15 Must know Facts about the Dalai Lama

Dalai Lama 1430 Luca Galuzzi 2007crop.jpg Photo by Luca Galuzzi (Lucag) – Wikimedia Commons

15 Must-know Facts about the Dalai Lama

The name Dalai Lama is a combination of the Mongolic word Dalai which means Ocean or big and the Tibetan word Bla-ma which means master, or guru. In Tibetan, Dalai Lama is also known as the Rgyal-ba Rin-po-che which means Precious Conqueror.

Dalai Lama is a title the Tibetan people give to the spiritual leader of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The current, also the 14th Dalai Lama, is Tenzin Gyatso, a refugee in India. The Dalai Lama is considered to be the successor in a line of tulkus, he is believed to be an incarnation of Avalokitesvara. Since the 5th Dalai Lama, his personage has always been a symbol of the unification of Tibet.

The Dalai Lama was an important figure of the Geluk tradition that is politically and numerically dominant in Central Tibet. His religious authority went beyond sectarian boundaries. The main traditional function of the Dalai Lama is as an ecumenical figure, holding together religious groups. The 14th Dalai Lama has worked to overcome sectarianism and has become a symbol of Tibetan nationhood for Tibetans.

1. History of The Dalai Lama Title

Dalai Lama 1471 Luca Galuzzi 2007.jpg Photo by Luca Galuzzi (Lucag) – Wikimedia Commons

In Central Asian Buddhist countries, Dalai Lamas are teachers. The Book of Kadam, in the main text, is said to have laid the foundation for the Tibetans’ identification of the Dalai Lamas as incarnations of Avalokitesvara. The lineage has been extrapolated by Tibetans up to and including the Dalai Lamas.

The Dalai Lama’s incarnations stretch back much further than Gendun Drub who are enumerated as earlier incarnations of Avalokitesvara and predecessors in the same lineage leading up to him.  These include a mythology of 36 Indian personalities plus 10 early Tibetan kings and emperors. 

The 1st Dalai Lama soon became Abbot of Drepung and he extended the large popular power base to cover Tsang where he constructed a fourth great monastery. The 2nd Dalai Lama studied there before he returned to Lhasa where he became Abbot of Drepung. He reactivated the 1st’s popular followings in Tsang and U. The 3rd one built on his predecessors’ fame by becoming Abbot of the two great monasteries of Drepung and Sera. 

2. The Story Behind the 1st Dalai Lama

The lineage started from a humble beginning. At a young age, he was entrusted to his uncle who was a monk at Narthang, a major Kadampa monastery near Shigatse, for education as a Buddhist monk. He studied Buddhist philosophy extensively and he took the name of Gendun Drup. In 12 years, he passed the 12 grades of monkhood and took the highest vows.

After he completed his studies, he left to continue at specialist monasteries in Central Tibet, his grounding at Narthang was revered among many he encountered. He later founded Tashilhunpo Monastery at Shigatse, he stayed there as its Abbot from its founding in 1447 until his death.

He was said to be the greatest scholar-saint ever produced by Narthang Monastery, he is known as the single most important lama in Tibet. He is famous for his hard work and his Buddhist scholarship which is referred to as Panchen Gendun Drup. At the age of 50, he entered a meditation retreat at Narthang. His spiritual accomplishments brought him substantial donations from devoted, he used them to build and furnish new monasteries. 

When he was 84 years old in 1474, he went to visit Narthang Monastery on a final teaching tour and returned to Tashilhunpo where he passed on. His remains were interred in a bejeweled silver stupa at Tashi Lhunpo Monastery.

3. Sangyey Pel, the Second Dalai Lama

Until his 12th year, his father took him on his teachings and retreats. He has trained in all the family Nyingma lineages. He was installed at Tashilhunpo as Gendun Drup’s incarnation, ordained, and enthroned. He was renamed Gendun Gyatso Palzangpo in 1475, he was personally trained by the abbot and was requested to teach all over Tsang. There, thousands of people gathered to listen and give obeisance including senior scholars and abbots.

He served as Tashilhunpo’s abbot for some years, and he ended up moving to central Tibet where he was invited to Drepung and where his reputation was as a young brilliant teacher. He was accorded all the loyalty and devotion that Gendun Drup had earned and was able to keep the Gelug school as united as ever.

