7
Jan
2018
Biography of the 14th Dalai Lama
H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is the simple Buddhist monk. He was born on 6 July 1935 in Taktser, Amdo, northeastern Tibet.
Born in a small family of Tibet, he spent the major part of his childhood in farming and kinds of stuff.
He grew up to be a spiritual leader of Tibet. Soon after his birth, he was named as Lhamo Thondup that means ‘Wish-Fulfilling Goddess.’
Table of Contents
Early Education
Like every Tibetans, His Holiness also attended the monastic education. It started at the age of six. The curriculum he read derived from the Nalanda tradition that contained five major and five minor subjects.
Major Subjects he attended: logic, fine arts, Sanskrit grammar, and medicine, with major emphasis on Buddhist philosophy, Prajnaparamita, the perfection of wisdom; Madhyamika, the philosophy of the Middle Way; Vinaya, the canon of monastic discipline; Abidharma, metaphysics; and Pramana, logic and epistemology
Minor subjects he attended: poetry, drama, astrology, composition and synonyms.
He was 23, and it was during the annual Great Prayer Festival (Monlam Chenmo) in 1959, His Holiness gave his final examination in Lhasa’s Jokhang Temple.
He passed the exam with honors and got awarded as the Geshe Lharampa degree that is equivalent to the highest doctorate in Buddhist philosophy.
His Holiness Family
His parents were a simple farmer who spent the majority of their time growing barley, buckwheat and potatoes.
In an autobiography, he mentions about his father saying:
“He is of medium height with a very quick temper. I remember him pulling his moustache once and hit hard for my mistake”.
He too describes his mother as one of the kindest people he has ever known. She gave birth to sixteen children, and only seven of them survived.
He has two sisters and four brothers. One elder sister and three elder brothers.
His elder sister who was 18 years older than him, Tsering Dolma, helped his mother to run the household during the birth of His Holiness.
The eldest brother, Thubten Jigme Norbu was known to be the reincarnation of a high lama, Taktser Rinpoche – Gyalo Thondup and Lobsang Samden.
The youngest brother, Tenzin Choegyal was also known to be the reincarnation of another high lama, Ngari Rinpoche.
As a Spiritual Leader
His Holiness Dalai Lama lives the life of a simple Buddhist monk.
He lives in a small cottage in Dharamsala and wakes up to meditate at 4 in the morning.
He then attends his regular schedule of administrative meetings, private audiences and religious teachings and ceremonies.
He ends each day with a prayer.
He says his greatest source of inspiration is a verse found in the writings of the renowned eighth-century Buddhist saint Shantideva:
For as long as space endures
And for as long as living beings remain,
Until then may I too abide
To dispel the misery of the world.For as long as space endures
And for as long as living beings remain,
Until then may I too abide
To dispel the misery of the world.
He shares about spirituality, happiness in different talk shows and in his books. His popular books are:
- The Art of Happiness
- The Book of Joy
- The Heart of Meditation
- The Wisdom of Compassion
- My Spiritual Autobiography
- Dalai Lama at MIT
Video: Buddhism and Happiness
