-by Varinder Bhatia, The Indian Express
The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, who turns 90 this July 6 is so far the longest living of all the Dalai Lamas. His reincarnation will be identified by the Gaden Phodrang Trust.
The previous 13 Dalai Lamas all took birth either in the year that their predecessor died, or a year later. They were mostly recognised as the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation when they were two or three years old.
Here are brief profiles of the previous 13 Dalai Lamas, and how they were found, according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition. A few of them died at a young age.
The 1st Dalai Lama, Gedun Drupa (1391-1474)
Born in 1391 in Gyurmey Rupa, near Sakya in the Tsang region of central Tibet to Gonpo Dorjee and Jomo Namkha Kyi, a nomadic family, his given name was Pema Dorjee. He died in 1474, at the age of 84, while in meditation at Tashi Lhunpo monastery.
Gedun became the disciple of the Great Tsongkhapa, an influential Tibetan Buddhist monk, philosopher, and tantric yogi whose efforts led to the formation of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, in 1416.
Gedun’s loyalty and devotion to Tsongkhapa earned him the title of Principal Disciple. Tsongkhapa handed Gedun a new set of robes as a sign to spread Buddhist teachings all over Tibet.
In 1447, Gedun founded the Tashi Lhunpo monastery in Shigatse, one of the biggest monastic universities of the Gelug school. (There are four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism – Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug.)
The 2nd Dalai Lama, Gedun Gyatso (1475–1542)
He was born in 1475 in Tanag Sekme, near Shigatse in the Tsang region of central Tibet to Kunga Gyaltso and Machik Kunga Pemo, a farming family. When he was able to speak, he told his parents that his name was Pema Dorjee (the given name of the First Dalai Lama), and that he would live in Tashi Lhunpo monastery.
In 1525, he became the abbot of Sera monastery, and died at the age of 67 in 1542.
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