World Religion: The Dalai Lama

At 6 years old most of us were just starting to grasp the concept of reading, for the Dalai Lama this, and many more responsibilities and events were to come. His education began at the age of six and was completed with the Geshe Lharampa Degree (Doctorate of Buddhist Philosophy) when he was 25 in 1959. However, On November 17, 1950, at the age of 15 he was called upon to assume full political power as the head of the State and Government, after some 80,000 Peoples Liberation Army soldiers invaded Tibet. In 1954, he went to Beijing to talk peace with Mao Tse-tung and other Chinese leaders, including Chou En-lai and Deng Xiaoping. In 1956, while visiting India he had a series

Many Buddhists who live around the world see the Dalai Lama as the central part of any peace building in Tibet. The Dalai

In order to have a better understanding of this situation I would need to know who the Dalai Lama is and what his position stands for. Why China has such a negative view of the Dalai Lama, while the rest of the world seems to respect and honor him. And why China’s government would censor a video of the Dalai Lama, despite the video content being simple, respectful, and seemingly innocent.

the Dalai Lama has remained in exile in India. There has been sympathy for the Tibetan cause but insufficient international, political will to provide practical support, largely because China has enormous military and economic power. The Dalai Lama might have done more However, he did not do so and, instead, apparently speaks according to his principles rather than for political advantage. In spite of his absence, the Dalai Lama retains the devotion of his people and his reputation remains intact.

To understand the Eight Fold Path one must fist understand how it cam about. The first teaching the Buddha ever gave was in the deer park to five of his old friends who later became his most devoted followers. In that first teaching the Buddha told his friends about the Four Noble Truths which he had discovered on his struggle to understand the nature of suffering. The first noble truth is the truth of suffering. Through his experiences as a prince and as a spiritual seeker the Buddha found that no one is exempt from suffering, that all non-enlightened beings are trapped in the cycle of samsara. This means that all beings will suffer, whether it is emotional, or physical, it is inescapable. The second truth is the truth of the cause of suffering,

Since the late 1300’s essentially the same reincarnated figure has been controlling, teaching, and leading the Tibetan Buddhism religion and government (Gale). The Dalai Lama is thought to be the reincarnated spiritual and political icon presiding over the land of Tibet for over 14 lifetimes. His Holiness’ obligation to the Buddhist people and birthright is described as, “a teacher whose wisdom is as deep as the ocean” (Ganeri 28). For centuries the Dalai Lama has been one of the world’s most influential leaders and teachers, passing along his wisdoms to disciples all over the globe.

As I grew older and came to sense with how the world really works, I started to realize that the Dalai Lama was just a simple monk. He was human just like me and that one day he will die just like me and parents. This realization that a human being or a simple monk can accomplish so much in one’s lifetime and commit his entire life work for others, that was the most inspiring thing I have ever experienced. He was a leader who practiced love, compassion, tolerance, and forgiveness. Unlike most world leaders, he leads by example and something truly simple and profound: kindness. Under his spiritual and moral guidance, I feel that he has absolutely touched my life inside out. My life’s goal is to be half the man he was and live a life that will make him proud. Today, as I introduce my self a Tibetan to a total stranger, I know that people will give me the benefit of doubt that I’m a good person because of the reputation the Dalai Lama has set for Tibetans. And knowing that an another Tibetan is respected and revered all around the world, I can lift my head and proudly say I’m a

“The Dalai Lamas are the manifestations of the Bodhisattva of Compassion who chose to reincarnate to serve the people.” The Dalai Lama means, “Ocean of Wisdom.” The Dalai Lama is a Buddhist monk and is a spiritual and political leader of Tibet. He was born on July 6, 1935 in Takster, China of northeastern Tibet. His original name was Lhamo Dhondup which his name will change to Tenzin Gyatso. (NobelPrize)

The Dalai Lama is becoming a very well known figure through traveling and campaigning for a peaceful, autonomous Tibet. The Dalai Lama has called on the US to help them negotiate with the PRC because past negotiations have gone nowhere. The PRC claims that the Dalai Lama’s request are absurd and referred to him as a representative of feudal serfdom. Another part of the conflict that has been gaining recent attention is the people that are self-immolating on the streets of Tibet to protest Chinese rule. The PRC has taken extreme action on this arresting thousands of people mostly monks and killing many others. The conflict might have died down some but it is still most definetly going

