Sure, we see photos, we read stories about him. But how much do you know about the Dalai Lama? Here are some facts so you can better acquaint yourself with a revered and cherished world figure.

(Recent news - President Obama has declined to meet with the Dalai Lama during an upcoming visit. This will be the first time in 18 years a President hasn’t met with His Holiness. I personally am quite saddened by this choice.)

• The Dalai Lama is a lineage of religious officials of the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism. “Lama” is a general term referring to Tibetan Buddhist teachers.








• The Dalai Lama is believed to be the rebirth of a long line of tulkus, who have chosen to be reborn in order to enlighten others.








• The current Dalai Lama is the 14th of his line. He was born to a farming family in 1935 and given the name Lhamo Dhondrub. He was recognized at the age of two, and brought to live in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, at the age of four, where he became His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso.








• When China annexed Tibet in 1959, the Dalai Lama and thousands of his supporters fled into exile. He has lived in Dharamsala, India since 1960 and heads the Tibetan government-in-exile. China does not recognize Tibet as an independent political entity.The Dalai Lama has been a powerful spokesman for Tibet and Buddhism in general and has written a number of books on the topic. His consistent opposition to violence was recognized in 1989 with the Nobel Peace Prize.