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Wikipedia Summary for 14th Dalai Lama
The 14th Dalai Lama (spiritual name Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso, known as Tenzin Gyatso; born Lhamo Dhondup), known as Gyalwa Rinpoche to the Tibetan people, is the current Dalai Lama, the highest spiritual leader of Tibet, and a retired political leader of Tibet. Born on 6 July 1935, or in the Tibetan calendar, in the Wood-Pig Year, 5th month, 5th day, he is considered a living Bodhisattva; specifically, an emanation of Avalokiteśvara. He is also the leader of the Gelug school, the newest school of Tibetan Buddhism, formally headed by the Ganden Tripa. The central government of Tibet, the Ganden Phodrang, invested the Dalai Lama with temporal duties until his exile in 1959. On April 29, 1959, the Dalai Lama established the independent Tibetan government in exile, the Central Tibetan Administration, in the north Indian hill station of Mussoorie, which then moved in May 1960 to Dharamshala, where he resides. He retired as political head in 2011 to make way for a democratic government.
The 14th Dalai Lama was born to a farming family, in Taktser (Hongya in Chinese), in Amdo province (Qinghai in Chinese), northeastern Tibet. He was selected as the tulku of the 13th Dalai Lama in 1937 and formally recognized as the 14th Dalai Lama in a public declaration near the town of Bumchen in 1939. As with the recognition process for the 13th Dalai Lama, a Golden Urn selection process was not used. His enthronement ceremony as the Dalai Lama was held in Lhasa on 22 February 1940 and he eventually assumed full temporal (political) duties on 17 November 1950, at the age of 15, after the People's Republic of China's occupation of Tibet. The Tibetan government administered the historic Tibetan regions of Ü-Tsang, Kham and Amdo, and "In the course of Tibet's 2000-year history, the country came under a degree of foreign influence only for short periods of time in the thirteenth and eighteenth centuries."During the 1959 Tibetan uprising, the Dalai Lama escaped to India, where he currently lives in exile while remaining the most important spiritual leader of Tibet. The Dalai Lama advocates for the welfare of Tibetans while continuing to call for the Middle Way Approach to negotiations with China for the autonomy of Tibet and the protection of Tibetan culture, including for the religious rights of Tibetans.
The Dalai Lama also meets with other world leaders, religious leaders, philosophers and scientists, and travels worldwide giving Tibetan Buddhist teachings. His work includes focus on the environment, economics, women's rights, nonviolence, interfaith dialogue, physics, astronomy, Buddhism and science, cognitive neuroscience, reproductive health and sexuality.
Along with his teachings on Tibetan Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, the Dalai Lama's Kalachakra teachings and initiations are international events.
He is the chief Patron of the Maha Bodhi Society of India, conferred upon him at the 2008 Annual General Meeting of the Maha Bodhi Society of India.
The Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, and the US Congressional Gold Medal in 2006. Time magazine named the Dalai Lama one of the "Children of Mahatma Gandhi" and Gandhi's spiritual heir to nonviolence.
Every morning when I wake up, I dedicate myself to helping others to find peace of mind. Then, when I meet people, I think of them as long-term friends; I don't regard others as strangers.
In our struggle for freedom, truth is the only weapon we possess.
Having a calm and compassionate mind enables us to use our natural intelligence more effectively.
A calm mind makes us relaxed, improves our health and makes for happier families and communities.
It takes a calm mind to be able to consider things from different angles and points of view.
Love and compassion open our own inner life, reducing stress, distrust and loneliness.
A calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence.
What we need today are universal values based not on faith but on scientific findings, common experience and common sense.
There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.
It is in the nature of the mind that the more we cultivate and familiarize ourselves with positive emotions, the more powerful they become.
A more peaceful world and a more peaceful century require that we rely not on weapons but on developing a widespread inner peace.
Developing altruism is one of the most powerful methods for countering negative tendencies and destructive impulses.
Never give up. No matter what is happening, no matter what is going on around you, never give up.
Determination, courage, self-confidence lead to success, but we should always remain humble, modest and unpretentious.
The aim of spiritual practice is to become the friend of all beings, concerned and ready and able to help them.
