Dalai Lama Biography Quotes 51 Report mistakes

51 Quotes
Born as	Lhamo Thondup
Occup.	Leader
From	Tibet
Spouse	Tenzin Gyatso
Born	July 6, 1935 Taktser, Amdo, Tibet
Age	90 years

Early Life
The 14th Dalai Lama was born as Lhamo Thondup on July 6, 1935, in the village of Taktser in the Amdo region of northeastern Tibet. His parents, Choekyong Tsering and Diki Tsering, were farmers, and he grew up in a large family whose members would later play important roles in the Tibetan community in exile. As a toddler he was identified by a search party sent by the regent, Reting Rinpoche, following visions said to have arisen at the sacred lake Lhamo La-tso. The child reportedly recognized objects that had belonged to the 13th Dalai Lama and correctly named members of the search party, confirming the traditional signs used to identify a reincarnate lama.

Enthronement and Education
Brought to Lhasa in 1939, he was formally enthroned as the 14th Dalai Lama in 1940 and given the monastic name Tenzin Gyatso. His education followed the rigorous Gelug scholastic curriculum. Two influential tutors shaped his training: the senior tutor, Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, and the junior tutor, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. They guided him through studies in logic, philosophy, metaphysics, monastic discipline, and the Indian Buddhist classics preserved in Tibet. Alongside religious study, he cultivated interests that would mark his later life, including languages, mechanics, and world affairs. During his youth in Lhasa he also met the Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer, whose practical skills and stories of the wider world made a strong impression.

Assuming Responsibility in a Time of Upheaval
In 1950, as the People's Liberation Army advanced into Tibet, the Dalai Lama, still a teenager, was asked to assume full political authority. Negotiations between Tibetan representatives and officials of the People's Republic of China culminated in the 17-Point Agreement in 1951. In the mid-1950s he traveled to China, where he met Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, and to India, where he consulted with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru during the 2, 500th Buddha Jayanti celebrations in 1956. Despite efforts to preserve Tibet's institutions, tensions escalated. In March 1959, amid an uprising in Lhasa and fears for his safety, he fled across the Himalayas into India with close attendants and senior officials.

Exile and the Rebuilding of a Community
Granted asylum by the Government of India, he settled in Dharamsala, which became the seat of the Central Tibetan Administration. In exile, he and colleagues established schools, cultural institutes, and reconstituted major monasteries such as Drepung, Sera, and Ganden in southern India to preserve the scholastic lineage. He promulgated a draft democratic charter in 1963, strengthening representative institutions of the exile community. Over time he oversaw significant political reforms, leading to the direct election of the Kalon Tripa (later called Sikyong) in 2001. He further devolved authority in 2011, transferring his remaining formal political powers to elected leadership. Successive heads of the administration, including Samdhong Rinpoche, Lobsang Sangay, and later Penpa Tsering, worked alongside him to guide the diaspora.

Teachings, Ethics, and Global Dialogue
From the 1960s onward, the Dalai Lama taught widely on compassion, interdependence, and nonviolence, emphasizing the cultivation of warm-heartedness and ethical responsibility across religious and cultural lines. He often cited the examples of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., and developed a lasting friendship with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, with whom he coauthored reflections on joy and resilience. His dialogue with Christian contemplatives such as Thomas Merton and with scholars like Robert Thurman helped introduce Tibetan Buddhist thought to global audiences. He also cultivated long-term exchanges with scientists, working with figures such as Francisco Varela and Richard Davidson through the Mind and Life dialogues to explore the intersections of contemplative practice, neuroscience, and human flourishing.

Relations with China and the Middle Way Approach
Beginning in 1979, informal contacts signaled by Deng Xiaoping opened the prospect of dialogue. The Dalai Lama articulated the Middle Way Approach, seeking genuine autonomy for Tibetans within the framework of the People's Republic of China while renouncing calls for independence. Over the years, his envoys, including Lodi Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen, held rounds of talks with Chinese counterparts. Despite intermittent engagement, no final resolution emerged. The status of the Panchen Lama became a further point of contention after the Dalai Lama recognized Gedhun Choekyi Nyima in 1995; Chinese authorities presented another candidate, Gyaincain Norbu, leading to an enduring dispute.

Recognition and Influence
In 1989 the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his consistent advocacy of nonviolence and his efforts to preserve Tibetan culture, language, and religion. He later received honors including the United States Congressional Gold Medal and the Templeton Prize. He addressed parliaments, universities, and international forums, meeting with leaders such as George H. W. Bush, Barack Obama, and European officials, while remaining focused on grassroots education and interfaith understanding. His books, including collaborations with psychiatrist Howard Cutler and dialogues with Desmond Tutu, reached wide audiences and presented Buddhist ethics in accessible terms.

Personal Character and Daily Practice
A celibate monk of the Gelug school, he kept a disciplined routine of meditation, study, and public audiences. Known for his laughter and directness, he combined deep-rooted tradition with curiosity about technology, often recalling how, as a young man, he learned to repair watches and projectors. He encouraged Tibetans to learn modern sciences alongside classical studies and promoted secular ethics as a universal language for building compassion beyond religious boundaries.

Legacy and Continuing Work
The Dalai Lama's leadership helped the Tibetan exile community establish schools, cultural archives, and health services. His sister Jetsun Pema led the Tibetan Children's Villages network, educating thousands of young Tibetans. Monastic universities reestablished in India produced new generations of scholars who achieved the highest degrees, continuing lineages once centered in Lhasa. His brother Gyalo Thondup engaged in diplomatic efforts during Cold War years, reflecting the complex international dimensions of the Tibetan question. The 10th Panchen Lama, Choekyi Gyaltsen, with whom relations were at times strained, later spoke openly about conditions in Tibet, underscoring concerns the Dalai Lama consistently raised.

In his later decades, the Dalai Lama reduced travel but continued to teach, receive visitors, and encourage dialogue between communities that rarely meet. He urged young people to cultivate critical inquiry and kindness, asserting that compassion is not a luxury but a necessity for human survival. Through scholarship, advocacy, and example, he shaped global conversations on nonviolence, religious coexistence, and the preservation of a unique Himalayan civilization, while consistently expressing hope that dialogue and mutual understanding could one day resolve the long-standing issues concerning Tibet and its people.

Our collection contains 51 quotes who is written by Dalai, under the main topics: Motivational - Ethics & Morality - Wisdom - Never Give Up - Friendship.

Other people realated to Dalai: Thomas Merton (Author), Martin Scorsese (Director), Daniel Goleman (Author), Tom Lantos (Diplomat), Arthur C. Brooks (Author), George Woodcock (Writer)

Dalai Lama Famous Works