Part of the joy of journalism is that sometimes you can ask for the astonishing. Not five minutes ago I made an interview request for the Dalai Lama on the understanding that my readers would like to hear his thoughts on spiritualism, the world, and the changes he sees coming.
And who knows, maybe he’ll say yes. Crazier things have happened.
So what would YOU ask him?
He’s already answered most of the questions I have, like “should people boycott the Olympics because of the Tibet issue?”. Maybe I would ask him what he thinks will happen to the Buddhists in Tibet after he dies, considering that he intends to refuse reincarnation under the current circumstances.
That is so cool!
Nitpick: I think you mean spirituality, not spiritualism, which refers to communicating with the dead, seances, etc.
No, that’s the word he uses these days. But I could ask him to define the difference.
As for the reincarnation I believe it is his public stance that he will be reincarnated outside of Tibet and China if it comes to that.
‘Realistically there’s almost no chance of a communist dictatorship like China leaving Tibet without huge bloodshed (q.v. Soviet Union and Afghanistan). Should the West try to foster democracy within China in the hope that a democratic China will withdraw from Tibet?’
Wow- how cool. I have seen him speak twice and was amazed. Lucky you.
I wonder what words of wisdom he would share with and what kind of a mindset he’d suggest the next Dalai Lama adopt in his relations with China. What kind of goals should he realistically reach for, have legitimate chance of obtaining?
Tell him that you represent an online community of thousands of people from around the world, and we have but one question: what in the heck is 14 K of G in a F P D?
ducks head and runs away really, really fast…
For more than one of us… Nirvana.
Man, I’d just be happy to sit in the same room with him. Good luck with scoring an interview!
I hear wonderful things about him, his spirituality, his sheer presence, everything, but I also hear that he runs his government-in-exile like a dictator. I would do some research and then ask about that, among many other things regarding the intersections of Christianity and Buddhism.
Ask him about the Panchen Lama and what does he suggest can be done?
Paper or Plastic? 
Seriously, I wish you *much luck * in this endeavor.
I think I would ask him something about helping children of today the best way to learn tolerance and patience and his recommendations for the next generation. ( You can’t go wrong with questions geared towards kids, IMHO.)
You being a Real Important Journalist Type could phrase this mucho better than me.
(Failing that, ask him what his Top Five Desert Island Movies, Books and Music are.)
Wow, Jonathan, sounds wonderful! We have been fortunate to host the Dalai Lama in Kentucky several times. He has been to Berea College here maybe twice? Also Tibetan monks come here to visit quite a bit; they seem to adore basketball! 
Ask him about that!
Everybody asks about the Olympics and the protesters and Tibet.
Ask him something different.
How about: “As the world continues to grow smaller and cultures interact, what do you see as the future of some of today’s unique cultures and what results of an eventual melding of global experience do you forsee?”
“Along these lines, what actions or policies should we take, as a planet, to direct this future into one more aligned with compassion and kindness and away from division and conflict?”
“Seriously, what the hell’s wrong with kids today? Do you feel that the times / chemical exposure / cultural expectations have changed so much over the years / decades / centurys that today’s children have a greater challenge than ever before? What lessons should we be teaching our children and what should we do environmentally / culturally to better prepair them for the future?”
Meh… or not… I never said I was good at coming up with questions.
Was Larry King intoxicated that New Years Eve when he asked you your opinion of Jesus?
Good luck! My husband has recently had the pleasure of interviewing John Barrowman and Peter Davidson for a small NZ based Dr Who fanzine he edits, so you never know your luck!
Hey, Lama…how about a little something…you know…for the effort?
(Maybe you’ll get lucky and receive total consciousness on your death bed)
I sat in the same room with him yesterday (along with several thousand others). Although I’ve seen appearances by governors, rock stars, a president, etc., this guest truly merited the term “visiting dignitary.” He held our attention every second and the entire arena was on its extra-politest behavior.
He gave a speech and then took a few prewritten questions from a few prescreened college students in a “dialogue.” The quality of the dialogue was somewhat affected by his limited English (he has an interpreter, but the guy’s just there for backup; the DL goes it alone when he can), but that also gave us the funniest moment of the afternoon, when someone asked him what would be a compassionate response to the AIDS crisis in Africa:
“Make…available…RUBBERS!”
Thousands lol’d. 
“Who do you like for the Stanley Cup?”
“Who would win in a fight, astronauts or cavemen?”
“What’s your favorite curse word?”
“Ginger or Mary Ann?”