Every Winter, he would go to Lhasa and write commentaries, and the rest of the year traveling and teaching thousands of monks and lay people. In 1509, he moved to southern Tibet to build Chokogyel Monastery near the Oracle Lake, it was completed in 1511. In the same year, he saw visions in the lake and empowered it to impart clues to help him identify incarnate lamas. All the Dalai Lamas from the 3rd on were found with the help of such visions that were granted to regents.

In 1512, he was given the residence that was built for Gendun Drup and was later occupied by the Panchen Lamas. It was in that year he was made the abbot of Tashilhunpo and stayed there teaching in Tsang for 9 months. His fame and influence spread all over Central Asia as the best students from hundreds of lesser monasteries in Asia were sent to Deprung for education.

4. The 5th Dalai Lama Dilemma

Following the death of the fourth Dalai Lama in 1617, there was a conflict that broke out between various parties. The Tsangpa dynasty, the rulers of Central Tibet, and supporters of the Karmapa school forbade the search for his incarnation. However, in 1618, Sonam Rabten who was the former attendant of the 4th Dalai Lama became the Ganden Phodrang treasurer and secretly identified the child. 

The child was born to the noble Zahor family at Tagtse castle which was south of Lhasa. The Panchen Lama in Shigatse negotiate the lifting of the ban which would enable the boy to be recognized as Lobsang Gyatso, the 5th Dalai Lama.

However, the Tsangpa King, Karma Puntsok Namgyal attacked the Gelugpa in Lhasa and established two military bases there. This caused Sonam Rabten to be recognized as the 5th Dalai Lama’s chandzo or manager. Sonam was meant to seek more active Mongol troops allied to the Gelugpa while the fifth was still a boy. 

5. After The Dilemma

14th Dalai Lama of Tibet and Bon Teacher Tenzin Namdak in 1978.jpg Photo by Christophe Moulin: christophe@cmoulin.com – Wikimedia Commons

After all of the Gelugpa’s rivals were defeated, Gushi Khan became the patron of a unified Tibet and acted as the Protector of the Gelug. At the enthronement ceremony in Shigatse, he conferred full sovereignty over Tibet on the fifth Dalai Lama. Tibet was completely unified for the first time since the collapse of the Tibetan Empire.

Gushi Khan established the Fifth Dalai Lama as the highest spiritual and political authority in Tibet. He was known as the Great Fifth and became the temporary ruler of Tibet in 1642 from then on the rule the Dalai Lama lineage. This lasted until 1959 when the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India.  He composed more literary works than all the other Dalai Lamas combined, he was able to write on various subjects and he is noted for his works on history. 

The fifth Dalai Lama began constructing the Potala Palace in Lhasa in 1645. When Gushi Khan died in 1655, he was succeeded by his descendants Dayan, and Tenzin Dalai Khan. The fifth Dalai Lama died in 1682, he died with the title of “Subordinate of The Emperor of China”

6. The Sixth Dalai Lama

The Sixth Dalai Lama was born near Tawang which is now known as India. After 16 years of study as a novice monk and in his 20th year he rejected full ordination and gave up his monk’s robes.

He openly opposed the fifth Dalai Lama’s regent for his deceptions and he went as far as to force Desi Sangye Gyatso out of office. For some time he was known as the puppet Dalai Lama who had no political power.

7. The Seventh Through Twelfth Dalai Lama

Norbulingkha – 7th Dalai Lama Palace – entrance.jpg Photo by Carlos Delgado – Wikimedia Commons

As for the seventh Dalai Lama, he was by an indication given by the 6th Dalai Lama. He was soon claimed by local Tibetans to be the incarnation of the 6th. Due to fear he went into hiding from Lhazang Khan and was installed in Lithang monastery. The Tibetans of Kham recognized him as the Seventh Dalai Lama in 1712, they retained his last name of Kelzang Gyatso.

The 8th Dalai Lama, Jamphel Gyatso was born in Tsang. He was approved by the emperor of China to be exempted from the lot-drawing ceremony of using the Chinese Golden Urn. He was granted the jade seal of authority and jade sheets of confirmation of authority by the Emperor of China.

The 9th and 10th Dalai Lamas died before attaining their majority and one of them is credibly stated to have been murdered and strong suspicion attaches to the other. As for the eleventh and twelfth were enthroned but died soon after being invested in power. From then on supreme authority was in the hands of the Lama Regent.

