Reflections on hearing His Holiness the Dalai Lama speak

I was privileged yesterday to get an opportunity to hear His Holiness the Dalai Lama speak at the University of Northern Iowa. I got a lot out of the experience and want to do some reflecting on it here.

One thing that has always struck me about His Holiness is that he exudes such joy and hope. In person this absolutely holds true. This is a man who has seen an awful lot in his life and has every reason to be less than optimistic about human nature, yet he is full of joy and optimism. His point of view is striking and lovely. He understands that we give violence power by having the perception that we live in a violent world when a vast majority of the 6 billion people on earth are not violent people. His view on violence does not come out of naivety, he knows first hand both the price of violence and non-violence. If this man who has seen the atrocity of China taking his country of Tibet can be committed to non-violence than we all can be.

His Holiness' respect for all people is a challenge to all of us. He points out that before anything else we are human, everything else is secondary. He is absolutely right that we go wrong when we lose that fact and let those secondary things keep us from being the human family.

I was impressed by his discussion on ethics and how ethics are essential to our world. Though religious ethics are great and where he himself gets his ethical ground, he makes the great point that one can be ethical without a religious background.

I'm spurred on by his commitment to interfaith dialogue. Not only does he speak of
interfaith dialogue but it is clear he lives it. I was greatly taken by the diversity of the group of people who came to see him speak. That says a lot about not only the man but about what he has to say.

When he speaks the things he says are not complicated but they are striking. It was a great experience to see him and that is something I have wanted to do for a long time. If you have never read any of his many books I highly recommend them. The Art of Happiness is very accessible and a good place to start.