His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s message to thousands who flocked to UC Irvine to hear him speak on his 80th birthday, Monday, was: Take action.

The exiled Tibetan leader was joined by climate scientists, fellow Nobel Laureates and activists during two sessions of the Global Compassion Summit at the Bren Center. The first zeroed in on active compassion as the answer to the problems caused by climate change. In the second session, which was sold out, the Dalai Lama and other panelists shared their ideas about wisdom, vision and experience.

The Dalai Lama said he understands that climate change is a process that may never be reversed.

“But we cannot give up,” he said. “Taking care of the planet is like taking care of one’s own home.”

Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Santa Ana, said she is fighting a losing battle in Congress as she attempts to persuade naysayers about the reality of climate change and tries to cut the nation’s bloated defense budget, reallocating those efforts toward clean energy and other solutions.

“We have enough nuclear weapons to blow up the world 23 times,” she said, seemingly exasperated.

The Dalai Lama offered an ancient Tibetan saying to Sanchez.

“A sore in the mouth needs to be healed from the inside,” he said, turning around to face her. “You have the opportunity to do that.”

Addressing the question of wisdom and experience, the Dalai Lama talked about how difficult experiences cultivate wisdom by testing an individual’s inner strength.

He also urged members of the audience to be more skeptical and ask questions.

“Ultimate wisdom comes from within,” he said. “You are your own master. Your future is in your own hands. Investigate. Think more.”

Other notable guests during Monday’s sessions included Larry King, singer Gloria Estefan, actress Julia Ormond and oceanographers Walter Munk and Veerabhadran Ramanathan, who served on the advisory panel that guided Pope Francis’ recent encyclical on climate change and economic inequality.

Audience members were brought to their feet by the impassioned words of Nobel Laureate Jody Williams, best known for her work to ban landmines.

Williams urged everyone to be kind, but also to spring to action.

“Choose to take action and show your compassion through action,” she said, “because praying alone will not change this …world.”

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