The universally recognized 14th Dalai Lama has tirelessly fought for the freedom for Tibet, during and after the unlawful occupation of the Chinese. His non-violence and political involvement for Tibet had brought acknowledgment and respect from the rest of the world.
Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, was born in 1934 in Eastern Tibet. He was hailed his predecessor's incarnation at the age of two, and was enthroned in 1940. Traditionally, the role of the Dalai Lama is the spiritual guide and leader of Tibet, creating a symbol of security and peace. Dalai Lama's are rarely ever politically involved in Tibet.
His holiness fulfilled this traditional role up until 1949, when he assumed full power, as the threat of a Chinese invasion became evident.
The Tibetan National Assembly called together an urgent meeting, a month after the first attack from the Chinese. In this session, a then sixteen year old Dalai Lama was implored to take on the title and total command of Head of State, and abandon his home in Tibet's capital, Lhasa, and settle close to Tibet's shared border with India in Dromo, in order to remain safe. His traditional role of spiritual leader was drastically lengthened as he became the political leader of Tibet on November 17, 1950. The Dalai Lama appointed Prime Ministers and sent delegations of help and protection to the United States and the United Nations.
"I could not refuse my responsibilities. I had to shoulder them, put my boyhood behind me and immediately prepare myself to lead my country"*. The Dalai Lama made this statement referring to when his country had just been invaded in 1950. This statement shows the strong, fearless and compassionate leader Tibet was fortunate to be in possession of.
The Dalai La...
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...ina. The Dalai Lama has become an international figure for his endless struggle. He has continued to fight using non-violence, and has travelled the world educating others on Tibet's plight with China in an effort to gain support and eventually free Tibet.
Bibliography
Information Centre at Tien W'gong Buddhism Temple. (verbal)
Internet
http://www.phayul.com/images/news/articles/0504020932525T.jpg
http://www.rangzen.org/history/views.htm
http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/world/A0861546.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/audiointerviews/profilepages/lamad1.shtml
Books
Peacock, John. The Tibetan way of Life, death and rebirth', Duncan Baird Publishers, 2003, London.
Cutler, Howard C. The Art of Happiness at Work', Hodder Headline Australia, 2003, Sydney, Australia.
Farrer-Halls, Gill. The World of the Dalai Lama', Godsfield Press, 1998, London.
Xinran looked at Tibet through a lens of sanctity and love. Ma Jian took his experiences and his imagination to form five short stories dealing with different topics. Both authors use the title of their book to give readers a hint of what the book is about and see how the title intertwines with the text. Each book gives you a different perspective and helps you form your own lens on Tibetan culture.
24 Amore, Roy C. and Julia Ching. The Buddhist Tradition. In Willard G. Oxtoby, Ed. World Religions: Eastern Traditions. P. 221
1 Geoff Childs Tibetan Diary From Birth to Death and Beyond in a Himalayan Valley of Nepal (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2004) 41.
Susan McLeod, John Jarvis, Shelley Spear Writing About the World "The Dalai Lama A Simple Path and An Open Heart" Thomson Wadsworth, Third Edition. 2005 pages 800-8005
Tung, R. J. (1980). A portrait of lost Tibet. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
The Dalai Lama XIV has also made a significant impact on Buddhist adherents, and has allowed for buddhist teachings to have a more far-reaching effect on individuals. He has done a lot of work to the expansion of Buddhism in the Western world, and has adapted the buddhist philosophy to be more understanding to adherents.
The Dalai Lama expresses the importance of publicity that has first been generated by the Tibetan Freedom Concert. Not only did it create awareness for the Chinese as the Dalai Lama suggested; it also created awareness around the world, especially in North America. Ask any North American teenager,"What they feel towards the idea of Tibetan oppression from the Chinese?", just ask him "Where Tibet is?" three years ago and he would probably look confused and answer by asking "Would you like fries with that?".<THIS MADE VERY LITTLE SENSE.> Ask that same teenager now, and he would likely give an educated response. The Tibetan Freedom Concert is just an example of how powerful modern media is if it can be used properly.
The Chinese appointed Panchen Lama is now coming into the spotlight. Loyal to the Chinese state, the 26-year-old Buddhist monk is being forced on Tibetan citizens as a substitution for the Dalai Lama. China claims that the Dalai Lama is just a “wolf in monk’s clothing,” for trying to divide Tibet from its motherland. The Chinese Panchen Lama will play a key role in Chinas efforts to replace the Dalai Lama once he is deceased with a communist party friendly monk. The Chinese appointed Lama, Gyaltsen Norbu, has been visiting
Rinpoche, Samdhong. Uncompromising Truth for a Compromised World: Tibetan Buddhism in Today’s World; forward by 14th Dalai Lama. (Tibet: World Wisdom, 2006), 264.
Terrence, Clifford. Diamo Healing: The Buddhist Medicine and Medical Psychiatry of Tibet. Motilal Banarsidass. 2003.
Gertner, Jon. “The Futile Pursuit of Happiness”. The New York Times 7 September .2003. Print.
The Dalai Lama’s speech talked about what him and his people have already done. He also didn’t think what his people have done is nearly good enough. He believes that they could do more, and that they should. What he has done is not enough for him. He took a different approach into his speech but what he said is something
Bowman, James. "The Pursuit of Happiness." The American Spectator. N.p., Sept. 2010. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.
To them he is a celebrity, a man who supports non-violent acts even when facing aggression, he is a man who supports Mahatma Gandhi’s pacifist policies, he is a man of peace who represents one of the major religions in the world ‘Tibetan Buddhism’, which in the eyes of the Western people it is a religion of peace and wisdom. And even though Buddhism has always been a missionary religion, the Dalai Lama stated that his positive views of the future has no intentions to make people convert into the religion that he represents, and he believes that each person has the right to choose any religion that they prefer, but at the same time they also has the right to change their religion if they’ve found another religion is more appealing to them spiritually, but most importantly he asks them to be genuine and dedicated to whichever religion that they choose. Here is what Dalai Lama had to say in his Nobel Prize acceptance speech; “In general I am in favor of people continuing to follow the religion of their own culture and inheritance. Of course, individuals have every right to change if they find that a new religion is more effective or suitable for their spiritual needs. But generally speaking, it is better to experience the value of one’s own religious tradition. […] If you are a Christian, it is better to develop spiritually within your religion and be a genuine, good Christian. If you are a Buddhist, be
Gertner, Jon. The Futile Pursuit of Happiness. New York: The New York Times, 2003. n.d. Web. 27 Nov 2009.