LHASA - A spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism on Thursday visited the Tibet Buddhist Theological Institute and called on monks to love their country and abide by laws.

The 11th Panchen Lama arrived at the institute at around 9 am He presented Hada to the statues of Buddha in the institute while saying prayers.

The 11th Panchen Lama Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu offers a lamp at the main shrine of the Tibet Buddhist Theological Institute in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet autonomous region, July 26, 2012. The 11th Panchen Lama Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu visited the Tibet Buddhist Theological Institute on Thursday.?[Photo/Xinhua]

The institute, Tibet's only regional-level buddhist theological academy, is located in the township of Nyetang, Quxu County, which is administered by Lhasa.

Featuring a distinctive Tibetan architecture style, the institute opened in Oct 2011 and has 150 students including living Buddhas and monks from various Tibetan Buddhist sects.

After performing the head-touching ritual to bless the students, the Panchen Lama asked the students to promote Buddhism, abide by national laws and better serve the country and its people.

"I hope you can make good use of the sound learning conditions that the institute provides to learn the essence of Buddhism and safeguard our country and serve its people, so as to be the true Buddhists," the Panchen Lama said.

The Panchen Lama began this year's Lhasa visit on Monday. He visited Jokhang Temple - the most revered monastery in "holy city" Lhasa - on Tuesday, paying homage to statues of Buddhas and leading a prayer service.

In 1995, at the age of six, he was chosen as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Erdeni in Jokhang through the traditional method of drawing lots from a golden urn.