Tenzin Gyatso (Dalai Lama XIV)

Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama, is simultaneously a living institution of Tibetan Buddhism, a global symbol of nonviolent resistance, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and one of the most beloved spiritual figures of the contemporary world. Born in the remote village of Taktser in eastern Tibet, he was recognised at the age of two as the reincarnation of his predecessor and enthronement came at age six. By fifteen he was assuming full political responsibility for his people — just as the People’s Republic of China was incorporating Tibet by force.

After the failed Tibetan uprising of 1959, he fled to India with tens of thousands of Tibetan refugees and established the Tibetan government in exile at Dharamsala. From this base he has conducted a tireless campaign of nonviolent advocacy for Tibetan rights and cultural preservation, employing Gandhian principles of dialogue, compassion, and non-retaliation in the face of ongoing cultural destruction.

His Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 recognised both his personal example and his articulation of a vision of human coexistence based on compassion rather than power. His subsequent work on ‘secular ethics’ — the cultivation of human values such as kindness, honesty, and empathy through reason rather than religious belief — has reached across religious boundaries to address the entire human family.

He is also a serious Buddhist scholar and practitioner. His technical works on Madhyamaka philosophy, the Stages of the Path (Lam Rim), and Tantric practice are studied by scholars as well as practitioners. What makes him unique among modern spiritual figures is his combination of the highest formal training in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy with a genuine scientific curiosity, an irrepressible sense of humour, and a warmth that communicates directly across all cultural barriers.