Phayul Photo: Kunsang Gashon

The Tibetan leader arrived this morning from Dharamshala, some 60 kilometres from here. Tai Situpa Rinpoche, who led the search for the current 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorjee, welcomed His Holiness inside the main prayer hall where the official function for the day began.

His Holiness blessed the prayer hall immediately after his arrival as leading lamas from Kagyu tradition greeted him in reverence.

Situ Rinpoche offering mandala to His Holiness the Dalai Lama/Sherabling, March 11, 2015 Phayul Photo: Kunsang Gashon

Local Tibetans from Bir and Chauntra Tibetan settlements, children from TCV school Suja and Sambhota School watched the proceedings outside the hall on giant screens.

His Holiness lauded the works done by the monastic staff of Sherabling under the leadership of Tai Situpa Rinpoche and advised the monks to commit themselves to study and transform the monastery into a genuine learning centre. He said that the monastic seat must concentrate on the quality of education and not on sheer number of monks and nuns.

The Tibetan leader also spoke about the project of translation into Tibetan of various excerpts from Kargyur and Tengyur (great canyons of Tibetan Buddhism), which are not necessarily Buddhism related. His Holiness said the translations were done with even non believers in mind under three main categories, science, ideology and religion.

The Speaker of Tibetan Parliament, Penpa Tsering, and Kalon for religion, Pema Chinjor, also expressed their appreciation to Tai Situpa Rinpoche for his contribution to the Buddha Dharma and setting up the learning centre in 1977.

Tai Situpa Rinpoche expressed his gratitude to His Holiness blessing the monastic seat by his presence and teachings and initiations, which will take place tomorrow. Situ Rinpoche also talked about past relationships between different Situpas and the Dalai Lamas. Situ Rinpoche recalled a visit by the current Dalai Lama to Derge in 1955 and bestowing upon him a dharma name.

Monks recited excerpts and interpretations from various scriptures and also exhibited their knowledge of various field of traditional Tibetan sciences.

The rest is here:
Dalai Lama blesses Palpung Sherab Ling monastic seat

MENAFN - Arab Times - 12/04/2015 (MENAFN - Arab Times) BANGKOK (AP) Thailand's Buddhism body said it is monitoring monks nationwide for any inappropriate behavior after a video showed monks using luxurious personal items while flying on a private jet. The YouTube video showed one of the monks was wearing stylish aviator sunglasses carrying a luxury brand travel bag and sporting a pair of modern-looking wireless headphones. It attracted criticism from Buddhists nationwide. Office of National Buddhism director-general Nopparat Benjawatananun said Monday that the agency saw the video early this year and had warned the monks from a monastery in Thailand's northeast not to repeat the lavish behavior. A country with the world's largest Buddhist population Thailand has attempted to help Buddha's 2600-year-old doctrine stand the test of time through a variety of means including banning the sale of alcohol on religious holidays. The efforts however are sometimes tainted by the Buddhist monks themselves. Last year about 300 out of 61416 Buddhist monks and novices in Thailand were reprimanded and several were removed from the monkhood because of misconduct ranging from alcohol consumption having sex with women to extortion. The Office also received complaints about monks driving cars and scams and false claims of black magic uses by monks. Nopparat said the Buddhist monks in the video were acting "inappropriately not composed and not adhering to Buddha's teachings of simplicity and self-restraint." Monruedee Bantoengsuk an administrative officer at Khantitham Temple in Sisaket province confirmed to The Associated Press that the monks on the private plane lived at the temple but refused to give details about the trip. "We can explain this but not now" she said saying that the abbot who appeared in the video is currently on a religious tour in France. The images from the video contrasted with the abbot's message on the temple's homepage that read: "The true core of those who preach Buddha's teachings is to not to own any objects at all." "When Lord Buddha was alive there wasn't anything like this. There were no cars smart phones or cameras so the rules were much simpler" said Nopparat. "While the monks need to keep themselves abreast of new knowledge current events and technology they are restrained to choose the appropriate tools." He said one way to prevent the monks from misbehaving is for followers not to spoil them with valuable objects or vices. "In many cases it was the followers who gave the monks the luxury. Some bought them sports cars. This is by no means necessary."

Original post:
Thai Buddhist monks criticized for lavish behavior