His Holiness the Dalai Lama today left Dharamsala for a five-day visit to the northeastern states of Sikkim and West Bengal. His Holiness will lead a Vajrakilaya consecration prayer for a new Buddha statue followed immediately by the official inauguration ceremony of the statue on 25 March. In the afternoon he will give a teaching on Gyalsey Thokme Sangpo’s Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva (gyalsey laklen sodunma). On March 26, His Holiness will confer a long life empowerment (tsewang) and there will also be a long life offering prayer for His Holiness. These events are being organised by the Government of Sikkim.
His Holiness will give teaching in Salugara, West Bengal, from 27-29 March. On the afternoon of March 27 and all day of March 28, His Holiness will give teachings on Tsongkhapa’s Concise Stages for the Path to Enlightenment (lamrim dudon) and Gyalwa Longchen Rabjang’s Relaxing the Mind Itself (semnyid nyalso). On the morning of March 29 he will confer an Avalokiteshvera Initiation (chenresig wangchen).