The 6th Mahaguru Bumtsok (Annual Prayer Festival) Held in Switzerland

The 6^th Annual Mahaguru Bumtsok, the Prayer festival for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and for the wellbeing of whole sentient beings started on 31^st May 2019 at Aargau. It was held for three days till 1st June 2019. This Prayer festival was organized by the Tibetan Community of Switzerland & Liechtenstein (TCSL) in collaboration with Rikon Tibet Institute and Kunsang Dho- Ngag-Ling Tsechu Tsokpa. This year His Eminence Khabje Ontul Rinpoche of the Drigung Kagyu Lineage was invited as the Head Lama to lead the prayers.

Last year the Prayer festival was held at Wädenswil and the Tibetan Community of Wädenswill arranged the Auditorium. This year the Tibetan community of Aargau sponsored the auditorium. The participants at the Prayer festival were very satisfied with the location because of the availability of accommodation, car parking facilities, etc.

Mr. Tsamda Norbu, the President of Tibetan Community of Switzerland & Liechtenstein in his inaugural address informed that the Tibetan Community in Switzerland has been organizing the Mahaguru Bumtsok every year since 2014. The main aim is to pray for the long life and wellbeing of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and all other great spiritual Lamas, and for the Tibetan martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the cause of Tibet, and to spread the message of peace and harmony in the world. This year's Mahaguru Bumtsok is especially dedicated to clear and overcome the obstacle-year (gung-kag) of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and to pray for His good health.

He informed that the selection of the Head Lama to lead the Mahaguru Bumtsok prayer every year has been done by the Department of Religion of Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamsala. He said he is also happy to inform that the selection has been fair and done in turn every year from the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Tibetan people from all the three provinces of Tibet attended the Prayer festival. Thus this Mahaguru Bumtsok event was not only a collective religious prayer but also a symbol of Tibetan unity. The President also read a brief Biography of H.E. Kyabje Ontul Rinpoche of the Drigung Kagyu.

H. E. Kyabje Ontul Rinpoche addressed the public and explained the purpose and benefit of Mayaguru Bumtsok. "Sharpening of wisdom and accumulation of merit and virtues are important" said Kyabje Ontul Rinpoche.

The Prayer gathering was attended by over 460 people with full sincere religious fervor. For the three days, the prayer session started from 8.30 am in the morning and lasted till around 6:30 pm in the evening followed by dinner.

His Eminence Kyabje Ontul Rinpoche blessed the devotees and awarded the Certificates of Gratitude to some members on the last day as requested by the organizers. The great annual religious event, Mahaguru Bumtsok successfully concluded with a vote of thanks by Mr. Tsamda Norbu.

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