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In 1950 His Holiness was called upon to assume full political power after China’s invasion of Tibet in 1949. He passed with honours and was awarded the Geshe Lharampa degree, the highest-level degree equivalent to a doctorate of Buddhist philosophy.

At 23 he sat for his final examination in the Jokhang Temple, Lhasa, during the annual Monlam (prayer) Festival in 1959. The five minor subjects were poetry, music and drama, astrology, motre and phrasing, and synonyms. The major subjects were logic, Tibetan art and culture, Sanskrit, medicine, and Buddhist philosophy which was further divided into a further five categories: Prajnaparimita, the perfection of wisdom Madhyamika, the philosophy of the middle Way Vinaya, the canon of monastic discipline Abidharma, metaphysics and Pramana, logic and epistemology. The curriculum consisted of five major and five minor subjects. His Holiness began his monastic education at the age of six. Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who have postponed their own nirvana and chosen to take rebirth in order to serve humanity. The Dalai Lamas are believed to be manifestations of Avalokiteshvara or Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion and patron saint of Tibet. At the age of two the child, who was named Lhamo Dhondup at that time was recognized as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso. He was born on 6 July 1935, to a farming family, in a small hamlet located in Taktser, Amdo, northeastern Tibet. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai and Richard Finney.His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is the spiritual leader of Tibet. Reported by Yangdon Demo for RFA's Tibetan service. The current Dalai Lama, who fled to India after a failed 1959 national uprising against Chinese occupation, has been the face and symbol of the Tibetan freedom struggle for more than five decades.

He later predicted China's 1950 invasion of Tibet and died at the age of 57 in December 1933 after urging modernization of the Tibetan Army. The 13th Dalai Lama ruled Tibet during a British invasion of the country in 1904 and a Chinese invasion in 1909/10, but survived both experiences with his authority enormously enhanced, according to the website of the current Dalai Lama. Thupten Gyatso was recognized by Tibetan religious authorities as the reincarnation of the 12th Dalai Lama in 1877. Credit: WikipediaĬontacted for details of the demolition, a female official of the Lhasa Military Center said, 'I am sorry, I don't know about it.' The 13th Dalai Lama photographed in Calcutta, India in 1910. 'City authorities explained that they were helpless when a house is located in the area controlled by Lhasa Military Center.' 'Family members of the Langdun household appealed to the Lhasa city government to protect from demolition, but they were disappointed,' the source said. The 13th Dalai Lama, often referred to by Tibetans as the 'Great 13th,' was born to a peasant couple in Dakpo in southern Tibet. 'This historic house about 100 years old with ties to the 13th Dalai Lama was demolished within a short time,' he added. He said that demolition of the house began on June 10. It was located in an area controlled by the Lhasa Military Center and was declared a 'historic structure to be protected,' said the source, who lives in Tibet.

The house of Thupten Gyatso, predecessor to the current Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibet, was situated close to the Kyichu river, south of Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region. RFA listenerĬhinese authorities have demolished the century-old Langdun family residence of Tibet's 13th Dalai Lama despite appeals to protect the heritage site, a Tibetan source close to the Langdun family said. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.Ĭhinese authorities reject family appeals to protect an historic site.Ī backhoe demolishes the former family home of the 13th Dalai Lama, south of Lhasa, Tibet, June 10, 2011. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content.

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Radio Free Asia, China: 13th Dalai Lama's home demolished, 15 June 2011, available at: