A Visual Journey Through Dalai Lama Visit

Journalism 201 Honors students captured the week in photos as the campus celebrated the visit by His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. Enjoy their story.

On Miami's Stage, He Urges Compassion, Peace

By Jack Nelson and Rachel Petri

After months of anticipation, His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, made himself comfortable Oct. 21 on the stage of Millett Hall at Miami University before a crowd of 10,000 people.

Sporting a bright red visor with Miami’s block “M” and sitting on a couch with a very relaxed demeanor, the Dalai Lama at one point took off his shoes.


Occasionally speaking through an interpreter, he talked about how compassion for others is one of the most important facets of human life, and how being compassionate can help a person be healthier in mind, body, and spirit.

“We all want to achieve happiness,” said His Holiness. “It can’t come from outside, but must come from our own minds. If you have a healthy mind, you have a healthy body.”

Inside Millett, the crowd of mainly students was attentive and quiet as the Dalai Lama softly spoke – they almost seemed to strain to hear each word. Until the question and answer session in the last half hour, the crowd remained virtually motionless with few people leaving their seats.

The Dalai Lama also spoke at length about the dangers of not receiving affection and compassion.

“When you are surrounded by people who show no affection, you get suspicious - stress, anxiety, fear,” His Holiness said. “This leads to bad health… Community must be regarded as the basis of one’s own happy future. That will bring inner peace… genuine cooperation leads to genuine friendship, which leads to genuine trust. However, a self-centered attitude leads to distance, then distrust and fear.

In the Voice of Students...

“The Dalai Lama is a great spiritual leader and a model human being. I am so glad he can come to Miami to share his life experiences and wisdom with us.”
Justin Mills, junior psychology major




"I’m interested in hearing what he has to say. I've heard him before and he speaks very well and with a lot of knowledge about world affairs, so it would be nice to get his perspective. Also I’m quite interested in hearing what he has to say about the Chinese issue."
Chanil De Silva, sophomore finance major"


"I was hoping to gain a better view on other cultures and it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience to hear someone speak that is such an influential leader in the world."
Lauren Schnaith, freshman early childhood education major






“The Dalai Lama is a wonderful embodiment of peace and kindness. I find it interesting how on a campus so materialistic his presence still causes a stir. Students are so excited about his visit that I sometimes refer to the event as a ‘J-Crew sale’. We should get him a Miami North Face to take back to Tibet.”
Ben Wood, sophomore pre-communication major


"I want to gain a better understanding of the Dalai Lama's role as both head of state and the spiritual leader of Tibet, and what his views are on the ethics of today's world and how they have transformed."
Maggie McGrath, freshman business economics major



"Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get tickets because of its popularity. However, I hope to hear the experiences of my peers and hopefully learn more from them."
Sarah Bullock, senior exercise science major




"I'm going to see him because I have to for a class. I would not have bought a ticket if I didn't have to. I hope he leaves me with good advice though, maybe a better understanding of life."
Stacie Testaguzza, junior creative writing major




"I think that it is an amazing and rare opportunity for the students at Miami University. I believe that every person could learn something from hearing him speak because he is such an influential political figure."
Courtney Voegele, sophomore pre-communication major

Interviews conducted by Ron Albritton, a sophomore pre-journalism and creative writing double major.

Travels of the Dalai Lama

By Lauren Ceronie

The Dalai Lama will be traveling from the West to East Coasts of the United States and Canada this October.  Here is where he has been and where he is going after leaving Oxford October 21. Click on each location for details.  


View dalai lama in a larger map

An Honorary Degree for Tibetan Spiritualist

By Jessica Sink

Miami University President David Hodge presented His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama with an honorary Doctorate of Laws degree Thursday morning in front of an audience of about 500 students and faculty at Hall Auditorium. 

The event preceded an afternoon speech with a 10,000-person audience at Millett Hall.

At the morning ceremony, Hodge said, “We are honored to welcome his Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to Miami University and recognize his struggle to promote cultural understanding.”

