Doing right by Law: His Holiness provides Law school with moral framework
Friday, 22 September 2006, 9:30 a.m.
New York: On his last day on campus, His Holiness the Dalai Lama told 160 participants in a University of Buffalo (UB) Law School conference how Buddhism can influence the law, emphasising that compassion is necessary to bring about social change.
A day after addressing a packed football stadium, His Holiness the Dalai Lama concluded his three-day stay at the UB with a more personal exchange – contemplating ethics and compassion with lawyers.
His Holiness participated Wednesday in a question-and-answer gathering on how Buddhism can influence law and bring about social change.
The conference ‘Law, Buddhism and Social Change’ organised by the Law Department of the UB under the auspices of Prof. Rebecca French who wrote “The Golden Yoke”, an authoritative book on the Tibetan legal system, and who now teaches at Buffalo University. The event was held in the law library on the North Campus.
It was one of the first times the Dalai Lama has taken questions on legal subject matter, French said.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama did not pretend to be an attorney, but just as in his address to 30,000 the previous day, he stressed to the legal community the need for compassion in its work.
But what do attorneys do when compassion conflicts with their responsibility to defend a client? Asked Buffalo lawyer James L. Magavern.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama thought for a moment.
“This is probably a question experts in the legal field can answer,” His Holiness said half-joking.
Still, he advised considering each case on its own while trying to take into account the wider welfare of others. “Look at the broader implications,” he told the lawyers.
From tomorrow His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give teachings on the Blade Wheel of Mind Transformation (lojong tsonchai khorlo) in New York organised by the Tibet House. The teachings will go on till 25 September.
A compiled report
(www.tibet.net is the official website of the Central Tibetan Administration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.)