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50 EASTERN HORIZON | FEATURES
Meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama
- An Inspiration of a Life Time
By Ong Beng Chung
I was one of the estimated 2000 man, a living example of resilience,
audience that sat cross-legged, shouldering the hopes, dignity and
cramped into the two-storey Dalai culture of the Tibetans – both in
Lama Temple on the morning of Tibet and in their adopted lands.
th
12 September, 2024. I waited with
anticipation to have a glance of His I seldom browse Facebook
Holiness, the Dalai Lama and to nowadays; and hence, it was a
th
pay respect to him during the “18 wonderful moment when I chanced
Asia Teaching 2024” event. It was upon a poster of the Dalai Lama
about 6:30 AM or so that we started announcing the Asia Teaching
queuing outside the Tsuglagkhang a few weeks prior to the event.
Complex – we had been told that Deva-inspired, some may say. I
Beng Chung considers himself the security will be tight and that it must congratulate and extend my
a curious, nature-loving and might take a while before we could gratitude to the Tibetan Buddhist
culture loving person. Having enter the complex. It was true. But Centre, Singapore (tibetanbc.org),
lived more than 70% of his I guessed everyone was in a good TBC for organizing this event and
present life time, he’s learning and joyful mood and so, the entire allowing many Asians to listen
to retire and engage in his process was not an issue at all. In to the Dalai Lama in person. My
fields of interest as he continues fact, we would have been worried if participation was also being made
to nurture the mind with the security was lacking as the safety easier after a friend, Bro. Loka Ng,
meditation and awareness. He and wellness of His Holiness was of introduced me to the Malaysian
group co-ordinating the trip to
utmost importance to many of us.
prefers to spend quiet time with Dharamsala. So, within a few weeks,
like-minded friends and having The intention to meet His Holiness I was breathing the air of McLeod
retreats in monasteries. His habit has been with me for a couple of Ganj, Dharamsala. Yayyy, a wish
of lounging in cozy cafes and decades already. Not that I am a come true!
enjoying the mountains continue fervent follower but he is one of
to entice him as he’s still a work a few beings alive today whom We arrived a few days prior to
in-progress, obviously. we could emulate, be inspired the event and hence, we had the
and worthy of respect. His non- opportunity to visit some of the
aggression and humanity-centred notable monasteries and places
approaches in dealing with worldly of interest including the Library
issues are lofty and practical. Some of Tibetan Works and Archives
may say that these approaches are which was in the same complex
utopian but in the light of today’s that houses the Central Tibetan
aggression tinted world, perhaps, Administration – the Government
his Dharma-based approaches may in–exile. We offered dana to monks
just save the day. Throughout his who were in solitary practice in
adult life, he has been a noble state a nearby hill too. The Malaysian
