The incarnation of peace: The Dalai Lama by Jorge Alejandro Lopera

Tensin Gyatso

Tensin is the XIV Dalai Lama and he’s the Tibetan Buddhism leader.

Tensin, whose name at birth was Lhamo Dondrub, was born on 6 July 1935 in Amdo, a region in the Tibet, which was assimilated into the Chinese province of Qinghai. After last Dalai Lama’s death, Gelug monks began the searching for the new Dalai Lama’s incarnation. The Gelug Regent had a vision where he saw Amdo as the indicated region to search. After many months, the monks found the place and the possible Dalai Lama's incarnation. Tensin was recognized by Buddhist monks as the XIV Buddha incarnation when he was 2 years old. According to story, the child recognized the monks immediately. Then, his authenticity was tested. The monks showed him items owned by the XIII Dalai Lama. Tensin recognized all items as his. When the monks were returning to Tibet with Tensin, they had great difficulties to leave Amdo because the Chinese Muslim General Ma Bufang did not want the succession of the Dalai Lama. Monks had to pay 100000 Chinese silver dollars.

Tensin was renamed as Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso, the meaning of this words is: Holy Lord, Gentle Glory, Compassionate, Defender of the Faith, Ocean of Wisdom. Since an early age, he showed amazing skills. Tensin studied the Buddhist knowledge with great discipline. When Tensin was 4 years old was appointed as Buddhist monk and he was enthroned as Dalai Lama at the age of 15 years. When he was 23 years old, he was awarded the Lharampa degree, a degree correspondent to doctorate in Buddhist philosophy.    

In 1954, he went to Pekin accompanied with great quantity of religious to establish peace dialogues with Mao Zedong government about the peaceful liberation of Tibet. On September, Tensin was named as deputy chairman in the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in China. In 1956, he went to India to ask for help for Tibet and political asylum. The Indian government decided to avoid some intervention according its political of peace with China. In this year, the CIA offered its help to Tibetan rebels and it faced to the Communist Chinese.

On March 1959, Tibet rebelled against China government. The revolution was repressed and Tibet was occupied by China army. This revolution occasioned a lot of deaths. The Dalai Lama crossed the Himalayas in a dangerous travel towards India. Tensin travelled with 80000 Tibetans and the CIA forces protected them.

In India, the Government of Tibet in Exile was set up in the Indian city known as Dharamsala, which was referred as “Little Lhasa”. Tensin was named as the head of Tibetan government in exile. From the exile, Dalai Lama continued denouncing the Chinese injustices and promoting the Buddhist knowledge. In an attempt to preserve Buddhist knowledge, Tensin promoted the refounding of 200 monasteries in India.

In 1963, Tensin promulgated a democratic constitution based in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Dharamsala. In other hand, Dalai Lama asked for help in the United Nations to defend the rights of Tibetans. The General Assembly of the United Nations adopted three resolutions which called to China to respect the human rights of Tibetans. Tensin founded in 1970 the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, the most important institution for Tibetology in the world. This library has manuscripts and documents about Tibetan history and its culture.

Tensin has travelled around the world talking in favor of Tibetan people and teaching the Buddhist knowledge. Even, Tensin has had interfaith dialogues with the Popes Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Also, he has met with many leaders of the Anglican Church. His dream is the 21th Century becomes in a century of tolerance and dialogue. He promotes the vegetarianism and he advocates compassion for animals. He has criticized the capitalism and he has recognized the communist benefits. The Dalai Lama has showed his worrying about the environment situation and the terrible consequences of the contamination like climate change. He has showed relative acceptation about homosexual relationships, but he has not accepted them in Buddhism. He has defended the Women’s rights and he has promoted the peace of mind as the key for to achieve the health.

Tensin received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for the struggle of the liberation of Tibet using peaceful ways. Likewise, he has received many distinctions like doctorates, medals, city keys, among others.