His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama's visit to Finland... a short brief

I had the amazing, once in a lifetime opportunity of following His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama during his visit to Finland. His calm was amazing. The two-day schedule was rough on the organizers and His Holiness repeated the schdeule 5 times over within 10 days with perfect grace and flow. His humor and sense of acceptance and compassion was catching. He spoke at many different forums, each time spreading awareness regarding the realities of poor conditions of those Tibetians living in the Tibet area of China. Each time spreading the message of compassion.

This is what I saw and internalized from the visit... 

Thursday Aug. 18,2011

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama has been invited to Finland from “the Roof of the World”, as Tibet is referred to, by the Finnish Tibetan Cultural Society (FTCA) and by Songtsen, a Tibetan Buddhist Vajrayana Community in Finland. His Holiness arrived in Finland from Estonia yesterday the 18th of August. Today, Friday the 19^th of August, His Holiness gave five different talks.

Day 1/ 1st. Talk - Opening orientation for the event coordinators and Tibetans in Finland 

His Holiness the Dalai Lama began this day by greeting the Finland visit coordinators, Buddhist practitioners and Tibetans living in Finland who attended the event with their families and Tibetan Buddhist monks, such as Tulku Dakpa Rinpoche (http://www.tulkudakpa.org/ , http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000739171579&ref=ts), Tulku Pema Wangyal (http://www.shabkar.org/teachers/tibetanbuddhism/tulku_pema_wangyal.htm) and Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche (http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Jigme_Khyentse_Rinpoche). Before H.H. arrived at the conference hall a joyous anticipation was building, marking the event as a special one. Those who participated felt blessed before His Holiness the Dalai Lama even entered the room, when H.H. entered the feeling of blessing was magnified. As H.H. began to speak, sitting this time by a beautiful white orchid arrangement, H.H. expressed that the feeling of blessing was mutual as H.H. is grateful for the amount of growing awareness, support and concern there is globally for the suffering of Tibetans in China, as evident even during his visit to Nigeria, Africa. H.H. attributes this growing interest in Tibetan culture to the humane interest in attaining peace of mind. The development of a peaceful mind is so inherent in Tibetan culture that it has sometimes been said in China that there is less worry about the welfare of Tibetans in China than other ethnic minorities or residents of poor areas in China due to the Buddhist capacity for internal peace. Internal peace of mind is a theme which will arise often in talks through the day. Interest in Tibetan Buddhism is can also be seen in the interest of the field of science in the mind, particularly scientists in Japan. This, H.H. says, is wonderful and appropriate since Tibetan Buddhism has a well developed and 2000 year old practice and philosophy for the development of the mind. The value of Tibetan Buddhism and its focus on peace of mind is apparent in the presence of Buddhist centers around the world.  During this talk H.H. also speaks to the determination and stamina of the Finnish people during times of oppression and to the need for discourse about conflicts.  International discourse is important because it makes distinctions visible and brings new perspectives as opposed to the control-based and power hungry rhetoric of oppression. H.H. went on to give a speech in Tibetan, which many Finnish students of the language and culture understood as well. Lastly there was an opportunity for questions, which was conducted in Tibetan. 

Day1/ 2nd Talk - Press conference for the Finnish Media 

His Holiness the Dalai Lama seems to be a well-known symbol of easy, joyful peace and H.H. illicits an atmosphere of warmth and smiles, cooperation and compassion as he moves from one event to another.  Schedules are tight, but H.H. moves through them with grace. The next event which was graced with H.H. appearance was held for members of the media. H.H. began the talk with a cheerful “Good morning everybody”, “Good morning” resounded around the conference hall as attendees answered back. “Wherever I go and I meet media people, I feel I must introduce myself. First of all, I am just one of the 7 billion human beings on the earth emotionally and physically”. H.H. speaks to what it means to be a human being. As human beings we seek a happy individual life, so religion becomes an important factor. And all religions have the potential to bring inner peace. H.H. says that his life work concerns two main teachings, inner values, i.e. compassion and concern for others, and religious harmony.

