"Just before addressing the sold-out crowd for the mass meditation and teaching event in Maples Pavilion on Friday morning, the Dalai Lama endeared himself to the approximately 7,000 students, worshippers and other eager guests with one simple gesture—he took off his shoes.

"I think the very purpose of meeting is connection, or contact, person to person," he said. "So I just talk to you like I'm meeting with a longtime friend."

And with that, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, began his talk."