Untitled - The Visit of His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama - Emory ...

Welcome 

Dear Friend of Emory University, 

The Emory community welcomes His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama for his third 

visit as Presidential Distinguished Professor, and on behalf of Emory I extend a 

warm welcome to the more than 12,000 guests who will take part in the events on 

the Emory campus and at the Gwinnett Center. The overarching theme of these 

programs is secular ethics—a system of shared universal principles that transcend 

religious differences but still respect the value and meaning of religion in the 

lives of countless millions. His Holiness has made invaluable contributions to our 

understanding of what it means to be an ethical citizen of the world, and we look 

forward to the opportunities for our faculty and students to engage with him on 

this vital issue. 

It is an honor and a privilege for Emory to work hand-in-hand with His Holiness 

through the Emory-Tibet Partnership on such enterprises as the Emory-Tibet 

Science Initiative, Cognitively Based Compassion Training, and research in 

Tibetan medicine. These collaborations integrate the best of Western and Tibetan 

Buddhist education through science, religion, and mind/body medicine. 

Our relationship has been a true mutual exchange of knowledge. Emory brings 

modern science education to Tibetan monastics on campus and throughout India. 

In turn, the Emory community benefits from the Tibetan Buddhist contemplative 

traditions of compassion meditation and holistic medicine, with an emphasis on 

the interplay of mind and body. Each community receives the best of what the 

other has to offer in this intellectual and cultural interchange, creating a foundation 

for discoveries that expand our understanding of humanity. Our graduate and 

undergraduate studies in Tibetan Buddhism, culture, history, and language—both 

on campus and abroad—plus a variety of engaging Tibetan cultural experiences, 

offer Emory students a unique and rich learning environment. 

On the occasion of this visit, we invite you to celebrate this partnership and the 

tremendous progress the program has made since its inception in 1998. Your 

participation today, and your continued sponsorship, supports the mission of 

the Emory-Tibet Partnership and allows Emory to deepen its commitment to the 

discovery of new knowledge for the benefit of humanity. Please join us on this 

bridge between two distinct traditions as we move closer to a better world. 

AB 

Sincerely, 

James W. Wagner | President, Emory University

History 

His Holiness first visited 

Emory at Glenn Memorial 

Auditorium in 1987, two 

years before receiving the 

Nobel Peace Prize, at the 

invitation of the late John 

Fenton, professor of religion. 

1987 talk at Glenn Memorial Auditorium 

His second visit came in September 1995, with Emory as the 

first stop on a visit to the United States in celebration of his 

60th birthday. He received Emory’s first President’s Medal 

during that visit and spoke to a crowd of more than 4,000 

on campus. In 1998, he delivered the 153rd Commencement 

Address, received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree, and 

inaugurated the Emory-Tibet Partnership. 

During The Visit 2007, His Holiness participated in a daylong 

conference on science and spirituality, a teaching to the 

Buddhist community, an interfaith summit on religion as a 

source of conflict and a resource for peace-building, and his 

inaugural lecture as Presidential Distinguished Professor. This 

appointment, the first university professorship accepted by His 

Holiness, took place during a vibrant ceremony with musical 

performances blending Emory and Tibetan traditions. He 

then traveled to Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park, where he 

delivered a talk to an audience of more than 10,000. 

The Visit 2010 featured 

a series of public events 

including programs on 

science research and 

meditation, creativity and 

spirituality with guests 

Richard Gere and Alice 

Walker, an interfaith 

dialogue on happiness, 

1998 Visit and a teaching for the 

Buddhist community on compassion. The 2010 International 

Conference on Tibetan Buddhism concluded that visit, 

drawing scholars and participants from around the globe. 

2007 Public Talk in Centennial Olympic Park 

“I deeply value my close association with Emory 

University and have always appreciated Emory’s 

leading role in developing innovative programs 

that draw on the strengths of Tibetan and Western 

civilizations for the mutual enrichment of our 

two traditions. I firmly believe that education 

is an indispensable tool for the flourishing of 

human well-being and the creation of a just and 

peaceful society, and I am delighted to be able to 

make a small contribution in this regard through 

this appointment [as an Emory professor].” 

— His Holiness the Dalai Lama 

1

The Emory-Tibet Partnership 

Bridging Two Worlds for One Common Humanity 

Presidential Distinguished 

Professorship installation ceremony 

with President Wagner in 2007 

strengthen such qualities. By bridging these two bodies 

of knowledge, the Emory-Tibet Partnership seeks to 

facilitate an education of both heart and mind, one where 

maroon-robed monastics study cell reproduction under 

the microscope, and Western students practice compassion 

meditation in order to reduce stress and improve their 

quality of life. 

Robert A. Paul Emory-Tibet Science Initiative 

One of the most ambitious and far-reaching projects 

undertaken by the Emory-Tibet Partnership is the Robert 

A. Paul Emory-Tibet Science Initiative (ETSI), which 

integrates a comprehensive modern science curriculum 

1998 inception of Emory-Tibet Partnership 

with then-President William Chace 

The Emory-Tibet Partnership (ETP) seeks to promote 

a cross-fertilization of knowledge between ancient 

Tibetan wisdom and modern scientific understanding. 

Inaugurated by His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama in 1998 

as an academic affiliation between Emory University 

and Drepung Loseling Monastery, the Emory-Tibet 

Partnership has expanded to include collaborations with 

the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, the Institute 

of Buddhist Dialectics, and the Tibetan Medical Institute. 

