The current Dalai Lama is regarded as the fourteenth incarnation of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteshvara. The original Dalai Lama came out of the Gelug or Virtuous school of Tibetan Buddhism. This third teacher in the Gelug lineage appeared as the incarnation of the compassionate bodhisattva and was subsequently named the Dalai Lama, or Ocean of Wisdom.

The current Dalai Lama was born on July 6, 1935, to a family of poor farmers in the province of Amdo in Tibet. His eldest brother, Thubten Jigme Norbu, had already been recognized as a reincarnation of a high lama (tulku), Taktser Rinpoche, so it was a surprise that another Rinpoche would be found within the family.

Tulku is a special lama, one who is reincarnated from a previous teacher. Since the Dalai Lama is the fourteenth in his lineage, he is a tulku. Thousands of tulkus have been recognized over the centuries and most of these have been men. The Dalai Lama has considered the idea that he will return as the fifteenth Dalai Lama in female form. The identification of a tulku was portrayed in the film Kundun, where monks disguised as peasants arrived at the future Dalai Lama's home when he was a child of three years old. The monks were following clues provided by the thirteenth Dalai Lama — dreams, or information provided by oracles to find candidate children. Once children are identified they are examined for special marks or signs and their parents interviewed in regards to their moral character. Finally, a test is provided where the young child must identify items that belonged to his predecessor, picking them out from similar items. If he can do this correctly, he will be designated a tulku.

Stories abide about tulkus being able to remember details from their previous lives, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Tulkus are also known by the title, Rinpoche (“Precious One”). The Dalai Lama is not only the reincarnated tulku of the Gelugpa clan and secular and religious leader of Tibet, he is also believed to be the reincarnation of Avalokiteshvara.

The Fourteenth Dali Lama

The thirteenth Dalai Lama had died in 1933, and while his body was in its period of sitting in state, his head had been found to have mysteriously turned toward the area near Amdo — this was just one of the clues that sent the search party on its way.

Once the search party had narrowed down their focus, they found Tenzin Gyatso. The small boy is said to have immediately recognized one of the monks and when handed some items as a test, he was able to pick out the ones belonging to the thirteenth Dalai Lama; he is said to have cried out, “It is mine!”

The three-year-old child was taken away from his family to be trained and prepared for his role as the fourteenth in the long succession of Dalai Lamas. He was eventually reunited with his family and continued his intensive education and training. At the age of fifteen, with the Chinese invasion threatening on the horizon, the Dalai Lama was formally made the leader of Tibet. The young leader tried to secure the assistance of Great Britain and America but was turned down. Tibet was going to have to face the might of the huge Chinese government alone.

His Escape

On March 17, 1958, the Dalai Lama consulted with the Nechung Oracle and was instructed to leave Tibet. For nine years the Tibetan people had tried to hold back a full-scale invasion of the Chinese government, but in the winter of 1959, the Dalai Lama knew it was time to go. On a winter's day, General Chiang Chin-wu of Communist China invited the Dalai Lama to see a Chinese dance troupe — the invitation stipulated that no Tibetan soldiers were to go with the Dalai Lama and his bodyguards should remain unarmed. The people of Lhasa became upset as the news spread, and soon a mob of tens of thousands of citizens surrounded the palace where the young leader resided. The Dalai Lama, disguised as a soldier, slipped through the crowds and fled his homeland.

The Succession of Dali Lamas

The first thirteen Dalai Lamas were:

• Gedun Drub (1391–1474)

• Gedun Gyatso (1475–1542)

• Sonam Gyatso (1543–1588)

• Yonten Gyatso (1589–1616)

• Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso (1617–1682)

• Tsang-yang Gyatso (1683–1706)

• Kezang Gyatso (1708–1757)

• Jampel Gyatso (1758–1804)

• Luntok Gyatso (1806–1815)

• Tshultrim Gyatso (1816–1837)

• Khedrup Gyatso (1838–1856)

• Trinley Gyatso (1856–1875)

• Thubten Gyatso (1876–1933)

The current Dalai Lama, the fourteenth, is named Tenzin Gyatso.