Dalai Lama Birthday: Tibetan Spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama turned 90 on Sunday, July 6 and is celebrating his birthday amidst warmth, reverence, and joyous festivities. The celebrations are underway at the Tsuglagkhang temple in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, and are being attended by several ministers and other dignitaries. Hollywood actor and practising Buddhist, Richard Gere also joined the celebrations and took blessings of the 14th Dalai Lama.
Monks, devotees, and international guests have gathered in reverence to celebrate the life and enduring teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, revered worldwide as a beacon of compassion, non-violence, and interfaith harmony.
#WATCH | Dharamshala, HP | At the 90th birthday celebrations of the 14th Dalai Lama, Hollywood actor and practising Buddhist, Richard Gere, says, "… We have never seen a human being like him who completely embodies selflessness, love, and wisdom… At a religious conference… pic.twitter.com/Mf76aj10oJ
— ANI (@ANI) July 6, 2025
Dalai Lama Calls For Compassion And Altruism In Heartfelt Message
The Dalai Lama earlier shared a message for his followers worldwide on the eve of his birthday. In a heartfelt message, he expressed gratitude to those commemorating his birthday and called for deeper compassion and altruism in today’s world.
He said, “On the occasion of my 90th birthday, I understand that well-wishers and friends in many places, including Tibetan communities, are gathering for celebrations. I particularly appreciate the fact that many of you are using the occasion to engage in initiatives that highlight the importance of compassion, warm-heartedness, and altruism.”
Known for his humility, he described himself as “just a simple Buddhist monk,” in his message. He noted that he does not usually take part in birthday celebrations. However, given the widespread attention to his 90th birthday, he chose to share a message focused on inner values and global well-being. He underscored the importance of achieving peace of mind by cultivating compassion towards everyone and not just near and dear ones.
“While it is important to work for material development, it is vital to focus on achieving peace of mind through cultivating a good heart and by being compassionate, not just toward near and dear ones, but toward everyone. Through this, you will contribute to making the world a better place,” the Dalai Lama added.
He reiterated his commitment towards mankind, asserting that he will continue to promote values, religious harmony. He affirmed that Indian wisdom and Tibetan culture has a lot of potential to contribute to the world as both focus on peace of mind and compassion.
The Dalai Lama added, “As for myself, I will continue to focus on my commitments of promoting human values, religious harmony, drawing attention to the ancient Indian wisdom which explains the workings of mind and emotions, and Tibetan culture and heritage, which has so much potential to contribute to the world through its emphasis on peace of mind and compassion.
In his message, he quoted an Indian Buddhist scholar Shantideva, whose teachings guide his spiritual journey.
The quote read as: “As long as space endures,
As long as sentient being remain,
Until then, may I too remain, to dispel the miseries of the world.”
The Dalai Lama, born as Lhamo Dhondup on July 6, 1935, in Taksterof north-eastern Tibet, was recognised as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama at the age of two. He was formally installed as the spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet on February 22, 1940. He assumed full political authority in 1950 after the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1949.
He was forced to flee into exile in March 1959 following the violent suppression of the Tibetan uprising. The Dalai Lama has since lived in India, along with over 80,000 Tibetan refugees.
The Dalai Lama has been a global ambassador of Buddhist philosophy for over six decades now, and continues to advocate for peace, non-violence, and compassion.
