Dalai Lama as Tenzin Gyatso, was born Lhamo Dhondrub on 6 July 1935, in a small village called Taktser in northeastern Tibet. He is oftern called "His Holiness" by Westerners, although this does not translate to a Tibetan title. Tibetans may refer to him by epithets such as Gyalwa Rinpoche, meaning "Precious Victor", or Yishin Norbu, meaning "Wish-fulfilling Jewel." His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, is the head of state and spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. Born to a peasant family, His Holiness was recognized at the age of two, in accordance with Tibetan tradition, as the reincarnation fo his predecessor the 13th Dalai Lama, and thus an incarnation Avalokitesvara, the Buddha of Compassion. The Dalai Lamas are the manifestations of the Bodhisattva (Buddha) of Compassion, who chose to reincarnate to serve the people.
"Dalai" means "Ocean" in Mongolian, and is a translation of the Tibetan name "Gyatso," while "Lama" is the Tibetan equivalent of the Sanskrit word wisdom. Putting the terms together, the full title Dalai Lama becomes "Ocean Teacher" meaning a teacher who is spiritually as deep as the ocean. The Dalai Lama is a lineage of religious leaders of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The Dalai Lamas were also the political leaders of Lhasa-based Tibetan government between the 17th century and 1959. "Lama" is a general term referring to Tibetan Buddhist teachers.
His Highness Dalai Lama began his education at the age of six and completed the Geshe Lharampa Degree (Doctorate of Buddhist Philosophy) when he was 25 in 1959. At 24, he took the preliminary examinations at each of the three monastic universities: Drepung, Sera and Ganden. On November 17, 1950, His Highness The Dalai Lama is often thought to be the head of the Gelug School.
No comments:
Post a Comment