“This is a story that wanted to be told. It is also a story the Chinese government does not want to be told. In fact, universities and museums have been pressured not to screen the film or risk losing cultural cooperation. While most documentaries about Tibet are actually filmed in Nepal, India or Bhutan, we filmed “Vajra Sky” entirely inside Tibet. We did not ask for permission from the authorities and none was given. Doors opened from the inside – and we received extraordinary access to many seldom-seen places in Tibet. Why did I film this? I felt the compelling need of Tibetans to share what remained of their culture with the rest of the world. Tibet is a culture on the cusp of becoming yet another lost civilization. I saw the Tibetan faithful responding to repression with an indomitable devotion and resolve. I vowed to capture this, to show the painful absence of true religious freedom there; a fundamental violation of human rights.”

- John Bush, UB alumnus and director of “Vajra Sky Over Tibet: Journey Into a Radiant and Endangered World.” Variety magazine called this a film of “mesmerizing beauty and power.” Bush allows UB to screen “Vajra Sky” free for UB students, on Friday September 15, at 5:30 p.m. in the Student Union Theater.

For more information on “Vajra Sky Over Tibet”:

• Event page for “Vajra Sky”

• To see a trailer of “Vajra Sky,” click here (Quicktime or Windows Media Player required)

“An icon of peace and tranquility, the Dalai Lama's presence has a unique calming influence on the audience. I had the honor to see him in real life and listen to him in McLeodganj, India, (the seat of his government) when I was a child. One memory I have from that day over 20 years ago was that I had tears in my eyes (even though I was eight years old). His words appealed to me;, he was talking about being a better human being through one’s selfless actions. There was something about him, much larger than life, an aura that magnified his words.

“His visit to UB will be a time to go back 20 years, and analyze how much of what he said then I was able to incorporate in my life. It will be an opportunity to look beyond ourselves, to think about something deeper, more powerful. I will go with an empty psyche and try to absorb as much as possible, for I may not get this opportunity again.”

- Mohit Virendra, UB PhD student in computer science and engineering.

“Why should a student attend this talk?  At the heart of each one of us is the spark wanting to be free and to lead a meaningful life. Although this spark is there, it is covered over by layers of ash. The Dalai Lama's teachings (which apply to every belief system) show how to remove the ash and allow this spark to ignite, grow and eventually illuminate one's life and society. Through gentle persuasion and example and never by war, these teachings have transformed millions of people in the past 25 centuries and great civilizations as varied as India and China. Might there not be something of value for a UB student to learn?”

- Frank Howard, Director of the Amitabha Foundation and UB Law alumnus

Rochester attorney and UB graduate, Frank Howard served as Tibetan lama Ayang Rinpoche's Representative in the United States from 1986 to 2006.

The Dalai Lama won the Nobel Peace Prize for his unwavering commitment to nonviolent resistance and unlike many other speakers with a religious bent, does not travel the world to convert. His goal is to share a message of peace and to open dialogues between all peoples of the world on issues that relate to the overall human condition.

’Do not convert others,’ he used to tell us, ‘contribute to others.’ Regardless of religious affiliation or cultural tradition, learning Buddhist meditation and related wisdom practices can help make you a better whatever-you-are. It is a unique opportunity to learn from and encounter such an enlightened and wise leader in our violent and tumultuous world.”

Lama Surya Das, UB ’72

“Some of my Christian brothers and sisters have told me they have adopted some Buddhist techniques to develop compassion while remaining in their own faith. I always tell my Western friends that it is best to keep your own tradition. Changing religion is not easy and sometimes causes confusion. You must value your tradition and honor your own religion.”

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in “Training the Mind”.

“The spiritual leader of Tibetans is one world figure who has seen change at a frantic pace during the course of his leadership. When Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, was enthroned in 1940, Tibet had three automobiles and no motor roads. China was not yet the People's Republic. Today he crisscrosses the world, conversing with social icons and common folk in support of Tibetan cultural autonomy and Buddhist spirituality. A reflective person who has experienced life at such extremes just might be able to voice significant commentary on life.”

- Thomas W. Burkman, Director of Asian Studies at UB

“The Dalai Lama is more beloved by his people than any other national leader in the world. He is one of the great men of this and the previous century. Consider: Martin Luther King's campaign of nonviolence led 20 million to their legal civil rights against an originally hostile or largely indifferent majority population of 150 million. However, the Dalai Lama's nonviolent campaign is officially ignored by the world's powers. He is leading six million Tibetans to freedom against the forces of a hostile foreign neighbor having a population of more than one billion people. He has thus elevated nonviolent action to the level of foreign policy.”

- Frank Howard, Director of the Amitabha Foundation and UB Law alumnus