.

The diaspora expressed hope that the Dalai Lama's spiritual legacy will endure through a future recognised reincarnation. (ANI)