Escorted from Mongolia to Lhasa, he was enthroned in the Dalai Lama's residence in 'Bras spung monastery. The fourth Dalai Lama, Yon tan rgya mtsho (1589 –1617), is the only one in the lineage ethnically not a Tibetan. When the Dalai Lama died in Mongolia, his reincarnation was discovered to be none other than the great-grandson of Altan Khan himself. The third hierarch of the Yellow Hat school was subsequently invited to Mongolia by Altan Khan, who gave him the title Dalai Lama. By the middle of the sixteenth century, religio-political power in Tibet was unevenly divided between the Red Hat Karma pa, supported by the lay king of Gtsa ṅ, and the Yellow Hat Dge lugs pa, patronized by lay princes of Dbus. In the beginning, the religious power of the Dalai Lama was limited to the monastic members and lay patrons of the reformed Yellow Hat school. When he attained his majority, at about eighteen years of age, he assumed the religio-political power of the office of Dalai Lama. The monastic education of a Dalai Lama, directed by learned tutors of the Dge lugs pa school, occupied his time for years. Once the true reincarnation was determined, he was enthroned in the Potala palace as the Dalai Lama. If more than one likely candidate was found, the final selection was made by drawing a name from a golden urn. Such a child, usually two or three years old when discovered, was subjected to tests to determine physical fitness, intelligence, and the ability to remember events and objects from his previous existence. In time, but no sooner than nine months after the death of the previous Dalai Lama, the people began to expect reports of an exceptional male child born in accordance with various omens. Indicative statements made by the previous Dalai Lama during his lifetime, significant auguries surrounding his death and afterward, and meditative visions by special lamas were recorded and interpreted as guides to finding his rebirth. The concept emerged in the fourteenth century in the hierarchic lineage of the Black Hat Karma pa and was soon adopted by the other Tibetan schools.įrom the inception of the institution, traditional procedures for discovering the rebirth of a Dalai Lama, similar to those used for other reincarnate lamas, were followed. Incarnation (Tib., sprul sku ), the manifestation of some aspect of the absolute Buddhahood in human form, is an ancient doctrine and one common to various schools of Mahayana Buddhism, but the concept of the reincarnation (ya ṅ srid) of a lama is unique to Tibetan Buddhism. The present Dalai Lama is fourteenth in the lineage. After 1578 the title was given to each of the successive reincarnations of the Dalai Lama. The title was applied posthumously to the two preceding hierarchs, Dge 'dun-grub pa (1391 –1475), founder of Bkra śis lhun po (Tashilhunpo) monastery near Shigatse in Gtsa ṅ province, and Dge 'dun rgya mtsho (1475 –1542), founder of the Dalai Lama's residence in 'Bras spung monastery near Lhasa in Dbus province. The title dates from 1578 ce, when it was conferred by Altan Khan of the Mongols upon Bsod nams rgya mtsho (1543 –1588), third hierarch of the Dge lugs pa school of Tibetan Buddhism, commonly called the Yellow Hat sect. It said he regretted the incident and wished to “apologize to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused.DALAI LAMA, title of the spiritual and formerly political leader of the Tibetan people, is a combination of the Mongolian dalai ("ocean"), signifying profound knowledge, and the Tibetan blama ("religious teacher"). The Dalai Lama later apologized in a statement posted on his official website. In April, the Dalai Lama faced widespread criticism after a video circulated online showed him kissing a young boy on the lips and saying “suck my tongue.” The footage triggered a backlash online with social media users condemning his behavior as inappropriate. The Dalai Lama denies being a separatist and says he only advocates substantial autonomy and protection of Tibet’s native Buddhist culture. India considers Tibet to be part of China, though it hosts Tibetan exiles. The Dalai Lama has made the hillside town of Dharmsala his headquarters since fleeing from Tibet after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. Secretary of State Antony Blinken offered warm birthday wishes and expressed admiration for the Dalai Lama’s commitment to peace and nonviolence, in a statement from his office.
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