Dalai Lama
This article describes the Dalai Lama lineage. For information on the present Dalai Lama see Tenzin Gyatso. For the song see Dalai Lama (song).In
Tibetan Buddhism, the successive
Dalai Lamas (; ) form a
tulku lineage of
Gelugpa leaders which trace back to
1391. Tibetan Buddhists believe the Dalai Lama to be one of innumerable incarnations of
Avalokitesvara ("Chenrezig" [
spyan ras gzigs] in Tibetan), the
bodhisattva of compassion.[
1] Between the
17th century and
1959, the Dalai Lama was the head of the Tibetan government, controlling a large portion of the country from the capital
Lhasa. The Dalai Lama is the supreme head of Tibetan Buddhism, and the leaders of all four schools consider the Dalai Lama to be the highest lama of the Tibetan traditions. He is often granted the
style "His Holiness" (or HH) before his title.
The Dalai Lama is often thought to be the head of the Gelug school, but this position officially belongs to the
Ganden Tripa (
dga' ldan khri pa).
The
5th Dalai Lama, with the support of
Gushri Khan, a Mongol ruler of Khökh Nuur, united Tibet. The Dalai Lamas continued to rule in Tibet until the
People's Republic of China invaded the region in 1949 and then took full control in 1959. The 14th Dalai Lama then fled to
India and has since ceded temporal power to an elected government-in-exile. The current 14th Dalai Lama seeks greater autonomy for Tibet, rather than independence. See
History of Tibet for further information.
"Dalai" means "ocean" in Mongolian, and "
Lama" (
bla ma) is the Tibetan equivalent of the
Sanskrit word "
guru", and so may mean "teacher" or "
monk." The actual title was first bestowed by the
Mongolian ruler
Altan Khan upon Sonam Gyatso, an abbot at the Drepung monastery who was widely considered the most eminent lama of his time. Although Sonam Gyatso became the first lama to hold the title "Dalai Lama", due to the fact that he was the third member of his lineage, he became known as the "3rd Dalai Lama". The previous two titles were conferred posthumously upon his earlier incarnations. The title "Dalai Lama" is presently granted to each of the spiritual leader's successive incarnations (for example, The 14th Dalai Lama's next incarnation will hold the title "the 15th Dalai Lama"). Tibetans call the Dalai Lama
Gyalwa Rinpoche (
rgyal ba rin po che) meaning "Precious Victor," or
Yishe Norbu (
yid bzhin nor bu) meaning "Wish-fulfilling Jewel".
Upon the death of the Dalai Lama, his monks institute a search for the Lama's
reincarnation, or
yangsi (
yang srid), a small child. Familiarity with the possessions of the previous Dalai Lama is considered the main sign of the reincarnation. The search for the reincarnation typically requires a few years. The reincarnation is then brought to Lhasa to be trained by the other Lamas.
Despite its officially secular stance, the government of the
People's Republic of China has claimed the power to approve the naming of high reincarnations in Tibet. This decision cites a precedent set by the
Qianlong Emperor of the
Qing Dynasty, who instituted a system of selecting the Dalai Lama and the
Panchen Lama by means of a lottery which utilised a golden urn with names wrapped in barley balls. Recently, this precedent was called upon to name the Panchen Lama, who is empowered to recognize the new Dalai Lama. There is some speculation that with the death of the current Dalai Lama, the PRC will direct the selection of a successor.
The current Dalai Lama has repeatedly stated that he will never be reborn inside territory controlled by the People's Republic of China [
2], and has occasionally suggested that he might choose to be the last Dalai Lama by not being reborn at all. However, he has also stated that the purpose of his repeated incarnations is to continue unfinished work and, as such, if the situation in Tibet remains unchanged, it is very likely that he will be reborn to finish his work [
3]. Additionally, in the draft constitution of future Tibet, the institution of the Dalai Lama can be revoked at any time by a democratic majority vote of two-thirds of the Assembly. It is also worth mentioning that the 14th Dalai Lama has stated "Personally, I feel the institution of the Dalai Lama has served its purpose."[
4].
Residence
Starting with the 5th Dalai Lama, until the 14th Dalai Lama's flight to exile in 1959, the Dalai Lamas resided during winter at the
Potala Palace, and in the summer at the
Norbulingka palace and park. Both residences are located in
Lhasa,
Tibet approximately 3 kilometers apart. In 1959, subsequent to the then ongoing Chinese occupation of Tibet, the 14th Dalai Lama sought refuge within
India. The then Indian Prime Minister,
Jawaharlal Nehru was instrumental in granting safe refuge to the Dalai Lama and his fellow Tibetans. The Dalai Lama has since been in refuge in
Dharamsala in Northern India, where the
Central Tibetan Administration (The Tibetan Government in Exile) is also established. Tibetan refugees have constructed and opened many schools and Buddhist temples in
Dharamshala.
x The title "Dalai Lama" was conferred posthumously to the first and second Dalai Lamas. The 9th Dalai Lama was officially enthroned, but never reigned.
* Yá Hánzhāng 牙含章:
The Biographies of the Dalai Lamas (
Dálài Lǎmá chuán 达赖喇嘛传; Beijing, Foreign Languages Press 1993); ISBN 7-119-01267-3.
*
History of Tibet*
Free Tibet movement*
Government of Tibet in Exile*
The Official Site*
The 13 Previous Dalai Lamas*
articles by the Dalai Lama*
"Dalai Lama Renaissance" -Feature documentary film about the Dalai Lama*
"Kundun" -Martin Scorcese feature film about life of Dalai Lama
