Nothing but the Start

The Dalai Lama greeted the crowd. (John Tlumacki)

The 14^th Dalai Lama is adorable.  Absolutely, incredibly, giddily adorable.  He turns 74 this July, but he seems nothing close to that age.  He smiles broadly, he chuckles and laughs, he takes his time greeting people individually.  He walked easily onto the stage in the center of Gillette Stadium on Saturday and sat cross-legged before 15,000 people.  And what was just as heartwarming as the Dalai Lama was the fact that so many different people came to the event – that there were full families in attendance, including many small children in Tibetan garb, and everyone looked like they wanted to be there.  The event raised $440,373 to establish a Tibetan Heritage Center in Boston.  I can’t wait to go.

For the first half of his talk, the Dalai Lama sported a brand new, bright red Patriot’s hat.  It was funny.  What is lovely about him is that he doesn’t seem to take anything too seriously.  He is a spiritual leader and everyone around him acts with appropriate formality (bowing, eyes down, etc), but he carries on like a regular guy – showing everyone respect of course, which might not be that regular in this day and age.  To the fact that people think that he has miracle powers, that he is godlike, that he can heal, he said, “It is nonsense!  I am nothing.  I am just a human being, just like you.  We are the same.”  He is not about himself.  He is about his message of ethics, compassion, warmheartedness, and interfaith harmony.

Some things discussed:

• Those people who received much affection at the beginning of life easily show compassion throughout life, and their emotional and physical state is warm.  They have peace of mind.  Those who lacked attention when young remain cold.
• When we look at the world with a wide mind, even our singular problems begin to seem smaller.  Broad view, open mind.  A narrow view keeps us focused on a singular problem which becomes big because it is the only thing we see.  But when we open our mind wide, we see more and gain perspective.
• Tibetan saying: The place where you feel comfortable and happy, that is your home.  The person who shows you kindness, that is your parent.
• Individual happiness is wrapped up in the community.  A community that has hatred and fear of one another is of no benefit to the individual.  Anger begets more anger.  Violence begets violence.  Likewise, compassion leads to more compassion.  What can one person do to change the world?  Act with compassion in your daily life.
• Compassion must take place at the individual level first, then the community level, then it can occur at a global level.
• There is a close connection between body health and mental state.  The practice of compassion and a realistic view leads to peace of mind which leads to physical health.
• His advice to those in the modern world, particularly those who are young, is to pay more attention to the inner experience, the inner world, rather than the sensory/outer experience.
• When asked how Americans can help Tibet in its struggle, the Dalai Lama replied “Visit.”  (I want to.)

Dalai Lama sports a Patriots cap given to him by Robert Kraft (Keith Nordstrom)

As I was waiting in line to get my ticket taken and my bag searched to enter the stadium, the woman in the line on my right was also getting her bag searched and the searcher saw a pack of cigarettes.  The ticket taker then pleaded with the owner of the cigarettes to stop smoking.  It was very kind hearted and the owner of the cigarettes took it well.  She knew smoking is bad for her.  (And really, who brings a pack of cigarettes to see the Dalai Lama?)  Anyway, on one hand it was nice of this ticket taker to show concern about another person’s – a stranger’s welfare.  I mean, everyone knows that cigarettes are bad for you and if it is this one little exchange that got the woman to stop smoking, then great.  And yet, I was also a little put off about this intrusion.  Whose business is it for someone to rummage through someone else’s bag and then comment on what is in there?

I walked down to my seat.  It’s close to the stage so I’m psyched. It’s the second one in from the aisle and I have a clear view of where the Dalai Lama is going to sit.  Then this big beefy guy comes and sits down in the aisle seat next to me, and the plastic folding chairs are all tied together and he obviously doesn’t fit.  But he has the aisle to kind of hang out in and the seat to my left is free.  So all is good.  But not for long.  No, the boyfriend of the girl to my left comes and sits between us.  He is equally beefy and apparently doesn’t care that his leg and upper body spills over onto my chair.

I clearly understand that getting annoyed in this type of situation only makes matters worse.  I can either decide to say or do something to change the situation or I can change my attitude.  Getting all crazy and upset but not doing anything about it is just a waste of lifetime.  Often, the choice I make is to not to be crazy and upset.

Waiting for the Dalai Lama to appear while squished between two big guys (one who was convulsively shaking his leg against mine) and behind a row of women talking about their quest for enlightenment while wearing the latest D&G sunglasses is certainly a personal test.  The test continued through the Dalai Lama’s talk.  And the funny thing about tests like that is, it enhanced experience.  Right there, on the spot, I was given the opportunity to practice acceptance and compassion.