Daily Times

This world is full of strange people whose thinking, personality and habits are very different from normal people. Such people remain in seclusion and seldom come into limelight. One such person is The Dalai Lama who has been the head monk of Tibetan Buddhism and traditionally has been responsible for the governing of Tibet, until the Chinese government took control in 1959, and then the Dalai Lama had to flee from Tibet and take refuge in Dharmasala, in the north of India. In Sanskrit word “guru” means a spiritual teacher, and Dalai means Ocean. Put together, the title of Dalai Lama literally means “Ocean of Teaching” implying that a “teacher spiritually is as deep as the ocean”. The Dalai Lama belongs to the Gelugpa tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, which is the largest and most influential tradition in Tibet.

He is the epitome of a selfless individual, often stating that he is a simple Buddhist monk. He has authored or co-authored more than 110 books, ranging from philosophical to inspirational to ethical subjects. The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people and their greatest advocate for a free Tibet. Buddhists seek to reach a state of nirvana, following the path of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, who went on a quest for enlightenment around the sixth century BC. He had no belief in a personal god. Buddhists believe that nothing is fixed or permanent and that change is the rule of life. He serves as the 14th Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the people of Tibet. He was born on July 6, 1935 and is presently 81 years of age.

The Dalai Lama has a long held special interest in science, particularly science of the mind. In 1987, he helped found the Mind & Life Institute, a foundation dedicated to “alleviate suffering and promoting peace by integrating science with the traditions of contemplative wisdom and thinking”. He has created personal connections with many scientists, and has encouraged the scientific exploration of Buddhist meditation. These measures won him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his work in advocating nonviolent means to liberate Tibet from China, and for his contribution in improving environmental issues. He shared this award with Mikhail Gorbachev. His hobbies include meditating, gardening, and collecting and repairing watches.

In his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, he said “With the ever growing impact of science on our lives, religion and spirituality have a greater role to play reminding us of our basic humanity. There is no contradiction between the two. Each gives us valuable insights into the other. According to him, both science and the teachings of the Buddha tell us of the fundamental unity of all things. This understanding is crucial if we are to take positive and decisive action on the pressing global concern with the environment.”

He was born on July 6, 1935 and serves as the 14th Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the people of Tibet.

Each Dalai Lama is a manifestation of the Bodhisattva (Buddha) of Compassion, who are believed to have postponed their nirvana and chosen to be rebirthed in the service of humanity. This Dalai Lama is the 74th manifestation of Bodhisattva, the enlightened Buddha of compassion who serves as the 14th the spiritual leader of the people of Tibet. The present Dalai Lama serves as the 14th Dalai Lama who was born on July 6, 1935.

Each Dalai Lama is a manifestation of the Buddha of Compassion, who are believed to have postponed their nirvana and chosen to be rebirthed in the service of humanity. This Dalai Lama is the 74th manifestation of Bodhisattva, the enlightened Buddha of compassion.

Known for his charisma and charm, the Dalai Lama is an outspoken international advocate for a variety of issues, a major being his environmental concern. He writes and speaks extensively about the need for a caring attitude toward the environment, the intricate interrelationship between humans and the earth, and the importance of respect for the earth’s living things.

The Dalai Lama believes in peaceful religious coexistence and thinks that the world’s religions should have harmonious relationships with each other and engage in meaningful interfaith dialogue. The Dalai Lama is fascinated by science and has stated that if he had not become a monk, he would have become an engineer.

The Dalai Lama is fascinated by science and has stated that if he had not become a monk, he would have become an engineer

Known for his charisma and charm, the Dalai Lama is an outspoken international advocate for a variety of issues, a major one being his environmental concern. He writes and speaks extensively about the need for a caring attitude toward the environment, the intricate interrelationship between humans and the earth, and the importance of respect for the earth’s living things.

He believes that everyone should have a joyful life.” The Dalai Lama is considered a living Buddha of compassion, a reincarnation of the bodhisattva, who renounced Nirvana in order to help mankind.

The Dalai Lama, being Tibet’s spiritual and political leader of its Bhuddists has all through his life strived to make Tibet an independent and democratic state from China. But China has always resisted him and his follower’s attempts to invent and practice a religion of their own for fear that one day, he may become a threat to China and its ideology. Thus he and his ranks were attacked by Chinese troops in 1959 which led him and his followers to flee Tibet and go in exile to India. These days The Dalai Lame is living a life of exile in Dharamsala, in the northern India where they established an alternative government. Since then, the Dalai Lama has made numerous attempts in the hope of establishing an autonomous Tibetan state within the People’s Republic of China. However, the Chinese government has shown no signs of moving toward peace and reconciliation with Tibet. For his peaceful attempts to co-exist with China he conducted hundreds of conferences, lectures and workshops worldwide, as part of his humanitarian efforts. He was thus awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. In December 2008, the Dalai Lama announced his semi-retirement after having gallstone surgery.

Buddhism was created in the sixth century, BCE, with the birth of Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, making it one of the oldest religions practiced today. Originating in India, the religion spread throughout most of eastern and southern Asia. Buddhism came to Tibet in the 8th century, CE. Unlike other religions that are centered on a supreme being, Buddhism is centered on four basic truths: Life is not perfect; people remain unsatisfied due to their pursuit for perfection. People must realize there is a better way to achieve fulfillment; and that is possible only by living one’s life through wisdom, ethical conduct and mental discipline, which is the only goal to reach enlightenment.

The Dalai Lama is fascinated by science and has stated that if he had not become a monk, he would have become an engineer.

If the Dalai Lama is such an enlightened being, then what is the meaning of life for him? When asked on his website what is the purpose of his life to him the Dalai Lama’s response was, “to be happy.”

Thus, Buddhists believe life is a continual journey of experience and discovery and not divided between life and the afterlife. On May 29, 2011 the Dalai Lama signed a document formally transferring his temporal authority to the democratically elected leader in Tibet. In so doing he formally put an end to the 368-year old tradition of the Dalai Lamas functioning as both the spiritual and temporal head of Tibet.In 2011, the 14th Dalai Lama insinuated that he may at the age of 90, decide whether the line of Dalai Lamas would continue as before.

The present Dalai Lama due to his charismatic personality, and his varied interests in world peace and environmental issues and his world-wide lectures in all the famous universities of the world, has made him a very affable and popular personality despite his hermit-like life in India.

In a May 2013 Harris Poll, the Dalai Lama outranked even President Obama in popularity by 13 percent.

The writer is a former member of the Provincial Civil Service, and an author of Moments in Silence