Dalai Lama

 Dalai Lama : Recently, in its first official response to the Dalai Lama’s succession announcement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that the Government of India does not take a position on religious matters.

• About Dalai Lama : The spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism and a globally respected figure.

o Reincarnation Belief: Each Dalai Lama is believed to be the reincarnation of his predecessor and a manifestation of Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig), the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

o Lineage: There have been 14 Dalai Lamas in history. The first and second were given the title posthumously

o Political and Spiritual Role: Traditionally, the Dalai Lama was both the political and spiritual leader of Tibet. However, after China's occupation of Tibet in 1950, this role became primarily spiritual.

o Exile in India: The current and 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (born in 1935 in Tibet), fled to India during the 1959 Tibetan uprising and has lived in exile in India since then.

o School of Buddhism: The Dalai Lama belongs to the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism, which is the largest and most influential tradition.

• About Tibetan Buddhism: Evolved by the 9th century AD from Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions, integrating tantric and indigenous shamanic practices.

o Major Schools: Tibetan Buddhism has four main schools: Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug (to which the Dalai Lama belongs)

o Dominance of Gelug School: Since 1640, the Gelug school has been the predominant tradition in Tibet, led by the Dalai Lamas.