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Alone but for an interpreter on the huge stage at the Dane County Coliseum, the 14th Dalai Lama assured listeners Saturday he possessed no "special powers. "

"I'm nothing special," the exiled political and social leader of Tibetan Buddhists, told the capacity crowd while sitting cross-legged in vermilion robes.

Yet, some 7,000 people came to hear his simple message of compassion and common-sense advice on living, which largely steered clear of religious doctrine.

His 90-minute speech and question-and-answer session was peppered by his trademark sense of humor. Emphasizing the fact that he doesn't have healing powers, he waggled his little finger and chuckled about how he hurt it shaking too many hands.

"If someone does have healing power, this is a good opportunity to test it," he said, laughing.

This is the seventh visit to Madison by the Dalai Lama, whose name is Tenzin Gyatso. He has been coming here since 1979, in part because of his close ties to Geshe Sopa, director of the Deer Park Buddhist Center near Oregon. He is staying in the area this week to give teachings and dedicate the new temple at Deer Park.

At times, people in the crowd strained to understand Gyatso, who speaks in English but occasionally needed help from the interpreter seated next to him.

In starkly simple terms, he told the crowd that everyone has the same goal in life: to be happy.

"Everybody -- whether Easterner or Westerner, rich or poor, educated or non-educated, believer or non-believer -- everybody wants a happy life," he said.

The title of the speech was "Educating the Heart," and Gyatso talked about the importance of giving compassion in order to get it in return.

"If you extend your genuine sense of concern, that brings genuine friendship," he said.

The traditional met with the modern as Gyatso, who sat barefoot atop a saffron-colored armchair, also wore a head-set microphone.

His lessons were practical. In response to one of the written questions listeners submitted asking about his source of strength, he answered,"Good sleep. Good food. "

He added that it's no use worrying as long as one makes an effort. After that, all that's left to do is,"blame karma," he said laughing.

Gyatso also addressed the more serious topic of the relationship between Tibet and China. China invaded Tibet in 1950, and the Dalai Lama was exiled in 1959. Tensions have simmered for decades, and anti-China protests in Tibet this spring turned violent after Chinese authorities clashed with Buddhist monks.

"I want to make clear we always respect the Chinese people, (though) not the Chinese government," he said. "Everybody knows human beings by nature love freedom. Totalitarianism is the opposite of freedom. "

Aaron Collins, 26, of Madison, said he attended the talk out of curiosity, not for religious reasons.

"His message was a universal message," he said. "Not something you had to be Buddhist to understand. "

Mark and Christy Hopper traveled from Galena, Ill., to hear Gyatso speak because of his role on the world stage.

"He's one of the important leaders and teachers of our time," Christy Hopper said. "I think it's important to gain insight. To limit ourselves to our own political icons is shallow and shortsighted. "

Outside the Coliseum, about 200 protesters from a Buddhist sect called the Western Shugden Society stood behind police tape, chanting and holding signs that said "Give Religious Freedom. "

Members of the sect allege the Dalai Lama suppresses the practice of their religion, known as Dorje Shugden. Gyatso didn't address the protesters in his talk Saturday, though he did speak about the group Thursday during an appearance in New York City, which was also attended by protesters. Then, he said, he practiced the sect's religion from about 1951 until the early 1970s, but gave it up, calling it "spirit worship," according to the New York Times.