In a message filled with love and punctuated by surprising wit, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet told thousands who gathered to see him at Florida International University Friday to choose compassion over selfishness and peace over violence in the face of any enemy.

``Nonviolence may not solve problems easily,'' said His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the religious leader of millions of Buddhists worldwide and temporal leader of Tibet. But ``violence creates other problems. The destruction of your enemy is the destruction of yourself.''

In his first official visit to South Florida, the Buddhist monk revered by millions worldwide was presented with an honorary doctorate of divinity at a special ceremony at Golden Panther Arena before an audience of about 5,000.

To the music of Pomp and Circumstance, he entered the arena with his hands in the prayer position, showing respect and humility before the crowd. He was flanked by faculty and State Department security but broke ranks to shake a few hands.

He was greeted by three standing ovations before he ever uttered a word.

The public appearance followed a private luncheon reception attended by about 300 prominent Floridians -- including Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris, Miami Mayor Joe Carollo, Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez and Miami-Dade County Manager Merrett Stierheim. On his way to the arena, the Dalai Lama also stopped and blessed a Peace Monument in the center of the West Dade campus.

``We salute you for your profound contribution to humanity,'' Acting President and Provost Mark Rosenberg said in introducing the spiritual leader. ``To all of the world you are a symbol of peace.''

Using an interpreter, the Dalai Lama thanked the university for honoring him and remembering the struggle of Buddhists in his homeland. Then he quickly dispensed with formalities.

``Now that we are done with the solemn ceremony, I will speak my broken English,'' he said, drawing laughter from the audience. ``I sometimes use the wrong words to express certain points, so please be careful.''

The Dalai Lama told the crowd that regardless of race, ethnicity or religion, people are all ``the same human being'' and have the same need ``to be happy.''

`A sense of caring'

``A sense of caring, a sense of concern, a sense of responsibility -- these are basic human values,'' he said. With these values, ``as a family and as a community, [you] can be more happy.''

He urged Americans to learn to pray together, promote peace and cut down on lavishness and exploitation of wealth.

``American lifestyle [is] too much consumption,'' he said.

In the hours before the Dalai Lama's arrival, the campus went about its usual business, with students changing class, playing table tennis in the cafeteria, and catching a quick bite before final exams.

As the bell chimed at 10 a.m., a crew of painters touched up the banisters along the Ernest R. Graham Center, where the reception was held. Red, green, yellow, blue and white scarves with Tibetan inscriptions were strung on palm trees along the route the Dalai Lama would take.

Perla Tabares Hantman, , a member of the Miami-Dade County School Board, was among those who stepped forward to be blessed during the private reception. The spiritual leader hugged her twice and later wrapped a white scarf around her neck.

``I was standing there to hold his hand and he hugged me,'' she said. ``He whispered in my ear, `Everything will be good with you.' I feel very special.''

As he stopped to bless the Peace Monument on his way to the arena afterward, he threw white rose petals into the air. Onlookers scrambled to pick up the flowers to save as mementos.

Thousands wait

Meanwhile, thousands waited in long lines and sweltering heat to enter the arena.

Landon Luck, 11, put on a punjabi -- a long tunic over pants -- to see the Dalai Lama, whom he first heard of from the movie Kundun.

``He's about keeping alive the Tibetan Buddhist religion,'' said Landon, a fifth-grader at Sunset Elementary. ``He's been going nonstop and fighting a long time against the Beijing oppressors.''

Sylvia Luck said she brought her son along to see the Tibetan spiritual leader so he could be in the presence of a holy man.

``This is a once in a lifetime opportunity,'' Luck said. ``He speaks for all the oppressed people, be they in Tibet or Cuba.''

Leonardo Allende, a staff anesthesiologist at Palmetto Hospital, played hooky for the afternoon to hear the Dalai Lama.

``I think there is something else beyond science, a connection between body and soul,'' said Allende, who was wearing his hospital scrubs. ``I wanted to be here because I don't want to keep on being so primitive and only think about curing the body. The soul is just as or perhaps more important than the body.''

In one unexpected humorous twist, organizers released dozens of pigeons, but not all of them flew away. One landed on a monk's head, drawing laughter from the Dalai Lama and his entourage.

Among those who prepared for the visit were members of the local chapter of Students for a Free Tibet, who painted several colorful banners -- including one in Spanish bearing the phrase ``Viva Tibet Libre,'' urging freedom from Chinese domination for the Himalayan region.

More than 334 million people practice some form of Buddhism worldwide. The Dalai Lama is the head of the dominant order of Tibetan Buddhists. A self-described ``simple monk,'' he is the epitome of spiritual perfection to his followers.

In the West, the religion and the Tibetan cause have gained adherents over the years -- and the Dalai Lama has emerged as a sort of celebrity as Hollywood has become enamored with his life and his mission. The result is that celebrities -- among them actor Richard Gere -- have flocked to his side and given a star-like profile to the 63-year-old religious figure.

Bart Mondeu, a facility and events manager for the university's Golden Panther Arena, was equally moved by the Dalai Lama.

Shaking hands

The spiritual leader extended his hand to Mondeu and followed the handshake with a discreet high-five and by gently shaking his forearm.

``It was great!'' Mondeu said. ``I was told he doesn't shake hands, but he offered it to me and I wasn't going to leave him hanging.''

After his remarks, the Dalai Lama sipped from a bottle of mineral water. Then he was whisked away in a black limousine. His South Florida visited lasted 34 hours.

Nathan Katz, chairman of FIU's religious studies department and a friend of the Dalai Lama, celebrated that the event he spearheaded was successful -- and satisfying.

``I'm elated and exhausted,'' Katz said of the day's events.

Carolyn Fuller, 57, of Coral Gables, was thrilled she had gotten to see the Dalai Lama.

``I've seen Mother Teresa, the Pope and now the Dalai Lama,'' said Fuller, a retired flight attendant. ``I've become sort of a holy-person junkie.

``His presence, his visit has put Miami on the spiritual map.''

Herald staff writers Jane Wooldridge and Beatrice Garcia contributed to this report.