His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, was born on 6 July 1935 to a farming family in Taktser, in the Amdo region of north-eastern Tibet. His birth name was Lhamo Dhondup. At the age of two he was recognised as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso. The line of Dalai Lamas goes back to Gendün Drup, a direct disciple of Je Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug school.

He began his monastic education at six. His office describes a curriculum in the Nalanda tradition: logic, fine arts, Sanskrit grammar, medicine and, above all, Buddhist philosophy. In 1959 he sat his final examinations at the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa and was awarded the Geshe Lharampa degree, which his office compares to the highest doctorate in Buddhist philosophy. Since 1959 he has lived in Dharamsala in northern India.

He often calls himself “a simple Buddhist monk.” His office’s site publishes his teachings on Buddhist texts, and he has long promoted dialogue between religions and, since the mid-1980s, with modern scientists. His office reports that he has travelled to more than 67 countries and has written or co-written more than 110 books.

His office lists, among his books, The Book of Compassion and two volumes of the Library of Wisdom and Compassion series: Appearing and Empty and Vajrayana and the Culmination of the Path.

He stopped holding political authority in 2011, when he transferred it to an elected leadership, and describes himself as retired from that role. DharmaBase describes him here as a Buddhist teacher and does not cover the political history of Tibet.

Teachings, public talks and statements are published on his official website, dalailama.com, which is the place to check for his current schedule and any announcements.