XPost: alt.religion.buddhism.tibetan, talk.politics.tibet, talk.   
   eligion.buddhism   
   From: peter@dharma.dyn-o-saur.com   
      
   Masses moved by Dalai Lama's message of compassion   
   Irish Independent[Friday, April 15, 2011 14:52]   
   Barry Duggan   
      
   FROM well before 7am yesterday they began descending on the University of   
   Limerick.   
      
   When it was announced earlier this year that the 14th Dalai Lama would be   
   speaking in Limerick, all 3,100 precious passes to secure   
   entry for yesterday's event were snapped up.   
      
   The spiritual leader of Tibet was not due at the university arena until after   
   10am, but enthusiasm and smiles abounded in the hours   
   beforehand as all eagerly awaited his arrival and wisdom.   
      
   Tyrone football manager Mickey Harte and his son-in-law John McAreavey had   
   made the 700km round trip to be there and were among   
   the first to be seated. Guiding them to their seats was world-renowned sports   
   physical therapist Ger Hartmann.   
      
   Those around them remembered Michaela Harte -- Mickey's daughter and John's   
   wife -- who was murdered while on honeymoon in   
   Mauritius in January. The two men warmly embraced all who greeted them.   
      
   Just a few seats away was Mary Geoghegan, whose son, Shane, was murdered in   
   Limerick in 2008. She sat patiently alongside her   
   other son, Anthony.   
      
   Renewal   
      
   Southill parish priest Fr Pat Hogan was also in attendance along with the   
   Moyross-based monks -- the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal   
   -- and the former Bishop of Limerick, Dr Donal Murray.   
      
   And Limerick being Limerick, there were plenty of rugby players, too,   
   including former Munster and Irish stars Gerry 'Ginger'   
   McLoughlin and Keith Wood.   
      
   It was Richard Moore of 'Children in Crossfire' who had, through his long   
   association with the university, made yesterday possible.   
      
   In the front row, a seat was reserved for Charles Inness -- the British   
   soldier who shot and blinded a 10-year-old Richard in Derry in   
   1972.   
      
   Possibly for the first time since the sports arena opened, silence fell over   
   the spectators as a variety of religious chants, recitations and   
   melodies were performed.   
      
   At 10.15am, a frisson of excitement rippled through the crowd and all eyes   
   were cast toward the windows as the sound of the   
   approaching helicopter grew louder.   
      
   The Dalai Lama landed in the university's main sport's field and UL president   
   Don Barry was the first to greet him. In return, the 76-   
   year-old placed a 'kata' -- a white silk scarf -- around his neck. Mr Barry   
   later explained that the kata symbolises happiness, forgiveness   
   and love -- themes of the day.   
      
   Crossing the running track on the way to the arena, the Dalai Lama paused   
   briefly to avoid stepping on an earthworm. In Buddhism,   
   animal life is regarded as being on the same level as human life.   
      
   Tibet's spiritual leader has been greeted with standing ovations since his   
   arrival in Ireland, but the best was saved for the last day of his   
   visit as he made his entrance.   
      
   Adults smiled and clapped, while children waved and jumped up and down as he   
   walked slowly on to the stage.   
      
   His close friend Richard Moore spoke briefly, but sparked the most memorable   
   image of the day when he welcomed Charles Innes, the   
   former British soldier who shot and blinded him in Derry almost 40 years ago.   
   Mr Moore had later sought him out and the two became   
   friends.   
      
   In a powerful embrace, the Dalai Lama, Mr Moore and Mr Innes clasped their   
   hands together to the delight of all.   
      
   To another standing ovation, the Dalai Lama encouraged all "not to give up   
   hope".   
      
   "We must recognise each other as human beings, yes different faces, different   
   colours and different nationalities . . . but funda-   
   mentally we are all the same."   
      
   He advised that the ultimate source of peace of mind was inner peace and   
   warned that wealth and status do not bring happiness.   
      
   Pupils from Maria King Presentation Primary School, Galvone National School   
   and St Mary's Boy School will never forget his visit as they   
   sang a specially composed song entitled 'Forgiveness is a Gift'. In   
   appreciation, the Dalai Lama shook hands and spoke with the young   
   singers to yet more applause.   
      
   With hands clasped and a final bow to all, the Dalai Lama was whisked to   
   Shannon Airport by garda escort for a flight abroad.   
      
   Afterwards, all spoke of how touched and inspired they were by his words.   
      
   Mickey Harte -- a man who has endured the deaths of his daughter and two   
   brothers over the past few months -- said the thoughts of   
   the Dalai Lama were relevant to all.   
      
   "I think it showed the power of compassion can be of benefit to all of us. He   
   is a world-renowned holy man and it is good to be in the   
   company of such people," he said.   
      
   "Nobody could come out of here and not feel enrichened from the experience   
   because, in many ways, the message is simple but often   
   we miss the most simple of messages.   
      
   "The message that he talked about was smile, be compassionate, reach out to   
   others, respect every individual, respect all religions, be   
   the best that you can be as a person and work on yourself and things around   
   you get better.   
      
   "If 3,100 of us go away and do something a little bit better than we did   
   yesterday, then it has been a very worthwhile task by the Dalai   
   Lama.   
      
   "I have got a realisation of what it takes to have inner peace -- take a look   
   at yourself and not at things outside."   
      
   Those are precious words we can all heed.   
      
   http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=29382&article=Masses+   
   oved+by+Dalai+Lama%27s+message+of+compassion&t=1&c=1   
      
   --   
   Demystifying Mao   
   MAO: The Unknown Story.   
   by Jung Chang & Jon Halliday Jonathan Cape Pages 814. £ 25   
   http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050717/spectrum/book6.htm   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)