Dalai Lama

Autry Auditorium - basketball gym - May 1,2007 10:11 a m

So many people are waiting to see this "simple monk".
The Dalai Lama - ruler of the Tibetan people- is an advocate for peace, promoter of compassion and kindness, which is what he will speak about in a few minutes.

This room holds over 5000 and people have come 2 hours early to wait in a line that snakes around the Autry Auditorium. The event is running late because the number of people waiting to see His Holiness is so great and they are checking everyone through a metal detector before entering the gym. This is not His Holiness' request but our government.

I sit with my son in the bleachers. We have side seats to view. Excellent seats!

Why am I here? This unique individual has a hold on me as he does others in the crowd. I hear the guy behind me remark to a business associate, "He's something else". The Dalai Lama is happy and cheerful and seems to float through life without a struggle even though he has had his share.

It begins. There is a standing ovation as His Holiness bows to us all - such a simple gesture that means so much. Carol Quillen, director of the Bonuik Center for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance, exchanges white, silk scarves as a token of respect.

He makes a joke as he sits, unties his shoes and goes into the yoga Easy pose. He says to us all, "Very comfortable"! ,as if we should all relax and sit back. He then says he is going to meditate without talking to us, another joke. The crowd laughs heartily. " I have no miracle powers, he says, if you came for that you'll be disappointed".

He begins by stating that he appreciates the spirit of Houston and its multiculturalness. You are already practicing Compassion and living as one community. He says we must all take an active role and bring this sharing to other areas of people with different cultures and spiritual beliefs.

What is happening in the Middle East is due to politics and that is more complicated but differences in faith is easier to solve. He says too much emotion is dangerous and there is no room to see the reality. There is a "New Reality" where everyone depends on each other, nation-to-nation, country-to-country. The differences between us are secondary to the planet. We are all human beings. So... we, in Houston, should make an effort to bring this spirit to other places. He cannot do it but will sit back and watch from India. He can only ask and promulgate. (The crowd laughs).

He asks his interpreter - about what his lecture is today. Again we laugh - forgiving him because he speaks to many and travels the world with his messages.

He begins with a discussion of an everyday occurrence - our moods.

Compassion can come from our hearts if we are calm.

So, the idea is to become less disturbed and when something (tragic, upsetting, sad) happens and we become upset or angry - we can let it go sooner with a mind that is calm.

He suggests spending a few minutes competing with the sunrise - Meditating.

You will have more strength in the mind. If you begin with a better awareness of emotions and thoughts, then you might have a better attitude and better emotions. The effect on your day will depend on your familiarization with the practice to ''keep'' calm. If each day you develop admiration about these positive emotions and they are in your mind, so during the day, the mind is strengthened and if you come across some difficulties because of the preparation, it will have some effect.

There are 2 kinds:

One is Attachment in relationship with a bias, and a closeness with the capacity to develop hatred. It is related to mental projection that is biased. It is possible to develop strong anger that is 90% not reality. So this closeness is not genuine but limited.

The second Compassion is warm heartedness and will influence our health for bad or good. Genuine compassion is unbiased; it is respect of a Human Being and not mixed with attachment. Your compassion can continue no matter what others do or what they believe in. Use sound reasons and develop a mental attitude of unbiased love and with effort and common sense you can maintain compassion.

God means infinite love. Every human action should be with respect to others and then individual differences can be handled easily.

We are born with the seed of compassion.

Pay attention to compassion in everyday life!

Then there were questions that he was asked. Here is one.

What can I do to develop Peace in my life?

Answer:

His Holiness cited an 18^{th century manuscript.}

If one tries to control his entire external circumstances that are hostile - it is impossible. However, taking care of one's own tendency toward anger and hostility will serve the same purpose.
So take care of you, of your own experience with anger and other feelings. Like an ocean's waves - emotions come and go - but the bottom of the ocean stays calm. An individual can have this basic state of remaining calm.

The humbleness of this man is summed up in his last remarks,"So if there is any individual who really feels these points that I have spoken of today -make sense, then make some effort and put these into your life.

Those people who feel they are not much use - then forget, no problem!"