In addressing the subject of inner values, H.H. says that in this global situation of prosperity the individual is prospering as well and individuals can become quite self-centered and shortsighted: my happiness. But, what about the whole world and a sense of concern for the wellbeing of others? In developing compassion for others, you as an individual, will develop inner strength and self-competence. Inner values and potentials are the source of happiness, H.H. states, not a life based on money or external, material attributes. Happiness is within us. This is a theme he returns to later in the question and answer section of the talk. You may have youth and beauty now, but it may fade. H.H. even jokes that if the next reincarnation of the Dalai Lama is a woman, she must be beautiful. Actually, since the task of the Dalai Lama is to promote the health of and to be of service to the Buddhist Dharma and to Buddhism and if the solution to suffering is the development of compassion, then the next Dalai Lama may very well be a woman as researchers have shown that biologically women have stronger sensitivity to the pain of others and are therefore more compassionate.

Compassion and wisdom of the heart, H.H. says, is not something that can be found through book smarts, for example, the master of the 9/11 tragedy was intelligent. Wisdom of the heart, compassion and awareness are developed through practice. When asked about forgiveness, H.H. says that while the mind makes it is difficult to see the whole picture, we must practice keeping our hearts warm. God may not like the sin, but he loves the sinner. H.H. has befriended the American scientist Aaron Beck, who has studied anger. Beck says that 90 % of our anger is a reaction to what is going on in our imagination, 10% is the “reality” of the situation. Therefore, distance is needed not from the reality of the situation or from the person we are angry with, but from our own emotional reaction. H.H. often refers to the need for a warm heart coupled with a clear mind whether referring to relations between individuals or between religions and nations.

During this talk, H.H. also addresses the subject of the relations between China and Tibet. A participant asked if H.H. was sorry that Finnish political leaders did not want to meet with him. H.H. answered that it is understandable and that he might feel sorry only if H.H. had had a political agenda for his visit that required such a meeting. As it is, H.H. is interested in addressing the public at large and spreading awareness of the situation in Tibet. H.H. said that he has a long political relationship with China and has seen many changes in the political system in China. Once things change in China, it will affect Tibet and since China is a part of the world and must move with global impulses, changes are bound to happen. The current Chinese regime strives toward a harmony, which is a genuine and pleasing intention. The method of achieving this goal may well be changing. As prosperity grows, so does the potential for political reform. Due to H.H.’s understanding of the situation in China, H.H. is optimistic about the power of transparency and the free press on the sensible mind of Chinese individuals. H.H. points out that members of the media can play a large role in spreading awareness of the reality of what is happening around the world. Speculation without knowing properly is at the core of many crises. Everybody has a duty to sustain and clean, transparent, healthy society that is knowledgeable, honest and free from corruption and greed. We are all in this together, forming a global community. We need each other. If the 20th century becomes known as the century of violence and bloodshed, then the 21st century has the possibility to become the century of peaceful conflict resolution. H.H. concludes by encouraging us to keep an optimistic mind… because bad news just brings us down.

Day 1/ 3rd Talk – Business meeting held for the Helsinki Bourse Club 
The third talk His Holiness the Dalai Lama held today was addressed to members of a commerce club called the Helsinki Bourse Club. The atmosphere was hushed and participants listened respectfully and intently. Genuine listening. During this talk H.H. spoke to the growing gap between the rich and the poor. Not only is this divide morally wrong, it also brings practical problems such as crime in poor areas. Communism is not the problem, H.H. refers to India, which is an independent sovereignty with free press and there is still a gap between the rich and the poor. H.H. calls on us to reduce this gap that is borne out of greed and unawareness.  H.H. is often asked for a blessing. H.H. says who is he to give blessing? True blessing is aiding those who are suffering, for instance building facilities to bring food and shelter to starving orphans on the streets. A part of the cure for greed is developing self-confidence. A lack of self confident breeds a feeling of inferiority and jealousy. None of us are inferior, we are all part of the world community. We can build one strong global community, it takes work and confidence. Since the listeners are members of the commerce world, H.H. has some specific advice, keep a sense of responsibility and concern for others. For instance, keeping ecological concerns in mind is important, we all inhabit this world and what we do affects others. Minimizing pollution and economic development are possible together. Another piece of advice is to be truthful and transparent while carrying and open heart. This way we develop genuine friendships that are based on genuine concern and therefore stand the test of time. A genuine friendship can be formed over material things, social factors and positions. What matters is having a genuine concern for the other, trust and common interest. A participant asked H.H. what a Finnish individual can do? H.H. answered that a good way to support the plight of the Tibetan struggle for the preservation of their culture is to relay concern and knowledge about the situation in Tibet when dealing with contacts from China. At the end of the talk, the president of the commerce club extended a gift to His Holiness, which was gracefully received. H.H. and Rinpoches then demonstrated the possibility of dialog between peoples of different backgrounds by having a relaxed lunch with the club members and answering inquiries about the visit, Tibet and cultural differences.

