On June 13, 2022, the 14thday of the Saga Dawa month according to the Phugpa system of Tibetan astrology, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the embodiment of compassion of all buddhas, the exalted Avalokiteshvara in human form, and the crown ornament of all spiritual and secular leaders, bestowed the preliminary teachings and the preparatory ritual of the elaborate Avalokiteshvara Jinasagara empowerment at the request of Guru Vajradhara the Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa.
This sacred event took place at the Main Temple of Thegchen Chöling, situated next to the Dalai Lama's residence, in the presence of Guru Vajradhara and over ten thousand monastic and lay devotees. His Holiness began with a reading transmission and commentary on Je Tsongkhapa’s "Concise Stages of the Path to Enlightenment." He taught about the view of the union of appearances and emptiness, the mind training in loving kindness, compassion, and bodhichitta, and about how to practice Avalokiteshvara, the supreme destined deity of Tibet. He then spoke about how the Tibetan religion and culture have been beneficial to all beings in this world and offered guidance on how to bring this and future lives onto the path of virtue. His Holiness showered his praise on Guru Vajradhara's unwavering loyalty and concluded the morning program with preliminary rites of the Avalokiteshvara empowerment.
On the following day, in front of an audience of about twelve thousand devotees, His Holiness bestowed the actual elaborate empowerment, along with its auxiliary teachings, in the manner of one vase filling another to the brim. At the conclusion of the Avalokiteshvara Jinasagara empowerment, as the prayer for His Holiness's long life was recited, members of the Palpung Sherabling Monastic Seat presented longevity offerings to His Holiness. Through this profound sacred Dharma activity endowed with the five auspicious circumstances - perfect place, perfect time, perfect teacher, perfect teaching, and perfect retinue, directly and indirectly, seeds of liberation were planted in millions of beings and their minds were infused with blessings.
