Sharing a message of peace

Marisa O’Neil

He likes to tinker with watches. He can fix a camera. He was an

admittedly lazy student in school. And he’s the spiritual leader of

the Tibetan people.

The Dalai Lama brought his lesson of compassion to 5,000 students

Friday morning at UC Irvine. Wearing a UCI visor and a monk’s robe,

the Nobel Peace Prize winner and spiritual leader of Lamaism, a form

of Buddhism, shared stories and wisdom with the students and let them

know that, despite his achievements, he’s not all that different from

them.

“I do not consider you as a stranger or something different,” he

told the students. “You are young, bright, human brothers and

sisters.”

The event was hardly a typical gathering. Students, teachers,

media and monks in robes all gathered in the Bren Center for the

lecture.

In the concourse, vendors sold Tibetan jewelry, clothing, incense

and books on Buddhism.

A chant of “Man all be kind to each other,” and soft music from

Tibetan flutist Nawang Khechog preceded the Dalai Lama’s speech.

After his introduction, he presented Vice Chancellor Manuel Gomez

with a white silk scarf, a customary Tibetan gift.

The Dalai Lama spoke of compassion, happiness, peace and having a

positive attitude -- all of which, he said, are interconnected.

Having compassion brings inner peace and inner strength, he said.

Learning compassion is an important part of a student’s education.

“I think educational institutions should pay as much attention to

development of inner values,” he said. “They should carry the

responsibility of lesson and should carry the responsibility of the

whole future of the student.”

Five students, including Cassidy Scott from Estancia High School,

also spoke and presented the Dalai Lama with gifts. Cassidy, 14, gave

him a drawing of a hand holding half a globe and half a clock -- a

reference to his global vision and hobby of fixing clocks.

In return, the Dalai Lama bowed and presented her with a scarf.

“Thank you for inspiring us and helping us understand it’s time to

take action and it’s time to make peace,” Cassidy told him in a

speech.

Following a question and answer session, the Dalai Lama had a

surprise guest -- actress Sharon Stone. Stone is a supporter of the

oppressed Tibetan people and the exiled Dalai Lama.

“We all have the extreme good luck of being in the presence of

Your Holiness today,” Stone told him.

The students will be able to further carry on their dialogue on

compassion and ethics through the “Blogging for Ethics” project. With

the Dalai Lama Foundation, students will participate in an online Web

log to discuss ethical dilemmas faced by students.

Meeting the Dalai Lama and hearing his message was an inspiring

experience, Cassidy said. She still wore her scarf after the speech

and said she’d probably have it framed for posterity.

“He cares enough to speak to the youth and tell us we have great

potential,” she said. “It makes me want to do something big.”

* MARISA O’NEIL covers education. She may be reached at (949)

574-4268 or by e-mail at marisa.oneil@latimes.com.