Release date: Jan. 25, 2006

Tibetan Monk Visit to Spark Talk of Buddhism, Science

Contact: Lailee Mendelson at 404-727-9514 or lfmende@emory.edu
Contact: Elaine Justice at 404-727-0643 or elaine.justice@emory.edu

Emory University will host Tibetan monk Geshe Lhakdor, a close assistant to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, as a Distinguished Fellow of Emory's Halle Institute for Global Learning Feb. 10-15.

His visit, co-sponsored by the Emory-Tibet Partnership, includes a Halle Institute lunch lecture on "His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Views on Science and Spirituality" at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 13. (Call 404-727-7504 by Feb. 8 for an invitation.) Lhakdor also will deliver a public lecture at the Drepung Loseling Institute from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11 on "The Art of Forgiveness: Buddhist Meditations for Transforming Anger and Hostility." For more information, go to: www.drepung.org.

In November, controversy erupted before the annual meeting of the Society of Neuroscience in Washington, when hundreds of scientists signed a petition objecting to an appearance by the Dalai Lama, who had come to discuss Tibetan meditation techniques and recent studies that have shown how they may improve brain function and health. Lhakdor is expected to discuss these and related issues.

"His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been interested in science for many years," says Geshe Lobsang Negi, chair of the Emory-Tibet Partnership and senior lecturer in Emory's religion department. "Geshe Lhakdor has worked closely with His Holiness for more than 15 years, so he is very familiar with his interest in bringing together the diverse scientific and religious communities. Geshe Lhakdor's visit to Emory is the closest thing to having His Holiness here himself to speak on this topic."

Possible relationships between science and Buddhism is a topic of particular interest at Emory. The Emory-Tibet Partnership was inspired by the Dalai Lama's vision of bringing together the best of the Tibetan wisdom and Western academic traditions. The partnership supports a range of projects, including a study on the impact of Tibetan Buddhist meditation techniques on the mental health of Emory College freshmen, and last year's conference, "Mind-Body Medicine at the Interface of Mood and Health: Tibetan Buddhist Perspectives on Depression in the Medically Ill."

Lhakdor currently is the director of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamsala, India. He has served as His Holiness the Dalai Lama's religious assistant and translator for many years and represents his vision and work at various national and international conferences and forums.

Lhakdor was born in Yakra, Western Tibet, in 1956. He left Tibet in 1962 following the Chinese invasion and received his monk ordination in 1964. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in English from Panjab University, Chandigarh. From 1976–86 he studied philosophy at the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics, a private institute for advanced studies established by the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala. In 1989 he received his master of philosophy degree from the University of Delhi, and six years later he received his geshe degree (doctor of divinity), the highest degree of learning in Tibetan Buddhism, from the Drepung Loseling Monastic University in South India.

Emory University is known for its demanding academics, outstanding undergraduate college of arts and sciences, highly ranked professional schools and state-of-the-art research facilities. For nearly two decades Emory has been named one of the country's top 25 national universities by U.S. News & World Report. In addition to its nine schools, the university encompasses The Carter Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Emory Healthcare, the state's largest and most comprehensive health care system.

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