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In Harvard Yard, a tree for the Dalai Lama

E-mail|Link|Comments (16) Posted by Michael Paulson April 30, 2009 03:21 PM

In my many years as a newspaper reporter, I've been to a lot of groundbreakings and ribbon-cuttings and other events that journalists tend to dismiss as "dog and pony shows,'' but I must say I've never seen a dignitary take to a tree planting with quite as much gusto as the 73-year-old Dalai Lama showed in Harvard Yard this morning.

It was just after the Tibetan Buddhist leader had delivered a talk on education inside Memorial Church (more on that in tomorrow's paper), on a patch of grass (OK, on a piece of fake green stuff that had been placed over the ground) just in front of the chapel-cum-war memorial. Harvard's staff arborists (yup, Harvard has a staff of botanists, horticulturists and arborists over at the Arnold Arboretum) had apparently created a hybrid tree just for the Dalai Lama -- a blend of the Monarch Birch from Asia and the Paper Birch from North America that is supposed to evoke trees significant in both Tibetan and Native American cultures.

The event began with the requisite speeches. Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust reviewed the Latin-Sanskrit etymology of the word "birch,'' and the uses of the tree by various cultures, including, she said, the use of its bark for the recording of the earliest Buddhist texts.

"Just as His Holiness has linked East and West, and inspired so many with his leadership and humility, so shall this tree combine the expression of a large heart and a tradition of simple service,'' Faust said, before giving the Buddhist leader a framed rendering of a birch tree in three seasons.

The Dalai Lama offered thanks, saying the tree would likely outlast both Faust and him, and would remind future generations of his visit.

"Sometimes, in the modern time, in a big city, sometimes a lot of modern machines...a little bit distance from nature,'' he said. "Trees and flowers always bring us close with nature.''

He said the tree is a reminder of the importance of environmental issues, saying that with dramatic climate change, "we are finished,'' and warning that excess pollution causes harm to unborn babies. He noted that war is an obvious problem, because it creates for people images of blood and death, but that "the destruction of ecology" occurs "invisibly, unnoticeably, gradually...without much notice.''

But then the fun began. The tree had already been planted, but there was a ditch dug around it, and a pile of dirt with four shovels so that the Dalai Lama, Faust, and the deans of the divinity and education schools could ceremonially turn over some soil. But the Dalai Lama was having none of that. When Faust turned over a timid shovelful, he said to her, simply, "too little,'' and waited for her to do more, at which point he said, "good.'' And then, after the deans did their part, he took his shovel and proceeded to circumnavigate the tree, adding dirt to cover its roots and smoothing out the ground.

Finally, he asked of no one in particular, "have you some water?" An aide brought him a plastic eco-shaped half-liter of Poland Spring with which he proceeded to lovingly water the sun-dappled green leaves.

"Good,'' he said again, before shaking a few hands, walking slowly back to his motorcade, and heading off to lunch.

(Photo, by Mark Wilson of the Globe staff, shows the Dalai Lama at a tree-planting ceremony in Harvard Yard today, 4/30/09.)

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16 comments so far...

Thank you! This story truly lightened my mood today. It nicely captures the warmth and wisdom of the Dalai Lama. It sparkles amid the many problems we are facing. The Dalai Lama reminds us of the importance of nature and simplicity in our lives.

Posted by portiaperu April 30, 09 05:52 PM

True peace lover and I hope he will win for Tibet cause.

Posted by Ananta April 30, 09 06:05 PM

"Eco-shaped half-liter of Poland Spring"? Nice product placement. I'm hoping you intended it as an ironic example of how and why the "destruction of ecology occurs invisibly, unnoticeably, gradually ... without much notice."

Posted by jonesian April 30, 09 06:20 PM

How wonderful to read your account...thank you so much for bringing to my mind today the joy, wit and wisdom of HH The Dalai Lama.
May this hybrid tree thrive! Its symbolism will always hold deep meaning and a reminder of the importance that HH speaks of.
Thank you! so much.

Posted by Donna Iona Drozda April 30, 09 06:28 PM

If a tree falls in harvard yard, and no one sees it, what sound does it make? Or did it really happen? hmmmmmm food for thought

Posted by gaudete April 30, 09 07:04 PM

I semi questioned why he was at harvard all during the visit, I would think a visit
to a hospital or to the indigent would be in order. That being said he is very intelligent and offers people a pathway to service in a true spiritual sense and for that he deserves immense credit. And to see he put some effort into a tree planting shows he has some verve. I just wish that people would put half as much
effort into service in Boston generally, to often we lose sight of the fact that we all
are Dalai Lamas and Popes when we don't visualize nirvana as some distant individual in a distant land, sure the 'big fish" of spirituality get all the camera time
but true religion is often a very small act of humility performed by regular every day people.

Posted by Bostonspaz April 30, 09 07:48 PM

Nice job, dude.

