Dalai Lama speaks at Boston's Fleet Center

Tibet's14th Dalai Lama spoke to a crowd of over 14,000 at Boston's Fleet Center Sunday regarding "The Global Community and the Need for Universal Responsibility".

His Holiness advocated tolerance and respect for a wide variety of traditions and religious faiths. He also used the forum to stress the importance of compassion and care for individuals.

Despite his extensive and impressive credentials, including the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize, His Holiness presented himself in a humble and modest fashion. Seated informally onstage in an armchair, Tufts freshman Peter Maher described the Dalai Lama as resembling "a little old grandfather sitting around telling stories".

During the speech, his Holiness denied having any "magical powers" and stressed the fundamental equality of all human beings. "We are the same human being: physically, mentally, emotionally," he said.

The Dalai Lama also said, "We pollute teachings of religion with negative emotions and attitudes. One tradition is not a solution, we need a variety of traditions, they all have the same potential to do good."

His Holiness' tireless work to restore Tibetan autonomy after the Chinese forcefully assumed control in 1950 exemplifies his patience, nonviolence, and perseverance.

He has made numerous appeals to the United Nations regarding the plight of his people as well as negotiating extensively with Chinese officials. He has also worked to develop a democratic Tibetan constitution, preserve Tibetan culture among refugees in India, and serve as an advocate for the human rights of Tibetans still in their native land.

The presence and the strength of his appearance were tangible in the arena as the masses in the stands and balconies rose to greet him with applause. At the request of introductory speaker John Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., the whole audience rose, placed their palms together, and bowed to greet His Holiness in traditional Tibetan fashion.

The Dalai Lama fielded questions about current world affairs following his speech. While discussing the immense damages of war, he also noted the positive change that a war can spearhead, citing the "civilization, democracy, and decency" that grew out of World War II. He said that it was too early to tell what the long-term implications of the war in Iraq would be, however.

Regarding enemies, he said, when negative emotion against them arises, "remind yourself that the other is an individual who wants to overcome suffering and find contentment. We should try to bring the importance of dialogue as a means of conflict resolution [to children] from a very early stage, in the schools." He emphasized that nonviolence is not solely the absence of violence but also involves concern and compassion for others.

Before the speech, dancers from the Tibetan Association of Boston and Nawang Khechog, a prominent Tibetan musician and composer, both performed.

The address was sponsored by the Mind and Life Institute at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which has worked with His Holiness since 1987 to explore the interrelationships between Western Science and Eastern Bhuddism. Before the speech, he had spent two days in dialogue with prominent scientists at MIT discussing the nature of the mind.

A wide variety of listeners attended the event, from Bhuddist monks to mothers with strollers to college kids in dreadlocks. The entrance was full of a colorful chaos of people distributing pamphlets on everything from presidential candidates to evangelical Christianity. The crowds and congestion in the ticket areas and T stop were, according to Maher, "worse than a Celtics game."

"He has this incredible warmth about him," said senior Mike Pollack, "there's a lot to be gained from the Bhuddist perspective of interrelatedness. You just left feeling really hopeful and positive about things. In a time where people are letting their destructive emotions gain ground, this was really important to me."