The Dalai Lama, He Is.

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.) 

(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.

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.

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.