The Dalai Lama

A Report on the Dalai Lama

By Madison Nef

The Dalai Lama is a Tibetan monk said to have been reincarnated 14 times over the past 700 years.Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, is both the head of state and the spiritual leader of Tibet. Gyatso was born in July of 1935 to a farming family, in a small hamlet located in Taktser, Amdo, and northeastern Tibet.  At the age of two, Tenzin, who was named Lhamo Dhondup at that time was recognized as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lamas are believed to be manifestations of Avalokiteshvara or Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion and official saint of Tibet.  Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who have postponed going to heaven and chosen to take rebirth in order to help others. The 14^th Dalai Lama is our current one.

At 6 years old poor Lhamo started going to school at a monastery. At age 15 he was given full political power after China attacked Tibet. At 19, he was allowed to go to China and do peace talks to have China stop attacking. In September 1987, Dalai Lama #14 proposed the Five Point Peace Plan for Tibet as the first step towards a peaceful solution to the worsening situation in Tibet. He envisaged that Tibet would become a sanctuary; a zone of peace at the heart of Asia, where all sentient beings can exist in harmony and the delicate environment can be preserved. China has failed to respond to the different peace proposals put forward by the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama is a man of peace. In 1989 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his peacful struggle for the freedom of Tibet. He has consistently advocated policies of non-violence, even in the face of extreme stress and sadness. He also became the first Nobel Laureate to be recognized for his concern for environment problems. Dalai Lama has travelled to more than 62 countries, covering  6 of the seven continents.  He has met with presidents (Tibet has presidents???), prime ministers, and crown rulers of major nations.  He has had various conversations with the heads of different religions and many well-known scientists. Since 1959, he has received over 84 awards, honorary doctorates, prizes, etc., in recognition of his message of peace, non-violence, inter-religious understanding, universal responsibility and compassion. The Dalai Lama has also authored more than 72 books (yikes!). The Dalai Lama describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk.

The Dalai Lama has received many awards through the years, many for peace and peace talks. Dalai Lama made his first foreign visit outside Tibet in 1954 when he spent almost a year in China meeting with its leaders and touring various places (and lets not forget doing peace talks). In 1956, he made his second visit abroad to India at the invitation of the Mahabodhi Society of India to attend the 2500th Celebrations of Lord Buddha (little did he know, he would soon return to India as an exile). In 1959, he returned to India once more, this time escaping the brutal Chinese occupation of Tibet, and beginning his life in exile.

With the initial years of exile being focused on the rehabilitation of tens of thousands of Tibetan refugees in India, he made many visits within India visiting the refugees and their newly established camps. In 1967, he made his first visit abroad since becoming an exile, visiting Japan and Thailand. In 1973, he made his first visit to the West, visiting 12 European countries within 75 days! His first visit to America was in 1979. (Why anyone would give up heaven to do THIS life all over again, I don’t know.)

Dalai Lama had to leave Tibet because China attacked, wanting more control over land. Some Tibetan monks were very attached to their land, as it had been handed down through ancestors.  They did not want some strange culture taking their family’s land away. So they fought for it. Since the Dalai Lama was the one who gave the peace talks, it enraged the Chinese. He only barely escaped Tibet in time.

 The Dalai Lama has three main commitments in his life.

Firstly, The Dalai Lama's commitments is the promotion of human values such as compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline.  All humans are the same (No we are not, idiot!!!).  We all want happiness and do not want suffering.  Even people who do not believe in religion recognize the importance of these human values in making life happier.  The Dalai Lama refers to these human values as secular ethics.  He remains committed to talk about the importance of these human values and share them with everyone he meets.

( Dalai Lama is walking down the street.)
(He sees a man.)
(Dalai Lama: starts talking about the importance of human values)
(Man: ?!?)

Secondly, on the level of a religious practitioner, The Dalai Lama’s next commitment is the promotion of religious harmony and understanding the world’s major religious traditions.  Despite religious differences, all major world religions have the same potential to create good human beings.  It is very important for all religious traditions to respect one another and recognize the value of each other’s respective traditions.  As far as one truth, one religion is concerned; this is relevant on an individual level.  However, for the community at large, several truths and religions are necessary.

Thirdly, The Dalai Lama is a Tibetan and carries the name of the ‘Dalai Lama’.  Tibetans place their trust in him.  Therefore, his third commitment is to the Tibetan issue.  The Dalai Lama has a responsibility to act as the free spokesperson of the Tibetans in their struggle for justice.