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OCEAN OF WISDOM
The Dalai Lama (a title that means “Ocean of Wisdom”) is considered to be a reincarnation of Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of compassion.

Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, was born on July 6th 1935 to a peasant family in the Tibetan village of Takster. His given name was Lhamo Dhondrup. At the age of two, on the basis of prophecies, he was recognised as the 14th reincarnation of the Dalai Lama and was brought to Lhasa.

On February 22nd 1940, at the age of five-and-a-half, the Dalai Lama was formally enthroned and received the name Tenzin Gyatso. His education started at six. It included dialectics, Tibetan culture and arts, grammar, linguistics and medicine, as well as Buddhist philosophy - the most important subject.

In 1950 Chinese troops invaded Tibet. One year later, when the Dalai Lama was 16 years old and the situation in Tibet was becoming more and more threatening, he took on full political responsibility for his country. In 1954, he went to Beijing in order to negotiate a peace agreement with Mao Tse Tung and other Chinese leaders, among them Chou En Laï and Deng Xiao Ping.

In 1956, on the occasion of the 2500th anniversary of the Buddha’s Parinirvana, His Holiness went on a journey to India. Many of his advisors asked him to remain in India and not to return to Tibet, but he decided to return to Lhasa and continue his efforts to arrive at a peaceful co-existence with the Chinese occupying forces.

Even though he presents himself as a simple monk, the 14th Dalai Lama is not only the spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetans, but also a charismatic ambassador for peace. In his lectures and during his visits everywhere in the world, he teaches on fundamental values such as compassion, tolerance and non-violence, thus referring to the three principal goals toward which he is actively committed:

THE PROMOTION OF HUMAN VALUES
His first goal, as a human being, is to serve humanity and the world. The Dalai Lama as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate is of the opinion that values like compassion and patience are a true source of happiness. These features do not necessarily come only from religious faith or from religious practice. Every human being carries within him the potential for compassion and non-violence. One of the objectives of the Dalai Lama is to promote these values of compassion, tolerance, benevolence and peace.

THE PROMOTION OF HARMONY BETWEEN RELIGIONS
As a Buddhist monk and religious practitioner, the Dalai Lama has as his objective promoting harmony among all religious traditions. All religions of the world are founded on ethical values of compassion, love and tolerance. Because human beings have differing aspirations and dispositions, it is important and necessary to have different religions in our world. A harmonious relationship between different traditions is possible with understanding and mutual respect.

THE WELL-BEING OF THE TIBETAN PEOPLE
As leader of the Tibetan people, His Holiness is obviously very concerned about the fate of Tibet. Because of this he works tirelessly for a non-violent solution to the Tibetan situation. In the course of his travels, during discussions with politicians and the media, the Dalai Lama insists on the need to give Tibetans the right to true self-determination.

When you're lonely,

I wish you love.

When you're down,

I wish you joy.

When you're troubled,

I wish you peace. 

When things are complicated,

I wish you simple beauty.

When things look empty,

I wish you hope.

   Happiness

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