Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama is the title of the highest spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism, especially associated with the Gelug school.
The Dalai Lama is the title of the highest spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism, especially associated with the Gelug school. The current Dalai Lama is the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, who has lived in exile in India since 1959 and ceased formal temporal leadership of the Tibetan exile administration in 2011.
Origins and title
The title Dalai Lama refers to the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism’s Gelug tradition. It is understood as a reincarnated line of teachers, with each Dalai Lama believed to be the rebirth of the previous one.
The 14th Dalai Lama
Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, was born in 1935 in Taktser. He was identified as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama as a child and later enthroned as Tibet’s leader.
Exile and political role
After leaving Tibet in 1959, he lived in exile in India and became the best-known public face of the Tibetan cause. In 2011, he ended the Dalai Lamas’ centuries-old role as both spiritual and temporal head of Tibet.
International recognition
The 14th Dalai Lama became an internationally prominent religious figure and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. His writings, speeches, and advocacy have made him influential beyond Tibetan Buddhism.
Key facts
- The Dalai Lama is a reincarnated spiritual title in Tibetan Buddhism, traditionally linked to the Gelug school.
- The 14th and current Dalai Lama is Tenzin Gyatso, born in 1935 and identified as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama in childhood.
- He fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising and settled in Dharamshala, India, where the Tibetan government-in-exile was established.
- He formally transferred temporal authority to the democratically elected leader of the Tibetan exile administration in 2011.
- He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for promoting nonviolence and advocating Tibetan rights.
Canadian readers may encounter the Dalai Lama in discussions of human rights, Buddhism, and Tibet-related diplomacy, including visits, public lectures, and reporting on religious freedom and Asian politics in Canada.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the Dalai Lama?
Who is the current Dalai Lama?
When was the 14th Dalai Lama born?
Why did the Dalai Lama leave Tibet?
Did the Dalai Lama receive the Nobel Peace Prize?
Does the Dalai Lama still hold political power?
References
- DalaiLama.com — https://www.dalailama.com/the-dalai-lama/biography-and-daily-life/brief-biographySupports: 2011 transfer of temporal authority; end of the historical spiritual-temporal leadership tradition
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/topic/Dalai-LamaSupports: definition of the Dalai Lama; current holder; exile in India; political and religious role; Nobel Prize
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dalai-Lama-14thSupports: birth details; exile in 1959; Dharamshala residence; Nobel Peace Prize
- Monmouth University Libraries — https://guides.monmouth.edu/c.php?g=1161526&p=8479328Supports: birth name, birth date, identification as 14th Dalai Lama, enthronement
- BBC News — https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-12700331Supports: 1959 flight into India; international religious prominence; Nobel Peace Prize
- DalaiLama.com — https://www.dalailama.com/the-dalai-lama/biography-and-daily-life/birth-to-exileSupports: birth name and birth place