The Tibet Post

The Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment, by Atisha Dipam karashrijnana (982-1054), was further examined and translated by one of the greatest spiritual leaders of our time. Drawing upon the central and final verses of the text, His Holiness cross-examined and explained key points during the teaching, which was held in the main temple in Dharamshala, India.

During the teaching, the Dalai Lama re-iterated that the cultivation of Bodhisattva (enlightened existence) should be done gradually, over time.

Vows were directed by His Holiness to the laypeople of the audience as the teachings concluded, to assist the cultivation of Bodhisattva in oneself. His Holiness highlighted:

"The most important thing to keep in mind is not to harm sentient beings"

He added that not having a self-centred attitude is also vital regarding maintaining of the vows.

"Dedicate your body, speech and mind to serving others".

Emphasising the need to progress and learn from His teachings, His Holiness addressed the more regular members of the audience:

"Those that have attended my teachings over the years, have to make some progress too. 1mm each perhaps" He said, laughing.

The teachings concluded with a ‘Puja' for His Holiness (act of honour, worship and devotion). The gathering, which included guests from over 60 countries, and a delegation from Taiwan of over 800 disciples, prayed for the Long Life of the revered spiritual leader, who had inspired an engaged with the audience for four inspirational days.

A video and audio version of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's teaching on Atisha's "Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment" from October 1-4, 2012 is available on http://dalailama.com/webcasts/post/255-lamp-for-the-path-to-enlightenment. Translations include English, Chinese and Tibetan.