Four Days of Dalai Lama Lectures and Tibetan Culture

July 20-24, 2008

 

Thousands of Tibetans, and as many non-Tibetans, attended four days of “teachings” (lectures) by the Dalai Lama in Madison, July 20-24, 2008. Gina and I were there taking it all in from the back of the hockey arena called the Ecel Energy Center, which you can see here.

People came from all over the world to these events. There are at least 10,000 Tibetan refugees in the United States, with at least 3,000 to 4,000 congregated in Madison for the 2008 events. Many of the 2,000 Tibetans living in Minnesota were there. In fact, Minnesota has the 2nd largest Tibetan community in the United States, and they won most of the folk dance competitions.

I drove to Madison but Nancy flew in for only the first day. Each day the Dalai Lama talked for 2 hours in the morning and another 2 in the afternoon. His lectures were pretty intellectual but every once in a while he'd say something funny. He advised the first day that people not change their existing religious faith to Buddhism but that people could enhance their own convictions with Buddhist principles.

About 100 Buddhist monks and nuns sat on the stage facing the Dalai Lama, who sat on top of a small platform about 10 feet high. You can see them in the lower part of the photo on the right. About 3/4ths of the time he spoke in Tibetan although every once in awhile he talked in hesitating English. His translator, who has been his personal translator for several years, was very good and translated in perfect English, sometimes for as long as 5 minutes nonstop. The Dalai Lama listened to him and every once in awhile corrected the translator or added an English word for emphasis.

Most of the Tibetans at the sessions wore their traditional colorful clothing. There were dozens of Tibetan tables and booths set up around the stadium/convention center for selling Tibetan products. They also sold Tibetan food, which is a lot like Chinese food, at lunch time. Every day we stood in line to get a plate of chick peas and stew. It was fun to watch the Tibetan people. Some families sat in large circles at lunch time in the shade of nearby trees. For the Tibetan people and American Buddhists it was a spiritual holiday or pilgrimage. For some it was undoubtedly a once in a lifetime event.

Watching the Dalai Lama for 16 hours, except when I couldn’t hold my eyes open, gave me a new appreciation for him as a person. He felt quite comfortable scratching his nose or his back if it itched. He rocked back and forth sometimes, probably due to the discomfort of sitting for two hours in the cross-legged position on the flat platform. Thus he became a human being rather than a political leader or a religious monarch, which he is to many people. He is a rather down to earth person.

The Dalai Lama’s speaks with bursts of sounds to emphasize his points. He punctuates his points not only with his voice but with his right hand directly in front of his face, as you can see in the picture.

The Dalai Lama’s shoulders shake up and down when he laughs, which is quite often except when he concentrates on a serious point. I found his humor to be genuine and a great augmentation to his teaching. He made me feel that it is good to be funny, to laugh, and enjoy life in these ways.

He is called His Holiness but he does not pretend to be perfect. He admits to losing his temper on occasion and talks about the path to truth, morality, and devotion to the well being of others rather than perfection or nirvana itself.

The voice of the Dalai Lama is deep and pitched to match the deep sound of the chanting monks who sound like a clan of growling bears. They chanted like this for 1-2 minutes at the start and end of each 2-hour session.

The Dalai Lama sits and walks hunched over like all of the monks in the presence of people or places that are sacred or to which the wish to show respect. In this respect he is like most Popes, and for the same reason. Both the Dalai Lama and the Pope are revered by millions of people, and both give spiritual and symbolic gifts to their followers. Both extol moral virtues and both move only when surrounded by guards and bomb control experts. Both speak as supreme authorities on the moral precepts of their religious traditions. However, the Dalai Lama seems much more genuinely humble and unassuming than any Pope in recent history.

On the last day the Dalai Lama led the huge crowd in a chant-like reading of sacred texts from Santideva.  All the chanting was in Tibetan. Next he called for repeating a mantra and visualization giving and receiving favors while following Tibetan customs of placing a dried flower on the head. In the photo above he is sitting on his pedestel receiving ceremonial objects from the monks.

I don’t believe in reincarnation nor do I believe in the ancient deities of Tibetan folk religion. And I didn’t find the Dalai Lama to be a great, inspirational speaker. While much of his teaching was complex philosophy, much was about practical ways of living and being. He emphasizes patience, freedom from anger, generosity, compassion, and peace. Sometimes he tells funny stories to illustrate his points. He was great in answering written questions submitted by members of the audience. Despite the killing of hundreds of thousands of Tibetans and the Chinese forcing him to flee in exile to India, he speaks very lovingly of the Chinese people. In this and other ways he is an inspiring role model of Christian virtues. His message is equally relevant for non-Buddhists and Buddhists.

In the evenings we watched as Tibetans dressed in native costumes danced and sang to great applause. The last evening event ended on July 24 with a candle light vigil. (See photo below of peace symbol in parking lot with candles.) All of the evening sessions were dedicated to freeing Tibet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Dalai Lama loves science and follows recent developments carefully. He works closely with American scientists studying the effects of meditation using brain imaging. He is very much aware of what is going on in the world and he repeatedly said his successor might be a girl or a woman.  He is in his early 70s. When he dies the world will lose a great world leaders.

You can see 28 of my photos from this week in Madison at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ron-anderson/sets/72157606376418801/