Dalai Lama, 14th

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བསྟན་འཛིན་རྒྱ་མཚོ་
The Fourteenth Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso(b. 1935/07/06 - )
Buddhist Digital Resource Center

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk. He is the spiritual leader of Tibet. He was born on 6 July 1935, to a farming family, in a small hamlet located in Taktser, Amdo, northeastern Tibet. At the age of two, the child, then named Lhamo Dhondup, was recognized as the reincarnation of the previous 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso.

The Dalai Lamas are believed to be manifestations of Avalokiteshvara or Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion and the patron saint of Tibet. Bodhisattvas are realized beings inspired by a wish to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings, who have vowed to be reborn in the world to help humanity. (Read more here . . .)

Library Items

Video
Discourse on the Uttaratantra: A Talk by The 14th Dalai Lama in Holland
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama teaches in a traditional line-by-line commentary of the Mahayanottaratantrashashtra in this video from Holland in 1986. Alexander Berzin interprets His Holiness into English. Seven diamond-strong points of the in five chapters, the first four points, which introduce "the source", or buddha-nature, are presented in the first chapter, the second chapter discusses the fifth point, the state of purified growth of enlightenment fifth point, the third chapter presents the sixth point which is the qualities of that state of purified growth, the fourth deals with the seventh point, the enlightening influence, and the fifth chapter discusses the benefits of studying the text. The text itself discusses the clear light nature of the mind which is covered over by cognitive and afflictive obscurations. Once these obscurations have been purified, the clear light nature of mind is revealed.
Dalai Lama, 14th. "Discourse on Uttaratantra." Pt. 1 of 4. Interpreted by Alexander Berzin, Filmed May 1986 in Holland. Produced by Study Buddhism. Video, 1:37:22, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsiVRQ3T6EY.
Book
Mind in Comfort and Ease
The Dalai Lama delves deep into the teaching of the Great Perfection, or Dzogchen. His enthusiasm and admiration for this profound tradition shine through as he comments on an important work by the great Dzogchen master Longchen Rabjam, Finding Comfort and Ease in Meditation on the Great Perfection. This teaching, with its remarkable breadth and richness, was originally given to an audience of ten thousand in France in 2000, and this book perfectly captures the majesty of the occasion. As Sogyal Rinpoche, the Dalai Lama’s host for the occasion, said, "All of us were moved by the depth, relevance, and accessibility of these teachings; there were those who said that they were among the most remarkable they had ever heard him give. To receive these teachings from him was the opportunity of a lifetime." (Source: Wisdom Publications)
Dalai Lama, 14th. Mind in Comfort in Ease: The Vision of Enlightenment in the Great Perfection. Translated by Matthieu Ricard, Richard Barron, and Adam Pearcey. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2007.
Book
Our Human Potential
When His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave a series of lectures at Harvard University, they fulfilled magnificently his intention of providing an in-depth introduction to Buddhist theory and practice. He structured the presentation according to the teachings of the Four Noble Truths and expanded their meaning to cover most of the topics of Tibetan Buddhism. The Dalai Lama’s combination of superb intellect, power of exposition, and practical implementation are evident in these lectures. He covers a broad spectrum of topics, including the psychology of cyclic existence, consciousness and karma, techniques for meditation, altruism, valuing enemies, wisdom, and much more. (Source: Shambhala Publications)
Dalai Lama, 14th. Our Human Potential: The Unassailable Path of Love, Compassion, and Meditation. Translated and edited by Jeffrey Hopkins. Boulder, CO: Shambhala Publications, 2019.
Book
Saṃsāra, Nirvāṇa, and Buddha Nature
This is the third volume in the Dalai Lama’s definitive and comprehensive series on the stages of the Buddhist path.
Dalai Lama, 14th, and Thubten Chodron. Saṃsāra, Nirvāṇa, and Buddha Nature. Library of Wisdom and Compassion 3. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2018.