Posted by Mac April 30, 09 09:51 PM

I am speechless. Dalai Lama is a God king of Tibet. Dalai Lama oppressed his own people.(Check on you tube. Shugden society. American People wake up. All I can say is that American are going crazy. What it means now Demise of the American Civilization. Learn from Tibet. Because of God king system, Tibet was easily taken by Chinese and Tibetans are suffered tremendously. Now, it is American turn. American people are going blind like Tibetan.

Posted by David April 30, 09 10:48 PM

I think Little knowledge is dangerous. U better study more on Tibetan and China. Don't go for one sided. U should be fair on this kind of issue. Dalai Lama didn't oppressed his own people instead of it, he is working for the Tibetan cause and humanity. Yes (You tube Shugden society) is just small society which they are misinforming on Tibetan Issue. Because they dislike of His Holiness for no reason. In every society they different kind of people is exist. So u can't judge because of this You tube only. If u want to know more about Tibet and Dalai Lama. Check out those side. tibet.net and dalailama.com

Posted by Sush May 1, 09 12:24 AM

This piece really shows the genuine man of compassion and how his action speaks so much of what we forget in modern world. To care for humanity and nature! To be true to self and show compassion for your "enemy" especially.. wow! We live in such a superficial world that we need constant reminder of being nice to each other and showing act of kindness to fellow human beings and as well as to nature.. what a message.. thank you Dalai Lama for your amazing vision and speech.. we pray for your people and for your return to Tibet some day soon!

Posted by john woo May 1, 09 02:00 AM

I am saddened by David's comment. You must understand and do a little homework, and if possible, I would suggest you to get enlightened little bit more on the subject before you decide to leave a one-sided untoward comment on a leader who has tirelessly spread a message of hope at a time when the world is madly marching nowhere.

Shugden is a cult-like deity worshiping society that discourages secularism in Tibetan Buddhist community. HH the Dalai Lama had long advised them to stop propitiating the deity, saying it is against the virtue of Buddhist practice that seeks inner development through training of mind. In his own word Dalai Lama said he was not forcing anyone to stop the worship, but simply giving spiritual advice as a senior Buddhist guru - and as a spiritual master HH has responsibility to guide Buddhists on the rightful spiritual practice.

I urge David to help spread message of hope in the world, rather than being a pessimist circulating wrong judgments one of the world�s most inspiring spiritual figures like His Holiness.

We must learn to first admire the beauty of a rose, before admonishing its thorns.

Posted by Thinley May 1, 09 03:23 AM

Something is definately wrong in America. Do these Lama-Huggers know how it really was when this reincarnated Tibetan parasite DalyingLama ruled Tibet? It is just so hillarious to hear people call this parasite a peace-loving monk. Do these fools know that all Dalying Lama doing is inciting hatreds between Han Chinese and Tibetan Chinese?

Posted by SopheapAng May 2, 09 09:43 AM

Be at peace and know, it is just human un-consciousness doing what it always does. What i make of it is a self created belief based on my own ego's need to survive. And that's okay. All it is is ...Man talks. Man walks. Woman talks. Woman walks. It's not personal.

Posted by Shersha May 2, 09 12:42 PM

What a visionary gesture! The hybrid tree to signify cross cultrural common goal to heal the Mother Earth. I am certain that something meaningful will emerge from such an intelligent and holy act.
May peace prevail on Earth.

Posted by Duke Tsering May 3, 09 11:20 PM

I am happy to know that I can always come back to Harvard Yard, where I spent my undergrad years, and make a kora around the His Holiness planted.

I hope that one days His Holiness gets to plant trees in the Norbulinka in Tibet, from where he had to flee after the Chinese invaded, imposed a military occupation, and forcibly dissolved the existing Tibetan government.

May peace prevail and may all peoples, including Tibetans, live free from fear, oppression and occupation.

Posted by Tenzin May 7, 09 10:44 AM

I am saddened by the ignorance and the voluntary submission towards remaining ingorant, from David and the rest (be they chinese or not).

I used to think bitter gourd is the worst imaginable veg on earth when i was a kid.
Now i know how perfect that veg is. .

I respect the Dalai Lama, not because I am a tibetan or/and he is a tibetan. But because what he is.

I wish you a quick recovery. it will be a difficult process in realising that many truths were kept hidden from you ( as u grew up , by the CCP in keeping certain infos unavailable to you and what in trying to misguide young impressionable minds ) and coming terms to the truth. but, its worth the try.

give urself a chance.

Posted by tingmo zema September 24, 09 08:33 AM

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Michael Paulson covers religion for The Boston Globe. He shared in the Pulitzer Prize in 2003, won the Mike Berger, Templeton and Supple awards in 2008, and is a four-time winner of the Wilbur Award.
E-mail mpaulson@globe.com.

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Harvey Cox, the Hollis professor of divinity at Harvard University, marks his retirement by asserting a little-used right of his professorship -- to graze a cow in Harvard Yard. Photo, by Barry Chin of the Globe staff, taken on Sept. 10, 2009 in Cambridge, Mass.