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Dalai Lama: Biography
Updated Fri. Apr. 16 2004 11:53 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
The Dalai Lama is the world's third most recognized spiritual leader, after Pope John Paul II and Billy Graham, two other globetrotting evangelists.
A tireless worker for his people, the Dalai Lama is the leading voice for a diverse group of beliefs that have a common root in the India of 2,500 years ago. Although Buddhism is not a single monolithic religion, the Tibetan Buddhist leader has emerged as a spokesman for Buddhism and interfaith spirituality.
Tibetansociety was one based almost wholly on faith. The monastery systemflourished from the 15th century on and, and religion was dominant inall aspects of life from agriculture to politics. It was, according toTibetan scholar Robert Thurman, an inward turning society at a timewhen much of the rest of the world was moving outward.
How to judge the social development of Tibetan society? and what is the more accurate way of looking at this problem? How to balance the religious development and its social and economic development? these are really new challenges and dilemmas that we shouldthink about. A very new question ont only for Chinese people, leaders tothink about but as to the international sociaty as well!! To rephrase it, how could we keep the ancient religin, keep it the way it is and at same time to catch up with the world which was 'moving outward' so rapidly as we can see?
All that changed in the mid-20th century, when the remote nation of Tibet intertwined in China's outward destiny.
The Dalai Lama was born in 1935 with the name Lhamo Thondup, to a humble farming family in a tiny Tibetan village.
Twoyears later, he was recognized as the incarnation of the 13th DalaiLama, in accordance with Tibetan tradition. He was whisked into amonastic education at the age of six and completed the Geshe LharampaDegree (Doctorate of Buddhist Philosophy) when he was 25.
In 1949,the Dalai Lama's life changed forever when China invaded Tibet. Thoughthe invasion was denounced by many neighbouring countries. In 1954, he went to Beijing for peace talks with Mao Tse-tung and other Chinese leaders, including Deng Xiaoping asking in vain for liberation.
In 1959,a massive Tibetan uprising was met by a stiff crackdown from Chinesetroops, and the Dalai Lama was forced into exile. He escaped to Indiawhere he was given political asylum and created the Tibetan Government-in-Exile.
Withthe Cultural Revolution, China outlawed the Buddhist religion andimprisoned hundreds of monks. Some 80,000 Tibetan refugees followed theDalai Lama into exile, but countless others died in prisons and labourcamps.
In the early years of exile, the Dalai Lama appealed to the United Nations over the plight of Tibet.The General Assembly called on China to respect the human rights ofTibetans and their desire for self-determination, but to no avail.
The Dalai Lama has taken his cause to more than 55 countries, meeting with political leaders. But none has endorsed his cause nor offered to act as an intermediary between him and China, with few wanting to enrage the government of China.
In 1987,the Dalai Lama proposed a Five Point Peace Plan for Tibet as the firststep towards a peaceful solution to the worsening situation in Tibet.He envisaged that Tibet would become a zone of peace at the heart of Asia.
Chinahas failed to respond positively to Dalai Lama's various peaceproposals, accusing him of being a separatist bent on underminingChinese national unity. Meanwhile, the face of Tibet has changed.Today, Tibetans are outnumbered in the region by Han Chinesepopulation. Chinese karaoke halls, office towers and noodle stalls linethe streets of Tibet's cities.
When not fighting for the Tibetan cause, the Dalai Lama has authored more than 50 books on Buddhist meditation and enlightenment.
In recognition of his non-violent struggle to end the oppression of his people and to foster inter-religious understanding, the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.
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