Students practice what Lama preaches at lecture

Mike Alberti Staff Writer

On Tuesday, Nov. 7, Lama Surya Das, an authorized lama in the Nyingmapa School of Tibetan Buddhism, spoke in the Villard Room to a crowd of Vassar students and Poughkeepsie residents. Surya Das’s talk, entitled “Buddhism in America,” was presented by the Department of Religion. Surya Das spoke for about 40 minutes, and then opened the floor for questions.

Surya Das was once called “The Western Lama” by the Dalai Lama. After graduating from SUNY Buffalo, NY, he spent nearly 30 years traveling throughout Asia and Europe studying Zen, vipassana, yoga and Tibetan Buddhism. He studied with some of the Dalai Lama’s own teachers and completed two traditional three-year meditation retreats at his teacher’s Tibetan monastery.

Associate Professor of Religion E.H. Jarow introduced the speaker as the “only American lama in the Buddhist tradition.” Jarow said, “This lecture is important because people are looking for ways to put their ideals into action, and Buddhism offers these great traditional tools like meditation, witnessing, and mindfulness that can be applied in a non-sectarian way to a diverse array of issues...These issues range from peace-making to health to studying for a test. Surya Das has an amazing faculty of transcribing those traditions into our lens.”

Jarow was not surprised by the high student turnout at the lecture. “I think most Vassar students consider themselves spiritual, even though not religous,” said Jarow. “There are a lot of students at Vassar who practice meditation and other Buddhist practices, but do not necessarily call themselves Buddhists.”

Surya Das began his talk with what he called a “sacred pause,” leading the crowd in a few minutes of guided meditation. He chanted in Tibetan, and called on the crowd to clear their minds and be completely aware of each moment experienced.

He then spoke on the differences between Eastern (old-world) Buddhism and Western (modern) Buddhism, especially in the United States. He gave a list of 10 ways in which the West has taken Buddhist principles and adapted them to fit into western society. Surya Das noted that Western Buddhism is more meditation-based and experiential than Eastern Buddhism, and that it is more layperson-oriented. He also pointed out that Western Buddhism is more gender-equal, non-hierarchial, community-oriented and ecologically conscious.

“Anybody can become enlightened,” said Surya Das. “Even Westerners, even non- Buddhists.” He stressed that Buddhism is about finding the “middle way” and that in American culture, part of that middle way is “a balance between need and greed.”

“Everybody needs to live,” said Surya Das. “The important thing is to learn to integrate the dharma into daily life.” Surya Das advised that we take time for “sacred moments” when we are commuting, or in the elevator, or standing in line at the movies, particularly during youth.

“When you’re my age, you realize that time is life,” said Surya Das. “It’s hard to get back.”

Surya Das emphasized that Americans can especially benefit from the incorporation of the Buddhist practices of attention and attempting to “see things as they are, not as we are.”

“Wisdom makes us free,” said Surya Das. “But it needs to be discovered and developed first.”