Tibetan Buddhism can be divided into four main orders.The oldest being Ñyingma,followed by Sakya,Kagyu and Geluk respectively.H.H.Mindrolling Trichen,H.H.Sakya Trizin,H.H.Karmapa, and H.H.The Dalai Lama are the respective heads of these four orders.The Geluk and the Kagyu masters follow the reincarnation lineage by leaving indications about their future birth in order to facilitate the job for the search parties,but the Ñyingma and Sakya masters do not follow this system and they have their own family lineage system whereby the next head of a lineage would be the child of the lineage holder.
For me,ever since my childhood,H.H.The Eleventh Mindrolling Trichen has always been one of the greatest religious figure,although I do not belong to the Ñyingma tradition.But unfortunately he is no more with us.
I would like to aplogise beforehand for any possible errors in my observations.Thank you.
The Dalai Lamas
Tsongkhapa,a brilliant and an erudite monk, was the founder of the Gelukpa order.He was born in 1357 in Eastern Tibet.The title 'Geluk' means the 'Virtuous order'
Tsongkhapa's main disciple Gedun Drupa(1391-1474) became the head of the Gelukpa order and he also founded the Tashi Lhunpo monastery which became the residence of The Panchen Lama(the second in rank after The Dalai Lama)in the seventeenth century.Gedun Drupa died in 1474 but left indications to his followers about his next reincarnation.
His successor Gedun Gyatso(1475-1542)became the head of the Drepung monastery.Built in 1416,Drepung soon became Tibet's largest monastic university housing some 10,000 monks from in and out of Tibet.Moreover, it could also claim to have been the largest monastery world has known.
The next successor to the leadership of the gelukpa was Sonam Gyatso(1543-1588).Altan Khan,a descendant of Genghis Khan invited Sonam Gyatso to meet him, and after the meeting he was so impressed by this great master that he conferred him the title of 'Ta-lé' meaning 'ocean' in Mongolian.For Tibetans he is still Ta-lé lama and not 'Dalai lama' but that is how he is known to the rest of the world today.This title was retrospectively bestowed upon his two predecessors,and thus Sonam Gyatso became the Third Dalai Lama.
The Fourth Dalai Lama
Yonten Gyatso(1589-1617)was born in Mongolia as the great-grandson of Altan Khan.He became the abbot of Drepung and Sera monastery.
The Fifth Dalai Lama
Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso(1617-1682)with the help of Gushri Khan(leader of Qosot Mongols)obtained the sovereign power,both spiritual and temporal,over Tibet.He was a wise and tolerant ruler who brought back a sense of national unity and strength.He also began the construction of the Potala Palace, over the remnants of a palace erected earlier by the 33rd king Songtsen Gampo during the seventh century,on the red hill.Lhasa became the undisputed capital of Tibet with Potala Palace as the residence of the Dalai Lamas henceforth.
The Sixth Dalai Lama
Tsangyang Gyatso(1682-1706)-had the soul of a poet and showed little interest in either religious observances or political responsibility.
The Seventh Dalai Lama
Kelsang Gyatso(1708-1757)was a religious man who played a minor role in the governing of the country.He was a great scholar,writer and poet.
The Eighth Dalai Lama
Jamphel Gyatso(1758-1804) was also largely uninvolved in the matters of the state and it was during his rule that the administration was handed down to a council of four ministers,one of whom would be a monk.He built the famous Norbulingkha Park (Jewel Park)and the Summer Palace on the outskirts of Lhasa.
None of the next four Dalai Lamas,from the Ninth to the Twelfth,had any influence over Tibetan affairs,since they all died before reaching the age of majority.Lungtok Gyatso(1805-1815),Tsultrim Gyatso(1816-1837),Khedrup Gyatso(1838-1856).Trinley Gyatso(1856-1875)
The Thirteenth Dalai Lama
Thupten Gyatso(1876-1933)ruled during a tumultuous time and was forced into exile twice during his reign;firstly to Mongolia when the British attacked Tibet under the leadership of Colonel Younghusband in 1904;and secondly to India when the Manchus invaded in 1910.The Dalai Lama returned to Lhasa in 1913,declaring an independent Tibet.He actively participated in the political affairs of the country and worked toward the modernization of Tibet.Shortly before his death he left a prophecy, warning us of the dangers we faced in the years ahead.
The Fourteenth Dalai Lama
Tenzin Gyatso was born in 1935 in the province of Amdo,North-Eastern Tibet,near the Chinese border.Following the Chinese invasion in 1949 he was eventually forced into exile in 1959.All his appeals to the international community for help fell on deaf ears and so,he began building the Tibetan community in exile,dedicating himself toward the preservation of the Tibetan culture and religion.
Recently he renounced his temporal leadership over Tibet, thereby ending almost 400 years old tradition of the Dalai Lamas holding both spiritual and secular power.Apart from his struggle for the Tibetan cause he is also a very strong promoter of human values,religious harmony,and environmental protection.
For the Tibetans he is the emanation of Chenrezi,the bodhisattva of compassion,although he often describes himself as a simple buddhist monk.
Fortunately these days they make live webcasts of his public talks which is a boon for all the ardent audience who cannot attend the events in person.He is currently in Los Angeles, California and there would be a live webcast tomorrow,Saturday 21 April.If you wish to watch then enter in Schedule of this link www.dalailama.com