The spiritual leader of Tibet was then presented with the international Harry T. Wilks Leadership Award, an award presented by Wilks himself.

“Today we want to honor a man who has tried to bring peace, understanding and compassion to various cultures, races and religions,” said Wilks, a retired Hamilton attorney and philanthropist whose funded a Miami conference center and lecture series that bear his name.

Class or Global Figure's Speech?

By Annie Srsen

While the Dalai Lama’s visit to Miami on Oct. 21 means a significant, globally known religious leader will be on campus, his speech is scheduled in the middle of the afternoon - a time conflicting with many students’ classes.

Since Miami President David Hodge did not cancel classes across the university for the sold-out event, the decision to cancel or excuse student absences was left up to professors.

Many students with Thursday afternoon classes said while their professors did not cancel, they openly told students they realized many seats would be empty. More than 10,000 tickets to the event were sold - the majority purchased by students.

In contrast, Comparative Religions Professor Peter Williams canceled both his Thursday afternoon classes. The philosophy behind his decision related not only to the religious significance of the Dalai Lama, but also the Tibetan leader's political importance in the world.

Williams said he would have canceled class had a religious leader of similar magnitude from another affiliation visited campus. But he also said he believes such global-impact talks offer students the opportunity to broaden their cultural horizons.

“Recent polls have demonstrated the remarkable ignorance of Americans on religious matters, and the chance for both Miami students and others from the Oxford area to become aware of the importance of religion in today's world is an opportunity that seldom comes our way, and one of which we should take advantage,” said Williams.

Kara McSweeney, a sophomore Zoology major and a student in Williams' Religion 101: American Religious Encounters class, agreed.

“I think it was a good idea to cancel class,'' said McSweeney, but "whether or not that will encourage students to go to the speech, I'm not sure.”

McSweeney called the 14th Dalai Lama's visit to campus an amazing opportunity.

"Not canceling class is making students have to choose between this amazing opportunity, and missing information that could be important for exams and important concepts,” she said.

Annie Srsen is a sophomore strategic communications major.

In His Own Words

Inspirational quotes from His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama, compiled by Lindsey Gooch.

On Peace:

“Compassion, forgiveness, these are the real, ultimate sources of power for peace and success in life.”

“If an individual has a calm state of mind, that person's attitudes and views will be calm and tranquil even in the presence of great agitation.”

“One of the secrets of inner peace is the practice of compassion.”

“The greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being.”

“Peace, in the sense of the absence of war, is of little value to someone who is dying of hunger or cold. It will not remove the pain of torture inflicted on a prisoner of conscience. It does not comfort those who have lost their loved ones in floods caused by senseless deforestation in a neighboring country. Peace can only last where human rights are respected, where the people are fed, and where individuals and nations are free.”

On Patience:

“Who provides the opportunity to cultivate patience? Not our friends. Our enemies give us the most crucial chances to grow.”

Message of Hope, as Dalai Lama Accepts Award

In Cincinnati Wednesday, the Dalai Lama delivered a message of hope to Americans who have been battered by a tough economy as he accepted a national award, according to Cincinnati Enquirer reporter John Johnston.

"This is a great nation. So you need self-confidence," he said to a sold-out audience of 1,300 at the Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati.  "There's no reason to feel hopelessness."

The 75-year-old exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader spoke after being honored by the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center with its International Freedom Conductor Award.

Read the full story in The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Mystical Arts of Tibet: Sacred Music, Sacred Dance

On Oct. 19, the monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery performed ancient temple music and dance at Hall Auditorium as part of festivities leading up to the 14th Dalai Lama's visit. They also played traditional Tibetan instruments.

The monks are endorsed by the Dalai Lama as a means of promoting world peace and healing through sacred performing arts, according to their website.

The Drepung Loseling monks were featured on the Golden Globe-nominated soundtrack of Seven Years in Tibet, starring Brad Pitt. They performed with Philip Glass in the live presentation of his Academy Award-nominated music/score for the film Kundun.

