Lama's Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso

861 Words2 Pages

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, describes himself as a simple tibetan Buddhist monk .this is the way he prefers to describe himself . He is the spiritual leader of Tibet .The Dalai Lamas are believed to be manifestations of Avalokiteshvara or Chenrezig , the Bodhisattva of Compassion and the patron saint of Tibet. Bodhisattvas are believed to be enlightened beings who have postponed their own nirvana and chosen to take rebirth in order to serve humanity. As importantly with regard to his reputation inside Tibet, he serves as the nation’s most visible and highly-respected advocate for Tibetan independence from Chinese rule. So, as both spiritual leader and global representative for his nation, the Dalai Lama is the most widely-respected …show more content…

In 1954 , he went to Beijing for peace talks with Mao Zedong and other Chinese leaders, including Deng Xiaoping and Chou Enlai . But finally, in 1959, with the brutal suppression of the Tibetan national uprising in Lhasa by Chinese troops, His Holiness was forced to escape into exile. Since then he has been living in Dharamsala , northern India . Since the Chinese invasion, the Central Tibetan Administration led by His Holiness appealed to the United Nations on the question of Tibet. The General Assembly adopted three resolutions on Tibet in 1959, 1961 and 1965 .

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.

His Holiness has travelled to more than 67 countries spanning 6 continents. He has received over 150 awards, honorary doctorates, prizes, etc., in recognition of his message of peace, non-violence, inter-religious understanding, universal responsibility and compassion. He has also authored or co-authored more than 110 …show more content…

When he decided to pursue his international strategy, he ended up becoming a wide known international figure, and this way he ended the isolationism in Tibet, which was a main characteristic of this country in its whole history.

After the death of the 13th Dalai Lama in 1933, political upheaval characterized much of Tibet until a new religious candidate could be found . Chinese army advanced towards political Tibet . Tibetan religious leaders urged that state power be transferred to the young Dalai Lama and that government officials relocate to the Indian border. In 1951, the Dalai Lama was forced to accept the terms of the Seventeen Point Agreement, forcing Tibet to return to Chinese jurisdiction while maintaining some level of autonomy, including religious freedom

The China-Tibet conflict is often viewed as an ethnic and/or religious conflict. This is understandable, given the prominence of ethnicity and religion in the conflict . Moreover, the Chinese government has a history of persecuting religious movements, especially those which draw large numbers of followers and which have the potential to transform into political movements that could potentially threaten the regime's hold on power. Tibetan Buddhism has this kind of following and transformative

Open Document