His Holiness the Dalai Lama talks Peace through CompassionSunday, 26 April 2009, 10:31 a.m.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama meets with UC Regent Richard Blum on the stage at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, 25 April 2009. (Paul Chinn / The Chronicle)

Dharamshala: His
Holiness the Dalai Lama told a standing room only crowd of some 7,000
at UC Berkeley’s Greek Theatre on Saturday that peace and nuclear
disarmament can be accomplished if only the world’s leaders could talk
to one another in a compassionate and understanding way.”We
must promote dialogue with full respect and consideration of others’
interests,” said the world’s best known Buddhist as he sat cross-legged
in a maroon robe on a cushy chair placed atop a platform covered by a
rug, presumably Tibetan.”We should have a very clear vision
that the whole world will demilitarize,” he said, near the end of his
speech, which lasted close to an hour. “There should be some
restrictions on selling arms.”It was the third time His Holiness the Dalai Lama has spoken at the campus. The last time was a decade ago. The three words resonated loudly through the Greek Theatre as Tibet’s spiritual leader addressed thousand.”Young,
bright generation& You are the real people, who really belong to
this century,” said the Dalai Lama. “You are the source of hope.”

His Holiness greets an audience of thousands before speaking about “Peace Through Compassion” at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday, 25 April 2009. (Paul Chinn / The Chronicle)

Hope,
enlightenment and direction are all things people in attendance were
looking for from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Tickets for Saturday’s
event went on sale March 11th and sold out in minutes.”We came
out at about 11 p.m. We had a big tent. We had a group of about 13
people and we camped out to get tickets to see the Dalai Lama ” said
student Sean Kodani.”I’m thrilled to be here,” Monica Naman told ABC 7.To say those in the audience felt lucky to be there would be an understatement.The
last time His Holiness the Dalai Lama spoke at Cal was ten years ago.
Ten years ago, Tsetan Dolkar’s family was still struggling in Tibet. On
Saturday she and other Tibetans planned to meet with His Holiness the
Dalai Lama before he leaves the area.”Whenever he comes here,
he always advises us to be good human being and always tells us be
happy and preserve our culture,” Dolkar said.Theirs is a
culture that remains in the forefront for activists. While His Holiness
the Dalai Lama did not discuss China, the founder of Berkeley’s Center
for Developing Economies did.”It’s time that the Chinese
leadership, if they want to become a great nation, they also need to
become a moral nation,” said UC Berkeley Board of Regents Member
Richard Blum.His Holiness The Dalai Lama chose instead to focus
on the world, mankind and even the U.S. His Holiness the Dalai Lama
described George W. Bush as “very straight forward,” saying, “I feel
some good quality of human being, not like great leader or politician.”

His Holiness the Dalai Lama (1st R) greets his  lecture audience at UCSB.

On Friday, His Holiness the Dalai Lama addressed a news conference at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB).His Holiness said the global economy is the result of “too much greed, and lies and hypocrisy.””These
are some of the factors behind the global crisis,” His Holiness said.
“Those people who feel that money is the most important thing in life,
when economic crisis hits, learn that it is only one way to be happy.
There is also family, friends and peace of mind.””Therefore,
this crisis is good,” His Holiness added with a laugh, “because it
reminds people who only want to see money grow and grow that there are
limitations.”His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s remarks followed by
public lectures in the university events center on “the nature of
mind.” The discourse drew an audience of 4,800 people.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama delivers a lecture  titled “The Nature of Mind” at UC Santa Barbara on Friday.

It
was His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s fourth visit to this prosperous
seaside community, which prepared for his appearance with four weeks of
social gatherings, public talks by local scholars and Buddhist-oriented
art exhibits, including an elaborate sand mandala under construction by
10 monks. On Friday night, the California-based Global Institute for
Tibetan Medicine hosted a reception in honor of Gyalo Thondup, older
brother of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.UC Santa Barbara became
a leading center of Buddhist and Tibetan studies after His Holiness the
Dalai Lama’s first visit there in 1984. He was invited to return this
week by Jose Cabezon, the first occupant of the university’s XIV Dalai
Lama chair in Tibetan studies.The invitation was made “quite a
while ago because His Holiness the Dalai Lama books his appearances
about seven years in advance,” Cabezon said. “Finally, our number came
up and he flew here direct from his headquarters in India.””We
are institution unusual in its support and admiration for the Dalai
Lama,” said Eva Haller, a longtime trustee of the UC Santa Barbara
Foundation. “He knows that, and feels at home here.”–Compiled from Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle