After his speech, the Dalai Lama said he would answer questions. He’s told they already have questions from the students.

He leaves the podium and takes a seat at the center of the state. More than 2,000 questions were asked online.

What makes you happy? What makes you laugh?

If I laugh when I’m alone, that looks mad. Seeing people’s faces gives me a genuine sense of satisfaction, then a laugh comes. We are social animals. When I talk, I consider you my friend. Same emotionally. Same physically. No barrier. There’s no barrier to smiling. Language problems can be there. Cultures can be different. Locations can be different. But we can smile at each other.

In light of recent global demonstrations for peace, such as the Arab spring, what advice would you give the people who risk their lives demonstrating against their governments?

They already achieve new opportunity. Individual people can do more constructive things. They already achieved something. Now they should unite, work together and forget about past differences. Look forward to their common interests. Economic development. Education. Including education of warm-heartedness.

What is the most peaceful thing you’ve seen here in Hawaii?

I think there also may be a gap between appearance and reality. In the past few days, only experience appearances. In order to know the reality, you have to spend more time and meet more people to understand what’s really going on underneath. Your own culture seems a very peaceful  culture. The ancient people, without much technology, there relation with nature is more alive. Taking care of nature. Respect for nature. Sometimes they worship nature. Very relevant in today’s world. We’re part of nature. Nature creates humanity. If nature becomes something really disrupted, it’s a question of our own survival. It is wrong to think we can control nature. Unrealistic. We have to take care of nature, the environment. 

Student says he struggles showing compassion to others who don’t reciprocate.

There are two levels of compassion. One is biological. This is oriented about others’ attitudes. If I show love, compassion, how much will I get? That is not genuine compassion. Genuine compassion doesn’t consider response. There is no room for expectation. You don’t expect anything in return. You unconditionally give. You don’t expect anything in return. Some people are totally dedicated to serving others without expectation. Some social workers are truly dedicated without expectations. They help strangers. Unknown people. We have that capacity. When we’re born, at a very young age, children don’t care about social background, race or religion or family background. They see each other as playmates. Through education, we stress religion or social background. Then they focus on importance of those things. Our education should nurture the good seed already there. Describes how as the youngest in his family, he got a lot of attention. His mother was very kind. Sometimes I jokingly tell people that his mother was so kind to him that it spoiled him. Describes holding his mothers’ ears when he was on her back and how he guided her directions by pulling her ears. Gets a big laugh. People who received maximum affection from mother, relatives, deep inside they have more self confidence, less fear than those children who grew up in an atmosphere of fear and loneliness. Deep inside they have a feeling of insecurity. 

The Dalai Lama adds something about companionship, genuine companionship. If your basic mind is calm, the part of your brain you use to study functions normally. But if at an emotional level if you feel distrust or extreme competitiveness, it’s negative. He’s talking about extreme competitiveness. It’s positive to strive, to compete, he says. But if there’s a negative feeling toward others, that’s blind competitive feeling. That’s negative. Anger. Distrust. Every student entering a classroom full of a sense of brotherhood is good. Better for studying. Anger, distrust harmful. 

With questions over, the event begins to wrap up with a performance.