On Monday, the 11th Panchen Lama, Erdini Qoigyijabu, made a pilgrimage to the statue of Shakyamuni Buddha at Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, Tibet, and bestowed blessings by touching the heads of the temple's monks.
The Panchen Lama is also a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Vice President of the Buddhist Association of China, and President of the Tibet Branch of the Buddhist Association of China.
The Panchen Lama arrived in Lhasa by plane last Thursday. The worship at Jokhang Temple is his first Buddhist activity during his stay in Tibet this year. The ceremony at Jokhang Temple lasted 60 minutes.
The Shakyamuni Buddha statue in Jokhang Temple was brought to Tibet by Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty and is revered by all sects of Tibetan Buddhism.
Around 5:00 a.m., the butter lamps at Jokhang Temple, located at the heart of Lhasa's Barkhor Old Town, were brightly lit. The monks' 'Sezhang' procession, which is the highest welcoming ritual for lamas in Tibetan Buddhism, held up religious flags and incense, and lined both sides of the passage leading from the main gate to the main hall of the temple early in the morning.
Around 5:30 a.m., the Panchen Lama and his entourage arrived at Jokhang Temple. Accompanied by the deep sound of ritual horns, the Panchen Lama walked slowly into the temple, welcomed by monks holding censers and playing suona, and successively paid homage at the Medicine Buddha Hall, the Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara Hall, and the Shakyamuni Buddha statue. During the worship in the main hall of the Shakyamuni Buddha statue, the Panchen Lama pressed his palms together, silently recited scriptures, devoutly bowed three times to the Buddha statue, and personally presented a khata to the statue.
Subsequently, the Panchen Lama took his seat on the throne positioned directly opposite the Shakyamuni Buddha statue, leading over a hundred monks from Jokhang Temple and Tashilhunpo Monastery in the collective chanting of scriptures, praying for world peace, national prosperity and security, favorable weather, and the happiness of all beings. According to Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the senior monks of Jokhang Temple presented a ceremonial 'mandala' to the Panchen Lama. After the offering rite, the Panchen Lama bestowed blessings by touching the heads of the Jokhang Temple monks present, one by one.
During his stay in Lhasa, the Panchen Lama will perform his regular duties at the Tibet Branch of the Buddhist Association of China and carry out social research as well as Buddhist activities.