Video: The meeting that started 'Seeds of Compassion'

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SEATTLE - It is a monumental task: Bringing together an entire region to learn about incorporating compassion into our homes, schools, and businesses. 

This week's five-day Seeds of Compassion conference headlined by His Holiness the Dalai Lama has become the biggest non-sporting event in Washington state history, with more than 156,000 people expected to attend.  The Seeds of Compassion conference will focus on the need of teaching compassion, especially to children, and how early learning development for children greatly benefits all of society. 

It all began with a conversation between an unlikely pair: a Seattle businessman and a Buddhist monk.  Dan Kranzler of the Kirlin Foundation and the Venerable Lama Tenzin Dhonden, the Dalai Lama's personal emissary for peace, had listened to the Dalai Lama speak on the need for compassion at an event in Sun Valley in 2005. 

"I know we left thinking this is the right thing to do, and what can we do to make a change" recalled Kranzler, Seeds of Compassion co-founder. 

"Today's world is lacking the love, and the love is the seed of compassion," said Lama Tenzin, Seeds of Compassion co-founder.   

And then, the question that started it all came from Lama Tenzin. 

"He asked me if we would put together a program and do Seeds of Compassion here in Seattle," said Kranzler.  "I thought, 'That's gonna be one heck of a tough challenge.'" 

"And Dan say, 'I'm not ready yet,'" recalled Lama Tenzin. "And I say, 'Now is the time, otherwise there will never be the time." 

"I think I went off and had some interesting thoughts and conversations with myself," said Kranzler, "but it's very difficult to spend time with both Lama Tenzin and His Holiness.  When they sort of point their finger at you and say, 'You should do this,' it's very hard to say, 'Nah, I don't think I should. I don't think it's the right time.'" 

"I community groups, I asked funders, I asked organizations, and the result was really quite spectacular," said Kranzer.  "Everybody I spoke to said, 'You know what? This is really important. We should do this and I'll be involved.'" 

Kranzer said getting involved with Seeds of Compassion is an opportunity to give back.  

As the list of big-name sponsors grew, so did the event itself, from one day to five. The number of volunteers also grew from hundreds to thousands. People signed on to do everything from working the events to hand crafting thousands of commitment bracelets for participants.  More than 150,000 people are expected to attend. 

"The enthusiasm is far beyond anything we ever imagined," said Kranzler.  And yet, it is everything the unlikely duo had hoped for.  

"Compassion is not just empathy. You look at someone and feel sad, tears fall. This is not enough. What we need is action. Compassion is action," said Lama Tenzin. 

"Many people say, 'What can I do? I'm just an individual.'  Then we experience people like the Dalai Lama and other great figures. One person can change the lives of billions of others, if they just believe," said Kranzler. 

Many were concerned the Dalai Lama might not show, because of all the political turmoil right now between China and Tibet. Lama Tenzin assures His Holiness never even considered canceling because he is so committed to spreading compassion and because he truly believes what happens in Seattle this week can have a ripple effect around the world.