I'm Tibetan, I'm Buddhist and I'm the Dalai Lama, but if I emphasize these differences it sets me apart and raises barriers with other people. What we need to do is to pay more attention to the ways in which we are the same as other people.
Genuine friendship is not based on money and power, but on trust, which in turn develops as a result of showing concern for other people's well-being. In other words, friendship is founded on warm-heartedness.
Part 2. Each of us must learn to work not just for oneself, one's own family or nation, but for the benefit of all humankind. Universal responsibility is the key to human survival. It is the best foundation for world peace.
If we ourselves remain angry and then sing world peace, it has little meaning. First, our individual self must learn peace. This we can practice. Then we can teach the rest of the world.
World peace begins with inner peace.
Anger and aggression sometimes seem to be protective because they bring energy to bear on a particular situation, but that energy is blind. It takes a calm mind to be able to consider things from different angles and points of view.
When reason ends, then anger begins. Therefore, anger is a sign of weakness.
Anger may seem to be a source of energy, but it's blind. It causes us to lose our restraint. It may stir courage, but that too is blind.
If you dedicate yourself to helping others, you'll be happier.
My practice when I see someone, is to smile.
Smile if you want a smile from another face.
Give the ones you love wings to fly, roots to come back, and reasons to stay.
We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.
To conquer oneself is a greater victory than to conquer thousands in a battle.
Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.
To be of value, we must develop basic good human qualities -- warmth, kindness, compassion. Then our life will become happier and more meaningful.
If every eight year old in the world is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation.
The mind is definitely something that can be transformed, and meditation is a means to transform it.
The future of humanity is in our hands.
Be a good human being, a warm hearted, affectionate person. That is my fundamental belief.
Children are our greatest untapped resource.
If a problem is fixable, there is no need to worry. If it's not fixable, then there is no benefit in worrying whatsoever.
Time is always moving on; nothing can stop it. We can't change the past, but we can learn from it to shape the future. Let's work together to create a happier future.
When we can recognize and forgive ignorant actions of the past, we gain the strength to constructively solve the problems of the present.
All major religious traditions carry basically the same message; that is love, compassion and forgiveness the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives.
Compassion and love are the source of all spiritual qualities: forgiveness, tolerance, all the virtues.
While revenge weakens society, forgiveness gives it strength.
Real change will come about not as a result of prayer, but of using intelligence and taking action.
From my own limited experience I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion.
Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.
If in day to day life you lead a good life, honestly, with love, compassion, and less selfishness, then automatically you will find peace.
We have to put effort into being honest, truthful and compassionate towards others.
It is always helpful to remain honest and truthful in the face of difficulty.
When we are committed to honesty, we help reduce the level of misunderstanding, doubt, and fear throughout society.
Be honest, truthful, and altruistic. If you concern yourself with taking care of others, there'll be no room for lies, bullying and cheating. If you're truthful you can live transparently, which will enable you to establish trust, the basis for making friends.
Leading your life honestly and truthfully will create trust and friendship.
The real source of inner joy is to remain truthful and honest.
The past is past, and the future is yet to come. That means the future is in your hands -- the future entirely depends on the present. That realization gives you a great responsibility.
Follow the three R's: -- Respect for self -- Respect for others -- Responsibility for all your actions.
Do not confuse peace of mind with spaced-out insensitivity. A truly peaceful mind is very sensitive, very aware.
It is important not to allow ourselves to be put off by the magnitude of others' suffering. The misery of millions is not a cause for pity. Rather it is a cause for compassion.
The greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being.
Human nature is compassionate, is affectionate.
When things are desperate, there is no need to pretend that everything is beautiful.
When you lose, do not lose the lesson.
A simple smile. That's the start of opening your heart and being compassionate to others.
Kindness and a good heart are the foundation for success in this life, progress on the spiritual path, and the fulfillment of our aspirations. Our need for them is not limited to any specific time, place, society, or culture.
Hard times build determination and inner strength. Through them we can also come to appreciate the uselessness of anger.
If our tears do not lead us to act then we have lost the reason of our humanity, which is compassion.
The challenge today is to convince people of the value of truth, honesty, compassion and a concern for others.
The more you are motivated by love, the more fearless and free your action will be.
The most important thing is to have a sense of responsibility, commitment, and concern for each of our fellow human beings.