Dalai Lama speaks to US lawmakers praising democracy and compassion

The Dalai Lama speaks to the Wisconsin state Assembly Tuesday, May 14, 2013, in Madison, Wis.

Tibetan monks start to build a mandala (sand sculpture), as part of city-wide events for the visit of the Dalai Lama, who will be arriving Thursday, in New Orleans, Tuesday, May 14, 2013.

Tibetan monks perform a ground ceremony prior to starting the creation of a mandala (sand sculpture), as part of city-wide events for the visit of the Dalai Lama, who will be arriving Thursday, in New Orleans, Tuesday, May 14, 2013.

Tibetan monks blow on two dunchen as they perform a ground ceremony prior to starting the creation of a mandala (sand sculpture), as part of city-wide events for the visit of the Dalai Lama, who will be arriving Thursday, in New Orleans, Tuesday, May 14, 2013.

Dalai Lama speaks to US lawmakers, praises democracy and compassion

The Dalai Lama, speaking on the floor of the Wisconsin Assembly where lawmakers just two years ago hurled expletives at each other while angry protesters screamed insults, said on May 14 that the key to a happy life isn’t power or money but compassion.

The Tibetan spiritual leader addressed members of the Legislature as part of a four-day visit to Madison. The visit marked the ninth time since 1979 that the Dalai Lama has come to Madison and his fourth trip in six years.

He said he admired the United States and called it “the greatest democratic country and leading nation of the free world.”

“Despite some drawbacks and mistakes … America is truly a democratic country and ruled by law and freedom of expression,” he said. “These are great, wonderful things.”

The Dalai Lama spoke in halting English, sometimes breaking out into giddy laughter, including during a story about a picture of Queen Elizabeth who he said so concerned about formality she didn’t stop to fix her skirt as the wind blew it up. His distaste for formality was one of several themes he touched on during his speech.

He also drew laughter when he joked about a pair of shoes a legislative staff member had tucked under the podium in the Assembly chamber. He said in all the speeches he’s given all over the world, he’s never seen that before.

The Dalai Lama said people everywhere want the same things out of life: to be happy and successful. Those who receive great affection when they are young have a deeper inner happiness than others, who grow up to be distrustful, he said.

He delivered his speech in the chamber where raucous and often angry debates took place during consideration of Gov. Scott Walker’s bill effectively ending collective bargaining rights for public workers.

During his speech to the Assembly, the Dalai Lama didn’t mention any specific political battles in Wisconsin. Instead, he stressed the importance of humility and being humble.

“The representative or the speaker or even president of the United States, the way they born, die, same,” he said. “No differences. Homeless people, same. The way born, the way die, same.”

Tenzin Gyatso has served as the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, since 1940. He has lived in a small town in northern India, now considered the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile, since he fled Tibet 50 years ago when Chinese troops marched in. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his nonviolent struggle in protest of Chinese rule of Tibet.

Their research explores healthy qualities of mind, such as kindness and compassion. Davidson has used brain imaging technology on Buddhist monks and other veteran practitioners of meditation to learn how their training affects mental health. <The Associated Press>