Day 1/ 4th Talk – The Academic Seminar “Non-Violent Conflict Resolution: The Case of Tibet” 
The fourth talk of the day was an academic seminar at the University of Helsinki titled “Non-Violent Conflict Resolution: The Case of Tibet”. In comparison to the hushed and refined atmosphere of the business talk, the lecture hall at the University is bubbling with an exchange of opinions in anticipation of the panel discussion. Participants greeting friends and collegues, orientating themselves to what they are about to hear. Who has read what and heard what, comparisons of the situation in Tibet to others in the world. The situation in Tibet certainly seems to make one think. This is well-prepared event between published experts. The audience is made up of Finnish politicians (Heidi Hautala and Pekka Haavisto), academics and political rights specialists. As the panel started to warm up amid sunflowers and tiger lilies, jokes are made about a peaceful intervention in distributing speech time. As His Holiness the Dalai Lama entered, the familiar intentness entered, everyone wanted to hear every word His Holiness said. The seminar is opened by the organizer, saying that H.H. has three topics which he concerns himself with, Buddhism, world peace and the cause of Tibet. This seminar will be about the later. The academics may be the last bastions of unhindered discourse, but on this touchy subject of Tibet, even the academic world feels the pressure. To highlight that this is a dialogue and not a religious ceremony, H.H. sat amongst the panelists and put on his burgundy visor. His Holiness has seen a lot since taking religious and political power, imagine someone that he has held discussions with political leaders for 50 years, since Roosevelt for instance. But we are in the 21st century now and H.H.’s long history and insight shows him that many of our global and national crises are our own creation. H.H. concludes that the reason behind crises are short-sightedness and narrow-minded emotions as well as the lack of a well-rounded perspective or holistic approach. Buddhism can offer us the ability to keep a peaceful, non-violent, neutral, unbiased observers mind, which allows us to get full knowledge on reality. Attempts at conflict resolution without the whole picture become unrealistic. An important point to remember within this discourse on crises is the difference between intention and method. We can take Bush for example, his motivation for liberation was good, but his violent methods were unrealistic. Or the cultures and realistic Chinese people and communities around the world that have good intentions at harmony, but the government’s methods are unrealistic. The present economy crisis is also based on non-realism. Violent methods breed violence and disharmony, methods based on social oneness and compassion breed wellbeing for both individuals and communities. Prayer is also not a method of conflict resolution or the reduction of anger, hatred, jealousy and extreme competitiveness. Human business must be solved by humans, not prayers, not God, but through awareness and non-violent action. Another aspect of Buddhism that can be applied to conflict resolution, according to negotiation expert panelist Dr. Jamil Mahuad, is the principle of forgiveness, when your heart carries hurt within it, it is hard to look to the future.

The possibility for change can bring about resolution. For instance, for 4 centuries, since the 5th Dalai Lama, the Dalai Lama has been both the religious and political leader for Tibetans. This system was outdated, so His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama had the courage to change this institution, which H.H. began to see as hypocritical as far as what he himself was promoting. H.H. stresses the current notion that a country belongs to its people and not to its leaders or regimes, which is also an outdated notion. China belongs to 1.3 million Chinese, not to communism. H.H. has full faith that the Chinese people, given awareness of the reality in Tibet, will support the “middle way”. Already much has changed in China and in Tibet within the last 30-40 years. The “Tibet case” is not a static political situation, it changes all the time. As Dr. Mahuad pointed out, it is like making sense out of the elements within a kaleidoscope, every time it is tapped, the view shifts. Dr. Mahuad also encourages those involved in resolution attempts to utilize the windows of opportunity. H.H. reminds us to keep in mind the importance of individual responsibility, inferring the need for individual action and awareness as the whole is made up of individuals and the more awareness individual develop, the more it affects the whole.

