Posted on April 19, 2008

Crisler Arena's usual Maize and Blue-themed interior was transformed into a sea of burgundy and gold as the Dalai Lama gave his first of four lectures in Ann Arbor this morning.

Souvenir shops on the arena's concourses usually offering basketballs and replica jerseys instead sold Buddhist prayer flags and brightly colored "Victory" and "Good Luck" banners.

In his first lecture with the theme of "Engaging Wisdom and Compassion," the Buddhist spiritual leader said that while different religious views and beliefs are better suited to certain kinds of people, it's important to respect all traditions and practices.

"We cannot say among these different traditions, 'This is best,'" the Dalai Lama said during this morning's lecture, which drew a crowd of about 8,000. "We have to judge according (to) individual case(s)."

Although the Dalai Lama said it was "more suitable" and "safer" for individuals to stick to their own religious traditions, he said that shouldn't preclude them from learning about other religions.

"Efforts to promote genuine harmony on the basis of mutual understanding, mutual respect among the different traditions is very, very essential," he said.

The Dalai Lama, who is a Nobel Peace Prize winner and Tibet's 14th Dalai Lama, cited his own efforts to learn more about Islam, Christianity and Judaism, which he said came through "personal contact" with people who practiced those religions.

"My attitude (is) genuine admiration, respect and appreciation for those traditions," he said.

The Dalai Lama delivered his opening remarks in English, but then slipped into his native Tibetan when he began the lecture. The speech focused on Buddhism's Four Noble Truths, one of the religion's most fundamental set of teachings about the nature of human suffering.

This weekend's lectures, which include the University's annual Peter M. Wege Lecture on Sustainability, mark the Dalai Lama's first visit to Ann Arbor since 1994.

The set-up inside Crisler Arena resembled that of a music concert with a large stage on the floor, where the Dalai Lama sat along with about 30 fellow Buddhist monks.

Large posters depicting Gelek Rimpoche, the founder of Jewel Heart, a local Tibetan Buddhist cultural and educational organization that sponsored the Dalai Lama's visit, hung next to banners commemorating past Michigan All-American basketball players.

Although the purpose of the Dalai Lama's visit to Ann Arbor was to share his teachings on faith and compassion, the exiled Tibetan leader's involvement in the international controversy with China and its alleged suppression of political and religious freedom in Tibet was not felt this morning.

Many in attendance wore T-shirts bearing the message "Free Tibet" in the red and blue colors of Tibet's flag.

Outside of Crisler arena, about 15 pro-Chinese demonstrators carried signs questioning current human rights practices in Tibet and accusing the mainstream media of overly critical, anti-China coverage of recent riots in Tibet's capital, Lhasa. Many of the demonstrators wore T-shirts that read "Support Beijing 2008."

Rackham student Youjian Chi, who was among the demonstrators, said he believed the mainstream media wasn't presenting balanced coverage of the conflict from both the Tibetan and Chinese perspective.

"There is no absolute right and wrong," Chi said. "We should get all the news no matter (whether it is) negative or positive, all of the opinions."

Chi said it's up to the public to decide whether to support Tibet or China, but he said that right now that's almost impossible to do.

"It's fine if you give us all of the information - the positive and negative perspectives on China," he said. "But right now they're only giving the negative perspective on China."