The Dalai Lama possesses an unusual brand of famous person . He ’s a notable figure of pity , wisdom and patience . He ’s his beleaguered commonwealth ’s spokesman , fighting indefatigably for Tibet ’s autonomy from China . He ’s an author , a teacher and a loudspeaker whose just the ticket sales would make most popular maven envious . But while his renown extends beyond traditional bounds to make him as recognizable as any president , popeor author , Tenzin Gyatso , the14th Dalai Lama , still squall himself a " simple Buddhistic Thelonious Sphere Monk . " He spends 80 percent of his tightly scheduled life surveil spiritual pursuit , and devotes the other 20 percent to humanistic issues , spiritual tolerance and the question of Tibet [ rootage : Dalai Lama ] .
As a bambino , Tenzin Gyatso was recognized as the incarnation of the Dalai Lama – Tibet ’s spiritual and secular leader . Tibetan Buddhists believe that each Dalai Lama is thereincarnationof his forerunner who , in turn , are the manifestations of Avalokiteshvara , or Chenrezi , the supporter saint of Tibet andBodhisattvaof Compassion . Bodhisattvas are straighten out being who consciously choose to be reborn for help others achieve enlightenment . Tibetan Buddhists believe that the 14th Dalai Lama is the 74th reflexion of Chenrezi in a line that began with a brahman male child who subsist during the Buddha ’s life .
But the Dalai Lama is also an important political flesh for Tibetans . He assumed temporal index just as China began to exercise military control condition over his country . Less than a decade later , he was hale to run Tibet and define up an expatriation governing in Dharamsala , India . Since then , he has rear awareness of his country ’s struggle with China while advocate nonviolent solutions to spiritual and political difference of opinion . More recently , the now septuagenarian Dalai Lama has challenged China ’s attempt to name his successor .
In this clause , we ’ll learn about the account and future of the Dalai Lamas , as well as the fascinating living of the fourteenth Dalai Lama .
History of the Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama leads theDge - lug - paorYellow Hat Sectof Tibetan Buddhists . The Yellow Hats , who were founded in the late fourteenth hundred , restored subject to conventual life and promote donnish rigor . They minimized the use of witching rites and imposed celibacy and abstention from nub andalcohol . The Yellow Hats rose to prepotency in the seventeenth century and helped contribute about Tibet ’s unusually large monastic universe . Until the Tibetan Uprising of 1959 , about one twenty-five percent of the populace was in religious order [ source : Encyclopaedia Britannica ] .
The first Dalai Lama , Gedun Drupa , was abide in 1391 . He set up the Tashi Lhunpo monastery and pen book on philosophy . Gedun Drupa and his successor Gedun Gyatso were officiallyabbotsduring their lifespan – the title of Dalai Lama was not adopted until the 1570s . The Mongolian king Altan Khan confab the form of address , meaning " Ocean of Wisdom , " on the third replacement , Sonam Gyatso . Tibetan also use the name Rgyal - ba Rin - po - che or " Precious Conqueror " to refer to the Dalai Lama [ generator : Encyclopaedia Britannica ] .
After a chain of four rulers who cash in one’s chips in their spring chicken , the 13th Dalai Lama , Thupten Gyatso , began to reform Tibet and confirm his position ’s political power at the beginning of the twentieth century . He survived both British and Formosan encroachment of Tibet , in brief living in exile in China and after India . During the Chinese Revolution from 1911 to 1912 , he took advantage of the dying Manchu dynasty to expel its continue forces from his country . Tibet became an main land and remained so until the 1950s . The 13th Dalai Lama also bolstered his country ’s military , introducedcurrencyand lightened some of the repressive view of monastic life story .
By the 13th Dalai Lama ’s death in 1933 , Tibet was on the path to modernisation . In the next section , we ’ll learn how the Tibetan authorities receive his successor .
The 14th Dalai Lama
After the death of the 13th Dalai Lama , the Tibetan governing began searching for hisreincarnation , using secret cue as guides . Because the head of Thupten Gyatso’sembalmedbody had rotated while it lie in Department of State , turning from the south to the northeast , thegovernmentsuspected that the next swayer would be launch in that realm of Tibet . shortly afterward , the Regent Reting Rinpoche had a vision of the hallowed lake Lhamo Lhatso reflect the Tibetan letters Ah , Ka and Ma . He interpreted " Ah " as a sign for Amdo , a northeasterly province of Tibet . The Regent ’s visual sensation of the lake was followed by one of a three - story monastery with a ceiling of turquoise andgold . Near the monastery was a tiny house with elaborate toilet .
Lhamo had been digest July . 6 , 1935 , to short farmers in a struggling town . His babyhood was normal , but he did parade some say signs . Upon Lhamo ’s birth , his don made a sudden recovery from a severe illness . As a tot , Lhamo demand that he take his father ’s seat at the brain of the board and would allow only his female parent to care his bowl . And perhaps most surprisingly , the new Lhamo seemed haunted withLhasa , Tibet ’s traditional and apparitional capital . He would pack bags , pretend to travel on horseback and exclaim , " I ’m going to Lhasa " [ seed : Dalai Lama ] . For the most part , Lhamo ’s family took no posting of the child ’s eccentricities . An older son had already been recognized as the manifestation of a high lama , and the family suspected they had reached a quota for esteemed reincarnations .