On previous U.S. tours, the monks have shared the stage with Paul Simon, Sheryl Crow, Patti Smith, the Beastie Boys and Natalie Merchant.

Miami University junior Abigail Smith, a junior marketing and strategic communication double major, was there Oct. 19 to capture the images of their performance. Check out Smith's images in a slide show below, edited by Erin Kenney, a sophomore business economics major.

World's Apart: A Look into Tibetan Buddhism

By Kirsten Graffeo and Elise Sexton

• 6% of the world practices Buddhism
• There are about 360 million practitioners of Buddhism
• China, Thailand, and Vietnam are the three countries with the highest Buddhist population in the world
• Tibetan Buddhism makes up 6% of the entire Buddhist community
• 56% of Buddhists are followers of the Mahayana branch
• Today’s Tibetan region is now half the size it used to be
• Source: 2007 report from Buddhist Tourism, a New Delhi agency

Once the center of Tibetan Buddhism, southwestern China’s Tibetan region is now the center of worldwide controversy. Its inhabitants claim that the region is autonomous of China and they prefer to adhere to their own practice of the religion.

Despite the current controversy, Buddhism has deep roots in the area, going as far back as 173 A.D. Buddhism is divided into four different schools of thought, each based on different teachings, but they encourage community between all, according to ReligionFacts.com, an unaffiliated online encyclopedia of religion information.

The youngest and largest school is the School of the Virtuous, or the Yellow Hats, of which the Dalai Lama is a follower and leader.

Every school teaches the four basic truths, says Elizabeth Wilson, professor of comparative religion at Miami University of Ohio.

• The first two truths teach that life is suffering or bitter, and that the cause of this unhappiness is people trying to hold onto things that are not permanent.
• The last two truths explain that life does not have to be dissatisfying because nirvana can be reached through a path of meditation and morality.

Adherents of the religion desire to reach nirvana, a final state of bliss and contentment in which there is no longer a need for reincarnation, Wilson says.

FAQ @ The Dalai Lama and Tibetan History

By Lindsey Gooch, Matt Ciccone and Matt Fitzgerald

What does “Dalai Lama” mean?
The word “Dalai Lama” is a combination of the Mongolian and Tibetan languages. The word “Dalai” means “Ocean” in Mongolian, while the word “Blama” (Pronounced with a silent ‘b’) is Tibetan for chief or high priest.  Of this was born the title Dalai Lama, and since then the word “Lama” is used in general Tibetan culture for the title of Buddhist teachers.  The title was bestowed upon the second Dalai Lama, Sonam Gytaso, by the Mongolian leader Altan Khan.

Who is His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama?
A Buddhist leader of followers of the Gelug branch of Tibetan Buddhism. He is thought to be the latest reincarnation of a series of spiritual leaders who have chosen to be reborn or to enlighten others. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama was born Lhamo Thondup on July 6, 1935. His name was later changed to Tenzin Gyatso in 1940 when he was officially installed as the spiritual leader of Tibet.

How did he become the 14th Dalai Lama?
After the death of the 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso, the Tibetan government set up a search party to find the new incarnation of the Dalai Lama.

Ethics in the Sold-Out, Craigslist World

By Kevin Jacobson

Miami University’s tickets to see the Dalai Lama’s speech on Thursday sold out faster than anyone expected. This has prompted a number of the tickets - original price $5 for students - to be listed for sale on Craigslist.com.

Call it the 2,500 percent mark-up opportunity of a lifetime.

The highest price listed Tuesday on Craigslist was $250 for a pair of tickets. This posting came from a sophomore business major at Miami University.

In response to an e-mail inquiry about the tickets, the student responded, “$200 is the lowest I can go” for the pair, which originally cost the student all of $10.

Another post came from a junior environmental science major who was “looking for $100 per ticket."

Not everyone felt it necessary to take advantage of this opportunity profit from their tickets to a talk ironically titled “Ethics in the Modern World.” One respondent, who posted a wanted ad on Craigslist for tickets to the event, reported he only paid $20 per ticket. Another offered a ticket for $1, arguing, "Please, if you are going to ask for more (than $5), why not consider donating the excess to 'Free Tibet' ?"