Book
The Buddha Nature: Death and Eternal Soul in Buddhism
This text consists of a 1996 interview that Dr. Peter Michel conducted with the Dalai Lama in German and was translated into English later.
Dalai Lama, 14th, and Peter Michel. The Buddha Nature: Death and Eternal Soul in Buddhism. Woodside, CA: Bluestar Communications, 1997.
Video
The Dalai Lama Speaks on Nyingma Dzogchen Nature of the Mind
The Fourteenth Dalai Lama speaks at UCSB on the Nyingma Dzogchen nature of the mind in 2009, with translation by Thupten Jinpa.
Dalai Lama, 14th. "The Dalai Lama Speaks on Nyingma Dzogchen Nature of the Mind." Talk delivered at UC Santa Barbara, April 24, 2009 at the UCSB Events Center. Translation by Thupten Jinpa. Video, 15:58. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM32T-MJAf0.
Article
The Dalai Lama on "Uttaratantra" and Buddha-Nature: Day One
"The Furthest Everlasting Continuum" ("Uttaratantra") deals with Buddha-nature, the root from which the stages of realization can arise. It is the source containing all the core factors for becoming a Buddha. On the basis of the everlasting mental continuum of a practitioner, good qualities can be developed and faults can be removed. His Holiness the Dalai Lama focuses here on an in-depth analysis of the various terms referring to Buddha-nature, based on an assortment of Tibetan commentaries. (Source Accessed July 21, 2023)
Dalai Lama, 14th. "The Dalai Lama on 'Uttaratantra' and Buddha-Nature: Day One." 2 pts. Transcription of a Seminar, Bodh Gaya, India, January 1982. Translated by Alexander Berzin. Study Buddhism by Berzin Archives. Revised January 2008. https://studybuddhism.com/en/advanced-studies/lam-rim/buddha-nature/the-dalai-lama-on-uttaratantra-buddha-nature-day-one.
Video
The Fourteenth Dalai Lama on Buddha-Nature
The Dalai Lama delivers an address entitled "Buddha-Nature" to members of the Theosophical Society in America at the Society's headquarters at Olcott (named for the founder of the Theosophical Society, Colonel Henry Steel Olcott), in Wheaton, Illinois, on July 21st, 1981. The Dalai Lama's comments on buddha-nature come after a series of preliminary remarks at 14 min, 23 secs.
Dalai Lama, 14th. "The Fourteenth Dalai Lama on Buddha-Nature." Produced by the Theosophical Society in America, Olcott, Wheaton, Illinois, July 21, 1981. Video, 29:03. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tkf5cgX5ds.
Video
The Furthest Everlasting Continuum and Three Principal Aspects of the Path
His Holiness the Dalai Lama's three-day teaching on The Furthest Everlasting Continuum (Sanskrit - Uttaratantra; Tibetan - Gyü Lama) and Tsongkhapa's Three Principal Aspects of the Path at the request of Russian Buddhists at the Main Tibetan Temple in Dharamsala, HP, India on May 10–12, 2019. On the third day His Holiness conducts the ceremony for generating the awakening mind (bodhichitta). His Holiness speaks in Tibetan followed by an English translation. Note: In the first 27 minutes of part 1, there are technical difficulties with the English translation.
Dalai Lama, 14th. "The Furthest Everlasting Continuum and Three Principal Aspects of the Path." Pt. 1 of 3. Produced by the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Recorded at the Main Tibetan Temple, Dharamsala, H.P., India, May 10, 2019. Video, 55:33. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faL13tq0M1s.
Book
The Great Exposition of Secret Mantra Vol. 1
Tantra in Tibet is the first volume in The Great Exposition of Secret Mantra series in which the Dalai Lama offers illuminating commentary on Tsongkhapa’s seminal text on Buddhist tantra. It is followed by Volume II: Deity Yoga and Volume III: Yoga Tantra. This revised work describes the differences between the Great Vehicle and Lesser Vehicle streams in the sutra tradition, and between the sutra tradition and that of tantra generally. It includes highly practical and compassionate explanations from H.H. the Dalai Lama on tantra for spiritual development; the first part of the classic Great Exposition of Secret Mantra text; and a supplement by Jeffrey Hopkins on the difference between the Vehicles, emptiness, psychological transformation, and the purpose of the four tantras. (Source: Shambhala Publications)
Hopkins, Jeffrey, trans. and ed. The Great Exposition of Secret Mantra. Vol. 1, Tantra in Tibet. By Tsongkhapa (tsong kha pa). With a commentary by the Dalai Lama. 1st revised edition. Boulder, CO: Snow Lion Publications, 2016.

