The Spirit Moved Him
Tenzin Gyatso’s status as one of theworld’s most revered spiritual leadersdidn’t keep him from having fun.
In June, eight months after canceling aBoulder visit due to ill health, His Holinessthe 14th Dalai Lama appeared in the cityfor the first time in nearly two decades,gamely donning a bicycle helmet and gold and-black Colorado visor presented to himand responding in kind after a fanflashedthe sign-language gesture for love.
“Of course these days I am too old tobike,” he said, chuckling, after receivingthe helmet at the first of two CU Boulderappearances in the Coors Events Center.“When I was young I used to bike.”
Helmet in place, the Dalai Lama, then80 and now 81, posed in his maroon-and-yellowrobes for a picture with BoulderMayor Suzanne Jones, who’d offered it.
Nearly 18,000 people came to campusto behold the well-traveled Tibetan Buddhistspiritual leader, who had recentlymet with President Obama in Washingtonand was on the cusp of a meetingwith Lady Gaga in Indianapolis.
More than two years in the making,the highly anticipated Boulder visit,originally scheduled for Oct. 20-21, 2015,gave the Dalai Lama a chance to communewith devoted admirers in a cityfull of them. It allowed CU affiliates andguests to behold and — for some — tointeract with a world- historical figure.
“She’s talked about how great he ismy whole life, so now it’s my turn tosee for myself with her,” said ShivaniDixit (MCDBio’19) of Superior, Colo.,who attended the event with her mother,Swati Deshpande.
The visit was arranged by the CUStudent Government Association, theCU Boulder Cultural Events Board and theTibetan Association of Colorado (TAC).
In remarks at a morning prayer sessionand afternoon talk the Dalai Lamatouched on favored themes of compassion,mindfulness and self-examination,spreading palpable delight throughoutthe sweltering arena with frequent burstsof his own joyful chuckling.
“Your wisdom, your compassion isyour best friend, best adviser, best protector,”he said.
Both sessions can be watched at .
At lunch the Dalai Lama dined withstudents, faculty and Chancellor Philip P.DiStefano, and exchanged reminiscenceswith CU scientist Tom Cech. Both wonNobel Prizes in 1989, in physics andpeace, respectively.
It was in the morning that MayorJones presented the helmet. It didn’t takethe Dalai Lama long to make a symbol ofit: His new headgear represented the armornecessary to get through the difficultjourney of life, he said.
In the afternoon Chancellor DiStefanogave him a gold visor with “Colorado”emblazoned in black letters, which theDalai Lama wore for much of the session.
He took many questions from theaudience. Few were easy.
“Could you share with us, ‘What isthe purpose of human life?’” one questionerasked.
“What would you advise a young personto do to spread love and happiness andkindness in the world?” asked another.
“Have you ever achieved ultimatehappiness, and, if so, can you tell us whatit’s like?” a third wondered.
“When we talk about ultimate happiness,”the Dalai Lama replied througha translator, “there are a lot of steps togo through.”
(Mainly he directly addressed theaudience in English.)
On a blazing hot June day, fans showedout in force — students in T-shirts, parentswith small children, monks in robes,executives in suits.
Geshe Sherab, who wore monk’s robeslike the Dalai Lama’s, said he’d seenhim many times in Nepal, India andelsewhere, but traveled to Boulder fromSanta Fe, N.M., to see him again anyway.
Matthew Sadeik (Neuro’18) rushedover to Coors after a long morning class,marveling over the spectacle he wasabout to witness.
“The guest speaker programs are actuallymy favorite part about college,” he said.
Martha Gordge Kenny (EPOBio’94), silver peace sign earringsswinging from her earlobes, came fromLouisville, Colo., with her husband anddaughter. Some of their extended familyperformed in traditional Tibetan dancespreceding the Dalai Lama’s remarks.
“Peaceis the most important thing wecan have!” she said.
Photos by Glenn Asakawa (top),Cliff Grassmick/Daily Camera (right)