Happy Birthday, Tenzin Gyatso!

Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet

Greg:

Okay, so you forgot my birthday. Blew it off. Passed it over. Shined it on. That's not important. What's important is that you remember that today, dear brother, is the 70th birthday of the fourteenth incarnation of Avelokiteshvara, The Buddha of Compassion, a man given the dharma name of Tenzin Gyatso, also known as Mister Tease Mister Please Mister Got-ta Got-ta Satisfy - ladies and gentlemen, give it up for His Holiness The Dalai Lama! And the crowd grows mild!

That's right. On this day in 1935, a grumpy little boy named Lhamo Dhondrup was born to Diki Tsering in northern Tibet. Seventy years later, yours truly got two tickets second row center (in the mosh pit, yo!) to attend His Holiness' public talk in Tucson, AZ. The talk in September will be my second dose of the Dalai Lama, the first being September 2003 when he rocked the San Francisco Symphony Hall. Michael Tilson Thomas opened. My favorite part? His opener: "If any of you came here because you thought I have magical healing powers or perhaps a third eye, you will be gravely disappointed." And his closer: "...and if that doesn't work, fuck it. Good night!" It's always a treat when a Nobel laureate and world religious leader drops the f-bomb.

Teresa and I were wondering aloud this morning about what His Holiness does on his birthday, and we pretty much came to the conclusion that he probably parties like a rock star. Not like Marilyn Manson (twenty rails of coke, pork rinds, rubber fetish rodeo) or even Trey Anastasio of Phish (bong hits, trail mix, hacky sack). Probably more like Cat Stevens (extra cup of tea, one slice of organic carrot, chant-a-thon).

So just in case you want to pick up a few extra karmic merits today, here's the official short version of the Long Life Prayer for His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Go ahead and give 'er a whirl.

In the land encircled by snow mountains
You are the source of all happiness and good
Blessed Cherezig, Tenzin Gyatso
Please remain until samsara ends.

Please be advised that if you choose not to recite the LLP for HH the DL today, there is no truth whatsoever to the rumor that you will be reincarnated as a Republican.

Torch a stick of Nag Champa and give my best to Marie.