These qualities are the ultimate source of human happiness, and the need for them lies at the very core of our being " ( Dalai Lama ).

" Many would agree with the Dalai Lama that Buddhism as a religion is kindness toward others.

Still, the notion of altruism is modified in such a world-view, since the belief is that such a practice promotes our own happiness: " The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes " ( Dalai Lama ).

* The Dalai Lama – Message supporting the moratorium on the death penalty

Many international religious leaders have visited Chicago, including Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama.

For example, the 14th Dalai Lama, long insistent on Tibet's history being separate from that of China's, conceded in 2005 that Tibet " is a part " of China's " 5000-year history " as part of a new proposal for Tibetan autonomy.

The Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or " Yellow Hat " branch of Tibetan Buddhism.

In religious terms, the Dalai Lama is believed by his devotees to be the rebirth of a long line of tulkus who are considered to be manifestations of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteśvara.

Traditionally, the Dalai Lama is thought of as the latest reincarnation of a series of spiritual leaders who have chosen to be reborn in order to enlighten others.

The line of Dalai Lamas began as a lineage of spiritual teachers ; the 5th Dalai Lama assumed political authority over Tibet.

The 14th Dalai Lama remained the head of state for the Central Tibetan Administration (" Tibetan government in exile ") until his retirement on March 14, 2011.

He has indicated that the institution of the Dalai Lama may be abolished in the future, and also that the next Dalai Lama may be found outside Tibet and may be female.

The Chinese government was very quick to reject this and claimed that only it has the authority to select the next Dalai Lama.

In 1578 the Mongol ruler Altan Khan bestowed the title Dalai Lama on Sonam Gyatso.

However, the 14th Dalai Lama asserts that Altan Khan did not intend to bestow a title as such and that he intended only to translate the name " Sonam Gyatso " into Mongolian.

The 14th Dalai Lama commented:

The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso in 2007

The current Dalai Lama is often called " His Holiness " ( HH ) by Westerners ( by analogy with the Pope ), although this does not translate to a Tibetan title.

The Dalai Lama has since lived in exile in Dharamshala, in the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India, where the Central Tibetan Administration is also established.

Upon the death of the Dalai Lama and consultation with the Nechung Oracle, a search for the Lama's reincarnation, or yangsi ( yang srid ), is conducted.

It is said that Palden Lhamo, the female guardian spirit of the sacred lake, Lhamo La-tso, promised Gendun Drup, the 1st Dalai Lama in one of his visions " that she would protect the reincarnation lineage of the Dalai Lamas.

They present a number of artifacts, only some of which belonged to the previous Dalai Lama, and if the boy chooses the items which belonged to the previous Dalai Lama, this is seen as a sign, in conjunction with all of the other indications, that the boy is the reincarnation.

* 1959 – The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, crosses the border into India and is granted political asylum.

The Dalai Lama, who lives in exile in northern India, still consults an oracle known as the Nechung Oracle, which is considered the official state oracle of the government of Tibet.

Another oracle the Dalai Lama consults is the Tenma oracle, for which a young Tibetan woman is the medium for the goddess.

The band is featured on the album Songs for Tibet, appearing with a number of other celebrities as an initiative to support Tibet and the current Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso.

Before the 20th century, European sources often referred to the Dalai Lama as the " Grand Lama ".

High Lamas may also have a vision by a dream or if the Dalai Lama was cremated, they will often monitor the direction of the smoke as an indication of the direction of the rebirth.

A key UNPO goal was to replicate the success of the 14th Dalai Lama's propagating of the Tibetan independence message, and they often mentioned his name in the early years of the organization, as well as including in publications pictures of him visiting UNPO and supporting statements he made of the organization.

The lineage is still held by the Ganden Tripas – the throne-holders of Ganden Monastery – among whom the present holder is Thubten Nyima Lungtok Tenzin Norbu, the 102nd Ganden Tripa ( and not, as often misunderstood, by the Dalai Lama ).

" The Dalai Lama is not the ' Pope ' of Buddhism and, charming as he often is, he sometimes gets it wrong.

The present head of the Gelugpa order is Thubten Nyima Lungtok Tenzin Norbu, the 102nd Ganden Tripa and not, as is often misunderstood, the Dalai Lama.

Kham was never controlled by a single king, but most of the chieftains revered the Dalai Lamas and often made contact with the Lhasa government.

As a Dalai Lama, Tsangyang had composed excellent works of songs and poems, but often went against the principles of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism.

Avalokiteśvara / Chenrezig, who is reincarnated on Earth as the Dalai Lama, is often closely associated with the crow because it is said that when the first Dalai Lama was born, robbers attacked the family home.

in 1959 Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama escaped from Tibet to India and set up the government of Tibet in Exile in Dharamsala, India, which is often referred to as " Little Lhasa.

Grillo often receives letters of appreciation and support from prominent figures, such as Antonio Di Pietro ( former Italian Minister of Infrastructures ), Fausto Bertinotti ( former President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies ), Renzo Piano, and even Nobel Prize Winners ( like Dario Fo, Joseph E. Stiglitz, Dalai Lama, Muhammad Yunus ).

" Khrushchev also thought that the Chinese were too soft on the Dalai Lama ( Tibet's spiritual leader ) and failed to support them in a border dispute with India, saying that the territory in question was " just a frozen waste where nobody lives.

For instance, after 1792, the Golden Urn was thought to have been used in selecting the 10th, 11th and 12th Dalai Lamas ; but 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso has more recently explained that this was only really used in selection of the 11th.

The Jonang school was widely thought to have become extinct in the late 17th century at the hands of the Fifth Dalai Lama who forcibly annexed the Jonang monasteries to his Gelug school, declaring them heretical.

In 1987 a British tourist visiting Tibet was wearing a Phil Silvers Sgt Bilko T-Shirt that Chinese soldiers attempted to rip off her as they thought the image of Sgt Bilko was the Dalai Lama.

Dorje Shugden worshippers say the ban and its implementation are in direct conflict with the proposed constitution of a free Tibet, laid down by the Dalai Lama in 1963, which states that all religious denominations are equal before the law, and every Tibetan shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

Yamdrok Lake is one of four particularly holy lakes, thought to be divinatory ; everyone from the Dalai Lama to local villagers makes pilgrimages there.