Dalai Lama

According to Tibetan tradition, the Dalai Lama is the incarnation of Avalokitesvara, the Buddha of Compassion, who chose to be reincarnated so that he could serve the people. To date there have been 14 Dalai Lamas.

The First Dalai Lama was called Gedun Drupa. Born in 1391 in the Tsang region of Tibet to a nomadic family, he was ordained in 1411, became a renowned scholar of Buddhist teachings, and founded the Tashi Lhunpo monastery in Shigatse. He died in 1474.

The Second Dalai Lama, Gedun Gyatso, was born to a farming family near Shigatse in 1475. When he was 11 years old, he was recognized as the reincarnation of the First Dalai Lama. He died in 1542.

The Third Dalai Lama was called Sonam Gyatso and was born in 1543 near Lhasa to a wealthy family. In 1546, he was recognized as the reincarnation of Gedun Gyatso. He was fully ordained when he was 22 years old. He established the Namgyal monastery in 1574, which still serves as the Dalai Lama's personal monastery. The Mongolian King Altan Khan conferred on him the title of Dalai Lama, which means “Ocean of Wisdom.”Sonam Gyatso died in 1588.

Yonten Gyatso was the Fourth Dalai Lama. Born in 1589 in Mongolia to the Chokar tribal chieftain, he was educated in Mongolia by Tibetan Lamas. He traveled to Tibet in 1601 and was ordained in 1614. He died at the age of 27.

The Fifth Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso, was born in the Tsang region in 1617. Although he was identified as the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, his discovery was kept secret until 1642, once the political turmoil had settled down. He was a great scholar and wielded international political influence. He began the construction of the Potala Palace, which was not completed before his death in 1682. His death was kept secret for 15 years by telling people that the Dalai Lama was engaged in a retreat. Occasionally, someone masqueraded as the Dali Lama so it would appear he was still alive.

Tsangyang Gyatso, the Sixth Dalai Lama was born in 1682 in the Mon Tawang region of India. In 1697 the Emperor and the people were finally informed of the death of the Fifth Dalai Lama and discovery of the Sixth. In 1701 his advisor was killed and the young Dalai Lama, greatly disturbed by this event, rejected the monastic life and never became fully ordained.

In 1708, two years after the disappearance and assumed death of the Sixth Dalai Lama, the Seventh, Kelsang Gyatso, was born in Lithang. The uncertain political situation prevented the young Dalai Lama from traveling to Lhasa to be trained, so he received his training at Kumbum monastery. He was ordained in 1726. Under his reign, the Dalai Lama became the spiritual and political leader of Tibet. He died in 1757.

The Eighth Dalai Lama, Jamphel Gyatso, was born in 1758 in the Tsang region. His parents traced their ancestry to one of Tibet's legendary heroes. He was taken to the monastery in Shigatse at two and a half years old. He was ordained in 1777 and died in 1804.

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