Dalai Lama leads 1st of 4 weekend talks in Crisler Arena

by Jeff Karoub | The Associated Press

Saturday April 19, 2008, 9:38 AM

Leisa Thompson | The Ann Arbor NewsThe Dalai Lama appeared on the stage at Crisler Arena for the first of four talks this weekend.

The Dalai Lama on Saturday encouraged people gathered for the first of four weekend talks at the University of Michigan to preserve their own religious traditions while respecting others with differing beliefs.

"As you know, I always believed since all different traditions have the same potential to bring inner peace, inner value ... it is important to keep one's own tradition," he told about 8,000 people at a two-hour morning teaching session at Crisler Arena on "Engaging Wisdom and Compassion."

"In my case, I learn more about Islam, about Christianity, Judaism, ... through personal contact," the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader said. "My attitude (is) a genuine admiration and respect and appreciation for those traditions."

A hush fell over those at the basketball arena as the Dalai Lama walked on the main floor stage. The audience, as well as monks and others sitting cross-legged on the stage floor, rose as he emerged.

Sharon Drews, a 42-year-old lawyer, drove with her mother on Friday night from Elkhart, Ind. to attend the morning teaching session. Drews, who is Catholic, said afterward that she appreciated the Dalai Lama's message.

"The most valuable thing for me was that he said there are so many (religious) traditions leading to the same self-improvement, but we need to allow people to follow the tradition that's most effective for them," Drews said.

The Dalai Lama, who fled to India after a failed uprising in 1959 in Tibet, arrived in the U.S. last week, a day after demonstrators disrupted the Olympic torch run in San Francisco in a protest of China's treatment of his people.

Outside the arena where Dalai Lama spoke, about 100 pro-Chinese demonstrators rallied. They waved Chinese and U.S. flags, and held posters showing support for the upcoming summer Olympics in Beijing.

"When the riots started (in China), our concern was how to tell the truth to the American people," said Jinhui Chen, a 34-year-old University of Michigan graduate student. He added: "We have a peaceful protest. We don't want to incite riots."

Protests have sprung up throughout Tibetan areas of western China after demonstrations in Lhasa turned violent on March 14. While the Dalai Lama has been in the U.S. there have been more reports of unrest among Tibetans.

In Ann Arbor, rallies were planned throughout the weekend to coincide with the Dalai Lama's visit.

Additional teaching sessions at the arena were planned for Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, and the Dalai Lama is scheduled to deliver a lecture on sustainability on Sunday afternoon sponsored the university's School of Natural Resources and Environment.

The three teaching sessions are sponsored by Jewel Heart Tibetan Buddhist learning center, The Tibet Fund and the Garrison Institute.

Jewel Heart founder Gelek Rimpoche said earlier this week that the Dalai Lama last fall accepted an invitation extended by Buddhist center after his last visit to Ann Arbor in 1994. Once that was in place, Jewel Heart worked with the university in arranging his Sunday speech on sustainability.

The Dalai Lama is scheduled to talk with Undersecretary of State Paula Dobriansky on Monday in Michigan and speak at Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y., on Tuesday.

Associated Press Writer Natasha Robinson in Ann Arbor contributed to this report.

Full Dalai Lama coverage:
• Crisler Arena fills up as Dalai Lama prepares to speak this morning
• No ticket-scalping outside Dalai Lama appearance
• Outside Dalai Lama appearance, people protest
• Dalai Lama promotes democracy, fields questions during press conference in Ann Arbor
• Richard Gere, musicians discuss art and living well in pre-Dalai Lama event
• See more photos
• Dalai Lama arrives today in Ann Arbor amid tight security
• Dalai Lama visit to Ann Arbor is big ticket item
• Ann Arbor area Tibetans, Chinese students prepare for Dalai Lama's appearance at the University of Michigan
• Watch Dalai Lama visit live on our Web site
• Ann Arbor area residents connect to Buddhist spirituality
• Dalai Lama visits Ann Arbor this weekend
• The Dalai Lama's long road to Ann Arbor: Invitation was issued almost 14 years ago
• Dalai Lama arrives in United States, with Ann Arbor stop next weekend