According to Miami, “The resale of tickets is a violation of Miami’s ticketing policy and Miami University reserves the right to revoke resold tickets.”

Tickets to the Dalai Lama’s speech sold out shortly after they went on sale. The initial ticket offering Sept. 1 was to students, staff and faculty only, for $5 per ticket. A public ticket offering for $25 per ticket took place Sept. 29, and 411 tickets at $25 each were sold within 20 minutes, said Claire Wagner, associate director of university communications.

This prompted the university to offer a free live telecast of the speech at Hall Auditorium, as well as at each of the branch campuses.

Kevin Jacobson is a senior majoring in finance.

Constructing a Sand Mandala

By Alaine Perconti

Tibetan monks have traveled to Miami University to perform one of their important rituals, the construction of the sand mandala to bless campus and the people on it. 

A mandala is a Tibetan Buddhist tradition involving the pouring of sand into a circular design.  Each mandala is created to serve a certain purpose. At Miami University, the monks said the mandala’s purpose is to bring wisdom to the students and faculty.  

The construction process involves a ritual opening ceremony followed by the drawing of the lines.  The next step is the pouring of the sand into the design.  

The closing ceremony ends with the deconstruction of the mandala, and some of the sand is distributed to the audience.  The rest is spread into a flowing body of water to allow the healing powers to spread.

The monks are constructing the sand mandala in the great room of MacMillian Hall all week.  The finished mandala will be displayed from 11 a.m. to noon on Friday before the closing ceremony begins.  Anyone is welcome to observe the creation and closing ceremony.

Alaine Perconti, a sophomore journalism/marketing double major, has been photographically documenting the construction of the sand mandala. Enjoy Perconti's images in a slide show edited by Abigail Diss, sophomore journalism/history double major.
 

High Security at Dalai Lama Speech

By Courtney Day and Gabriel Grollmus
For The Miami Student

High security measures will be taken when the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet arrives at Miami University.

He is scheduled to speak to a sold out crowd in Millett Hall at 2 p.m. Thursday.

The 14th Dalai Lama is both head of state and spiritual leader of Tibet. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his leadership efforts in the non-violent struggle for the liberation of Tibet from China.

The appearance of such a notable religious figure has caused Miami to step up its security measures to ensure his safety.

"The security of the Dalai Lama is of highest priority and attendees will undergo a security screening, including metal detectors and purse searches," the university said in a message to ticket holders.

Read the entire story on The Miami Student website.

Gabriel Grollmus, a senior Technical and Scientific Communications major, is a student in Journalism 201 News Reporting and Writing I. He wrote much of this article for a class assignment.

Sand Mandalas by Buddhist Monks at MacMillan

Come see Buddhist monks create amazing sand mandalas at MacMillan Hall every day this week from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.!

Photo by Alaine Perconti, Class of 2013, Journalism/Marketing double major

Dalai Lama at Miami University

My old friend Bill Warren, a colleague and amazing photographer for The Ithaca Journal newspaper in New York, was the first to teach me about the Dalai Lama.

Bill's passion for chronicling the Dalai Lama - both during His Holiness's visits to a spiritual enclave outside Ithaca and in Dharamsala, India, the Dalai's home in exile - led him to publish a photographic and educational book, "Living Tibet: The Dalai Lama in Dharamsala," in 1995.

It has a foreword by the 14th Dalai Lama.

Bill and his co-author, Nanci Hoetzlein Rose, spent many months in Dharamsala reporting for the book. In fact, Bill was often granted long leaves from his corporate photographer job to travel to India and other spiritual corners of the world.

Here is one of my favorite photos from that book of a young boy, gazing through colorful banners imprinted with Buddhist prayers, as he watches Tibetan New Year festivities.

This Thursday, the 14th Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet, visits Miami University to talk to students about ethics in a modern world. His speech is sold out.

Members of my Journalism 201 Honor's course in basic news reporting and writing will be reporting on the event live on this blog.

Peace.