Alumni Bulletin - Fall 2008 - (Page 18)

Calling the 20th century “a century of war,” he said, “The 21st century should be a century of dialogue.” In his talk titled “Generating a Good Heart,” the Dalai Lama called on people to cultivate love and compassion in their own hearts, and to embrace nonviolence as the only way to ultimately solve problems in the world. The Dalai Lama, who turned 73 the weekend before he came to Lehigh, said the time is fast approaching for the next generation to inherit the world that his generation is leaving. He called on the younger generation to “achieve a happier world, a peaceful world, a compassionate world. That is very important. That is your responsibility. That is your future destiny.” The stage was set up with a couch in the center, where the Dalai Lama sat cross-legged as he spoke. He delivered his remarks in English, occasionally consulting with his principal translator, Thupten Jinpa of Montreal, who was seated next to him. The Dalai Lama said that war and violence may temporarily resolve conflicts, but they inevitably lead to more problems and more violence. The terrorists of the 21st century, he said, “are due to resentment cultivated in the 20th century or even before.” Long a voice for religious harmony, the Dalai Lama said there are what he called “mischievous people” in every religion, but that “a few mischievous people cannot represent whole systems or whole traditions. “Sometimes in the West, some [have the] impression that Islam, whole, is something militant. It’s totally wrong, unfair. Therefore, since Sept. 11, I try to reach out to Muslim brothers and sisters,” he said, noting that Tibet has a long history of Buddhists and Muslims co-existing that dates back to the 5th Dalai Lama providing land to build a mosque. In what was termed “a moment of gathering” at the beginning of the event, Lloyd Steffen, the professor of religion studies and university chaplain who organized a year of academic events on Lehigh’s campus leading up to the Dalai Lama’s appearance, noted that the theme for the event was “Listen, Learn, Love.” “These words have guided us in all we have done to prepare for this event,” Steffen said. “These words guide us today.” Daniel E. Smith Jr. ’71, chairman of the Lehigh University board of trustees, then welcomed the Dalai Lama to Lehigh. “Your Holiness, we offer you our friendship, our thanks for your presence among us today, and our gratitude for all you do to make this world a better place. A home for us all. A home for peace,” Smith said. After Gast introduced the Dalai Lama as “one of the most revered spiritual leaders in the world” and “the exemplar of our mission” as a university, His Holiness rose to speak. He placed his hands together and bowed, as the applause steadily grew, culminating in a standing ovation. Following the lecture, Gast presented the Dalai Lama with an honorary doctorate of humane letters degree from Lehigh. Provost Mohamed ElAasser read the formal citation, which lauded the Dalai Lama “for all you have done in the adventure of your life, a simple monk and global citizen, as leader of your beloved Tibetan people,” and as a champion for human rights and peace. The Dalai Lama’s playful wit was on exhibit once again as he accepted the honorary degree, which he joked was “a high degree, without much study.” But as he concluded, he offered an eloquent summary of his life’s work. “Until my death, until my last breath, my life is dedicated for service to humanity of this world.” The Sunday afternoon event had a distinctly different feel—more of a traditional university event—than the other five-and-a-half days of the Dalai Lama’s visit, which were dedicated strictly to teachings on Tsong-kha-pa’s 600-year-old The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment: Lam Rim Chen Mo. For example, instead of the ceremony beginning with monks chanting sutras, the Dalai Lama processed into Stabler to the strains of the New York Philharmonic’s recording of Aaron “This kind of thing certainly puts Lehigh on the map, not just locally, but beyond. I don’t think anybody came away from this disappointed.” —Ollie Foucek ’72, ’05P, ’09P 18 LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN

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Alumni Bulletin - Fall 2008 Contents From the President's Desk Mailbox On Campus Research Arts & Culture Sports Cover Story: The Dalai Lama at Lehigh Heart of a Champion Around the World in 80 Years Fighting for Children wth Autism Keepers of the Flame From the Publisher's Desk Alumni News The Last Word

Alumni Bulletin - Fall 2008

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