For centuries, Tibet has been the repository for important 

traditions of learning: in the science of mind, the nature of 

the person and the cosmos, and medicine. Advances in the 

Western world in the natural and health sciences are now 

probing many of the same questions the Tibetan tradition 

has spent millennia investigating. Both sides recognize the 

tremendous potential of a genuine two-way exchange of 

people and ideas that encompasses the areas of culture, 

philosophy, religion, science, and health. 

As modern scientific research continues to demonstrate 

the benefit of and need for qualities such as mindfulness, 

love, forgiveness, empathy, and compassion, the Tibetan 

science of mind complements this cutting-edge research by 

providing effective techniques for how to develop and 

His Holiness with ETP co-founders Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi and Dr. Robert Paul 

“In 2007, Emory agreed to my request that it collaborate 

in developing and implementing comprehensive science 

education in Tibetan monastic institutions, creating 

the landmark Emory-Tibet Science Initiative. Greatly 

encouraged by this bold commitment, I deepened 

my relationship with the university by joining its 

faculty as Presidential Distinguished Professor. This 

remarkable program is now entering its most 

critical phase, when Emory will implement its fully 

developed, six-year science curriculum for thousands 

of monastic students in the major Tibetan monasteries.” 

– His Holiness the Dalai Lama 

2

• Conducting annual six-week summer intensives 

taught by international science faculty in three 

major monastic institutions in south India, with a 

combined student body of over 10,000 

• Offering year-round distance learning classes to 

monasteries and nunneries 

A monk (left photo) and nun (right photo) receive their ETSI certificates 

into the Tibetan monastic education. Summer 2013 saw 

completion of the six-year development phase of ETSI, which 

included: 

• Annual six-week summer intensive pilot program for 

select monks and nuns taught by Emory faculty in 

Dharamsala, India 

• Curriculum covering math, biology, neuroscience, and 

physics 

• Development of 15 preliminary bilingual science 

textbooks tailored to monastic students 

• Graduation of two classes of monks and nuns from the 

ETSI pilot program 

• Hosting five International Conferences on Science 

Translation into Tibetan and coining over 2,500 new 

science terms in Tibetan 

In 2012, the Gelug International Conference, representing 

the largest school of Tibetan Buddhism, set an unprecedented 

example when it voted unanimously to integrate modern 

science into the curriculum of the school’s universities, thereby 

initiating the first major change to monastic education in 

600 years. With this historic achievement, ETSI is ready to 

move forward with the next decisive step towards realizing 

His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s dream of integrating a modern 

science curriculum into the monastic core curriculum. 

In order to guarantee the long-term sustainability of 

this undertaking, ETSI has also committed to training 

indigenous Tibetan monastic science teachers. With the 

support of the Dalai Lama Trust and Emory College of 

Arts and Sciences, 36 such teachers will be trained at 

Emory University over the next ten years. 

The first class of these Tenzin Gyatso Monastic 

Science Scholars (pictured below) completed three 

years of science study at Emory University in May 

2013, and are now serving as science teachers in their 

home monasteries in India. As Robin Forman, dean 

of Emory’s College of Arts and Sciences, noted when 

these scholars were honored at commencement, this 

achievement was “unprecedented for any American 

university.” 

ETSI English-Tibetan 

Translators 

The large-scale implementation phase of the curriculum—set 

for 2014—will include: 

• Developing 19 high-level core science textbooks in 

bilingual editions 

2013 

Commencement 

Ceremony 

3

Dr. Tashi Dawa and Dr. Raymond Schinazi 

Emory-Tibet Medical Science Initiative 

The Emory-Tibet Medical Science Initiative (ETMSI) is 

a bold collaborative effort to investigate the potential of 

traditional Tibetan medicine by utilizing state of the art 

research technology. World renowned Emory researcher 

Dr. Raymond Schinazi is collaborating with Tibetan 

medical doctors like Dr. Tashi Dawa to investigate the 

anti-cancer and anti-viral properties of Tibetan medicinal 

compounds, while other faculty members of Emory’s 

School of Medicine are involved in the anthropological 

and clinical investigation of traditional Tibetan medicine. 

Alongside research on Emory’s campus, Emory medical 

professors teach summer classes in human physiology, 

anatomy, modern medical treatment, and research 

methodology to Tibetan medical students and doctors 

at Men-Tsee-Khang Tibetan Medical Institute in 

Dharamsala, India. 

“For over 20 years, my laboratory has been developing 

drugs to treat life-threatening diseases including HIV/ 

AIDS, HBV, HCV, and cancer. Although my training is in 

Western medical research, I have great respect for Tibetan 

medicine,” Schinazi said. “By isolating and testing the 

anti-viral and anti-cancer properties of chemicals from 

traditional Tibetan herbs…I am optimistic our work will 

yield positive results for humanity.” 

Cognitively Based Compassion Training 

Compassion—a universal human value that is also the 

foundation of ethical behavior—is important not only for 

individual health, but also for the collective well-being 

of humanity. This is not just ancient wisdom—it is 

supported by the findings of an increasing body of scientific 

research on the effects of developing compassion. In 2005 

Cognitively Based Compassion Training (CBCT) was 

developed by Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi as a protocol 

to cultivate compassion in response to a growing need for 

an effective way to combat mental health problems. This 

secularized protocol is based on the Tibetan Buddhist lojong 

or “mind training” tradition, a treasure trove of theoretical 

and practical knowledge detailing a systematic approach to 

enhancing positive emotions and transforming destructive 

ones. 

Pioneering CBCT research with Emory’s undergraduate 

population demonstrated significant beneficial effects on 

immune and hormonal response to psychosocial stress. 

