Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama is the spiritual title given to the spiritual leader of the Tibetans, considered the reincarnation of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteshvara. The current 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, was born in 1935.

The Dalai Lama is a significant title in Tibetan Buddhism, given to the spiritual leader of the Tibetans. The first Dalai Lama was appointed in 1391. The Dalai Lamas are believed to be the successive reincarnations of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. The 14th and current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, was born on July 6, 1935. He was recognized as the reincarnation at the age of two and was enthroned in 1940. In 1959, after the Tibetan uprising against Chinese occupation, he went into exile in India, where he continues to live as a refugee. He is globally recognized for his promotion of peace, non-violence, and human rights.