This weekend my husband and I attended
His Holiness the Dalai Lama Environmental Summit. I can't believe I
got to scratch this off my bucket list. The summit was inspiring and
thought provoking.While I am not a Buddist I have read and respect
many of their teachings. I don't see who wouldn't support the active
practice of compassion, ethics and wisdom. Past that the details get
a little farther away from my own beliefs so I choose to
respectfully disagree and move forward with applicable wisdom I can
implement in my life.
We started the day by attending the
morning panel discussion: Universal Responsibility and the Global Environment. The speakers included the Dalai Lama, Governor John
Ktizhaber, Andrea Dubin (Director of the Oregon Environmental
Council), and David Suzuki ( A highly awarded scientist including the
United Nations Environmental Program Medal.)
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| (waiting
for the Dalai Lama to take the stage. Please forgive the horrible
picture quality for some reason my iphone didn't like the lighting in
the space.) |
A few fun facts from the morning:
1.) The Dalai Lama wore a visor that
color coordinated with his robes during the whole event. He reminds
me of a very wise grandfather.
2.) He talks like Yoda he does....I
think it's the use of questions when actually making a statement.
3.) He laughs often and completely and
it is so contagious, you can't help but laugh along with him.
4.) He has a great sense of humor...and
said the word sex in one of his answers. I couldn't stop laughing
about it.
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His Holiness the Dalai Lama talks to Dr.
David Suzuki, a scientist, during the environmental summit on 'Universal
Responsibility and the Global Environment' at Veterans Memorial
Coliseum in Portland, Oregon on May 11, 2013. Motoya Nakamura/The
Oregonian
www.dalailama.com/gallery |
I wasn't a huge fan of the first part
of the summit. I felt that the other panelists were being overly
political about their answers and almost used the time as a platform
for re-election. I would have liked a slightly deeper talk
about how to solve problems rather than just listing the problems we
are facing. I did find that when the Dalai Lama spoke he kept coming
back the three points: education, compassion and wisdom.
After the panel we broke for lunch and
had a chance to stretch our legs and grab some food a zillion miles away
from the Coliseum. It was our attempt to try and avoid the 10,000 other people in attendance and chat about our notes. After a relaxed lunch we headed
back to our seats for the afternoon to listen to the Public Talk by
the Dalai Lama.
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| His Holiness the Dalai Lama waving to the
audience. Photo/Kurt Smith via www.dalailama.com/gallery |
His afternoon talk inspired and
reminded me that I really need to become active in practicing
compassion. He said, “The root of compassion is a biological
factor: the affection we receive from our mothers when we are born.
Such affection, which has nothing to do with the practice of
religion, is crucial to our very survival. What’s more, it’s a
unique human quality to be able to extend our sense of compassion to
the welfare of others. If we confine ourselves to external, material
values, to the neglect of such inner values as compassion, we’ll
never find the contentment that is the mark of real happiness.”
He
cited the example of the pleasure we get from buying a new car; for a
few days we may be really thrilled. But if after a month or two our neighbor buys a new car, we start to think of ours as old and ugly,
and we want to get rid of it. What has changed is not the car, but
our attitude to it.
In the same context; His Holiness
suggested we need to strengthen such inner values as contentment,
patience and tolerance, as well as compassion for others, which he
refers to as secular ethics. Keeping in mind that it is expressions
of affection rather than money and power that attract real friends,
and compassion is the key to ensuring our own well-being.
At the end of his talk all the members of
the audience were presented with white silk scarves which we
held up to him then hung them around our necks. It was amazing to see
the auditorium filled with white. His Holiness showed us his
appreciation by explaining that the Tibetan custom of offering such
scarves derives from an Indian tradition of offering a shawl; the
material is silk that traditionally came from China, and the scarves
are inscribed with auspicious verses written in Tibetan. Finally, he
said the smooth texture and white color indicate the virtue of
living a calm, peaceful life with a pure heart.
I can't think of a better way to end this post than to share his closing words.
In the very end he as he waved to
everyone in the cheering crowd, His parting words were:
“We
are all human beings; the potential I have, you have too.
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