Dharamshala — His Holiness the Dalai Lama attended a Long-life Prayer offered to him by Central Dokham Chushi Gangdruk and Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Association on Wednesday, at the Main Tibetan Temple. The organisations also presented two “Gratitude Awards” to their spiritual leader, to express their gratitude for his guidance and teachings on compassion, peace, and harmony, as well as for his commitment to a peaceful and compassionate world.
The Central Dokham Chushi Gangdruk and Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Association organised a prayer ceremony for the long life of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, at the main Tibetan temple in Dharamsala on May 20, 2026. An estimated 5,000 people, including Tibetans, foreigners and Indians, gathered at the temple to pray for his long life.
As His Holiness the Dalai Lama was making his way from the his residence to the at the Main Tibetan Temple, at 8:15 AM on the on May 20, he was escorted by the Namgyal Monastery's monks, carrying incense and a ceremonial umbrella. He was greeted by Khensur Lobsang Gyaltsen, the President of the Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Association, Geshe Lobsang Nyendrak, President of Dokham Chushi Gangdruk (Four Rivers, Six Ranges) — the first Tibetan voluntary resistance force to defend Tibet when China invading Tibet in 1959 and Pema Drubwang, President of Chushi Gangdruk's Long Life Prayer Organizing Committee. The members of both groups, dressed in their traditional costumes, gave him a warm welcome, and full of people in the courtyard and on the second floor of the temple greeted him with sincere smiles and tears of joy.
His Holiness sat on the throne and the throne was lavishly decorated with marigold garlands while the table before him was adorned with strings of white champaka flowers. Facing him, and presiding over the ritual was Kundeling Rinpoché. To his right sat the Abbot of Namgyal Monastery; the Abbot of Ganden Shartsé; Khensur Lobsang Khedrup, former Abbot of Gyutö; Khensur Lobsang Gyaltsen, former Abbot of Gomang; and Shartsé Khensur, Jangchub Chöden, who is Secretary General of the International Buddhist Confederation. To Rinpoché’s left sat the Abbot of Ganden Jangtsé, Jigmé Lamsang from Bhutan, as well as the Abbot of Ganden Shartsé, Jangchub Sangyé. In addition to them were representatives of the Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu and Bön traditions.
The ceremony began with a recitation of ‘Clouds of Ambrosial Blessings’ Trulsik Rinpoché’s invocation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s previous lives. It recalls the religious kings of Tibet, Drom Tön Pema Jungné, Jamyang Chöjé, the founder of Drepung monastery and many others in India and Tibet. After that the main ceremony began, following the ‘Long Life Ceremony of White Tara of the Wish-Fulfilling Wheel’ by the Great Fifth Dalai Lama.
Kundeling Rinpoché, with the former President of the Dokham Chushi Gangdruk and the President of the Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Association, offered a mandala to His Holiness, requesting him to live long. Representations of the body, speech and mind of the Buddha, a vase containing the elixir of life, symbols of the Buddhas of the five families, long-life liquor, long-life pills, the seven precious royal emblems, the eight auspicious symbols and the eight auspicious substances were offered as well.
The two organisations presented two “Gratitude Awards” to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, to express their gratitude for his guidance and teachings on compassion, peace, and harmony, as well as for his commitment to a peaceful and compassionate world.
A representative of the Four Rivers, Six Ranges presented the award description, stating: "On this auspicious occasion of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the embodiment of world peace, turning 90 years old, we, the devoted followers of Kham, the Four Rivers, Six Ranges, both in exile and in Tibet, send countless greetings of joy, faith, and happiness. We pray for His Holiness's life to be secure and stable, for your works for the teachings and beings to be effortlessly accomplished, and for your swift return to the golden throne of Potala in Lhasa, the Capital of Tibet, so that we may reunite and witness a fortunate future.
"We have newly constructed 113 golden copper statues of Shakyamuni Buddha, each measuring 15 inches in height. According to the prophecies of the deities and the unwavering assurance given by the Protector, in accordance with the aspirations of all Tibetans and devoted beings around the world, we offer these statues as a symbol of auspiciousness for the realisation of the wish for His Holiness to remain firmly for more than 113 years.
"From both Tibet and the diaspora, over 50 billion mantras have been successfully completed for His Holiness the Dalai Lama's well-being. Planting 113 trees, saving lives, and giving food to the poor have been some of the activities to celebrate the His Holiness the Dalai Lama's birthday and to observe the "Year of Compassion", which observing by the Central Tibetan Administration.
A representative of the Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Association delivered a reading of the citation for "the Gratitude and Compassion Award," beginning with an homage: "Born in the Land of Snows, His body roams the world, His speech benefits all beings, His mind beholds all with compassion, To the Leader of Peace, Tenzin Gyatso, I bow.
"His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the reincarnation of the Great Compassionate One, is celebrating 90 years of age. In the celebration of his life and the observance of the "Year of Compassion, the world, especially the people of Tibet, and in particular the Himalayan people of the border areas of India, Bhutan, and Nepal, have immeasurable gratitude to His Holiness. In order to repay a small part of His Holiness's kindness, we are presenting this longlife prayer offering and this award of compassion, symbolizing our gratitude for His Holiness's kindness."
Two lay reprentatives of the Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Association presented His Holiness with a mounted ornamental bodhi leaf telling him that they had inscribed it with words of respect for his work to preserve Tibet’s culture, literature and natural environment. “Protector of the beings and teachings of Tibet, may all your good wishes be fulfilled.”
Members of the Chushi Gangdruk sang songs composed by the Sixth Dalai Lama, including the famous prediction about his successor "White crane! Lend me your wings, I will not fly far, From Lithang, I shall return."
His Holiness was presented with a thanksgiving mandala in gratitude for his agreement to live long. Thus, the auspicious event of the long-life ceremony was successfully completed.