These promising results led to a five-year NIH-funded 

research study on the health benefits of compassion 

training. This research is demonstrating numerous beneficial 

outcomes of engaging in compassion meditation, and 

CBCT has been adapted and implemented with success in a 

variety of populations, including at-risk youth in Atlanta’s 

foster care system, attempted suicide patients, and public 

and private elementary school students in Atlanta. By 

playing a leading role in scientific research on compassion 

and the creation of programs that bring compassion 

training into education and society, CBCT seeks to 

contribute to His Holiness’ vision of secular ethics and the 

promotion of universal human values as a means for global 

transformation. 

CBCT Instructors Brendan Ozawa-de Silva and Brooke Dodson-Lavelle 

4

THE DALAI LAMA 

FOR MORE THAN THIRTY YEARS I have been engaged in an ongoing exchange with 

scientists, exploring what modern scientific knowledge and the time-honored science of mind 

embodied by the Tibetan tradition can bring to each other’s understanding of reality. This is 

important because the greatest problems humanity faces today must be addressed not only on a 

material level, but also on a psychological and emotional level. 

I am deeply grateful that Emory University shares this vision. My close association with Emory 

began in 1998, when I had the pleasure of inaugurating the university’s affiliation with Drepung 

Loseling Monastery. This in due course led to the formation of the Emory-Tibet Partnership and 

a wide range of innovative programs. 

In 2007, Emory agreed to my request that it collaborate in developing and implementing 

comprehensive science education in Tibetan monastic institutions, creating the landmark Emory- 

Tibet Science Initiative. Greatly encouraged by this bold commitment, I deepened my relationship 

with the university by joining its faculty as Presidential Distinguished Professor. This remarkable 

program is now entering its most critical phase, when Emory will implement its fully developed, 

six-year science curriculum for thousands of monastic students in the major Tibetan monasteries. 

Since 2005, the Emory-Tibet Partnership also has developed a robust research program in 

Cognitively Based Compassion Training that is investigating the physiological, psychological, 

and behavioral benefits of the cultivation of compassion. It also is looking into how compassion 

can be implemented in education, health care, and society at large, which is another example of 

the convergence of science and inner values in which we are engaged. 

This historic work is a testament to Emory’s sincere commitment to advancing human knowledge 

by drawing on the unique and complementary strengths of the Tibetan and Western traditions. 

Naturally, this far-reaching collaborative effort requires significant resources to ensure its success 

and sustainability. Because I believe so deeply in the importance of its projects, I have, through 

the Dalai Lama Trust, made a donation towards establishing an endowment for the Emory-Tibet 

Partnership, and annually make a contribution to its operational funds. 

I hope you share my enthusiasm for the transformative potential represented in this joint endeavor 

and invite you to join me in lending your support to the Emory-Tibet Partnership. 

May 3, 2013 

5

Other Programs of Study 

Tibetan Studies: At Emory and Abroad 

Thanks to growing resources and relationships, Emory 

University has developed one of North America’s 

leading programs in Tibetan Buddhist studies during 

the past two decades. Throughout the University, 

scholars and students have unparalleled access to 

Western-trained faculty conducting groundbreaking 

research, to a traditionally trained Geshe (the highest 

Tibetan monastic degree), and to visiting distinguished 

Tibetan scholars, as well as language courses, studyabroad 

programs, and diverse library holdings. 

Established relationships with Tibetan institutions 

of higher learning such as the Institute of Buddhist 

Dialectics (IBD) and the Library of Tibetan Works and 

Archives have deepened over the years, creating even 

more exciting opportunities. 

Innovative Research and Teaching 

In the areas of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and 

contemplative practices, Emory has developed 

academic programs that highlight the strengths of the 

faculty and Emory community as a whole. 

Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi, a senior lecturer in the 

Department of Religion, directs the Emory-Tibet 

Partnership and the Robert A. Paul Emory-Tibet 

Science Initiative. After completing his Buddhist 

studies at Drepung Loseling Monastery and the IBD, 

Negi earned his PhD at Emory’s Institute of Liberal 

Arts, becoming one of the few individuals in the 

world to hold both a PhD and Geshe degree. As such, 

he is an ideal liaison between Emory and Tibetan 

institutions of learning. 

While teaching courses on Buddhist psychology and 

philosophy, mind/body medicine, and the interface 

of Buddhist thought and modern science, Negi also 

conducts a number of scientific studies on compassion 

meditation. 

Study-abroad participants 

John Dunne, an associate professor in the Department 

of Religion, cofounded the Emory Collaborative for 

Contemplative Studies which spans not only religion but also 

psychology, psychiatry, anthropology, nursing, and public 

health. His work focuses on various aspects of Buddhist 

philosophy and contemplative practice, and on the intersection 

of science and religion. His current research includes an 

inquiry into the notion of “mindfulness” in both classical 

Buddhist and contemporary contexts, especially in relation 

to nondual styles of Buddhist practice. He is a fellow of the 

Mind and Life Institute and a collaborator with the Center for 

Investigating Healthy Minds. 

6

Sara McClintock, an associate professor in the Department 

of Religion, is a director-at-large for the International 

Association of Buddhist Studies and serves on the Research 

Advisory Committee for the Mind and Life Institute, where 

she is also a fellow. Her teaching and research focus on 

Indian and Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and narrative 

traditions, with theoretical interests in performativity, 

embodiment, reader response, and interpretation theory. 

Her published work includes a monograph on rhetoric and 

rationality in the works of Santaraksita and Kamalasila, 

Indian Buddhist scholars renowned for bringing Buddhist 

philosophy and monasticism to Tibet in the 8th century. 

