Dalai Lama prays for ‘joy in the world’

The Dalai Lama gave the opening prayer on the Senate floor Thursday, asking senators to forgive his “broken English.”

Several senators came to the floor to hear his prayer.

{mosads}“Speak and act with a pure mind, and happiness will follow you like a shadow that never leaves,” the Dalai Lama said. “May there be joy in the world. … May every good fortune come to be and may all our wishes be fulfilled.”

The Dalai Lama has been in the United States for a few weeks and plans to meet Thursday with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). He met with President Obama last month.

Reid thanked his holiness for his remarks.

“Spreading a message of peace, he motivates countless people to practice compassion among each other,” Reid said.

China condemned the exiled leader’s visit with President Obama last month and said it would severely harm relations between the United States and China. But the White House downplayed the warning and said it was concerned about tensions and human rights issues in Tibetan areas of China.

Senate Chaplain Barry Black usually opens the Senate session with a prayer, but occasionally, there are guest chaplains.