![]() The 14th Dalai Lama recounts in his memoirs about his early life that he remembered recognizing one of the monks in the search party, even though he was dressed as a servant. Dalai Lama memoirsĪn undated photo of the future Dalai Lama of Tibetan Buddhism, born Lhamo Dhondrub on July 6, 1935. When the search party, consisting of the 13th Dalai Lama’s closest monastic attendants, arrived at his house, there were immediate signs that this was the one they were looking for. A 2-year-old boy, named Lhamo Dhondup, was just the right age for a reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama, based on the time of his death. The district of Dokham, which is in the northeast of Tibet, matched all of these signs. This was interpreted to mean that the next Dalai Lama could have been born somewhere in the northeastern part of Tibet.ĭisciples also checked Lhamoi Latso, a lake that is traditionally used to see visions of the location of the Dalai Lama’s rebirth. ![]() However, after a few days his head had tilted to the east, and a fungus, which was viewed as unusual, appeared on the northeastern side of the shrine containing the body. In the case of the 13th Dalai Lama, after his death, his body lay facing south. There are usually predictions about where and when a Dalai Lama will be reborn, but further tests and signs are required to ensure the proper child is found. Disciples closest to the Dalai Lama set to identify signs indicating the location of his rebirth. The search for him began soon after the 13th Dalai Lama died. The current Dalai Lama was enthroned when he was 4 ½ years old and renamed Tenzin Gyatso. Tibetan Buddhism has hundreds, if not thousands of such lineages, but the most respected and well-known is the Dalai Lama. Tibetan Buddhism has developed this idea of the bodhisattva further into identified lineages of rebirths called “tulkus.” Any person who is believed to be a rebirth of a previous teacher, master, or leader, is considered a tulku. East Asian and Tibetan Buddhists, as part of the Mahayana sect, believe bodhisattvas have reached this highest realization.įurthermore, Mahayana Buddhists believe bodhisattvas choose to be reborn, to experience the pain and suffering of the world, in order to help other beings attain enlightenment. The 14 generations of Dalai Lamas, spanning six centuries, are linked through their acts of compassion.įor Buddhists, the ultimate goal is enlightenment, or “nirvana” – a liberation from the cycle of birth and death. The Dalai Lama is a highly influential figure.Īll of the Dalai Lamas are thought to be manifestations of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokitesvara. The Dalai Lama’s succession today is not just a religious issue, but a political one as well.
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