Her current research includes a study of the role of past life 

stories in Buddhist ethical formation. 

Activism among young Tibetan refugees in India is a 

current research focus of Tara Doyle, a senior lecturer in 

the Department of Religion and director of the Tibetan 

Studies program, who teaches undergraduate courses in 

Buddhism, Hinduism, and Tibetan culture. Other research 

interests include Hindu-Buddhist pilgrimage sites in South 

Asia, socially engaged Buddhism, and Buddhism in America. 

On campus, Doyle has organized Tibetan film festivals, 

music concerts, arts activities, and a major photography 

exhibition from the Tibet Museum in Dharamsala. 

His Holiness with Buddhist 

studies faculty and students (left) 

Study-abroad faculty and students 

(below) in Dharamsala, India 

Tsepak Rigzin currently teaches two levels of Tibetan 

language classes as well as courses in Tibetan culture 

and history within the Middle Eastern and South 

Asian Studies Department. Since 2006, he has been a 

scholar-in-residence, translator, and Tibetan language 

instructor at Drepung Loseling Monastery in Atlanta. 

Previously, he was a leading translator-scholar at the 

Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamsala. 

For more than a decade, he served as rector, principal, 

and education officer of the Central Tibetan Schools 

Administration in New Delhi, India, and was one 

of the members on the first Board of The Education 

Policy Committee for Central Tibetan Administration, 

Dharamsala. 

Additionally, Emory’s Tibetan Studies programs 

are strongly supported by Emory Libraries. Subject 

librarian Tim Bryson overcame challenges in adding 

to the collection: learning the language sufficiently to 

catalog the items in Tibetan and preparing the long, 

narrow pecha manuscripts for shelves designed for 

the traditional Western codex. EUCLID—Emory’s 

collections database—shows more than 3,400 items 

relevant to Tibetan studies on the shelves and about 

14,000 texts online (full access to these materials is 

available at nearby Drepung Loseling Monastery). 

Unique Study-Abroad Opportunities 

Undergraduate education is greatly enhanced by 

Emory’s study-abroad programs in Dharamsala, 

situated in the foothills of the Himalayas and capital 

of the Tibetan exile community. Thanks to Emory’s 

partnership with IBD and the Library of Tibetan Works 

and Archives, students from across the U.S. experience 

a culturally rich environment with leading figures in the 

community, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama. 

“I can absolutely say the students who go on this 

program have some of the most profound experiences 

of any students who study abroad,” says Philip 

Wainwright, vice provost for international affairs. 

7

Students have a choice of 

two study-abroad programs. 

The nationally acclaimed 

spring semester Tibetan 

Studies Program, founded by 

Tara Doyle in 2001, weaves 

together rigorous academic 

study, field research, cultural 

immersion, and contemplative 

practice. Students live with IBD 

roommates and Tibetan families, 

Study-abroad participants 

attend private classes with 

important Buddhist teachers, conduct field research, and 

participate in numerous Tibetan and Indian cultural events. 

Since its beginning, the program has hosted students from 

more than 40 institutions. Launched in summer 2009, the 

five-week, intensive Emory Tibetan Mind/Body Sciences 

Program, directed by Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi, is an 

immersion program that offers students the opportunity 

to engage with researchers at the forefront of the growing 

dialogue between Tibetan Buddhism and modern science. 

In conjunction with the Emory-Tibet Science Initiative, 

students study Buddhist philosophy, culture, contemplative 

practice, and Tibetan medicine while actively engaging 

in dialogue with Tibetan monks and nuns studying 

neuroscience, biology, and physics. 

Tibetan Culture in the Emory Community 

In addition to its academic programs, Emory has supported 

a range of complementary activities designed to increase 

awareness and understanding of Tibetan culture among 

students and the wider community. With the generous 

support of a five-year grant from The Shelley & Donald 

Rubin Foundation, as well as from the Emory-Tibet 

Partnership and many other sponsors from around the 

University, Emory has invited numerous Tibetan scholars 

and artists to campus to teach courses and to offer 

programs to the public. Highlights from this rich array 

of programming include the residencies of Tenzin Norbu, 

a master scroll painter from the Norbulingka Institute in 

Dharamsala, and Techung, a world-renowned Tibetan 

folk singer and musician trained at the Tibetan Institute of 

Performing Arts. 

In 2012, Emory’s Michael C. Carlos Museum hosted a 

major exhibition from the Rubin Museum of Art entitled 

“Mandala: Sacred Circle in Tibetan Buddhism,” which 

attracted more than 35,000 visitors. This year, Emory 

was proud to host a rare performance of Sukyi Nyima, a 

traditional Tibetan folk opera, which played to a packed 

house of delighted students, faculty, monks, and members of 

the general public. 

The monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery are frequent 

guests to Emory’s campus and are often found constructing 

yet another beautiful yet impermanent sand mandala 

during Emory’s annual Tibet Week. Similarly, Emory’s 

campus life has been profoundly enriched by the presence 

of Tibetan monastics studying science alongside the Emory 

undergraduates under the auspices of the Emory-Tibet 

Science Initiative. 

Living Mandala 

Sukyi Nyima, a traditional Tibetan folk opera 

Techung (on right) 

Shakyamuni Buddha 

Tibet, ca. 13th-14th century 

Ester R. Portnow Collection of Asian Art, 

a gift of the Nathan Rubin-Ida Ladd Family 

8

The Pillars of Responsible Citizenship in the 21st Century Global Village 

(Public Talk) and Secular Ethics in Education (Panel Session) 

Tuesday, October 8 • 9:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. 

