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R E F L E C T I O N S
O N
H E A L T H
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama paid an historic three-day visit to the University at Buffalo
September 19–21, 2006, during which time he participated in a series of events on campus.
The following is a report on a lecture he delivered in UB’s stadium to a sellout crowd that included
many students, faculty and staff from the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
To learn more about the Dalai Lama’s visit, go to http://www.buffalo.edu/dalai_lama/. To view a video
of the lecture described in the following article, go to http://www.buffalo.edu/dalai_lama/video.html.
By Ann Whitcher-Gentzke
I
Unbiased
n his formal remarks, the Dalai Lama spoke in The monk replied that he perceived the danger not to be one of
English with his interpreter, Thupten Jinpa, occasionally
personal vulnerability, but rather in not being able to feel sufoffering more exact phrasing for some of His Holiness’s
ficient compassion for his captors. With compassion, the Dalai
more complex viewpoints as expressed in Tibetan.
Lama argued, the mind acquires perspective, even if the probThroughout the afternoon, the Dalai Lama advocated a
lems one faces are serious. “The mental outlook is very, very
compassion “that is not based on the positive attitude of others
crucial to sustaining peace of mind,” he said. “I believe the most
toward you,” but rather on the conviction that others are human important element for peace of mind is human compassion.”
beings and thus have every right to compassionate treatment,
Giving additional examples from his own life, the Dalai Lama
even if they are strangers.
recounted how he had seen poor children in India with no shoes
“That kind of compassion can extend toward your enemy,”
and running barefoot, and also an elderly individual, apparently ill,
the Dalai Lama said. It also is markedly different from the “usual but left alone and utterly uncared for. That very day, His Holiness
kind of compassion one feels toward a loved one—a loving
developed a serious intestinal infection, and while enduring pain
kindness that is very much mixed with attachment.”
during the night, he was able to divert his attention from the pain
Moreover, compassion, as conventionally understood, can
by thinking of the people he had seen earlier in so much distress.
turn to hatred when some slight disturbance
Further developing his themes, His Holiness
occurs in the relationship. Anger, he said, can
noted that small children never care about
He spoke of warmdestroy friendships—even a close friendship
their playmates’ religious background, nor are
heartedness as
usually can’t withstand the raised voice or
they aware of each other’s economic status.
shouts of anger on a continuous basis. A persynonymous with the Furthermore, an unbiased compassion has nothhaps unexpected effect is that “your bad mood
ing to do with pity, or the lack of respect for othfavored “unbiased
serves your enemy,” he said.
ers that can accompany this particular emotion.
On the other hand, with “warm-heartedThe Dalai Lama described how the basis
compassion” and also
ness”—a term the Dalai Lama used repeatedly
for this kind of compassionate understandlikened it to the
during his address and throughout his threeing is biological, although the world’s religious
day visit to UB—“there is no room to exploit
traditions reinforce such fundamental human
immune system, the
or to bully others.” He spoke of warm-heartedvalues. He traced his mother’s innate nurturing
ness as synonymous with the favored “unbiased health of which can
role beginning at birth and how the memory or
compassion” and also likened it to the immune withstand even the
experience of such nurturing can be cultivated
system, the health of which can withstand even
through all the stages of one’s life.
most pernicious of
the most pernicious of influences. The Dalai
The Dalai Lama noted, too, how physical
Lama also contrasted “genuine satisfaction”
comfort
can’t subdue mental stress, as when
influences.
with a “false satisfaction”; that is, being overly
reclining on a comfortable bed won’t bring true
reliant on material possessions or comforts.
repose if one is wracked with worry or concern. He described how
Reinforcing the theme of compassion, he described how a
he approaches the people he meets “one on one,” “as brothers and
monk of his acquaintance—who had spent more than 18 years
sisters,” and always with a ready smile. He maintains this smile
in the Chinese gulag—spoke of the dangers experienced there.
even in more reserved cultures, say in Western Europe, joking that
What were these dangers, the Dalai Lama asked his colleague?
some have appeared “stunned” at his easy affability.
Compassion
Wearing his red-and-yellow robes,
which flapped in the stiff wind, His Holiness the 14th
Dalai Lama came to the University at Buffalo on
September 19, 2006, with a message of profound
compassion and personal humility.
“I’m extremely happy to share some of my thoughts
and experiences with this large audience,” the Dalai
Lama said, greeting a crowd of 31,000 gathered in
UB Stadium as part of the university’s Distinguished
Speakers Series.
Medicine
Buddha
Thangka:
See page 2
for story
PHOTO BY DOUG LEVERE
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Buffalo Physician
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Assistant Vice President for
News Services and Periodicals
Arthur Page
Unbiased Compassion
Associate Dean and Senior
Director for Advancement and
Constituent Relations, School of
Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Kathleen A. Wiater
T
urning to more specific com-
called “the century of bloodshed,” the 21st cenments, the Dalai Lama talked about the
tury can be a “century of dialogue,” a statement
importance of ecological protection (“This blue that brought audience applause and cheers as
planet is our only home”) and also urged parthe Dalai Lama concluded his formal remarks.
ents to extend compassion to their own chilHe then responded to several student quesdren if divorce is looming or under discussion.
tions read by Stephen C. Dunnett, vice provost
And to audience applause, he
for international education.
The mental
said the solution to violence can
Asked about his most
never be more violence. “Peaceful
admired figures, the Dalai
outlook is very,
resolution is the only alternative.”
