Published by: World Tibet Network News, Sunday, October 6, 1996

SYDNEY, (Oct. 3) IPS - The visit to Australia of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, raised nearly one million dollars in donations and souvenir sales, but exposed its organizers to criticism of commercialization of a religion that preaches generosity and frugality.

The Dalai Lama completed his 15-day tour on Sept. 30 triggering predictable howls of protest from Beijing over his meeting with Prime Minister John Howard and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. China threatened to block efforts by Australian banks to set up businesses in the mainland.

The chairman of the Buddhist Council of New South Wales, Graeme Lyall is delighted with the reception the Dalai Lama got here.

"We must thank China for his tour being such a resounding success," Lyall said with a chuckle. "Because they made such a fuss, we got millions of dollars worth of publicity for which we would never have been able to pay for."

But while it was expected that the Dalai Lama's visit would raise hackles in Beijing, it was the overt commercialization of the tour by the local organizers that received criticism from an unusual quarter: traditional Asian Buddhists who have settled down in Australia.

The Tibetan spiritual leader and his 20-monk entourage flew into Australia courtesy Thai International Airways, were driven around in cars loaned by Ford Motor Company and stayed at the five-star Regency Hotel chain in Australian cities. All three companies were official sponsors of the trip and their logos on literature and pamphlets.

The Dalai Lama addressed public lectures in Sydney, one of which at the Sydney Entertainment Center attracted over 15,000 people. The Tibetan leader's down to earth, warm and witty personality impressed most Australians and perhaps converted some of them to Buddhism.

A nine-day holy "Kalachakra Initiation" was held at the Horden Pavilion of the Sydney Showground -- where Michael Jackson is due to perform later this month. The officials at the gate, some of whom claimed to be Buddhists, treated the Buddhist retreat as if it was a pop concert.

About 4,000 "devotees' a day paid $22 to attend the festival and another 600 became "benefactors" of the tour by paying $1,200 each.

A tour CD "Mantra Mix" sold over 8,000 copies at $22 each. Other merchandise included Dalai Lama T-Shirts at $18, books for about $30, a set of eight cassettes of Dalai Lama teachings for $75 and children's dolls for $22.

Tsultrim Palden Dekhang, head of the environment and development desk of the Tibetan government-in-exile based in India, admitted that at the beginning he was worried about the commercialization of the visit.

"In Buddhist countries the teachings are all free. Buddhists know that Kalachakra is free from the olden times. To some extent (these) people crossed the border," he said. "But their motive was very good. They wanted to help the Tibet government in exile and those Tibet support groups which help Tibet."

Dekhang said that there have been discussions between the Dalai Lama and the tour organizers about how to spend the monies collected during the tour.

"As a Buddhist of course, we don't charge for anything," observed Kesang Wangmo, from the Australian Tibet Council. "But, over there (in Tibet) everything is cheap and people have time. It is different here, you have to pay for everything. Without a charge I think this (tour) wouldn't have happened."

She pointed out that the Tibetian community in Australia is the smallest ethnic group here with just over 100 people scattered around the vast continent. "Without the support of the Australians this tour would not have been possible at all," said Wangmo.

Those who attended events connected with the Dalai Lama's visit here were overwhelmingly white Australians of middle and upper middle class backgrounds.

While Buddhism, especially the Tibetian Mahayana sect has become very fashionable with this class of people, the Dalai Lama's anti-Chinese message would hit a chord with many who see the increasing international economic and political clout of the Chinese as a threat.

The Dalai Lama tour also demonstrated the cultural differences between the East and the West.

"Dana" (generosity), "Sila" (morality) and "Bhavana" (meditation) are the three pillars of Buddhism, but it was apparent that the Australian organizers of the tour lacked understanding about the concept of Dana.

Lyall who's been a Buddhist for over 30 years agrees. "They (Westerners) don't know Dana. They don't understand it," he says. "They fail to understand that the monks have to eat the next day. Probably he had to pay for the airfare to come here. The Asian community is aware about it. They know that there are expenses involved and will give until it hurts."

Borke says that although the accounting is yet to be completed, the Dalai Lama's tour may have made a "profit" of about half a million dollars.

The organizing committee has agreed with the Dalai Lama to donate 80,000 each to voluntary groups working with projects in Tibet and with Tibetans outside.

The Foundation for Universal Responsibility -- which the Dalai Lama himself has set up after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize will get the rest of the money.

Another $250,000 is expected to be dispersed to groups working with educational and health needs of recent refugees from Tibet in India and other countries.

"We have offered all the funds collected to the Dalai Lama and he's directed us to donate these monies (in this fashion)," said Borke.