Tibetan leader speaks on religion, culture at San Francisco event
By Momo Chang, CORRESPONDENT
SAN FRANCISCO — After discussing the intricacies of the mind with students and scientists at Stanford, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, on Sunday focused on the importance of culture and religion in a speech to some
3,500 Tibetan and Mongolian Buddhists.
The spiritual leader always makes an effort to visit and speak with local Tibetans and other Buddhists from the Himalayan regions. Many at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium sat cross-legged on the ground, as sitting below him is considered a sign of deference to the spiritual leader.
“He’s everything to us. To see him in person is a very, very special moment,” said Chime Llamo, president of the Tibetan Association of Northern California and organizer of the event. “Almost every Tibetan has his picture on their altar.”
A large mural of the Potala Palace, the Dalai Lama’s winter palace in Llasa, Tibet, served as a backdrop — and a reminder of his homeland before he fled to India in 1959. Almost all the audience members were of Tibetan and Mongolian heritage, many of whom sought exile in countries like India, Nepal and Bhutan before moving to the United States.
“Whenever he’s in the U.S., Tibetans in the U.S. will make an effort to see him,” said Kalsang Tashi, a 25-year-old from Berkeley and a member of the Tibetan Youth Congress. Some people traveled from Portland, Ore., and Los Angeles to hear him speak. the need to maintain culture and religion but that it is “not a matter of keeping it a possession.”
To become a “21st-century Buddhist,” he said that individuals should not only practice the physical and verbal acts of the religion, such as chanting mantras and prostrating, but think actively about what being a Buddhist means in today’s world.
“The effort of transforming the mind is more important but more difficult,” he said.
“It is a great opportunity for me to meet with the local Tibetan community and our Mongolian brothers and sisters,” he said. About a third of the audience members were of Mongolian descent.
The two countries share a history, with many Mongolians traveling to Tibetan monasteries to study Buddhism.
An estimated 3,000 Mongolian Americans live in Northern California, said Dorj Luvsanjamba, vice president of the Mongolian Community group. “This is a religious and cultural event for people to have a chance to see His Holiness.” The speech was broadcast live to a television station in Mongolia.
The Dalai Lama emphasized the need for Tibetans to pass on traditions, including religion, language and customs, to the younger generation.
Tenzin Dolma, 20, said thespeech inspired her to relearn Tibetan. She used to speak Tibetan fluently but said it was difficult to maintain since her family members are the only Tibetans living in Fremont, as far as they know. They
moved from India five years ago.
“It’s a really good message to keep your language, your customs and your traditions,” she said. “It’s something we all know but forget sometimes.”
Pamela Tatz, a junior at Berkeley High School, said she takes a lot of what the Dalai Lama says to heart.
“It’s things you sort of think about, but he makes things that are complicated sound easy, simple and clear,” said Tatz, whose mother is Tibetan. She said each time after she hears him speak, she searches for readings about Tibetan history, the Dalai Lama and Buddhist teachings.
The spiritual leader ended his speech reminding the audience to be at peace, but not to be complacent.
“It’s important that everyone has a basic degree of serenity and calmness, and underneath that, a strong sense of alertness, courage, confidence and strength,” he concluded.
The Dalai Lama travels to Washington, D.C., this week, where he will speak at the Society for Neuroscience conference. The talk has become controversial since more than 500 brain researchers have signed a petition urging the society to cancel the lecture on grounds that the Dalai Lama’s views on meditation and mindfulness have no basis in science.
