The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, arrived in Japan last Friday for a weeklong visit.
On Monday, the Dalai Lama taught on "Four Noble Truths" at Saihoji Temple in Nagano to more than 300 Japanese Buddhists and general public. The Dalai Lama consecrated a three-dimensional Mandala and a gilded statue of the Amitabha Buddha, both housed in a new Mandala Hall located on the temple compound. The walls of the new hall depict paintings of 8 Bodhisattvas and 30 auspicious symbols.
At the consecration ceremony, the Dalai Lama said, “We all have a Buddha seed in us, but Buddhahood is achieved through ones practice only. It is not something coming from Buddha and through praying only."
On Monday evening, he gave a teaching on “Heart Sutra” in the city of Kanazawa, Japan to a crowd of more than 2000. The teaching was organized by Busshokai, a Japanese Buddhist group.
The Dalai Lama will travel to Yokohama for a half-day teaching and for a public talk on Saturday. He is scheduled to deliver a number of spiritual lectures in the Japan. This is his 14th visit to the country.
Some information for this report was provided by Phayul, Asia News and Dalailama.com.
