Chicago, Illinois, USA, 17 July 2011 - On July 17th
His Holiness the Dalai Lama left Washington, D.C. for Chicago in the
morning. On his arrival in Chicago, he was received by the President of
Theosophical Society of America, Mr. Tim Boyd, Mrs. Nina Schroeder,
Executive Producer of the Visit Host Committee, leaders of the Tibetan
Alliance of Chicago, and a representative of the Consulate of India in
Chicago.
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| His Holiness the Dalai lama with Illinois Governor Pat Quinn in Chicago on July 17, 2011. Photo/Richard Shay |
In the afternoon, His Holiness left for the
University of Illinois in Chicago, the venue of his public talk on
“Bridging the Faith Divide.” Mr. Tim Boyd, President of the Theosophical
Society in America, welcomed him. His Holiness first greeted some
benefactors of the event and was greeted by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn.
His Holiness and the Governor spent some time together before His
Holiness went on the stage.
Prior to His Holiness’ arrival on the stage, young
members of the Tibetan Alliance of Chicago performed a song, Aa Ka Ma,
referring to the three letters seen by the Regent of Tibet in a vision
at Lhamo Latso (Lake) while searching for clues to the reincarnation of
the 13th Dalai Lama. These led to the eventual finding of the present
14th Dalai Lama.
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| Jennifer Beals introduces the
InterFaith ARTreach Collaboration before His Holiness the Dalai Lama's
talk in Chicago on July 17, 2011. Photo/Richard Shay |
Thereafter,
American actress Jennifer Beals introduced the InterFaith ARTreach
Collaboration. This initiative resulted in the production of icons by
organizations belonging to different religious tradition as their
representation of the symbolism of the 12 of the world’s religions.
Altogether 200 people worked on these sculptors.
Theosophical Society President Tim Boyd next took the stage to
introduce His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He gave the history of the
relationship between His Holiness and the society. He recalled His
Holiness visiting the Society’s headquarters in Adyar in southern India
in 1956 and later in 1959. President Boyd read His Holiness’ impression
of his visit to the Theosophical Society’s headquarters in 1956 found
in his book,” Toward a True Kinship of Faiths.” His Holiness wrote,
“Looking back to this trip in 1956, I realize that my visit to the
Theosophical Society in Chennai (then Madras) left a powerful
impression. There I was first directly exposed to people, and to a
movement, that attempted to bring together the wisdom of the world’s
spiritual traditions as well as science. I felt among the members a
sense of tremendous openness to the world’s great religions and a
genuine embracing of pluralism.
“When I returned to Tibet in 1957, after more than three months in
what was a most amazing country for a young Tibetan monk, I was a
changed man. I could no longer live in the comfort of an exclusivist
standpoint that takes Buddhism to be the only true religion.”
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Theosophical Society President Tim Boyd introduces His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Chicago on July 17, 2011. Photo/Richard Shay
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President Boyd called His Holiness one of the
greatest people on earth and that the greatness has been earned with
qualities that make us all human. He then invited His Holiness on the
stage.
His Holiness first presented Khatas formally to Governor Quinn
(giving another to him saying it was for his wife), Jennifer Beals and
President Boyd.
In his address, His Holiness talked about his admiration of the
Theosophical Society recalling his visits to its headquarters in India.
He said he was happy to be speaking at the Society’s event in Chicago, a
city that also witnessed the speech by Indian interfaith leader Swami
Vivekananda at the Parliament of the World's Religions (in 1893).
His Holiness then told the gathering about how glad he was to learn
from Governor Quinn that Illinois State has abolished the death penalty.
Saying he was a signatory of Amnesty International’s campaign to
abolish the death penalty, His Holiness said that most religions believe
a distinction needs to be made between the sinner and the sin. While
the sin has to be opposed, the sinner needs forgiveness, he said.
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| His Holiness the Dalai Lama
speaking during his public talk "Bridging the Faith Divide" in Chicago
on July 17, 2011. Photo/Richard Shay |
His
Holiness said that at different times different teachers have
highlighted the wonderful spirituality, the message of harmony. He said
it was understandable when there was conflict over money or power, but
conflict over religion was not understandable because the very purpose
of religion was to create inner peace. He added that most conflicts in
the name of religion are actually not based on religious faith but
because of power and money.
His Holiness said most of the misunderstandings over religion is on
account of the lack of awareness. He cited his own experience to
substantiate this. He said when he was in Tibet, he used to feel that
his religion, Buddhism, was the best religion and that other religions
were “so so.” He added that it was only after coming over to India and
interacting with people of other traditions, like the late Thomas Merton
and Mother Teresa, that he has come to appreciate the significance of
all faiths. He recalled his conversation with Islamic scholars who said
the accurate definition of Jihad was attacking one’s own destructive
emotion.
