Reincarnation can be defined as a rebirth of the soul in a new body. Legend has it that the Dalai Lamas have been reborn thirteen times. Since the first Dalai Lama, each reincarnation has succeeded in bringing peace and wisdom to not only Buddhists but to many people around the world. But how are the Dalai Lamas found?
In order to find the present 14th reincarnation, the Regent of Tibet took a journey to lake Lhamo Lhatso in southern Tibet. For centuries the Tibetans had observed that visions of the future could be seen in this lake. The Regent had a vision. Among other things, he saw three Tibetan letters followed by a picture of a monastery.
The vision contained enough information to seek out the next Dalai Lama. In 1937 high lamas carrying the secrets of the vision were sent to all parts of Tibet in search of the place that the Regent had seen in the lake. When they arrived in Amdo, northeastern Tibet, they found a place matching the description of the secret vision. There they found a two-year-old boy. The child soon became comfortable with his visitors and began to play with a necklace that the high lama wore, which had belonged to the 13th Dalai Lama. In the Central Tibetan dialect, a language unknown to the district he lived in, the child demanded the necklace, claiming it belonged to him. He later addressed the government official by his proper name and also identified the high lama and servants. Astonished, the men left the village only to return to apply tests to the child to help find out if he truly was the Dalai Lama. He passed the test quite easily. As a result, they were sure that the two-year-old boy before them was the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet.
The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk. He has an interest in machines, which he developed as a young boy. As a teenager he repaired a movie projector by himself, without its guide or any instructions. His hobbies include meditating, gardening, and collecting and repairing watches. He has been known to say that he would have become an engineer if he hadn’t been a monk.
The Dalai Lama has been the spiritual leader of Tibet since 1950. In 1989 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for his advocating policies of non-violence. He was also highly appreciated for his anxiety for global environmental problems. He has travelled to more than 67 countries spanning 6 continents holding discussions with heads of different religions and participating in many events promoting inter-religious harmony and understading. He has received over 150 awards, honorary doctorates and prizes in recognition of his message of non-aggression, universal responsibility and compassion. He has also authored or co-authored more than 110 books.
The 14th Dalai Lama has 18.5 million followers on Twitter and regularly tweets about solving conflicts without violence. In a May 2013 Harris Poll, the Dalai Lama outranked President Obama in popularity by 13 percent.
How did the Tibetans predict the future?
AThey looked for clues in the water.
BThey travelled to all parts of Tibet.
CThey had vivid dreams about it.
DThey got letters from monasteries.