Using Buddhism, he emphasizes how everyone is bound together into a single family, and how differences in “religions, ideologies, and political systems” only exist to bring happiness to the individual (Barash 2014, 304). To achieve happiness, there needs to be “a combination of inner peace, economic development, and above all, world peace” (Barash 2014, 304). Like Gandhi, the Dalai Lama claims that one must also think of others while pursing happiness, which in turn leads to “wise self-interest,” then “compromised self-interest,” and finally to “mutual interest” (Barash 2014, 305). Remaining indifferent to others makes it harder for peace to be achieved, especially when emotions such as greed and jealously are involved. To the Dalai Lama conflicts only arise “from a failure to understand one another’s humanness” (Barash 2014, 306). His main argument is that to reach peace there needs to be a universal understanding of others in order to be united. Furthermore, the Dalai Lama believes that if there is not a significant change in the efforts to achieve justice or harmony, this will continue to hurt the future

Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, is the spiritual and political leader of an ancient people without a country, and is the binding and driving force behind Tibetan nonviolent resistance and cultural rebuilding. He was born July 6, 1935, making him 69 years old. He has lived all but 15 of these 69 years in exile from his country, continually being a main reason for their survival. The Dalai Lama is now considering his successor, and plans to do so through democratic means instead of the traditional process of divination. He has also been guiding his country toward a westernized organization of government in recent years, more and more towards a greater separation of church and state. How will Tibet, a country defined by its

Dalai Lama was born on 6 July 1935 to an agricultural family, in a small homestead. His sanctity the 14th Dalai Lama .He is the divine leader of Tibet .his holiness involves of five major subjects .they were intellect, Tibetan art, culture, Sanskrit, medicine, and Buddhist philosophy. At 23 his sanctity sat for his final examination .his sanctity had two sisters and four brothers who existed there in fancy. He started his teaching at the age of six and finished the higher degree of Buddhist Philosophy at the age of 25. At 24, he took the first examination at each of the three simple universities: Drepung, Sera and Ganden. The final examination was said in the Jokhang, Lhasa, throughout the yearly Monlam Festival of Prayer, said in the first month of every year. In the morning he was studied by 30 professors on logic. In the afternoon, he discussed with 15 professors on the topic of the Middle Path, and in the evening, 35 professors verified his data of the canon of monastic discipline and the learning of metaphysics. His Sanctity handed the examinations. In 1950, at 16, His Sanctity was called upon to assume full political control as Head of National and Government when Tibet was endangered by the might of China.

Also, he is seen as a political leader, this role came from the fact that in traditional Tibetan society the religion and politics related to each other so the one who has the higher religious status usually acts as the head of the Tibetan state and this been the case for the previous dalai lamas as well. These two rules have been changed after 1950 in order of the Chinese invasion. Also, Dalai Lama had seen as a living Buddha for the Tibetan people. Living Buddha is a special one, someone with enlightens and has an Inner peace, someone has a special look towards life and things, someone different from any other human beings. Living Buddha is a reincarnation of His previous predecessors. Dalai Lama had given this special and higher status in Tibet.

The Tibetan Government had not simply to appoint a successor, but to discover the child in whom the Buddha of Compassion would incarnate, the child need not have been born just at the death of His precursor, or even very soon thereafter when the thirteenth Dalai Lama died in 1935. As before, there would be signs of where to search. For example, when the Thirteenth Dalai Lama’s body was laid in a temple facing south, His head turned to the east twice, and to the east of his temple a great fungus appeared on the east side of a pillar of well-seasoned wood. The Regent of Tibet went to the sacred lake of Lhamoe Lhatso, where Tibetans have seen visions of the future. There he saw, among other things, a monastery with roofs of green jade and gold and a house with turquoise tiles. A detailed description of the entire vision was written down and kept a strict secret.

This annexation by cultural dilution of the Tibetan people made the Dalai Lama speak out for all the violations of the rights of the Tibetans at the hands of the now dominating Chinese immigrants. Though the Dalai Lama had to seek asylum in India, he continued his work for a free Tibet. The message in this speech particularly was not as focused on Tibet, but rather the problem of making peace through equitable terms from all parties as a concept. Drawing from the meditative teachings of Buddhism his speech spoke of understanding the common fabric from which our lives play out, and how we all have a responsiblility to maintaining such a fabric for the future and the benefit of others