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The Dalai Lama was born on July 6,1935 in the village of Taktser, in the Amdo region of northeastern Tibet. His parents were Dekyi Tsering and Choekyong Tsering. They grew crops of buckwheat, potatoes and barley. Chickens provided eggs and dzomos, a cross between a yak and a cow, were used for their milk.
He wasn’t initially called the Dalai Lama; his name was Lhamo Dhondup, which meant wish-fulfilling goddess. He was named after Palden Lhamo, the protector deity of Tibet, whose title was often given in times of insecurity. For four years before the birth of Lhamo Dhondup, the crops in his area failed, and Lhamo’s father was very sick. The day he was born, the father suddenly recovered.
Although he was the thirteenth child, not all of his older brothers and sisters had survived. The eldest brother, Thupten Jigme Norbu, was an incarnate in training at Kumbum monastery. He was later known as Taktser Rinpoche. Rinpoche, a title meaning “precious one,” was given to great spiritual masters. (Incarnates in old Tibet were recognized by taking tests consisting of selecting objects they had previously owned, the presence of various birthmarks on their bodies, and reports of divine omens during their births).
Neither a monk or incarnate, brother Gyalo Thondup attended school in another village. Sisters Tsering Dolma and Jetsun Pema also lived at home. Lobsang Samten, born in 1932, was his closest brother in age.
As a young child, Lhamo often spoke of going to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet nearly a thousand miles away, and drew pictures of large buildings, although he lived in a tiny village with small homes.
Thupten Gyatso, the 13th Dalai Lama, [1876-1933] was said to have left clues for his next birthplace. In 1938, a search party was sent to look for the 14th Dalai Lama and were told to look in the Amdo region as well as to go to the Kumbum monastery due to a vision the Regent, Reting Rinpoche, had seen. The Tibetan letters Ah, Ka and Ma were envisioned when he had gone to meditate at the sacred lake Lhamoi Lhatso. The Ah stood for Amdo; the Ka for Kumbum monastery and Ma was for the governor of the area Ma Pu-feng who later created trouble by demanding a large amount of money for the discovery of the highest lama in Tibet.
The lamas, who posed as servants, tested Lhamo soon after meeting the special boy. Several objects belonging to the 13th Dalai Lama including his mala (prayer beads), glasses, bowl and religious articles were all selected by the child.
Not officially recognized, Lhamo stayed in Kumbum monastery with his brother Lobsang Samten and recalled in his autobiography, “I did not understand what it meant to be the Dalai Lama. As far as I knew, I was just one small boy among many.”
In the summer of 1939, he set out for Lhasa. The journey took three months to complete, because of the lack of roads and the heavy reliance on yaks and horses. For one year before his enthronement, he stayed at Norbulingka Palace, (Jewel Park) the summer home of the previous Dalai Lamas. His enthronement, as the spiritual leader of Tibet, occurred in the famed Potala Palace overlooking Lhasa, in the winter of 1940. No longer known as Lhamo Thondup, his formal name was Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. His followers considered him a God-King.
His education was overseen by Reting Rinpoche, his Senior Tutor, and Tathag Rinpoche, his Junior Tutor. Soon that arrangement changed, due to Reting’s controversial ways, and Tathag was promoted. Ling Rinpoche became the new Junior Tutor.
As a novice monk, His Holiness was taught in the Potala along with his brother, Lobsang Samten. Reading, writing and memorizing lengthy Buddhist texts were the main subjects. His mother and sisters weren’t often allowed to see him. Women were forbidden in the palace after dark. After learning to read, the Dalai Lama’s education consisted of such subjects as: logic, Tibetan art and culture, Sanskrit, medicine and Buddhist philosophy. Buddhist philosophy was further divided into five categories. The minor subjects of poetry, music, drama and astrology were also studied.
In 1947, Reting Rinpoche tried forcefully to get his position as Regent back. He was caught and imprisoned, dying in a prison underneath the Potala. The Dalai Lama was regretful over the tragic incident which the twelve-year-old was shielded from at the time. On the brighter side, Tendzin Choegyal, His Holiness’s youngest brother was born that year and was also discovered to be a Rinpoche.
One of the few Europeans living in Lhasa, Heinrich Harrer taught the Dalai Lama about the ways of westerners and improved his English language skills and geographical knowledge. A private movie theatre was built for His Holiness and screenings of old movies and documentaries were shown. The Dalai Lama was also able to make a movie of his own and experimented with photography. Another natural skill the Dalai Lama exhibited as a child was his love of clocks and watches and how he disassembled and successfully reassembled them.
In the summer of 1950, an unusual natural incident occurred: several loud explosions were heard, accompanied by an eerie red glow in the skies. The sounds and fiery color came from the northeast—the direction of China. It was heard and seen by people in most parts of eastern Tibet and as far south as Calcutta, India. Two days later news was learned of an attack at a Tibetan post by Chinese soldiers. In October, 80,000 People’s Liberation Army [PLA] soldiers entered Tibet beginning their “peaceful liberation.”
The Dalai Lama’s oldest brother, Taktser Rinpoche arrived at the Potala in early November to warn his little brother about the deceiving ways of the Communist Chinese. As Amdo was near the Chinese border, it had fallen to the Communists quickly. He was only allowed to visit the Dalai Lama for one reason: the officials planned to reward him for killing the God-King. It was the first time that the Dalai Lama realized how serious the crimes that threatened him as well as every other Tibetan were.