The Arena at the Gwinnett Center 

His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama 

His Holiness the Dalai Lama, 

Tenzin Gyatso, one of the world’s 

most renowned and revered voices 

for peace and universal ethics, is 

the spiritual leader of Tibet and the 

1989 recipient of the Nobel Peace 

Prize. He describes himself as a 

simple Buddhist monk. 

This public talk will focus on the 

fundamental human values that are the building blocks 

of an engaged and compassionate world. He will outline 

his comprehensive vision of secular ethics, its underlying 

principles, and the urgent need to embrace such a system 

in today’s increasingly connected and globalized society. 

Schedule 

8:40 a.m. 

9:10 a.m. 

9:20 a.m. 

9:30 a.m. 

“Sacred Music Sacred Dance for World Healing” 

Special preview performance 

See page 14 for full concert details and tickets 

“Bridging Two Worlds for One Common 

Humanity” —Video presentation 

Introduction of the 

Tenzin Gyatso Science Scholars 

Robert A. Paul, PhD 

Charles Howard Candler Professor of 

Anthropology and Interdisciplinary Studies 

Morning Welcome and Introductions 

James W. Wagner, PhD 

President, Emory University 

Public Talk and Q&A 

His Holiness the Dalai Lama 

Paul Root Wolpe, PhD, Moderator 

Morning Moderator 

Paul Root Wolpe, PhD 

Asa Griggs Candler Professor of 

Bioethics 

Director, Emory Center for Ethics 

Paul Root Wolpe is the author 

of over 125 articles, editorials, 

and book chapters in sociology, 

medicine, and bioethics, and 

has contributed to a variety of 

encyclopedias on bioethical issues. A futurist interested 

in social dynamics, Dr. Wolpe’s work focuses on the 

social, religious, ethical, and ideological impact of 

technology on the human condition. 

11:30 a.m. 

12:35 p.m. 

12:50 p.m. 

1:00 p.m. 

Lunch Break 

Special Presentation 

Richard Moore 

Introduction by the Rev. Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe 

Dean of the Chapel and Religious Life, 

Emory University 

Remarks 

Joni Winston 

Philanthropist 

Afternoon Welcome 

Robin Forman, PhD 

Dean, Emory College of Arts and Sciences 

Panel Session with His Holiness 

See pages 10-11 for chair and panelists 

9

Panel: Secular Ethics in Education 

The panel session, presented in association with the Mind and Life Institute (learn more at www.mindandlife.org), will 

build upon the morning public talk, and examine the applicability of secular ethics in modern education through the lens 

of evolutionary biology, neuroscience, and educational policy and curricula. Discussion, with His Holiness, will include the 

implications of secular ethics for the United States education system, strategies of implementation, and potential benefits. 

Panel Session Chair 

Arthur Zajonc, PhD 

President, Mind and Life Institute 

A leader in the field of contemplative pedagogy, Arthur Zajonc was professor of physics at 

Amherst College from 1978 to 2012. He is the author of the books Catching the Light and 

Meditation as Contemplative Inquiry: When Knowing Becomes Love; co-author of The Quantum 

Challenge and The Dalai Lama at MIT; and co-editor of Goethe’s Way of Science. 

Frans B. M. de Waal, PhD 

Charles Howard Candler Professor of Psychology 

and Director of the Living Links Center at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center 

Frans B. M. de Waal studies primate social behavior and cognition. He is a member of the (US) 

National Academy of Sciences, and was selected by Time Magazine as one of “The World’s 100 

Most Influential People Today.” His popular books include Our Inner Ape (2005) and The 

Bonobo and the Atheist (2013). 

Abstract: “Cooperation and fairness in primates” Cooperation requires benefits for all parties, otherwise what would 

be the point? Humans are sensitive to the distribution of rewards, known as our sense of fairness. We do not like getting 

less than others for the same effort. But while the human aversion of inequity is well known, there are now also studies 

of other animals. Controlled experiments indicate that monkeys and apes pay attention to what a partner receives 

compared to themselves. We even played the Ultimatum Game (the gold standard of the human sense of fairness) with 

chimpanzees, and their reactions are indistinguishable from those of our species. 

Richard Davidson’s research is broadly focused on the neural bases of emotion and emotional 

style and methods to promote human flourishing, including meditation. He has published over 

300 articles, many chapters and reviews, and edited 14 books. He was named one of “The 

World’s 100 Most Influential People Today” by Time Magazine in 2006, and is author (with Sharon Begley) of 

The Emotional Life of Your Brain (2012). 

10 

Richard J. Davidson, PhD 

William James and Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, Director of the Waisman 

Brain Imaging Lab, Founder and Chair and the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the 

Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Abstract: “The causes and consequences of innate goodness” 

These brief remarks will showcase the view that compassion and other related virtuous qualities of mind are best 

regarded as akin to language—we all have an innate propensity to express these qualities, but they require a supportive 

environment to be nurtured and cultivated. Evidence for the early expression of these qualities in infants will be 

presented and data suggesting that we come into the world with an innate preference for cooperative and altruistic 

encounters compared with ones that are uncooperative and selfish. Biological data will be considered that suggest 

that compassion and related qualities induce salubrious changes in the body that may be beneficial for physical and 

mental health. These data may provide a compelling rationale for the view that goodness is indeed innate and that its 

expression brings benefit that has important evolutionary advantage. 

Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi, PhD 

Senior Lecturer, Department of Religion, Emory University 

Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi’s work focuses on the intersection of modern science and Buddhist 

tradition, specifically in the role of emotions and their impact on health and well-being. To further 

this interdisciplinary endeavor, he serves as principal contemplative investigator for Emory’s 

ongoing research study on the benefits of compassion meditation. 

