Tibetan Lama

I was reading a book Buddhism (Endless Path) by Diane and Jon Sutherland. It’s a book about Buddhism, this book give you some Information about early Buddhism to present Buddhism including Theravada , Mahayana , Vajrayana ( or Tibetan Buddhism) and Zen Buddhism. So today I would like to share what is Tibetan Lama, from this book.
TIBETAN LAMAS
Tibetan Buddhism was often referred to as religious teachers and central to the Buddhist doctrine and their institutions in the Himalayan region and in Tibet.

Certain Lamas have reincarnation lineages, known as Tulku. The most famous example of this is the Dalai Lama, who is said to be the Incarnation of the Bodhisattvas Avalokiteshwor. Believers are convinced that he has existed in 14 reincarnations since 1391.

Generally, Lama is a Tibetan title for a religious teacher. It is not applied to Tibetan monks generally, but does suggest spiritual attainment and an authority to teach.

Dalai Lama
Tibetan Buddhist believes that the Dalai Lama can trace back their linage to 1391. From the 17th century to 1959, the Dalai Lama was the head of the Tibetan government.

Dalai means “Ocean” in Mongolian and Lama is broadly the Tibetan equivalent to the Sanskrit word for spiritual teacher Guru. The Dalai Lama is more commonly translated as Ocean of Wisdom.

On the death of the Dalai Lama, the hunt begins for his reincarnation, a small child. Familiarity with the possessions of the previous Dalai Lama is usually the main sign of the reincarnation. The search usually takes a few Years.

Karmapa Lama
The Karmapa Lama is the head of the Kagyu School, one of the four major Schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The first Karmapa dates back to 12th century. The current holder of the Black crown or Black hat is the 17th reincarnation, although there is dispute between two candidates. read more about Karmapa here.
The Current Dalai Lama
The 14th and current Dalai Lama was born on 6 July 1935. Tenzin Gyatso was the fifth of the nine children from a farming family in Amdo province of Tibet. He was proclaimed to be the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama at the age of three. He was enthroned as Tibet’s head of state on 17 November 1950. Read more about H.H. Dalai Lama here

Tibet faced occupation from China and when the Tibetan resistance movement collapsed in 1959, the Dalai Lama fled to India, where he set up a Tibetan government in Exile.

Book Details
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Flame Tree Publishing Co Ltd (October 1, 2006)
ISBN-10: 1844515184
ISBN-13: 978-1844515189
Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
Weight: 1.6 pounds
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,903,806 in Books