Lama cited Gandhi, Martin
In modern education, we are very crucial to
Luther King Jr. and Mother
not paying sufficient attention to
sustaining peace of Teresa, and said that he has so
inculcating values of the heart,
far received “negative signals”
mind. I believe the from the Chinese governhe maintained.
Citing declining church
ment to his requests to visit
most important
influences and even family valTibet. But he said whether he
ues that are “suffering little dis- element for peace
ever visits his homeland has
turbances,” the Dalai Lama said
more to do with the welfare
of mind is human
it falls upon the educational
of the Tibetan people than
institutions to develop warmhis personal yearning. “When
compassion.
heartedness among the young,
China starts addressing the
“from kindergarten to the university level.”
basic issues of Tibet and there is a reasonable
And while the world has emerged from what he approach, I’m ready to go.” BP
Editor
Stephanie A. Unger
Art Direction
Alan J. Kegler
Design
Bob Wilder and Nick Peterson
Contributing Writers
Lois Baker, Ellen Goldbaum
“
Production Coordinator
Cynthia Todd-Flick
Advertising Manager
Sharon Russell-Moore
(716) 863-1569
Dean, School of Medicine and
Biomedical Sciences
Michael E. Cain, MD
Editorial Board
John Bodkin II, MD ’76
Harold Brody, PhD, MD ’61
Stephanie Chow
James Kanski, MD ’60
Elizabeth Olmsted Ross, MD ’39
Stephen Spaulding, MD
Kimberly Venti
Kathleen A. Wiater
Franklin Zeplowitz, MD ’58
“
Healing Science
Catholic Health System
Mercy Health System
St. Joseph Hospital
Sisters of Charity Hospital
Niagara Falls Memorial
Medical Center
is featuring an exhibit this fall titled “gSoba Rig-pa” Tibetan Medicine: A Healing Science.
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of patients, as well as physical.
The oaths taken by doctors in many
cultures recognize compassion as a
healing force.
The exhibit offers an introduction to the rich tradition of Tibetan
medicine. Displayed in three locations on the first and second floors
of the library, it highlights the
history, training and iconography
of the Medicine Buddha, as well as
the spiritual dimensions of healing
and traditional herbal medicine.
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Stop by and see the beautiful
Medicine Buddha thangka on loan
from the Amitabha Foundation
in Rochester (see inset photo on
inside front cover). Also on display
are traditional Tibetan pills, including “precious pills,” and a “poison
cup” for dispensing medications
(on loan from Dr. Richard Lee).
Or visit the exhibit online at
http://ublib.buffalo.edu/hsl/
exhibits/tibetanmedicine/ BP
—Pamela M. Rose, MLS
©UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO,
THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters to the editor are welcome and
can be sent c/o Buffalo Physician,
330 Crofts Hall, University at Buffalo,
Buffalo, NY 14260; or via e-mail to
[email protected]. Telephone:
(716) 645-5000, ext. 1387.
The staff reserves the right to edit
all submissions for clarity and length.
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G
was the central message of
the Dalai Lama’s address at
UB, but it also is a critical component of patient care. Compassion
and wisdom are two Buddhist ideals that are an essential part of
Tibetan physician
training, allowing doctors to
attend to the
emotional and
spiritual needs
Simulators are ‘must-have’ tools
for today’s medical educators
By S. A. Unger
Immunology Pioneer Honored
Ernst Beunter, founder of
dermatology subspecialty,
receives international award
By S. A. Unger
Robert Bennett, Class of 2010, being cloaked by Edward Kim, MD ’99, at
the White Coat Ceremony, held on August 11 in Slee Hall. Turn to page 34
for more on a special highlight at this year's ceremony.
Cov er p ho to by K. C. K r at t. S e c o n d -y e a r me d i c a l st u d e n t
M a r y O b eco m es acq ua i n t e d w i t h t h e sc h o o l’ s n e w si mu lat o r .
Kaleida Health
The Buffalo General Hospital
The Women and Children’s Hospital
of Buffalo
DeGraff Memorial Hospital
Millard Fillmore Gates Hospital
Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital
In honor of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the Health Sciences Library, on UB’s South Campus,
REATER COMPASSION not only
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New Body of Knowledge
Teaching Hospitals
Erie County Medical Center
Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Veterans Affairs Western
New York Healthcare System
“gSoba Rig-pa”
Tibetan Medicine: A
Features
Guest Column
Pathways
Research
Advancement
Classnotes
16 Pediatrician
Lynda Stidham,
MD ’85, writes
about why she
went “Back
to School”
20 News about
the school and
its alumni,
faculty, students
and staff
27 Pharmaceutical
metabolites
found in wastewater systems
34 Scholars and
donors meet
at White Coat
Ceremony
47 News from and
about your UB
classmates and
other alumni
22 In Memoriam—
Douglas Sinesky
23 Major grant
to study
best treatments
for ADHD
29 Research provides key data
for new field of
metagenomics
Inside Back Cover
36 Donors as stake- 50 Six residents
holders, a converreceive Humanism
sation with
and Excellence
Kathleen Wiater
Teaching Awards
at Student Clin30 BioBlower device 40 James Platt White
ician’s Ceremony
targets hospital
donor recognition
infections
dinner
Practice Giving—
Meet Lillian
Marsh, Class of
2009, scholarship
recipient
42 James Platt White
Society members
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