Ann Arbor, USA - The Dalai Lama issued a ringing call for religious tolerance Saturday, on the second day of his visit to the University of Michigan, saying the Buddhist emphasis on compassion and mindfulness would help people of all faiths.
"I've always believed that all different traditions have the same potential to bring inner peace and inner value," the Dalai Lama told 7,300 people at Crisler Arena. "Therefore, it is important to keep one's own tradition. Even the Buddha himself taught different views and concepts to his own followers.
"In my case, I learn more about Islam, about Christianity, about Judaism mainly through personal contact," he said. "My admiration, my genuine respect for those traditions grows. So, similarly the non-Buddhist people know more about Buddhism, mentally and emotionally you will feel something familiar. So it is useful."
He asserted this broad-based spirituality at the beginning of three, two-hour instructions that began Saturday and continue Sunday, on the basic tenets of Tibetan Buddhism, which the Dalai Lama entitled, "Engaging Wisdom and Compassion." The lectures set out what is called the Buddha dharma, the path of practice, behavior and discipline of one's mind that Buddhists believe leads to enlightenment. About 7,300 people attended the morning session, but by the time the afternoon session started, it appeared the crowd was about a third smaller.
The Dalai Lama was in a light-hearted mood as he delivered his lesson, often poking fun at his own comments -- "I was to do homework, but too lazy!" Engendering laughter from the throng that had gathered to hear him.
Monks in traditional saffron and crimson robes were arrayed on the stage in front of him, sitting in the meditative, legs-folded position on prayer cushions. The monks recited and chanted Sutras, sayings considered sacred by Buddhists.
Interest in the Dalai Lama's visit is intense. Buddhist leaders and others in Ann Arbor had extended the invitation to His Holiness 15 years ago, and worked feverishly in recent years to secure and organize his appearance.
The events, three lessons and a lecture Sunday on the environment that will tackle sustainability were sold out weeks ago. Tickets were available on the Internet and reached as much as $450.
"I'm here to see the Dalai Lama because I am interested to learn more about compassion and wisdom," said Sharon Havis of Farmington Hills. "I know to me, that is what I need to work on: to be more compassionate to myself and others. And that's what I want to learn today."
"I think he's got a lot to say that really speaks to me personally as a Buddhist and just living in general," said Michael Canella of Berkley. "Buddhism is to me about spiritual awareness and to me the Dalai Lama is a great man and I appreciate him coming out to speak to people. It can be difficult sometimes to keep my own personal momentum, and the purpose of the community in Buddhism is to help me push through that."
As the Dalai Lama spoke, a group of about 15 Chinese students stood outside of Crisler Arena, a far smaller number than the hundreds who are expected to attend Sunday. They said they were demonstrating for peace in Tibet, where violent protests against Chinese rule sparked last month and Chinese troops were sent to crack down on the Tibetans in the most vigorous flaring of tensions in the area since 1959.
The demonstrators displayed signs saying, 'Stop ethnic hatred, we want unity' and 'Stop anti-China, we want friendship. Tibet was, is, always will be part of China.' "
"We're having this rally mainly to support the Beijing Olympics and to protest the violent behavior that has occurred in the last few days against the Olympic torch relay and the political interference against the Olympics," said Lian Zhang, 26, a doctoral candidate in electrical engineering at the University of Michigan.
Zhang and other demonstrators said they did not consider their appearance a protest against the Dalai Lama, and that they share many of his views about compassion, love and the autonomy of Tibet. But they decried Tibetan separatists and the violence.
Later the number of protesters grew to 50.
On Friday, at a news conference, the Dalai Lama reiterated that Buddhism does not foster violence. But, he said, he "understands the frustration" of the Tibetans.
"No, I don't blame the Dalai Lama for this," Zhang said of the violence. "We hope our rally can be a bridge of understanding between East and West."
Inside the arena, the Dalai Lama lectured on the nature of suffering and the constant change in life, which Buddhists and other Eastern thinkers call "impermanence" and how a mind disciplined through practices like meditation is able to better cope with both phenomena.
Signifying the serenity and bliss that are among the goals of Buddhist practice, the Dalai Lama began speaking by saying, "Indeed, I am very happy."
After greeting his audience in English, the Dalai Lama switched to Tibetan to provide what is essentially the catechism of his faith. He spoke in five-to-10 minute sequences before a translator then delivered the remarks.
The three lectures on compassion and wisdom are sequential and intended to provide increasingly intensive instruction on Buddhism, over the two days.
In an era where fundamentalism in different faiths is stressing a confining view of spiritual pursuits, the Dalai Lama said, a true knowledge of the Buddhist traditions is essential.
"Under such circumstances, the effort to produce harmony among different understandings is essential, and therefore it is helpful to know what is Buddhism and what is available in this approach," he said.