On the topic of this person

Video
Geshe Ngawang Topden on Buddha-Nature in the Teachings of the 14th Dalai Lama
རི་བོ་དགེ་ལྡན་པ་སྤྱི་དང་སྐྱབས་མགོན་རྒྱལ་བ་རིན་པོ་ཆེའི་བདེ་གཤེགས་སྙིང་པོའི་དགོངས་བཞེད་སྐོར།
Buddha-Nature in the Geluk Tradition and in the Teachings of H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama


Geshe starts with the reading of his salutation to the masters of the past, including Indian figures and the leading patriarchs of all Tibetan Buddhist traditions, and expressing deep appreciation for the occasion to discuss buddha-nature at an august gathering. He highlights how in the Tibetan Buddhist traditions, there exists the unique and important tradition of transmission and continuity of the Buddha's teachings through uninterrupted lines of masters. His main topic is the explanation of the understanding of buddha-nature and the interpretation of the Ultimate Continuum in the Geluk tradition. This, he explains, should be based on the commentary on the Ultimate Continuum and the Exegesis of Ornament of Realization called the Ornament of Essence by Gyaltsab Darma Rinchen and the writings of Tsongkhapa, including Golden Rosary of Elegant Words and Essence of Elegant Words on Provisional and Definitive Teachings.

Then, Geshela goes on to highlight the importance placed on buddha-nature and the Ultimate Continuum by H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso. His Holiness has given several teachings on buddha-nature, as the topic is important to all Tibetan Buddhist traditions. He explains how His Holiness has shared special insights into the teachings on buddha-nature. For instance, while interpreting the verse said to have been uttered by the Buddha after his enlightenment, His Holiness states that the terms "profound and tranquil" (ཟབ་ཞི་) refer to the teachings belonging to the first turning of the wheel, the term "free from elaborations" (སྤྲོས་བྲལ་) refers to the emptiness taught in the middle turning of the wheel, and the terms "luminous and unconditioned" (འོད་གསལ་འདུས་མ་བྱས་) refer to the content of the final turning of the wheel. The final term does not directly show the subtle innate mind taught in the tantric tradition but points to it indirectly.

He also points out that His Holiness emphasizes the rime (རིས་མེད་) ecumenical approach to see how this ultimate truth is presented by different Tibetan Buddhist traditions in their own way using different terms. Similarly, His Holiness explains the Great Madhyamaka of Other Emptiness (གཞན་སྟོང་དབུ་མ་ཆེན་པོ་) as referring to the subtle mind which is the natural innate aspect of the mind because this subtle mind does not lack its natural awareness but is empty of other gross aspects of the mind. These interpretations indicate the open and ecumenical approach His Holiness adopts with deep respect and appreciation to all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, like appreciating different flowers in a garden.

Another point Geshe raises is with regard to the authorship of the Ultimate Continuum and other writings, which Tibetan tradition normally attributes to Maitreya. It is important to discuss these questions and to see when the five treatises came to be known as the five works of Maitreya. Are the works really taught by Maitreya to Asaṅga in Tuṣita heaven? Is the commentary attributed to Asaṅga really by him and why didn’t Vasubandhu and many others quote him? Similarly, there are questions as to which tenet system the Ultimate Continuum and other treatises belong? Geshe concludes by explaining how the different Tibetan Buddhist traditions discuss the same nature of the mind using different terms, and how in the Geluk tradition the Ultimate Continuum has as its ultimate purport the emptiness of mind, which is what buddha-nature means and which is also the main topic of the middle turning of the wheel.
Ngawang Topden, Geshe. "Geshe Ngawang Topden at the 2023 Buddha-Nature Conference." Day 2, Talk 5. 2023 Buddha-Nature Conference, Shechen Monastery, Kathmandu. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department. Video, 57:41. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCT6hayx46c.

About this person

The 14th Dalai Lama on the Third Turning:

In the third turning we find a detailed explanation of the path for attaining enlightenment. It emphasizes the potential that we all have for future enlightenment. This potential, called Tathagatagarbha, or Buddha nature, is something we have always had, from time without beginning. When we talk about the truth of the path, we are not talking about something completely foreign to our nature, which might suddenly appear like a mushroom, as though without a seed or cause. It is because we have this foundation or capacity for ultimate omniscience that we are able to attain enlightenment.
The texts belonging to the second turning demonstrate the empty nature of phenomena, while the Sutra of Buddha-Nature and other teachings relating to the third turning emphasize wisdom, the clear and luminous aspect of mind.
Source: A Flash of Lightning in the Dark of Night, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, page 5.

Affiliations & relations

  • Geluk · religious affiliation

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