The Dalai Lama's UB presence began Monday night in Alumni Arena with an interfaith ceremony. The message was simple but broad, highlighting the prevailing message of peace and kindness found within many faiths.
"This is something very unique," the Dalai Lama said of the ceremony. "Sometimes (in society) we rely on too much precision," he said. "Little differences also are good."
After a musical prelude by Nawang Khechog, Tibetan flute master, representatives from several Buffalo and WNY-area religious communities were welcomed into the gym by a musical delegation of the Haudenosaunee, the first Native American tribe to settle in the Buffalo area.
One such representative, Jordan A. Richmond, executive director of Hillel of Buffalo, said that the experience was something that comes once in a lifetime.
"It was a really spiritual experience, to be in a room with a person of that stature. It was amazing," he said.
The Dalai Lama said that seeing all of the religions gathered together made him "very, very happy."
"Angels from different directions have come to bless us, or something like that," he said with a smile. "While reading these different prayers from different faiths, reflect on... messages of love, messages of peace, messages of commitment, messages of discipline."
The Dalai Lama explained that he felt all different religions carry the same message, so all traditions must be equally respected.
"Religious teaching should be part of our daily life," he said. "Eventually we can have deeper experiences."
His Holiness also said that increased modern communication should allow for a mutual respect between differing cultures.
"So now the whole world is becoming smaller, like one entity, there are more connections, people-to-people, from different traditions," he said. "We need religion, spirituality still, on the other hand, sometimes religious faith also causes problems."
He said that humanity should focus more on improving the quality of life for other people.
"Today at the beginning of the 21st century, we, humanity, generally enjoy immense material advancement," he said. "Still, if we rely totally for happiness in life on material and external means... sooner or later, you'll get dissatisfaction."
Despite the fact that we all are the "same humanity," according to the Dalai Lama, somewhere human beings are facing starvation.
"So at this gap of rich and poor there's a lot of... unfair injustice."
Eliza Maher, a sophomore music theatre major, found the experience to be beautiful and boggling at the same time.
"Thousands of other people were sharing this small span of time and we were doing it together, on one level, in one place, led by one person who doesn't care what god we worship or what day of the week we take to carry out that worship," she said. "Just as long as we do it as one - with one unified, peaceful goal."
Chants and prayers were read by several speakers, including a Native American passage, a Baha'I prayer, a Buddhist traditional chant, Qur'anic verse, a Christian prayer of peace, Sikh commentary, a Hindu traditional prayer and a Unitarian Universalist poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Following each reading, a responsive gesture was performed by UB theater and dance students, who stood on a walkway above the stage.
Maher said that the individually illuminated performers were a very pleasant, uncommon touch.
"The Dalai Lama said how different and nice it was, and I thought it was awesome that we stood out to him."
Audience members were then given a chance to meditate during a "reflective silence," and then turned to each other and tied ceremonial prayer strings around each other's wrists, as a reminder to be kind to others.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
