 
Filling of the Medicine Buddha Statue
During his visit, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama blessed the statue of a Medicine Buddha from the Norbulingka Institute,Dharamsala. Important preparations for the blessing were made before the celebrations began: Lama Nuenden Taksham, Sera University, South India, and Dr. Tenzin Thaye, physician and pharmacist of Tibetan medicine in Dharamsala, undertook the filling of the statue. (Lama Nuenden Taksham is 9th reincarnation of Shiwalha Rinpoche (Shantideva) who was the author of the teachings HH Dalai Lama gave in Zurich)
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 Prominent support at the ceremony
Prof. Robert Thurman (here together with Shiwalha Rinpoche and Dr. Herbert Schwabl) is professor at the American Institute for Buddhist Studies in New York and President of the Tibet House U.S.. He was the first Westerner to be officially consecrated as a Tibetan monk. As he was in Switzerland at the time of the visit of His Holiness, he was present at the filling of the statue of the Medicine Buddha. Professor Thurman is well known to many people as the father of the actress Uma Thurman.
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 The statue of the Medicine Buddha is ready for the blessing
Scrolls with mantras written on them, mandalas, sand from five different Tibetan holy places, incense and herbs: these are some of the materials used in the ceremonial filling of the Medicine Buddha. In addition Tibetan drugs were also included. The statue was then sealed with a piece of fabric of an orange-coloured robe and a copper plate. Until the time of the blessing on 13 August 2005, the statue remained on the firm’s own altar in Schwerzenbach. There was great joy among all those present when the ceremonial filling had been done.
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Impressions
of the preparatory work |
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Reception in the warehouse
The Head of Production of PADMA Inc., Rolf Lienhard, during the setting up of the reception area. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama will be received in the warehouse of the production plant in Wetzikon. In the background the stage can be seen, with the altar on which the statue of the Medicine Buddha is already placed, ready for the blessing ceremony.
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Illuminated stage with a thangka
On the wall behind His Holiness’s chair is a thangka painting of the Medicine Buddha, it is decorated with an artistically worked border and two long ribbons. Thangkas (Tibetan: "Something to be scrolled ") are the Tibetan’s practical scrolls. |
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 Presentation of the work
PADMA Inc. prepars for the presentation of its field of activities to His Holiness and the invited guests. An important concern is the scientific research into the Padma products and Tibetan medicine. This is demonstrated by the world’s largest medical database, Medline: About one-third of all the studies on Tibetan drugs that are indexed in this database are connected with products Padma manufactures in Switzerland.
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 Decoration of the entrance
According to Indian tradition, the entrance to the production building is decorated with petals, garlands, and paintings. The Tibetan flag with the shining sun above a snow-covered mountain is a reminder of the former sovereign state of Tibet. This adorned the entrance of the production plant of PADMA Inc. to welcome the spiritual and political leader of the Tibetans.
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Ritual greeting
The Management of PADMA Inc. awaits the arrival of His Holiness at the decorated entrance. For the greeting they hold in their hands a white kathag, a ceremonial white silk scarf, which His Holiness will place around their shoulders as a form of blessing.
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The
visit of His Holiness on 13 August 2005 |
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|  Welcoming
of His Holiness
For PADMA Inc.the visit of His Holiness is not only
a great honour, but is also a recognition of its more
than 30 years’ work. Employees of PADMA Inc. and
invited guests awaited the big moment with suspense.
Shortly after visiting the monastery-like Tibet Institute
in Rikon, His Holiness arrived in Wetzikon. Firstly,
the Tibetan employees gave their spiritual and political
leader a traditional welcome.
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Research with Tibetan drugs
In order for Tibetan drugs to be incorporated
into the Western medical system, their effects must be
understandable for the doctors and for the patients. PADMA
Inc. therefore invests in research into the various recipes.
Dr. Herbert Schwabl, Chairman of the Board, presents His
Holiness with an extract of the firm’s research
activities.
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 Meeting
with researchers
In his speech, His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai
Lama, confirmed the importance of scientific research
into Tibetan medicine. His Holiness greets the researchers
who carry out scientific studies of Tibetan recipes.
Legend
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 Visit
to the production facilities
During the visit to the production facilities, strict
hygienic regulations have to be observed. Therefore even
His Holiness has to wear protective clothing. Production
conditions and quality control of the highest level are
governed by the GMP standards (GMP = Good pharmaceutical
Manufacturing Practice). These standards have to be maintained
in the manufacture of drugs in the industrialised countries.
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|  Blessing
of the Medicine Buddha
At the last official event during his visit
to Switzerland, the leader of the Tibetans shows his
sense of humour and captivates the listeners with his
charismatic personality. His Holiness takes time to
speak about his own experiences with Tibetan medicine.
The blessing of the Medicine Buddha rounds off the visit
of His Holiness.
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 Swiss
and Tibetan herbs
On behalf of the employees of PADMA Inc., Dr. Herbert
Schwabl hands over to His Holiness seeds of various different
Swiss medicinal herbs. As the 14th Dalai Lama looks after
a garden of his own, the plants were specially selected
to suit the climatic conditions in Dharamsala. Naturally,
the most famous products of PADMA Inc. are also included
among the gifts to His Holiness.
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 Departure
from Wetzikon
Later than planned, His Holiness took leave of PADMA Inc..
After two strenuous weeks in Switzerland, together with
his entourage he will set off on his return journey to
India.
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Invited
guests |
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Meeting of friends of PADMA Inc.
International guests from the Padma agencies, scientists,
Tibetan doctors, Western doctors, film-makers, journalists,
radio and TV crews, etc. participated at the ceremony.
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 Prof. Dr. med. Reinhard Saller, University of Zürich
Reinhard Saller (here with his wife), is Director of the University Medical School in Zurich, He is an internist and before coming to Zurich he worked for 8 years in the faculty of naturopathy of the University of Frankfurt. Reinhard Saller conducts studies in the following areas: Naturopathy, Complementary Medicine, Phytotherapy and Evidence Based Medicine. He is also a well known lecturer on these topics.
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 Univ. Prof. Mag. Dr. Florian Überall, PhD, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria
Florian Überall (here with Reinhold Gabriel, the former Managing Director of the Austrian distributor for the PADMA products) is Professor of the Institute of Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Innsbruck, and is head of the Medical Biology and Human Genetics Centre. The scientist is also the founder of the Information Centre for Tibetan Medicine in Telfs, Austria. Professor Ueberall has undertaken several trips to the Tibet region and is currently conducting studies into the effects of Tibetan mulit-compounds in his Institute.
Informationszentrums für Tibetische Medizin
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Prof. Franz Reichle, Filmmaker
Franz Reichle, here with Dr. Alexandra Schwabl, lived in the Lake Baikal region (Burjatia) from 1989-95. During that time he produced the famous film „The Knowledge of Healing“, but also many reports and narratives from Siberia for newspapers, TV stations and publishing companies. Today Franz Reichle is professor of arts at the University of Arts in Zurich.
His latest project was the cinema documentary film Monte Grande.
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Tibetan
Medicine 