Abstract: “Compassion as the foundation for secular ethics” Both the major religious traditions and modern 

humanistic movements have recognized compassion as a basic human value indispensable for well-being. In recent 

years, evolutionary biologists and neuroscientists have also been finding increasing evidence that suggests not only is 

compassion vital for human flourishing, the potential for compassion is rooted in our very biology. This presentation 

will share some of the insights derived from research with Cognitively Based Compassion Training at Emory University, 

including research with elementary school children and adolescents in foster care. These scientific findings provide 

compelling evidence for how compassion can be a catalyst for positive personal growth and transformation. 

Brooke Dodson-Lavelle, M.A. 

Senior Research Officer, Mind and Life Institute 

Brooke Dodson-Lavelle leads Mind and Life’s new Ethics, Education and Human Development 

Initiative. She has experience developing and teaching compassion-based interventions for adults, 

elementary school children, and adolescents in Atlanta’s foster care system. She is completing 

her PhD at Emory in religious studies, where her work focuses on the secularization of Buddhist 

contemplative practices in America. 

Abstract: “Fostering compassionate and ethical development in education: A Mind and Life initiative” 

As part of its mission to promote human flourishing around the globe, the Mind and Life Institute has recently embarked 

on a new initiative to develop pedagogy and curricula in “secular ethics.” We are committed to fostering compassionate 

communities that support ethical sensitivity and altruistic behavior in educational and other social institutions. Our 

approach builds from existing work in social and emotional learning and contemplative education, and integrates 

insights from neuroscience and human development with sophisticated contemplative training and the best existing 

educational practices. This presentation will highlight key features, goals, and strategies of this initiative. 

11

Secular Ethics 101 

Wednesday, October 9 • 9:30 a.m. 

Glenn Memorial Auditorium 

His Holiness, in his role as Presidential Distinguished Professor, will 

deliver a traditional “intro-course” lecture on secular ethics with 

questions from Emory students 

Schedule 

9:30 a.m. 

9:35 a.m. 

Welcome and greetings on behalf of the faculty 

Claire E. Sterk, PhD 

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs 

Welcome and greetings on behalf of the students 

Raj Patel 

President, Student Government Association 

Secular Ethics 101 and Q&A Session 

His Holiness the Dalai Lama 

James W. Wagner, PhD, Moderator 

President, Emory University 

Recommended Reading 

From the publisher: 

Ten years ago, in his 

best-selling Ethics for 

the New Millennium, 

His Holiness the Dalai 

Lama first proposed 

an approach to ethics 

based on universal 

rather than religious 

principles. Now, in 

Beyond Religion, the Dalai Lama, at 

his most compassionate and outspoken, 

elaborates and deepens his vision for the 

nonreligious way. 

Transcending the mere “religion wars,” he 

outlines a system of ethics for our shared 

world, one that gives full respect to 

religion. With the highest level of spiritual 

and intellectual authority, the Dalai 

Lama makes a stirring appeal for what he 

calls a “third way,” a path to an ethical 

and happy life and to a global human 

community based on understanding and 

mutual respect. 

Beyond Religion is an essential statement 

from the Dalai Lama, a blueprint for all 

those who may choose not to identify 

with a religious tradition, yet still yearn 

for a life of spiritual fulfillment as they 

work for a better world. 

12

Transcending Moral Differences: Can a “Secular Ethic” Unite Us? 

Wednesday, October 9 • 2:00 p.m. 

Emerson Concert Hall, Schwartz Center for Performing Arts 

Schedule 

2:00 p.m. 

Welcome and greetings on behalf of 

the Department of Religion 

Gary Laderman, PhD 

Chair, Emory Department of Religion 

2:05 p.m. 

Conversation with His Holiness 

In his book Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World, 

His Holiness the Dalai Lama lays out an approach to 

ethics that has the ambitious aim of uniting believers and 

non-believers around a common ethical vision and set 

of practices. But can such a vision, based on Buddhist 

concepts of awareness, discernment, and compassion, truly 

unite diverse religious and secular ethical traditions? A 

panel of experts will discuss the book with His Holiness, 

and then Emory faculty and advanced graduate students 

will have an opportunity to discuss and debate the book 

with His Holiness and other experts on ethics. 

Moderator: 

Paul Root Wolpe, PhD, 

Director, Center for Ethics 

Emory Faculty Panelists: 

Wendy Farley, PhD 

Department of Religion 

Philippe Rochat, PhD JD 

Department of Psychology 

Edward L. Queen, PhD 

Center for Ethics 

About the Center for Ethics 

An international leader in the exploration of ethics, the 

Emory Center for Ethics is dedicated to exploring how 

ethical issues underlie the decisions that shape our minds, 

lives, and society. To do so, scholars from across the 

university gather at the Center to collaborate and study. The 

Center also hosts public programs, partners and consults 

with private and public community organizations, and 

teaches students at every level of university life. The Center 

is committed to asking tough questions and developing 

strategies to help people and organizations put ethics into 

practice. Learn more at ethics.emory.edu 

About the Department of Religion 

The Department of Religion at Emory University offers a 

curriculum of studies at introductory and advanced levels 

in the history of religious traditions and the relations 

between religions, societies, ideas, values, attitudes, and 

artistic expressions. This curriculum includes a broad, 

cross-cultural, and interdisciplinary array of courses 

inquiring into Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and 

Muslim religious traditions. In addition, thematic courses 

take up common human issues and explore them from 

the perspectives of diverse religious traditions. 

