"Not possible," His Holiness, the Dalai Lama said.

Now you know.

At nearly 80, the world's 'Ocean of Wisdom' knows how to command a crowd.

Three-thousand, nine hundred and ninety-eight people across Queensland paid a hair's breadth over $150 to hear the Dalai Lama answer their questions, with Meshel Laurie and Ian Thorpe acting the star struck hosts.

Why Thorpie?

"I don't know, star power?" one journalist mused.

But after 29196 days on the planet in this incarnation, (as of 12 July)  the 14th Dalai Lama doesn't need any more star power, with thousands each day looking to the world's most famous Buddhist in an attempt to feel the same sort of spiritual enlightenment celebrated by Richard Gere, Leonard Cohen and Lisa Simpson.

While he spoke of global siblinghood, answered questions on reincarnation, peace and letting slights slide, his Queensland disciples sat in stunned wonder.

For some the two hours provided answers they didn't know they sought. 

For others it was a new experience to sit through while staring at their phone.

But the room was quiet in a way humans rarely manage.  Babies cried of course, because that's what babies do, but even those jolts of humanity were kept short, as if just the echoing sound of a mic-ed up hotline to inner peace was enough to calm their infant worries.

Coughs came, but each expulsion of air came only after another's tickled throat gave permission. One cough.  Beat.  An answering cough.  Silence.  Short cough.  Beat.  Cough.  Cough.  Small cough. Silence.

Answering questions he has surely answered before does not faze His Holiness.  He explains the Buddist interpretation of the afterlife in the same tone a beloved gramps goes through a family recipe for the umpteenth time.

Take one part acceptance, two parts love, half a cup of meditation, a generous sprinkling of reflection, remove any traces of grudges and ill-will, stir in forgiveness before serving to your global brothers and sisters.

And voila!  Peace.

You may not get it right the first time, the second or even the 1290856th, but the point is to just keep baking.

Or so the Dalai Lama says.

And then, it was over.

"So Goodbye.  Thank you," he waved in conclusion.  He had a plane to Uluru to catch.

The 3998 people he held his audience with had goodwill to spread and children to pick up from school and the materialistic embodiment of his words to purchase at stalls set out outside the convention centre.

But each took away something no amount of Tibetan flags could buy.

It was "inspiration" for Kim Langfield of Chelmer.  "Hope" for Mandy Trivett of Graceville.  Tash Forsythe of Victoria Point walked away with "happiness," while for Andrew Wood, who made the journey from Mackay, it was just "awesome".

Des Carey from Underwood found it "enlightening".  His wife, Sandra, left "hopeful".

Fernando Bourjeois felt "blessed", while his friend Manuele Annicchiarico was "overwhelmed" with emotions.

Outside, as there has been on every stop of His Holiness's journey across Australia, there was anger with members of the Shugden Community protesting what they say is the "religious apartheid" inflicted on them by a "lying" Dalai Lama.

But for those emerging into the grey Brisbane skies from their two hours of spiritual education the drums and shouts had no meaning.

They were happy. And clutching their bags urging those around them "to be part of the journey", that seemed enough.

brisbanetimes.com.au