Visit of the Dalai Lama to Indiana
This account of a recent visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Bloomington, Indiana, was written by Professor Donald Mitchell of Purdue University. You may also be interested in a piece by Dr. Shahid Athar giving his personal reflections on meeting the Dalai Lama both on this occasion and during an earlier visit back in 1999.
On September 7, 2003 His Holiness the Dalai Lama was at the Tibetan Cultural Center in Bloomington, Indiana to dedicate a new temple for interfaith relations and world peace. There was a day-long program with interfaith leaders from the area sharing their prayers at the dedication ceremony and with area youth sharing their reflections on the importance of interfaith relations and world peace. Also present was Muhammad Ali, the UN Peace Ambassador, representing the Muslim community. His Holiness’ elder brother, Professor Norbu, who has been a good friend of MID, received an honorary medal at the ceremony from Indiana University where he had taught prior to his retirement. Professor Norbu suffered from a stroke a year ago.
After the program, Abbot Damian Thompson and Professor Donald Mitchell, who is on the MID Advisory Board, were given a half-hour private audience with His Holiness in order to present him with a signed copy of Transforming Suffering: Finding Peace in Troubled Times. This book, edited by James Wiseman, OSB, and Donald Mitchell, is the result of the second Gethsemani Encounter held in 2002 at Gethsemani Abbey, home of Abbot Thompson. Also present was Paul Mitchell, who had been planning to take photographs of the meeting, but given the tight security he was not able to bring his camera onto the grounds of the Tibetan Cultural Center.
His Holiness was very happy to receive the book and voiced his regrets at not being able to attend the Gethsemani Encounter in 2002 due to illness. “A missed opportunity,” he said. He was glad to hear the names of the other Tibetan Buddhists who were able to attend. His Holiness had been present for the first Gethsemani Encounter in 1996.
His Holiness shared at some length about his warm relationship with Thomas Merton, whom he called “a living bridge between Buddhism and Christianity.” He was also interested in talking with Abbot Thompson about monastic life at Gethsemani Abbey. He asked about everything from the monastic schedule to the shoes the monks wear. He even remembered the kind of shoes Thomas Merton wore in India when they met so many years ago. He also was interested in what it is that enables Trappist monks to live such long and productive lives. Abbot Thompson said that he believes it is a matter of maintaining a daily routine with a strict diet and physical labor. It was clear that His Holiness felt at home with a fellow monastic and comfortable talking about the monastic life to which they have dedicated themselves. The encounter was a testament to the depth of mutual respect established over the years by MID.
After the program, Abbot Damian Thompson and Professor Donald Mitchell, who is on the MID Advisory Board, were given a half-hour private audience with His Holiness in order to present him with a signed copy of Transforming Suffering: Finding Peace in Troubled Times. This book, edited by James Wiseman, OSB, and Donald Mitchell, is the result of the second Gethsemani Encounter held in 2002 at Gethsemani Abbey, home of Abbot Thompson. Also present was Paul Mitchell, who had been planning to take photographs of the meeting, but given the tight security he was not able to bring his camera onto the grounds of the Tibetan Cultural Center.
His Holiness was very happy to receive the book and voiced his regrets at not being able to attend the Gethsemani Encounter in 2002 due to illness. “A missed opportunity,” he said. He was glad to hear the names of the other Tibetan Buddhists who were able to attend. His Holiness had been present for the first Gethsemani Encounter in 1996.
His Holiness shared at some length about his warm relationship with Thomas Merton, whom he called “a living bridge between Buddhism and Christianity.” He was also interested in talking with Abbot Thompson about monastic life at Gethsemani Abbey. He asked about everything from the monastic schedule to the shoes the monks wear. He even remembered the kind of shoes Thomas Merton wore in India when they met so many years ago. He also was interested in what it is that enables Trappist monks to live such long and productive lives. Abbot Thompson said that he believes it is a matter of maintaining a daily routine with a strict diet and physical labor. It was clear that His Holiness felt at home with a fellow monastic and comfortable talking about the monastic life to which they have dedicated themselves. The encounter was a testament to the depth of mutual respect established over the years by MID.
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Professor Donald Mitchell teaches at Purdue University. He is the co-editor (with James Wiseman) of The Gethsemani Encounter: A Dialogue on the Spiritual Life (Continuum, 1996) and Transforming Suffering: Reflections on Finding Peace in Troubled Times (Doubleday, 2003). He serves as an advisor to the Board of Directors of MID.
His Holiness the fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is the head of state and spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. He has been involved in interreligious dialogue through the Gethsemani Encounters and visits to India and the United States for many years.