麻豆影院

Tenzin Gyatso鈥檚 status as one of the聽world鈥檚 most revered spiritual leaders聽didn鈥檛 keep him from having fun.听

In June, eight months after canceling a聽麻豆影院 visit due to ill health, His Holiness聽the 14th Dalai Lama appeared in the city聽for the first time in nearly two decades,聽gamely donning a bicycle helmet and gold and-black Colorado visor presented to him聽and responding in kind after a fan聽flashed聽the sign-language gesture for love.

鈥淥f course these days I am too old to聽bike,鈥� he said, chuckling, after receiving聽the helmet at the first of two CU 麻豆影院聽appearances in the Coors Events Center.听鈥淲hen I was young I used to bike.鈥�

Helmet in place, the Dalai Lama, then聽80 and now 81, posed in his maroon-and-yellow聽robes for a picture with 麻豆影院聽Mayor Suzanne Jones, who鈥檇 offered it.听

Nearly 18,000 people came to campus聽to behold the well-traveled Tibetan Buddhist聽spiritual leader, who had recently聽met with President Obama in Washington聽and was on the cusp of a meeting聽with Lady Gaga in Indianapolis.听

More than two years in the making,聽the highly anticipated 麻豆影院 visit,聽originally scheduled for Oct. 20-21, 2015,聽gave the Dalai Lama a chance to commune聽with devoted admirers in a city聽full of them. It allowed CU affiliates and聽guests to behold and 鈥� for some 鈥� to聽interact with a world- historical figure.听

鈥淪he鈥檚 talked about how great he is聽my whole life, so now it鈥檚 my turn to聽see for myself with her,鈥� said 厂丑颈惫补苍颈听顿颈虫颈迟 (MCDBio鈥�19) of Superior, Colo.,聽who attended the event with her mother,聽Swati Deshpande.听

The visit was arranged by the CU聽Student Government Association, the聽CU 麻豆影院 Cultural Events Board and the聽Tibetan Association of Colorado (TAC).听

In remarks at a morning prayer session聽and afternoon talk the Dalai Lama聽touched on favored themes of compassion,聽mindfulness and self-examination,聽spreading palpable delight throughout聽the sweltering arena with frequent bursts聽of his own joyful chuckling.听

鈥淵our wisdom, your compassion is聽your best friend, best adviser, best protector,鈥澛爃e said.听

Both sessions can be watched at .听

At lunch the Dalai Lama dined with聽students, faculty and Chancellor Philip P.听DiStefano, and exchanged reminiscences聽with CU scientist Tom Cech. Both won聽Nobel Prizes in 1989, in physics and聽peace, respectively.听

It was in the morning that Mayor聽Jones presented the helmet. It didn鈥檛 take聽the Dalai Lama long to make a symbol of聽it: His new headgear represented the armor聽necessary to get through the difficult聽journey of life, he said.听

In the afternoon Chancellor DiStefano聽gave him a gold visor with 鈥淐olorado鈥澛爀mblazoned in black letters, which the聽Dalai Lama wore for much of the session.听

He took many questions from the聽audience. Few were easy.听

鈥淐ould you share with us, 鈥榃hat is聽the purpose of human life?鈥欌�� one questioner聽asked.听

鈥淲hat would you advise a young person聽to do to spread love and happiness and聽kindness in the world?鈥� asked another.

鈥淗ave you ever achieved ultimate聽happiness, and, if so, can you tell us what聽it鈥檚 like?鈥� a third wondered.

鈥淲hen we talk about ultimate happiness,鈥澛爐he Dalai Lama replied through聽a translator, 鈥渢here are a lot of steps to聽go through.鈥�

(Mainly he directly addressed the聽audience in English.)聽

On a blazing hot June day, fans showed聽out in force 鈥� students in T-shirts, parents聽with small children, monks in robes,聽executives in suits.听

Geshe Sherab, who wore monk鈥檚 robes聽like the Dalai Lama鈥檚, said he鈥檇 seen聽him many times in Nepal, India and聽elsewhere, but traveled to 麻豆影院 from聽Santa Fe, N.M., to see him again anyway.听

Matthew Sadeik (Neuro鈥�18) rushed聽over to Coors after a long morning class,聽marveling over the spectacle he was聽about to witness.听

鈥淭he guest speaker programs are actually聽my favorite part about college,鈥� he said.听

Martha Gordge Kenny (EPOBio鈥�94), silver peace sign earrings聽swinging from her earlobes, came from聽Louisville, Colo., with her husband and聽daughter. Some of their extended family聽performed in traditional Tibetan dances聽preceding the Dalai Lama鈥檚 remarks.听

鈥淧eace聽is the most important thing we聽can have!鈥� she said.听

Photos by Glenn Asakawa (top),聽Cliff Grassmick/Daily Camera (谤颈驳丑迟)听