By Phuntsok Yangchen

Gaden Tripa welcomes His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the prayer hall of Gyutoe monastery, Sidhbari. Nov. 28, 2014 Phayul Photo: Kunsang Gashon

Addressing at the occasion, His Holiness the Dalai Lama expressed his pleasure over the Gyutoe monastery taking the responsibilities to hold the important event.

Noting the need to introduce secular ethics in school curriculum around the world the Tibetan leader called on the Tibetans to study the Tibetan Buddhism as a branch of science and not as a religion.

prayer hall of Gyutoe monastery, Sidhbari. Nov. 28, 2014 Phayul Photo: Kunsang Gashon

His Holiness added that he does not claim Buddhism being better than any other religion but that it is the individual who decides which religion is better based on how it helps him. However, he noted that Buddhism is the most in-depth and broadest religion as far as study of mind is concerned.

The function also launched the reprint of The Great Commentary on (Guhyasamaja) Tantra in pecha format and the manuscripts-compared edition of The Lamp Illuminating the Five Stages in book format.

Also present at the function were His Eminence Gaden Tripa, Chief Justice Commissioner, Speaker of the Tibetan parliament, Tibetan ministers and Parliamentarians, and the general public including monks and nuns.

Pema Chinnjor, Minister of Religion and Culture of Tibetan government in exile noted that Tibetan Buddhism had helped several people around the world to educate about Tibet.

Debate on the commentary began in the presence of HIs Holiness the Dalai Lama who interrupted a session saying, "I want to interfere here, can I?" The Tibetan leader raised the issue of great Tibetan Buddhist masters going into meditative state even after death. He asked what the Geshes participating in the debate thought about how the mind in a certain state gives warmth to the body that had died weeks ago.

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Dalai Lama presides over 600th anniversary of Tsongkhapas Commentary