Hello, Dalai!

More than two full months before his arrival in the U.S., the denizens of Eugene-Springfield and vicinity were already fervently anticipating the arrival of the Dalai Lama -- Tenzin Gyatso -- in his first visit to Pacific Northwest since 2001.

Tickets to see His Holiness in Eugene and Portland during a three-day visit from May 9-11 sold out in mere minutes when made available online and by phone to the general public, making him more popular than Elton John, U2 and the Red Hot Chili Peppers combined.

Announcing that the Dalai Lama would visit Matthew Knight Arena on the University of Oregon campus early in 2013, the UO earmarked 2,500 free tickets for students and allocated another 2,200 to the event’s co-sponsor, the Eugene Sakya Center. Next, the university sold 3,000 tickets to UO faculty and staff for $20 each, when I -- most fortuitously -- secured two seats down front.

Finally, UO offered the 11,000 remaining seats by phone and online to the public. Incredibly, the entire remaining allotment sold out in less than five minutes, even with a two ticket per customer limitation. A friend of mine who had logged on exactly at 10 a.m. on March 11 -- right when the tickets went on sale -- struck out. Countless other perplexed pilgrims also came up empty-handed.

How does one account for the widespread popularity of XIV Dalai Lama, the spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetan people?

Among other things, an underlying reason for the Tibetan leader’s popularity is his religion: Buddhism. In an age when faith is on the wane, Buddhism offers a spiritual path that is compatible with scientific inquiry and world politics in general.

The Chinese government -- which has invaded his country and tortured and killed tens of thousands Tibetans while leveling monasteries and shrines during the anti-religious fervor of the Cultural Revolution -- is also indirectly responsible for the Dalai Lama’s popularity.

So perhaps not unexpectedly, the Dalai Lama -- winner of the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize -- is wildly popular in the Pacific Northwest, as witnessed by the quick sale of the ducats. Oh, tickets can be had -- for a price. Online ticket brokers are asking $250-$350, though I expect prices to come down as the date draws near.

Scalpers may make a few bucks selling tickets to the Dalai Lama’s speech, but I personally wouldn’t want that kind of Faustian exchange on my head. That would be -- as they say -- bad karma.