But when the disguised hunting political party arrived at the menage , its leader , Kewtsang Rinpoche , was confident that this was the veracious child . Lhamo immediately recognized Kewtsang Rinpoche as a monk and even do it from which monastery he come . When the members of the search company returned for a conventional visit some twenty-four hours later , they brought several of the 13th Dalai Lama ’s possessions along with a exercise set of decoy particular . Lhamo correctly identified every point belonging to his predecessor with the proprietary statement " It ’s mine " [ source : Dalai Lama ] .
The toddler was soon transmit to the Kumbum monastery and eventually to Lhasa , where he was reunify with his parents . In 1940 , Lhamo became Tibet ’s religious leader and take the vows of a novice Thelonious Monk . Lhamo Thondup was now Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso , the fourteenth Dalai Lama .
In the next department , we ’ll get wind how the young fourteenth Dalai Lama assume index in his land ’s most try time .
The Invasion of Tibet
Over the next 10 years , the Dalai Lama pursued a cloistral education directed toward a doctorate in Buddhistic studies . He find out Buddhistic philosophy , logic , Tibetan fine art and polish , Sanskrit , medical specialty , euphony , drama , wording , verse , astrology and synonyms .
The Dalai Lama ’s scholarly education was also supplemented with intense lesson in alien relation . By the previous forties , China ’s position on Tibet had become progressively strong-growing . ThePeople ’s Liberation Armywas encroaching on the independent country ’s borders in the name of free its the great unwashed from imperialists .
With the looming threat of Chinese military activeness , Tibetans intend it was time for the Dalai Lama to assume political mightiness . On Nov. 17 , 1950 , Tenzin Gyatso was throne at the Norbulingka Palace – he was only 16 days former . After appoint a Thelonious Monk and lie prime diplomatic minister , he and his adviser decided to send delegations to the United States , the United Kingdom and Nepal to win allies in the struggle with China . A fourth mission would be sent to China to deter the country from staging an invasion .
The first three delegation returned without success – Tibet and the Dalai Lama would on the face of it have no allies . The fourth delegating was receive in China but was soon forced into one - sided negotiations with the powerful military nation . As the Dalai Lama listened to theradioone eventide , he heard a shocking announcement : His representatives from Tibet had signalize a written document bid theSeventeen - Point Agreementunder insistence . The understanding allowed the People ’s Republic of China to " liberate " Tibet .
ineffective to resist the unauthorized agreement , the Dalai Lama spend the next several years assay to banish China from straight-out takeover and conciliate Tibetan ohmic resistance fighters from entering a cockeyed fight . But by 1959 , the situation had worsened . The Dalai Lama receive an ominous invitation from a Taiwanese general to attend a dance performance , under the consideration that he would bring no soldier - only unarmed guards . venerate for their loss leader ’s safety equipment , tens of thousands of Tibetans began to congregate in Lhasa at his castle . A consultation with the oracle advised that the Dalai Lama should leave the rural area immediately . On the night of March 17 , 1959 , he disguised himself as a soldier , shoulder agunand fled with a low bodyguard through the concourse of his mass .
The Dalai Lama ’s harrowing outflow finally brought him to Dharamsala , India . In the next section , we ’ll larn about the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in deportation .
The Dalai Lama in Exile
The Dalai Lama and his escaping entourage convened at the Kyichu River , joined with the Dalai Lama ’s family and boost toward the Indian border . India accord to cater asylum for the Tibetan leader and other refugees in Dharamsala . Once instal in his new headquarters , the Dalai Lama quickly repudiated the Seventeen - Point Agreement and set up a government in exile . His appeals to theUnited Nationsin 1959 , 1961 and 1965 were serve with the firmness of purpose on Tibet . The Dalai Lama also drafted a Tibetan organisation promising democratic freedom and laying out guideline for Tibetans hold out in expatriate .
He also embarked on a multicontinental , virtually half - century tour to spread his message of pity and to heighten the earth ’s awareness of Tibet . In 1989 , the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Dalai Lama theNobel Peace Prizefor his humanitarian work . While he might be best known for his advocacy of an self-reliant Tibet , the Dalai Lama also promote spiritual allowance and human economic value like compassion , forgiveness and contentment .
Although Tibetan are no longer persecute to the extent they were in the bloody days of China ’s Cultural Revolution , political tensions rest gamy . In September 2007 , China enacted laws that regulate the reincarnation of living Buddhas . The atheistic state has a history of showing an unusual interest in religious affairs : China has splendidly battled with the Vatican over thePope’sright to appoint bishops . But China ’s personation of Order Number Five , which calls for " living Buddha permit " and banish reincarnation in sure area , clearly attest an attempt to check Tibet and the Dalai Lama ’s influence .
In reception , the 14th Dalai Lama has suggested several ideas to get around China ’s influence and void the claim of any succeeding Chinese - appointedpuppetruler . The simplest solution would be toreincarnateoutside of Tibet . Most Tibetans think this is likely since the item of conversion is to proceed work for others – something that would be impossible under Chinese control . The Dalai Lama might also choose to name a successor while still alive or hold a referendum for Tibetans to decide if they want to continue the berth after his expiry . China decries these solution as profanation of spiritual tradition .
To learn more about the Dalai Lama , renascence and religion , bet at the contact on the next varlet .
