The XIVth Dalaï Lama

Childhood  

It is difficult to narrate the great works being done by His Holiness the Dalai Lama throughout the world. The whole accounts can be read from My Country and My People and Freedom in Exile.

The young Lhamo Dhondup was born in Taktser, a small village in Amdo, in Eastern Tibet. His family members engaged in farming for living. When a search party came to look for the incarnation of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, the young boy the high lama from Sera Monastic University was dresses as servant. The small child recognized the real lama and wanted at all costs to keep the rosary shown to him.

With signs A, K and M seen by the Regent Reting Rinpoche in the Lhamo Lhatso were interpreted as T for Taktser, A for Amdo and M for the nearby monastery. Reting also saw a house with blue roofs. The search party then proceeded to test the boy by offering several similar items such as two canes, two pairs of glasses, two bells, etc. Some of the items belonged to the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, Thupten Gyatso. The child spontaneously chose each object that belonged to the Great Thirteenth.

After confirming him as the real reincarnation of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, the whole family was brought to the Potala in Lhasa, Tibet's capital, and the boy was given the name Tenzin Gyatso. He was introduced to Buddhist philosophy and studied under many great teachers, scholars and dialecticians.

The senior tutor was Ling Rinpoche and the junior tutor was Trijang Rinpoche. Only during the first visit to Norbu Linka, the summer palace of the Dalai Lamas, the  young Dalai Lama was allowed to see his mother.

The Chinese occupation   

When the Chinese occupation threatened to take all of Tibet, the young the Dalai Lama, at a early age of sixteen, had to shoulder the responsibility. A few years later, he passed the examination of Geshe Lharampa or Doctor of Philosophy, successfully.

However, the marching of boots of the Red Army approached and despite many attempts to initiate dialogues, the Chinese army attacked and occupied all of Tibet. This triggered uprising in Lhasa during which thousands of Tibetans were killed under the Chinese crackdown. When the uprising was crushed down, the Dalai Lama dressed as a soldier escaped into exile on March 17, 1959 to India.

Once in India, the Indian government offered humanitarian assistance to the His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Tibetan refugees to settle down. The Tibetan Government-in-Exile was formed in Dharamsala, a small town in Himachal Pradesh in North India.

Since then His Holiness has been consistently fighting for the rights of Tibetan people through non-violent way. This method has attained huge supports around the world and eventually in 1989 His Holiness was conferred the Nobel Peace Prize, which Tibetan leader received on behalf of the six million Tibetan people and also on behalf of Mahatma Gandhi.

Today, His Holiness is one of the most respected figures in the world, whose constant efforts to promote dialogue between nations, between various religions traditions and between the modern science and Buddhist philosophy. Many universities conferred honourary degrees and send invitations to lectures, give teachings and initiations in Buddhism. Tibetans and people around the world prays for his health and long life.