In a previous talk, H.H. pointed out the importance of a global dialogue in bringing a multifaceted view on a given crisis and this is especially evident in this 4th talk of the day. China did not emerge as the demon, but as a complex whole made up of individuals and of changing regimes with different strategies and rhetoric. Dr. Rod Wye reminds us that in order to have conflict resolution, we must first recognize the situation as a conflict, which China has sometimes done in the case of Tibet. Previously, western academics, negotiators and politicians have dealt with the Chinese government from the position of “we know better then you what needs to be done”. The international community needs a new approach. The discussion amongst the panel infers that perhaps China will look for its own answers from within itself, negotiators can not involve themselves if not invited or needed. Dr. Tarja Väyrynen also talks about recognition of conflict by bringing to the panel the importance of recognizing the role of silence in conflict resolution. Silent processes are difficult to recognize. She also points out the view that conflict resolution is difficult in this case because of the asymmetry in changing power relations, China is more powerful now. Dr. Zhang Tiejun reminds us that China has previously been a victim of colonization and may fear losing power. Many panelists agree that it may not be in China’s interest to negotiate. Dr. Dibyesh Anand brings to light the scenario that the middle way is also a compromise for China because if they lose power in the next decades, the fear is that Tibet will strive for independence. Although, it has been brought up repeatedly in todays’ talks and within this seminar, that what Tibetans want is to preserve their language, traditions, and culture, which is closely tied to their religion. Maybe this is an aspect that makes the Chinese regime nervous, Wye points out that Buddhism is not pro-economic growth and is therefore not in line with government strategy.

The matter of communication was touched upon at different times during the seminar. Dr. Robert Barnett encouraged us to make distinctions between different terms such as culture, ethnicity and nationality. They mean different things. China has been concerned with national issues, not in cultural issues. Now nationality is not a part of rhetoric as must as ethnicity which means something else and does not imply autonomy as nationality does. Multicultural rhetoric can be seen increasingly in China. Concerning communication, we can also focus on methods of communication, censorship and levels of communications channels between Tibet and China (open, closed, semi-open). His Holiness’ envoy Kelsang Gyaltsen points out that we should not be blind to the fact that China has made attempts to communicate their viewpoint to the international community which may lead to better understanding of the whole issue. Through open communication, the image of China has been much improved. Dr. Wye points out that it is important to keep the political realities in Tibet in focus so it doesn’t get lost in our multifaceted political processes and that this can been done while respecting and communicating with China. Lastly, Dr. Väyrynen reminds us of the need to examine how we talk of the experiences of past conflict because the affect the future of resolutions. On the topic of women within the Tibetan struggle, Dr. Väyrynen brings up the need for women’s narrative to make up the whole voice of the struggle.

H.H. speculates that perhaps what is needed in conflict resolution is a better understanding human psychology since negotiation may be difficult even between those with a good personal relationship, but be that as it may H.H. stresses that harmony cannot be found through mistrust or fear. What we can do is work constructively by building mutual trust and respect, nurturing concern and compassion and making realities transparent. Dr. Anand closes the seminar by reminding us the situation for Tibetans exiles is dependent on their host countries, primarily Nepal and India and therefore dialogue with those countries is important. He also reminds us that amidst all the changing angles, focuses and rhetoric of this multifaceted struggle, the key focus should be the Tibetans suffering inside China.

Day 2 / 1^st Talk – The Importance of Mind Training, an educational speech 
A line a kilometer long brought participants to the security check at the stadium.  A calm busyness pervades the lobby. Inside the stadium listeners are settling in for the talk on mind training. A beautiful changing photo display adorns the stage, which is bursting with flowers. The lighting is discreet and you almost forget that this place is also used as a sports stadium. At ten o’clock His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama enters the stage and listeners rise to greet him. In the opening introduction, H.H. is thanked for choosing this particular subject because violence and suffering are prevalent in the times we currently live in. The first talk began with chants by monks from Thailand and Vietnam, who recited the heart mantra, and by Finnish monks who follow the Korean Buddhism tradition.

H.H. then began is teaching by describing the journey of the Buddha Dharma and Buddhist practices from India to other Asian countries.

