On the second anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the Dalai Lama will offer a public teaching at Washington National Cathedral on cultivating peace as an antidote to violence. His talk will serve as the heart of a devotional ceremony incorporating prayer and chant to transform mourning into positive action. The program is free and open to the public.
Below is the the description of the event from the Washington National Cathedral website:
A Teaching by His Holiness the Dalai Lama: Cultivating Peace as an Antidote to Violence
Thursday, September 11, 4 pm
The 11th September 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were deeply shocking and very sad. I regard such terrible destructive actions as acts of hatred, for violence is the result of destructive emotions. Events of this kind make clear that if we allow our human intelligence to be guided and controlled by negative emotions like hatred, the consequences are disastrous…. We need to appreciate that genuine peace comes about through mutual understanding, respect and trust. —His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Join the Bishop of Washington and others in welcoming the Dalai Lama of Tibet on His Holiness’s second visit to Washington National Cathedral. The Nobel Peace Laureate will offer a public teaching on generating compassion as an antidote to hatred. His talk will serve as the heart of a devotional ceremony incorporating prayer and chant to transform mourning into positive action. “There is a worldwide will to oppose terrorism,” says this leading advocate for nonviolence. “We can use this consensus to implement long-term preventive measures. This will ultimately be much more effective than taking dramatic and violent steps based on anger and other destructive emotions.”
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is the political and spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. Born July 6, 1935, in northeastern Tibet to a peasant family, His Holiness was recognized at the age of two, in accordance with Tibetan tradition, as the reincarnation of his predecessor the 13th Dalai Lama, and thus an incarnation of Avalokitesvara, the Buddha of Compassion. Forced into exile by the 1959 Chinese invasion of Tibet, he now resides in Dharamsala, India, as the leader of the Tibetan government in exile. He was awarded the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his lifelong commitment to nonviolence.
For those planning on attending the teaching with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Washington National Cathedral on September 11th at 4:00 pm, please be aware of the following:
- The service is free and open to the public. Seating will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.
- An entry line will begin at the Cathedral gatehouse on Wisconsin Avenue and head south.
- At approximately 1:00 pm the cathedral will close and prepare for seating and security. At 2:30 the doors will re-open and those in line will be escorted in.
- Overnight parking and assembly on the Cathedral grounds is prohibited.
- Due to limited parking, public transportation is recommended. The Cathedral will provide shuttle service to the Tenleytown Metro after the service.
- Photography during services at Washington National Cathedral is prohibited.
