Reputation Of The Dalai Lama

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The Dalai Lama is popular around the world. However, he comes from a very different and unique culture. The concept Dalai Lama is connected to history and religion. To discuss the Dalai Lama’s reputation, you should rely on religion as much as you do on history. Who is Dalai Lama? There is no single answer to this question. We could say that he is a Tibetan Buddhist monk, he likes to be described like that, and that’s the reason why we always see him in a maroon and yellow robes. or the religious and political leader of the Tibetan people. The Dalai Lama’s reputation can be discussed through the issues that involved in setting the Dalai Lama, the western views on him, the chinses view on him, the religious, political, and personal factors …show more content…

The Dalai Lama has a high religious status. Buddhism is the official religion of Tibet since the second half of the 18th century CE, and the Tibetan word Lama corresponds to the Indian word guru which means a religious teacher who ought to have the respect and devotion of his followers. as we have mentioned earlier Tibetan believe in in reincarnation so Buddha is associated with beings called Bodhisattvas that stays in the samsara circle to help other suffering beings, and based on this the Dalai Lama is associated with the popular Bodhisattva of compassion called Sanskrit Avalokiteshvara, known in Tibet as Chenresig, and this is the reason why people think he is a living Buddha. Now we shall come to his reputation as a god-king which portrays the political role of him, since the fifth Dalai Lama, he has been the head of the Tibetan state, he fulfilled a king role in the past even though he wasn’t considered a god but Bodhisattvas. The Dalai Lamas were the most powerful figures in Tibet before the Chinese incursions, but the powers they had were limited, their primary concern was to spread Buddhism and they had little involvement in the everyday lives of their people. Also, the fifth Dalai Lama has the reputation of a successful political who unified the country. Lately, the 14th Dalai Lama said that he has the right to retire from his role as political president and that Tibetan should be free to choose their next president. (Waterhouse, 2008, p.206-215). Finally, according to the Dalai Lama’s noble prize acceptance speech in 1989 he sees himself just a human being who happens to be Tibetan and choses to be “a monk and no one special”. He sees himself as a peaceful person and compassionate, he loves his

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