                     ( http://www.thebuddhistsociety.org/resources/Spread.html)

H.H. brought this up to show his point that although Buddhism is practiced in different countries, in different languages and has transitioned into different schools (Hinayana, Theravada (predominant  in Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand) and Mahayana (predominant in Tibet and China)) with different precepts, the core Dharma and Vinaya are essentially the same. H.H. states that he is anti-sectarianism, meaning holding onto differences between lineages and traditions, but what is important is the root of the tradition. And what most religions in general concern themselves with is love and concern.

H.H. then described the background of Tibetan Buddhist thought and what it could bring to the world in the form of awareness and healthy action. In the 8^th century the Indian Buddhist scholar Shantarakshita arrived in Tibet and introduced Buddhism. Shantarakshita’s 100 volumes of texts and 200 volumes of commentary by Indian scholars were translated into Tibetan over 2 generations.  These texts are still the basis of Tibetan Buddhist practice. Some time after Shantarakshita had passed, a notion began to prevail that study is not important, it is practice that is the key to enlightenment. The Emperor of Tibet commissioned a Buddhist scholar to write about insight and 3 books were produced that spoke to the requirement of both knowledge and meditation. These are still adhered to today in Tibetan Buddhism.H.H. tells us that there are three levels of understanding. H.H. points out that we can chant verses without knowing their meaning. The first level of understanding is awareness through explanation, like reading texts or attending a lecture. The second level is taking what you have heard or read and analyzing it by yourself and conducting further investigations, from others texts for instance. Awareness is based on logic and healthy skepticism. Skepticism is essential because it brings questions.  Questions bring investigation. Investigation brings knowledge. Buddha said, do not accept my teachings through faith and devotion, but through investigation which provokes your conviction. The development of genuine conviction and the feeling of full understanding is based on analysis and investigation. The third level is meditation practice. We need to have control of our mind and body before moving onto higher training, like tantra for example. We must also understand the relationship between the what and the why in order to act in an aware way. What is needed is the big picture and careful analysis.

The practice of altruism is an important teaching in the Buddha Dharma. During the teaching we look to the texts of the 12^th century Buddhist scholar Langri Thangpa on the Bodhicitta - ultimate altruism, “The Eight Verses”. (see  http://www.bodhicitta.net/HHDL%20The%20Eight%20Verses%20of%20Thought%20Transformation.htm)

What persons of any faith and background can take away from the Eight Verses, which is a text for altruism training, is that we can increase the wellbeing of ourselves and others by expanding our concern outside of ourselves, acknowledging and letting go of destructive emotions like anger and actively practicing altruism. H.H. points out that we are interdependent beings who can provoke change by changing our perspective and through our actions. We can extend love to all creatures irrespective of background or religion. H.H. stresses the existence of the self, a self is an entity that can carry concern and responsibility for more than just him-or herself.

Day 2 / 2^st Talk – The Importance of Compassion 
The mood has changed in the stadium as the afternoon event is sold out and includes the media. The power of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to inspire people is evident in the rock show feeling of anticipation that permeates the stadium. H.H. begins with humbling words about our humanity and indeed wants to address listeners as one human being to another. H.H. states that we all want a happy life, satisfaction in the long run. Hope is an important element in a happy life. What often becomes an obstacle for a happy life is our own actions, like living an unhealthy life or committed wrongful actions. The capacity for compassion is universal and biological, as opposed to cultural or religious, and is therefore accessible to all humans. A way towards better cooperation around the world is developing the sense of all of us living in one big community. We must extend our orientation of ourselves outside of ourselves.

The first level of compassion is based on attachment, it is easier to be compassionate toward a friend. The second level is not based on attachment and is unbiased, it can be towards an enemy or a unknown persons. What we need to do is analyze the positives and negatives of compassion and form our own conviction (see the morning teaching) that widespread compassion is beneficial to us ourselves. We do it because we are the ones receiving maximum benefit. Research shows that developing altruism and compassion has health benefits for us, such as functionality of brain functions and boosts to our immune system. There is also a mutual benefit and this is based on interdependency. The practice of altruism and meditation on interdependency can be applied to everything, business, politics, human right and even our health. What each one of us can do is to think more seriously on the root of any problems we see or face, gather knowledge and translate it into beneficial action.