(TibetanReview.net, Jun04, 2015) – Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, is visiting Australia from Jun 5 to 14 to give a series of religious teachings and public talks and to take part in an interfaith event. The tour is being organized by a group called the Dalai Lama in Australia. There are no suggestions of any meeting with government leaders.
He begins his tour by giving teachings on Commentary on the Five Stages of Guhyasamaja and conferring the Yamantaka Initiation (jigje wang) at the Fairmont Resort in Luera, Blue Mountains, New South Wales, from Jun 5 to 9. In between he will give a public talk on The Wisdom of Forgiveness in the afternoon of Jun 8 at the Katoomba Public School.
In the morning of Jun 11, the Dalai Lama will participate in a multi-faith event in the St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Brisbane, Queensland, with leaders of nine other religions. This will be followed by a Jun 11-12 teachings on Nagarjuna’s Precious Garland (norbu trengwa) to be given in the Brisbane Convention Center.
There will be a public talk on The Wisdom of Compassion on Jun 12 in the afternoon at Riverstage. Another public talk, on The Wisdom of Giving & Receiving, will be given in the afternoon of Jun 14 in the Perth Arena, Western Australia.
No meetings with government leaders are scheduled during the visit. A spokesman for Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk of Queensland had earlier said the latter would consider meeting with the Dalai Lama if she received an invitation. However, she may be saved from having to make an awkward decision since her US trade mission would corresponds with the Tibetan spiritual leader’s arrival, reported brisbanetimes.com.au May 19.
The report noted that both then-Prime Minister John Howard and Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd had bucked tradition in 2007 to meet with the Dalai Lama. However, Mr Rudd turned down meetings in 2008 and 2009 while Julia Gillard also declined a meeting during her term as Prime Minister.
China is one of Queensland’s most important markets, worth billions in tourism, agriculture and the resource sector to the state, and is opposed to any foreign leader meeting with the 1989 Nobel Peace laureate. China calls the Dalai Lama a separatist, although he only seeks meaningful autonomy under Chinese rule for his homeland.
This is said to be the Dalai Lama’s 10th visit to Australia since 1982.