called Dali Lama or did they have other names? Sorry if this is a dumb question, I mean no disrespect...
2007-10-31 15:57:10 · 4 answers · asked by MOL 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Not at all disrespectful. In fact, it's pretty difficult to offend a Buddhist. =)
The first answer is correct. Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness, is the current (and 14th) Dalai Lama. Several months after he passes away, a group is assembled to begin searching for his reincarnation. They generally follow several signs and indicators as to the location of the reincarnation, and there are tests to determine the right child, such as the ability to identify items that had belonged to his predecessor. As far as I know, there is no gender specification, although all Dalai Lamas have in fact been male thus far. I believe that they will be reborn in Tibet exclusively, though.
Namaste. _()_
2007-10-31 16:10:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is not a dumb question and I did not find it disrespectful in the least.
All incarnations of the Dalai Lama are give the title Dalai Lama. The 14th and current Dalai Lama, Bstan-'dzin-rgya-mtsho was recognized as an incarnation of the Dalai Lama when he was 5 years old (in 1940). They are all believed to be manifestations of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.
2007-10-31 16:01:53 · answer #2 · answered by Pangloss (Ancora Imparo) AFA 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Begs the question, will a Dalai Lama become bodhisattva Maitreiya, or--could such a person become a major world leader?
2007-10-31 16:03:39 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
no, that's a good question.
all 14 dalai lamas are incarnations of chenrezig aka avalokiteshvara, but i wonder if chenrezig has any incarnations that aren't dalai lamas.
2007-10-31 17:13:08 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