Tenzin Gyatso: the Current Dalai Lama
Tenzin Gyatso was born in a small village called Takster in northeastern Tibet on July 6, 1935. He was the fifth surviving child of nine children, the eldest child being his sister Tsering Dolma, who was sixteen years older than he.[2] His eldest brother, Thupten Jigme Norbu, has been recognised as the rebirth of the high lama, Takser Rinpoche. His sister Jetsun Pema, went on to depict their great mother in the 1997 film Seven Years in Tibet. His other elder brothers are Gyalo Thondup and Lobsang Samten.
At the age of two he was recognized as the reincarnation of his predecessor the 13th Dalai Lama, in accordance with Tibetan tradition. The Dalai Lamas are the manifestation of the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Dalai Lama means Ocean of Wisdom. He began his education at the age of six and finished the Geshe Lharampa Degree at twenty-five. He passed all of his examinations with honors. “In 1950, Tenzin was called to assume full political power as Head of State and the Government of Tibet when it was threaten by China. In 1956 he has a series of meetings with Prime Minister Nehru and Primier Chou about deteriorating conditions in Tibet. However, in 1959 he was forced into exile in India after the Chinese military occupation of Tibet. Since 1960 he has resided in Dharamsla, aptly know as “Little Lhasa,” the seat of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile” (Avedon). In the first few years of his exile, His Holiness appealed to the United Nations on the question of Tibet. This resulted in three resolutions adopted by the General Assembly in 1959, 1961 and 1965. In 1963, he promulgated a draft constitution for Tibet which assures a democratic form of government. In the last two decades he has set up cultural, religious, and educational institutions that have made major contributions towards the preservation of the Tibetan culture. At the Congressional Human Rights Caucus in 1987 he presented a Five-Point Plan as a first step toward resolving the future status
At the age of two he was recognized as the reincarnation of his predecessor the 13th Dalai Lama, in accordance with Tibetan tradition. The Dalai Lamas are the manifestation of the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Dalai Lama means Ocean of Wisdom. He began his education at the age of six and finished the Geshe Lharampa Degree at twenty-five. He passed all of his examinations with honors. “In 1950, Tenzin was called to assume full political power as Head of State and the Government of Tibet when it was threaten by China. In 1956 he has a series of meetings with Prime Minister Nehru and Primier Chou about deteriorating conditions in Tibet. However, in 1959 he was forced into exile in India after the Chinese military occupation of Tibet. Since 1960 he has resided in Dharamsla, aptly know as “Little Lhasa,” the seat of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile” (Avedon). In the first few years of his exile, His Holiness appealed to the United Nations on the question of Tibet. This resulted in three resolutions adopted by the General Assembly in 1959, 1961 and 1965. In 1963, he promulgated a draft constitution for Tibet which assures a democratic form of government. In the last two decades he has set up cultural, religious, and educational institutions that have made major contributions towards the preservation of the Tibetan culture. At the Congressional Human Rights Caucus in 1987 he presented a Five-Point Plan as a first step toward resolving the future status
Bibliography: 1. “Dalai Lama.” 30 Oct. 2006. . 2. “His Holiness the Dalai Lama.” 10 Nov. 2006. . 3. “Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama.” 10 Nov. 2006. . 4. “The 14th Dalai Lama.” NY Snow Lion Press. 1990. 30 Oct. 2006. .