November 17, 1950—The Dalai Lama was officially enthroned as Head of State. The 15-year-old was soon urged to secretly leave Lhasa for Southern Tibet along with many of the senior members of the government. In Dromo, Sikkim, they arrived in January, 1951. Later, the Dalai Lama learned that America and Great Britain were unable to offer any type of international support or assistance. The Dalai Lama wrote: “Tibet must expect to face the entire might of Communist China alone.”
In July, 1951, a Chinese delegation visited His Holiness in Dromo. The Dalai Lama didn’t sign the Seventeen-Point Agreement, as it contained clauses allowing Tibet to become absorbed into Chairman Mao Tse-Tung’s People’s Republic of China. General Chiang Chin-wu met with His Holiness and persuaded him to return to Tibet, explaining that the agreement was a gesture of friendship.
The increased presence of the Chinese communists in Lhasa changed the landscape with the red banners and the soundwaves with incessant haranguing speeches and military style music. The Dalai Lama was invited to meet with Chairman Mao in Peking in early 1954 and the trip was made partially by car, mule, foot, jeep, plane and train. The Dalai Lama stayed in China until autumn. All he’d done was attend meetings and visit the areas the Communists thought were appropriate, although he was able to give a few teachings.
By 1956 many refugees from northeastern and eastern Tibet were arriving in Lhasa. Consulting the Nechung oracle about the situation, the Dalai Lama was told: “The Light of the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel [another name for the Dalai Lama] will shine in the West.”
The Khampas, known as warriors, were fighting the Chinese invaders as best as they could but were outnumbered, especially when 40,000 new troops were brought in. Military roads were established and in November, 1956, the Dalai Lama and a small entourage were allowed to make a pilgrimage to India. While there, his Holiness met the President [Dr. Rajendra Prasad], saw the spot near the banks of the river where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated, and visited the Bodhi Tree where Lord Buddha attained Enlightenment.
The summer of 1957 was a time when Chinese were using aircraft to bomb towns, freedom fighters were rebelling and it was full scale warfare in the Kham region of the Land of the Snows. The Dalai Lama was staying permanently in Norbulingka, as it was away from the center of Lhasa and considered safer. Even so, by 1958, Tibetan soldiers would accompany His Holiness anytime he went outside of the palace.
March 17, 1959 was the day the Dalai Lama was informed by the Nechung oracle that he was to leave that night. His immediate family, officials, lamas, soldiers and employees would travel with him. Fighting had broken out and hordes of people camped outside the Norbulinkga. His Holiness dressed up as a soldier, carrying a rifle over one shoulder, and a thangka [holy tapestry] over his other. Under a cloudy night sky he crossed the river and was given a horse to ride for the long journey over snow-covered mountains. During the difficult departure from his homeland, the Dalai Lama was sick with fever that turned into dysentery.
The people of India were very pleased to have the Dalai Lama in their country and turned up at train stations to greet him. In Mussoorie, His Holiness received news that many other Tibetans had also arrived in India, not wanting to be in occupied Tibet. A full scale massacre occurred after the Chinese realized that the God-King had slipped away. In Mysore, Southern India, over 600 Tibetans settled onto 3,000 acres donated by the Indian government. The Dalai Lama was able to go to Deer Park, Northern India, where he gave a week-long teaching in the very spot where Buddha himself taught 2,500 years before.
Dharamsala, located in the foothills of the Himalayas, became the Dalai Lama’s residence and that of the Tibetan Government in Exile’s headquarters. 100,000 Tibetan refugees had followed the Dalai Lama and they needed places to stay. Many more were to follow—as they do to this day.
His Holiness became internationally recognized and traveled. Teaching and attending conferences made the God-king, who referred to himself as “a simple Buddhist monk,” a vocal advocate of peace. No matter what country, his ready smile, humble demeanor and boyish wave made him a recognizable and loved leader. His keywords were wisdom and compassion. The name Dalai Lama meant ‘ocean of wisdom.’ Whether conducting advanced teachings or speaking about universal responsibility, the Dalai Lama attracted large crowds. The Dalai Lama initiated the Five-Point Peace Plan which would essentially demilitarize Tibet and protect human rights. The Chinese government misinterpreted it to mean separatism.
By the late 1980s there was more unrest in Tibet and protests rocked the country. Arrests and imprisonment were at an all time high. The Panchen Lama, the second highest lama in Tibet, died in January, 1989. Martial law was imposed in Lhasa that year.
On December 10, 1989, the Dalai Lama was presented with the Nobel Peace Prize. The prize money was used to launch the Foundation for Universal Responsibility and contributions were made to many global peace projects.
Throughout the 1990s, the Dalai Lama’s popularity grew due to his many best-selling books, and two 1997 movies based on his life: “Seven Years in Tibet” and “Kundun.”
The Dalai Lama continues to pray for peace, not just for the Tibetans in exile or in prison, but also for all sentient beings.
Suggested Reading:
“The Art of Happiness” by The Dalai Lama
“Freedom In Exile: The Autobiography of the Dalai Lama”
“Kundun” by Mary Craig
“Seven Years In Tibet” by Heinrich Harrer
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