Known to be a charismatic public speaker and author carrying the message of peace and compassion for all people in the world, Tenzin Gyatso is the current Dalai Lama. He is a monk, political leader and spiritual guru of the Tibetan Budhists living in and outside China.
Born Lhamo Thondup on 6th July 1935 to a farming family in Amdo, Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama is known to focus on uniting Tibetan groups and advocating for their rights. He is a firm believer in pacifism to a point of being referred to ‘one of the children of Mahatma Gandhi and his spiritual heir to nonviolence.’ He lives in Dharamsala, India after fleeing China during 1959 Tibetan uprising.
Identified as the successor of the 13th Dalai Lama at the age of two, Tenzin Gyatso was only declared as the 14th Dalai Lama at the age of 4 hence the change from the former name, Lhamo Thondup. This was due to a 2-year diplomatic wrangling between a Muslim warlord and his community. Since then, he goes by the name, Dalai Lama.
While growing up, Dalai Lama had the advantage of being mentored by various tutors in the ways of Tibetan Buddhism as well as the outside world. At 23, he was awarded the Tibetan Buddhist academic degree after taking his final examination and passing with honors. The same is equivalent to Buddhist philosophy PhD.
Despite living in India, Dalai Lama has earned the honor of many world leaders for his devotion to his people. He created a Government of Tibet in Dharamshal after his arrival in India and a Tibetan educational system for the 80,000 Tibetan refugees who followed him there. This enables them to learn their culture, history, religion and language. He also setup Tibetan higher education institutions and a library that holds resources about Tibetan history.
For his devotion to peace, Dalai Lama received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. He refers to himself as a feminist and calls upon women to lead and create a more compassionate world since they are by nature more compassionate.
At the edge of his retirement, Dalai Lama says his successor could be a woman.
We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.
Dalai Lama
In the practice of tolerance, one’s enemy is the best teacher.
Dalai Lama
Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.
Dalai Lama
Calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence, so that’s very important for good health.
Dalai Lama
Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.
Dalai Lama
In order to carry a positive action we must develop here a positive vision.
Dalai Lama
The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.
Dalai Lama
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
Dalai Lama
A lack of transparency results in distrust and a deep sense of insecurity.
Dalai Lama
Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.
Dalai Lama
Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.
Dalai Lama
Look at situations from all angles, and you will become more open.
Dalai Lama
“With realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world.”
DALAI LAMA
“too much self-confidence attitude, you see, brings, you see, isolation. result: loneliness, fear, anger. the extreme self-centered attitude is the source of suffering.”
dalai lama