Learn more at religion.emory.edu 

13

Cultural Events: The Mystical Arts of Tibet 

Performance 

Wednesday, October 9 • 7:30 p.m. 

Emerson Concert Hall, Schwartz Center for Performing Arts 

The famed multiphonic singers of Tibet’s Drepung 

Loseling Monastery on their Mystical Arts of Tibet world 

tour will perform “Sacred Music Sacred Dance for World 

Healing” in a rare collaboration with renowned Tibetan 

musician Nawang Khechog. 

The performance features multiphonic chanting, wherein 

each of the chantmasters simultaneously intones three 

notes of a chord. The Drepung Loseling monks, who are 

particularly renowned for this unique singing, also utilize 

traditional instruments such as 10-foot-long dung-chen 

horns, drums, bells, cymbals and gyaling trumpets. Rich 

brocade costumes and masked dances, such as the Dance 

of the Sacred Snow Lion, add to the exotic splendor. 

Nawang Khechog is the first Tibetan musician to be 

nominated for a Grammy and is the most renowned 

Tibetan flutist in the world with more than 12 albums. A 

self-taught musician, his music appears on the soundtrack 

for the film Seven Years in Tibet. For 11 years he was a 

monk and studied Buddhist philosophy and meditation 

with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. 

Tickets and more information: dalailama.emory.edu 

Mandala 

On-going through October 20 

Meditation Hall, Drepung Loseling Monastery 

In honor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visit to Emory 

University, the Drepung Loseling monks of The Mystical 

Arts of Tibet will create a Medicine Buddha Mandala 

which is available for viewing during public hours at 

the Drepung Loseling Monastery Meditation Hall. This 

mandala will be dismantled in a Closing Ceremony at the 

conclusion of Drepung Loseling’s fifth Annual Tibetan 

Festival on October 20. 

From all the artistic traditions of Tantric Buddhism, the 

unique method of painting with colored sand ranks as 

most exquisite. In Tibetan this art is called dul-tsonkyil-khor, 

which literally means “mandala of colored 

powders.” Millions of grains of sand are painstakingly 

laid into place on a flat platform over a period of days or 

weeks. As with the Buddhist tradition as a whole, sand 

painting has its roots in the Tantric legacy of Buddhist 

India, extending back more than 2,000 years. Formed of a 

traditional prescribed iconography that includes geometric 

shapes and a multitude of ancient spiritual symbols, the 

sand-painted mandala is used as a tool for re-consecrating 

the earth and its inhabitants. 

Viewing hours and more details: www.drepung.org 

14

Buddhist Teaching 

Thursday, October 10 • 9:30 a.m. 

Glenn Memorial Auditorium 

His Holiness will provide a teaching by invitation of the Drepung 

Loseling Monastery-Atlanta on the root text of Mahamudra by 1st 

Panchen Lama, Losang Choekyi Gyaltsen. 

Losang Choekyi Gyaltsen was a luminary extraordinaire among the 

line of early, great masters of the Gelug tradition. His text, titled 

“Root Text on the Great Seal in Accordance with the Precious, 

Virtuous Tradition: The Main Road to the State of Victorious Ones,” 

ranks as one of the most illuminating works of this great master. 

This text provides an experiential approach to understanding the 

authentic nature of the mind and all phenomena, namely the mind’s 

uncorrupted luminous and cognizant nature and the emptiness of all 

phenomena, referred to here as “The Great Seal.” 

1998 Teaching 

About the Drepung Loseling Monastery 

Sharing and Preserving Tibet’s Legacy of Wisdom 

and Compassion 

Drepung Loseling Monastery, Inc. (DLM-Atlanta) is the 

North American seat of Drepung Loseling Monastery, a 

600-year-old monastic college that His Holiness the Dalai 

Lama has described as “the top academic institution” 

within the Tibetan tradition. Established in 1991 and 

academically affiliated with Emory University since 1998, 

DLM-Atlanta is an outpost of authentic Tibetan Buddhist 

Monks assembled at Drepung Loseling Monastery in India 

culture continuing an ancient tradition of academic 

excellence and spiritual development. 

This “Little Tibet” in Atlanta has garnered a reputation as 

one of the most active, innovative, and vibrant centers of 

Tibetan Buddhism in America. A center for the cultivation 

of both heart and intellect, DLM-Atlanta seeks to provide 

a sanctuary for nurturing inner peace and kindness, 

community understanding, and global healing. 

Drepung Monastery was founded on a hillside outside of 

Lhasa, Tibet, in 1416 by Jamyang Choeje, one of the four 

principal disciples of the great Tibetan scholar and adept, 

Je Tsongkhapa. Drepung grew into a grand monastic 

university housing 10,000 monks and divided into seven 

colleges—much like early European universities such 

as Oxford and Cambridge. Known as Khemang Losel 

Jewai Ling Dratsang, the “Monastic College of a Million 

Brilliant Scholars,” Drepung Loseling became the largest 

of Drepung’s colleges and the one most renowned for its 

academic excellence. 

15

After the Chinese Communist invasion of Tibet in 1959, a 

fraction of Drepung Loseling’s monks managed to escape 

and follow His Holiness the Dalai Lama into exile in India. 

Drepung Loseling was eventually reestablished in India in 

1969 with 300 monks. Despite many difficult circumstances, 

the monastery has flourished in South India and now is 

home to more than 3,000 monks. The rigorous Geshe degree 

program takes approximately 20 years to complete, and its 

reputation for producing champions of Tibetan Buddhist 

scholarship continues. 

