Dr. Lama

The Dalai Lama is an honarary professor (I think.  Am I right?) at my college.  Hooray!

DAWWWW. Just look at him! He's so cute like a grandpa.

His awesomenss doesn't just come from the way he looks, of course.  He's got much to say and stand for.  Oh, his little kid-self was cute in the movie Seven Years in Tibet too.  Go rent it and watch it.  It's a good movie.  (Brad Pitt is in it, ladies)

To me, the picture of Dalai Lama should be in the dictionary under the word "peace."  I mean, a lot of people represent that idea but I think he does it the best, through his demeanor.  He's always so calm.  Hell, I don't know him but I can FEEL his calmness just by looking at his pictures.  And his playfulness.  But mostly his calmness.

I don't mean to be demeaning, but being exiled is great for him.  He gets to travel around the world, asking for support to free Tibet, meeting other great people, and showing that Buddhism isn't all about sitting on your butt and meditating all day.

His views (on Wiki, where else?) were really interesting:

• "modern scientific findings should take precedence where appropriate over disproven religious superstition"
• religiously rejects abortion but accepts if circumstances are reasonable from a secular point of view
• "I still think of myself as half-Marxist, half-Buddhist."  He says communism is founded on moral principles.  Its fault is that it looks to destroy class differences, so it encourages hatred and neglects compassion.
• he's been campaining for a religious ruling against wearing tiger and leopard skins as garments
• forgiveness is important, but "if someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, he said, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun. Not at the head, where a fatal wound might result. But at some other body part, such as a leg"
• religiously rejects homosexuality but believes it should be accepted in the secular world

Compassion, Acceptance, Forgiveness, Understanding.