Happy Birthday Geshela

On Thursday 16th July after the teaching we surprised Geshe-la with a birthday cake, gifts, and kata’s. He started laughing and with his limited English he sang happy birthday with us. There was a strong feeling of warmth and closeness between everyone, which was just lovely. Here is a summary of what was said.

"Dear Geshe Pema Tsering. On behalf of all the students, we wanted to wish you a happy birthday.

You have really shown us so much kindness, compassion, patience and wisdom. Your knowledge of the Dharma is profound and through your skilful actions, you guide us through our faults and misconceptions. We are so fortunate to have you as our teacher. The benefit that we have gained from your presence is more than words can explain. You are a guide and a mentor of the Dharma and you set an excellent example. We pray for your long life, happiness and prosperity.

For all your efforts, hard work, and for being the source of so much benefit, we thank you so very much. We thank Buddha House for having you here, we thank the precious Khensur Rinpoche, His Holiness the Dali Lama, Lama Zopa Rinpoche and all your other teachers, right back to Buddha Shakyamuni himself, who we thank so very much for expounding the Dharma, which beings like your self and others continue to uphold for the benefit of all sentient beings. May all sentient beings be free of every type of suffering and be endowed with every type of happiness. From all your students, thank you so very, very much. "

Geshe-la’s reply;
Thank you, very much. You are right what you said about all the other teachers, I myself only know a little, I am not a scholar. To be a scholar one needs to have learned all the teachings and through, listening, studying and meditating upon them to fully realise them. I have not achieved this. However, what I have learned I try to share with you all, and from your side you listen, so thank you very much. I teach with the hope and motivation that it will be of benefit and that it will in turn go on to benefit others, so please listen to what you can, learn what you can and I hope that it can be of benefit, thank you so much.