8. The Fortunate 13th Dalai Lama

In 1877, the 13th Dalai Lama was approved by the Central Government. He assumed ruling power from the monasteries which were greatly influenced by the Regent. In 1895, he became aware of the complexities of international politics and was the first Dalai Lama who became aware of the importance of foreign relations. 

Even though he was exiled and had to escape the British Invasion of 1904, and from 1910-1912 to escape a Chinese invasion, he brought many changes to Tibet. He published the Tibetan Declaration of Independence for the entirety of Tibet in 1913. 

9. The Recent Dalai Lama

Tenzin Gyatso – 14th Dalai Lama (2012).jpg Photo by Christopher Michel – Wikimedia Commons

He was born on 6 July 1935, he was born into a humble family of farmers. He was enthroned on November 1950 during the Battle of Chamdo with the People’s Republic of China. He fled to India where he led a government in exile. In 2001, he gained partial power over the government to an elected parliament, his original goal was full independence for Tibet.

In 2013, he became one of the most popular world leaders according to a poll that was conducted.  In 2014 and 2016, he stated that Tibet wants to be part of China. However, he wanted to ensure that China would preserve Tibet’s culture and script.

In 2020, he stated that he didn’t support Tibetan independence and that he hoped to visit China as a Nobel Prize winner.

10. Residence of Each Dalai Lama

The first Dalai Lama was based at Tashi Lhunpo Monastery while the second to the fifth Dalai Lamas were based at Drepung Monastery outside Lhasa. After the unification of Tibet, the Fifth moved to the ruins of a royal fortress on top of Marpori as known as the Red Mountain. He decided to build a palace on the same site. The Fifth Dalai Lama began construction of the Potala Palace on the site in 1645, he carefully incorporated what was left of his predecessor’s palace into the new structure.

From then on, the Dalai Lamas only visited the palace on tour or in exile. However, they have always spent their winters at the Potala Palace and their summers at the Norbulingka which is 3km from the palace.

The 14th Dalai Lama sought refuge in India, he has lived in McLeod Ganj in the Kangra district. His residence on Temple road in Mcleod Ganj is called the Dalai Lama Temple and is visited by people around the globe.

11. The Reincarnation Search

Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama in 2014 (14140570751).jpg Photo by Senterpartiet (Sp) – Wikimedia Commons

After the death of the Dalai Lama, high Lamas claim to have a vision by a dream or if the Dalai Lama was cremated, they often monitor the direction of the smoke. The direction of the smoke determines the direction of the expected rebirth. If there is only one boy found, the High Lamas will invite living Buddhas of the three great monasteries together with secular clergy and monk officials to confirm the findings. 

If there is more than one reincarnation, regents, eminent officials, monks at the Jokhang in Lhasa and the minister of Tibet put the names of each boy in an urn and draw one lot in public. 

12. The True 6th Dalai Lama

In 107, Ngawang Yeshe Gyatso was the non-recognized Dalai Lama. When he was 25 years old, he was known as the “True” 6th Dalai Lama. However, he was never accepted as such by the majority of the population.  Thus making Tsangyang Gyatso the 6th Dalai Lama.

13. Unrecognised Dalai Lamas

CMO Naveen Patnaik and Dalai Lama in 2017 (1).jpg Photo by Government of Odisha – Wikimedia Commons

Throughout the Dalai Lama title, there have been many unrecognized Dalai Lamas that haven’t been written down or even considered. Even though they did write down the names of each boy and put them in the Golden urn can suggest that there have been many more Dalai Lamas that aren’t even recorded.

14. Speculation of The 15th Dalai Lama

The 14th Dalai Lama has different suggestions of who the next Dalai Lama could be. However, he hasn’t publicly specified the method of rebirth and alleged mystical signs of rebirth. In 1940a request to exempt Lhamo Thondup from the lot-drawing Golden Urn process to become the 14th Dalai Lama.

The atheist Chinese government has declared ownership of the selection process using the Golden urn for the next Dalai Lama.

15. The Future of The Dalai Lama Title

in 2007, the Chinese government said all high monks must be approved by the government this of course would include the selection of the 15th Dalai Lama after the death of Tenzin Gyatso. The Panchen Lama must approve the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama which is another method of control.

The 14th Dalai Lama said that as early as 1969, he would not be reborn in a country that is controlled by the People’s Republic of China or any other country which is not free. He supports the possibility that his next incarnation could be a woman. He has an appeal for political systems that make him one of the most recognized and respected moral voices today.