Peaceful Coast attracts Dalai Lama
Fri 03 June 2011
Katie de Verteuil, Bachelor of Journalism
Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama will visit Eudlo’s Chenrezig Institute in mid-June 2011 as part of his Australian tour.
After a flying visit to Australia Zoo in 2007, the 14th Dalai Lama will make his second appearance on the Coast, when he brings his teachings to the local Buddhist centre on June 16, 2011.
During his day-long stay, the Dalai Lama will bless the Garden of Enlightenment, officially reopen the Gompa (main temple), discuss modern day ethics with local high school students and give a public teaching on Developing Compassion.
The Australian Tour, which runs from June 9-20, 2011, will take His Holiness to Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, before finishing in Perth. 
Chenrezig Institute staff member and Tibetan Buddhist Anja Vecchi has attended many teachings of the Dalai Lama, but is particularly honoured to welcome the prodigious leader into her community.
“He [the Dalai Lama] tends to try and make his teachings less about Tibetan Buddhism and more publically accessible, so it’s not really common for him to visit a specific Buddhist centre whilst on international tours,” Ms Vecchi said.
“He’s going to all the major cities. It’s incredible that he’s coming to the Coast as well.”
Ms Vecchi admitted that Chenrezig Institute’s recognition as one of the first Buddhist centres to be built outside of India may have influenced the Centre’s inclusion in the tour.
The event, which is funded mainly on ticket sales and donations, will greatly benefit financially from the overwhelming response.
Ms Vecchi acknowledges, however, that such a crowd will create a logistical nightmare for the staff of Chenrezig, with certain parts of the centre being cordoned off solely as safety precautions.
“We get quite a few visitors to the centre but they come in small groups and not large quantities,” Ms Vecchi said.
“At this event there is going to be 4000 people, so not only do we have to make everything beautiful but we’ve had to re-look at logistically how you could get all those people on the property.”
Contrary to expectations, no promotion was needed for the event, with initial tickets selling out within a week and the second round in a mere two hours.
Preparations are well underway to ensure everything runs smoothly.
The Sunshine Coast Regional Council has recently upgraded the roads and car park to be used, and there has been much interaction within the Coast’s community in preparation for the event.
“It is definitely a major event for the Coast,” Ms Vecchi said.
“There has been an overwhelming interest from the broader Sunshine Coast community.”
The community is further involved through the 500 tickets which were given out to senior students across high schools on the Sunshine Coast.
To begin his visit at Chenrezig Institute, His Holiness will be traditionally welcomed in the Gompa, where only 1000 Arms of Chenrezig members will attend.
A myriad of food and souvenir stalls will line the car park area just below the centre for the rest of the attendees.
Ticket holders will be invited to the blessing of the Garden on Enlightenment, where the Dalai Lama will present teachings about everyday kindness and the role of ethics in today’s society, followed by a talk on developing compassion for self and others.
A question and answers forum will then follow.
Having heard many of the Dalai Lama’s teachings, Ms Vecchi describes his words of wisdom as “little treasures” which she pockets and carries throughout her daily life.
“I definitely aspire to think the way he thinks and to take things the way that he does,” Ms Vecchi said.
“Morally you can’t fault anything he does.
“His entire life is dedicated to helping others and spreading kindness.
“There’s not one part of his life that he seems to hold just for himself and there is an extreme respect for him because of this.”
Excitedly anticipating the arrival of her spiritual leader, Ms Vecchi was quite surprised by the number of non-Buddhists’ also attending the event.
“There are people who live in nearby suburbs like Palmwoods, who’ve never been to our centre, who vaguely knew we existed, who’ve decided to come to see the Dalai Lama,” Ms Vecchi said.
“There does seem to be a bit of a fashion trend for bohemian things though, eastern spirituality, yoga, health foods, that sort of thing.
“But for a lot of people I think it’s because they feel a bit lost, and they just want to hear anybody who is wise and who’ll tell them it’s all going to be ok.
“His Holiness laughs a lot too and people like that.”
Although tickets have sold out, anyone interested in attending the Sunshine Coast event may still do so through benefactor packages or volunteering.
Image(s) designed by Katie de Verteuil