Dalai lama - lineage (tulku) in Tibetan Buddhism of the Gelugpa school, dating back to 1391. According to the foundations of Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama is the reincarnation of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara.
In this article, we will consider the biography of the modern Dalai Lama (14), which contains many interesting facts.
So, here is a short biography of the 14th Dalai Lama.
Biography of the Dalai Lama 14
Dalai Lama 14 was born on July 6, 1935 in the Tibetan village of Taktser, located on the territory of the modern Republic of China.
He grew up and was brought up in a poor peasant family. An interesting fact is that his parents had 16 children, 9 of whom died in childhood.
In the future, the Dalai Lama will say that if he was born into a wealthy family, he would not be able to imbue the feelings and aspirations of the poor Tibetans. According to him, it was poverty that helped him understand and foresee the thoughts of his compatriots.
History of a spiritual title
The Dalai Lama is a lineage (tulku - one of the three bodies of Buddha) in Tibetan Gelugpa Buddhism, dating back to 1391. According to the customs of Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama is the embodiment of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara.
From the 17th century until 1959, the Dalai Lamas were theocratic rulers of Tibet, leading the state from the Tibetan capital of Lhasa. For this reason, the Dalai Lama is regarded today as the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people.
Traditionally, after the death of one Dalai Lama, the monks immediately go in search of another. An interesting fact is that a small boy who has lived at least 49 days after his birth becomes the new spiritual leader.
Thus, the new Dalai Lama is the physical embodiment of the consciousness of the deceased, as well as the rebirth of a bodhisattva. At least Buddhists believe that.
A potential candidate must meet a number of criteria, including recognition of things and communication with people from the environment of the deceased Dalai Lama.
After a kind of interview, the new Dalai Lama is taken to the Potala Palace, located in the Tibetan capital. There the boy receives a spiritual and general education.
It is important to note that at the end of 2018, the Buddhist leader announced his intention to make changes regarding the choice of the receiver. According to him, a young man who has reached the age of 20 can become one. Moreover, the Dalai Lama does not exclude that even a girl can claim his place.
Dalai Lama today
As stated earlier, the 14th Dalai Lama was born into a poor family. When he was barely 3 years old, they came for him, as they say.
When looking for a new mentor, the monks were guided by signs on the water, and also followed the direction of the turned head of the deceased 13th Dalai Lama.
An interesting fact is that having found the right house, the monks did not confess to the owners about the purpose of their mission. Instead, they simply asked to stay overnight. This helped them calmly watch the child, who supposedly recognized them.
As a result, after several more procedures, the boy was officially declared the new Dalai Lama. It happened in 1940.
When the Dalai Lama was 14 he was transferred to secular power. For about 10 years, he tried to resolve the Sino-Tibetan conflict, which ended with his expulsion to India.
From that moment on, the city of Dharamsala became the seat of the Dalai Lama.
In 1987, the head of the Buddhists proposed a new political model of development, which consisted in the expansion of "a completely demilitarized zone of non-violence, from Tibet to the entire globe."
Two years later, the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for promoting his ideas.
The Tibetan mentor is loyal to science. Moreover, he considers it possible for the existence of consciousness on a computer basis.
In 2011, the 14th Dalai Lama announced his resignation from government affairs. After that, he had more time to visit different countries, for the purpose of educational activities.
At the end of 2015, the Dalai Lama called on the world community to dialogue with the terrorist organization Islamic State. He addressed the heads of government with the following words:
“It is necessary to listen, understand, show respect in one way or another. We have no other way. "
During the years of his biography, the Dalai Lama visited Russia 8 times. Here he communicated with orientalists, and also gave lectures.
In 2017, the teacher admitted that he considers Russia to be the leading world power. In addition, he spoke favorably about the president of the state, Vladimir Putin.
The 14th Dalai Lama has an official website where anyone can get acquainted with his views and learn about the upcoming visits of the Buddhist leader. The site also contains rare photos and cases from the biography of the guru.
Not so long ago, Indian citizens, along with many political and public figures, demanded that the 14th Dalai Lama be awarded the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian state award that has been awarded to a non-Indian citizen only twice in history.
Dalai Lama Photo 14