His Holiness said all religions promoted the same practice of love,
forgiveness, tolerance, self-discipline, moral principle, truth and
justice. He said there was philosophical difference among religions,
pointing out that all major religious traditions could be divided into
two categories: theistic and non-theistic religions.
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His Holiness the Dalai Lama during his public talk at the University of Illinois Chicago on July 17, 2011.
Photo/Richard Shay |
His Holiness then
highlighted the need for several religious traditions in this world. He
said the concept of One Religion, One Truth may seem contradicting with
the concept of Several Religions, Several Truths. However, he said that
at the individual level having clarity with One Religion, One Truth may
be more suitable, while to a community and the society as a whole,
Several Religions, Several Truths was something that nobody could
ignore. He said in the stadium where he was giving the talk there must
surely be people from all religious traditions, which thus showed the
reality. He gave the example of the impossibility of having just one
medicine for all illnesses. Different illnesses needing different
medicine and even the same illness needing different medicines based on
the patient’s condition. He added that if physical illnesses was such
then the mind was much more complicated.
His Holiness then explained the development of human society.
Initially, people depended on prayers to resolve all problems. He talked
about Tibetans depending on rituals for solution to their problems.
Gradually, with scientific and technological development, people began
to repose faith in science. His Holiness said that towards the end of
the 20th century people began to realize that material development alone
did not have all the answers. This is indicated by people who succumbed
to such addictions as tranquilizers, alcohol and drugs, particularly
among the younger people.
His Holiness said there was a close connection between people’s
mental wellbeing with their physical health. He said that too much fear,
and anger were bad for people’s health. He said researches have shown
that patients who are mentally happy recover faster.
His Holiness also expanded on his two commitments of promotion of
religious harmony (at the level of being a Buddhist monk) and promotion
of human values (at the level of being one among the nearly seven
billion human beings on this earth).
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| His Holiness the Dalai Lama
responds to questions from the audience during his talk in Chicago on
July 17, 2011. Photo/Richard Shay |
He
also talked about corruption in society becoming serious in India, China
and even in the United States. He said that corruption occurred not
because of lack of education but on account of absence of moral values.
He said that basic human moral principles were not based on religion.
He felt secular ethics was something that can provide a solution to
better human beings. He explained that his concept of secularism was
along the Indian definition in that it did not mean rejection of
religion but respect for all religions.
His Holiness then ended his talk and took a few questions, read by the Master of Ceremony, noted TV journalist Bill Curtis.
When asked about his views on competition among religions, His
Holiness said competition was of two kinds, one positive and the other
negative. He said positive competition was one where an individual
aspired to be the best without creating any obstacles to others wanting
to be the same, too. He said this was good and something practiced by
Tibetan Buddhist practitioners saying that there would not be any
progress without competition. The negative kind of competition was one
where while the individual aspired to be the best, he also created
obstacles to others wanting the same, too.
When asked why he felt Buddhism was attracting increasing interest
in the West, His Holiness said that this was a question that people in
the west could answer. He said his basic position, which he shared with
the audience when giving lectures on Buddhism in the West, was that
western society’s traditional religions were the Judeo-Christian
tradition and that it would be safer and less confusing if people
continued to hold on to their traditional religious beliefs. Paying
serious interest in Buddhism is one thing but if one indulges in it just
because of wanting something new it may not work.
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| Some of the over 10,000 audience
members listening to His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Chicago on July 17,
2011. Photo/Richard Shay |
To another
question on how to deal with those who are religious intolerant, His
Holiness pointed out that he propagated three ways of promoting
religious harmony. First, by interacting with scholars of different
religions whereby commonality and differences among religious traditions
could be discussed. Secondly, by meeting among religious practitioners
who has deeper experiences. Thirdly, organizing group pilgrimages to
sacred places of different religious traditions. His Holiness gave his
own experiences of implementing these three approaches.
His Holiness also responded to a question on his initiative for
dialogue with neuroscientists before concluding his session. As His
Holiness left Tibetan Buddhist nun singer, Ani Choying Dolma, began
giving a recital.
An estimated crowd of over 10,000, according to the Chicago Tribune,
attended his public talk. The Theosophical Society is composed of
people belonging to different religious traditions or not even being
religious. One of its objectives is, “ To encourage the study of
comparative religion, philosophy and science.”
On July 18, 2011 morning, His Holiness will participate in a panel
discussion with religious leaders before departing for India in the
afternoon. It will be webcast on http://www.dalailamachicago.com.