As an heir to this heritage and under the patronage of His 

Holiness the Dalai Lama, DLM-Atlanta continues a legacy 

of cultural interchange, profound contemplation, and critical 

analysis with its focus on developing strong and sustainable 

programs in three main areas. 

Sharing Tibet’s Unique Culture 

The Mystical Arts of Tibet Tours strive to promote global 

peace and understanding through their “Sacred Music, Sacred 

Dance” performances, sand mandalas, workshops, and 

lectures while also sharing Tibet’s unique and endangered 

culture. These tours raise awareness of the plight of Tibetans 

and their commitment to a nonviolent resolution while also 

raising funds to sustain Drepung Loseling in India and its 

efforts to preserve Tibetan culture in exile. 

16 

A sampling of 

Drepung Loseling 

Monastery-Atlanta 

cultural events: 

(pictured clockwise) 

Tibetan festival, 

Sacred Music Sacred 

Dance performers, 

and mandala art 

project for children 

2010 Visit of His Holiness to DLM-Atlanta 

Partnering with Emory University to Promote the Holistic 

Education of Heart and Mind 

DLM-Atlanta works to create and facilitate academic 

programs and research initiatives that bridge the Western 

and Tibetan intellectual traditions. Since the inception 

of the Emory-Tibet Partnership, which began as an 

academic affiliation between Drepung Loseling and Emory 

University, DLM-Atlanta has been a crucial partner in the 

creation of numerous innovative programs. These include 

the Emory-Tibet Science Initiative, Emory’s Distinguished 

Tibetan Visiting Scholars Program, and the ongoing 

research into Cognitively Based Compassion Training. 

Providing Comprehensive Programs in Tibetan Buddhist 

Theory and Practice 

The third area of focus for DLM-Atlanta is to provide 

comprehensive education and training in Tibetan Buddhist 

philosophy, psychology, and meditation for personal 

transformation and social well-being. With four highly 

qualified resident teachers, including a reincarnate lama 

and three Geshe Lharampas offering a full range of 

instruction at beginning, intermediate, and advanced 

levels, DLM-Atlanta seeks to maintain a balance of study 

and practice through regularly scheduled Tibetan Buddhist 

teachings and meditation sessions. Popular weekly 

meditation sessions focusing on both mindfulness and 

compassion, appropriate to individuals of all backgrounds 

and levels of mediation experience, complement traditional 

teachings and practices. Additionally, DLM-Atlanta hosts 

visiting Tibetan Buddhist masters and artists, extended 

retreats, and interreligious and interdisciplinary lectures 

and workshops, and members participate in various 

community-service activities.

Sponsors 

Emory University greatly appreciates the generous financial support received from corporate, foundation, and individual 

sponsors listed below. Their gifts, and those received after the printing of this program, will help further the work of the 

Emory-Tibet Partnership and Emory-Tibet Science Initiative through Emory College of Arts and Sciences. 

Anonymous 

Asoka Bandarage 

Tony Brewer and Company 

Dawn Carter 

Richard V. Clark 

The Coca-Cola Company 

Thomas W. Comstock 80MR 

Enna Crosman 

Rev. Howard R. Edwards 

Barbara A. Graham 

Norman Guthrie 

Kathleen Hedrick 89B 

The Highland Vineyard Foundation 

Donna 88C and Steven Horne 86C 

Special Thanks 

Linda G. Hutton 

Becky Jackson 

Lisa R. Jue 

Elizabeth Cates and Hugh Kelley 

The Nisha A. Kirk Fund 

Margaret A. Kulyk 96T 

and Wendy Farley 

Jaynn Kushner 

Mickey Lemle 

Stephanie Lewis 

Annesia Lin 

Judith McBean 

Lynne B. McClendon 74G 

Kris McGarry 

Numbers and letters following sponsor names indicate Emory University alumni class years/schools. 

Lexie Potamkin 

Perry Rahbar 04C 

Life University 

Diana and Jonathan Rose 

Madhu and Jagdish Sheth 

Brett Torino 

Ira Seret 

Darla Rae Ura 05N 

Mary Anne Luciano Valdecanas 

89C 93M 96MR 

and Bradford Priddy 90C 95M 

Margaret Wadsworth 

Thomas J. White 

Joni Winston 

The executive committee wishes to thank Emory’s Campus 

Services, Catering, Communications, Marketing, and 

Development and Alumni Relations departments. The 

events would not be possible without the direction and 

support of the Office of Tibet in New York, the U.S. 

Department of State, Drepung Loseling Monastery-Atlanta, 

and the Emory, DeKalb, Atlanta, and Gwinnett County 

police and safety teams. Special thanks to the staff and 

management at the Gwinnett Center, Glenn Church, and 

the Schwartz Center. Thank you to the many volunteers 

and colleagues from around the campus and the broader 

community who worked tirelessly to make these events 

successful. Special thanks to Kari Leibowitz, Suzanne Eden- 

Antola, Andrew Shahan, Brenda Tran, Evan Goldberg, and 

Jim Wynn for their talents and dedication to these events. 

Produced by the Office of University Events. 

Photos provided by Emory Photo/Video, Hal Jacobs, the 

Carlos Museum, DLM-Atlanta, Joe Boris and many others. 

The Visit 2013 Executive Committee: Gary Hauk, 

Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi, and Michael Kloss.

Emory: a destination university, internationally recognized as an inquiry driven, ethically engaged, and diverse community, 

whose members work collaboratively for positive transformation in the world through courageous leadership in teaching, 

research, scholarship, health care, and social action.

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