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The Dalai Lama, the spiritual head of Tibetans, marked his 87th birthday by inaugurating a library and museum in his hillside Indian headquarters.
The Dalai Lama
- The Dalai Lamas are believed by Tibetan Buddhists to be manifestations of Avalokiteshvara or Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion and the patron saint of Tibet.Â
- Bodhisattvas are realised beings, inspired by the wish to attain complete enlightenment, who have vowed to be reborn in the world to help all living beings.
14th Dalai Lama
- His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk. He is the spiritual leader of Tibet.Â
- He was born on 6 July 1935, to a farming family, in a small hamlet located in Taktser, Amdo, northeastern Tibet.Â
- At the age of two, the child, then named Lhamo Dhondup, was recognized as the reincarnation of the previous 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso.
Leadership ResponsibilitiesÂ
- In 1950, after China’s invasion of Tibet, His Holiness was called upon to assume full political power.Â
- In 1954, he went to Beijing and met with Mao Zedong and other Chinese leaders, including Deng Xiaoping and Chou Enlai.Â
- Finally, in 1959, following the brutal suppression of the Tibetan national uprising in Lhasa by Chinese troops, His Holiness was forced to escape into exile.Â
- Since then he has been living in Dharamsala, northern India.
Democratisation Process
- In 1963, His Holiness presented a draft democratic constitution for Tibet , followed by a number of reforms to democratise the Tibetan administration. The new democratic constitution was named “The Charter of Tibetans in Exile”.
Peace Initiatives
- His Holiness proposed a Five-Point Peace Plan for Tibet as a first step towards a peaceful solution of the worsening situation in Tibet.
Universal Recognition
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a man of peace. In 1989 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle for the liberation of Tibet. He has consistently advocated policies of non-violence, even in the face of extreme aggression. He also became the first Nobel Laureate to be recognized for his concern for global environmental problems.
Source:TOI
