He was recognised as the reincarnation of the 13^th Dalai Lama when he was two years old, undertook monastic education from the age of two until he was 23 when he assumed full political responsibility. He has lived in exile in North India since 1959 when the occupying Chinese regime in Tibet brutally suppressed the Tibetan National Uprising and the Tibetan people begged him to leave to preserve his safety.

Today in Tibet people may face grave consequences if they publicly celebrate the Dalai Lama’s 75^th birthday. Many people in Tibet are too frightened of the consequences to speak to researchers about the occasion and conditions surrounding it.  Public displays of loyalty to His Holiness can result in punishments as severe as detention and torture. 

Tibetans in Tibet cannot openly pray for the Dalai Lama’s long life or burn incense to mark His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday, as is traditional for Tibetan Buddhists; nor can they carry or display a photograph of their Dalai Lama without fear of reprisals.

 

''The Dalai Lama is not merely a religious figure, he is also a mastermind of separatist activities. No sovereign country in the world would allow the hanging of a portrait of a person like that.''

Hao Peng, deputy secretary of the Communist Party in Tibet and vice-chairman of the regional government, to foreign press on 1 July 2010

 

Video of the Dalai Lama's enthronement by the BFI

China views the Dalai Lama as a “splittist” who is a threat to the unity of China. They claim that he has colluded with anti-Chinese forces internationally in order to cause trouble in Tibet. This despite the fact that His Holiness is internationally recognised as a man of peace and has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle for the liberation of Tibet. He has advocated a non-violent resolution to the Tibet problem consistently since he went into exile. 

Monks, nuns, lay-people and even children are forced to denounce the Dalai Lama in Chinese government-run programmes known as patriotic re-education. Other elements of re-education include swearing allegiance to China and placing China before the Buddhist religion. The penalties for refusing to participate in the re-education programme include fines, beatings, expulsion from a monastery or nunnery. 

 

“They [the Chinese administration] are putting the monks and nuns in prison-like conditions, depriving them the opportunity to study and practice in peace... to deliberately annihilate Buddhism.”

His Holiness the Dalai Lama, March 2010

Sign the Dalai Lama birthday card
Read more about the Dalai Lama
Read more about the lack of religious freedom in Tibet
 

75th birthday videos

 

75th birthday statement by the Kashag (Tibetan Government in Exile)

The Statement of the Kashag on the Occasion of the Seventy-Fifth Birthday Celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama

 

6 July 2010

 

On this auspicious occasion of the seventy-fifth birthday celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetan people, the Kashag, on behalf of the Tibetans inside and outside Tibet, as well as all of his disciples and well-wishers across the globe, makes obeisance to him and prays that he may live for hundreds of years.

 

Since his childhood until now, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, while developing a great sense of empathy and compassion for all sentient beings, has provided enormous service to humanity by catering to the needs of people with different mental dispositions while, at the same time, contributing to the maintenance and promotion of the entire teachings of the Buddha Sakyamuni, known in the Buddhist world as the "Fourth Guide". Particularly in this post-modern era, His Holiness has provided inspirational guidance to the believers (in all religions of the world) and non-believers alike. Transcending the bounds of religion, His Holiness has also given unprecedented and timely advice of what he calls "secular ethics", emphasising on the need to develop universal responsibility through the promotion of basic human values and inter-religious harmony and co-existence for the common good of the world we live in. Moreover, for resolving the issue of Tibet, His Holiness has come out with the mutually-beneficial Middle-Way policy and non-violent means to realise it. His Holiness has further transformed the nature of the exile Tibetan polity into a genuine democracy. There is no way we can repay our debts of gratitude to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. However, with a strong sense of the realisation of all that he has done for us, we would like to re-pledge ourselves today that we shall put into real practice the many valuable advice that he has given to us.

 

That nothing untoward has happened to the person of His Holiness the Dalai Lama thus far is mainly due to his altruistic feelings and karmic merits, the protection given by the guardian deities of Tibet, the collective merit of the Tibetan people, and particularly due to the assistance and co-operation extended by the central and state governments of India and its great people. While expressing our heart-felt thanks to all of them, and especially to those overseeing the security of His Holiness, we would like to urge them to further intensify their assistance and co-operation in this respect.

 

With great compassion, His Holiness labours day in and day out for the benefit of all humanity. Inspired by this verse of Shantideva, the great Bodhisattva: "Like the earth and the other great elements [of nature] as well as the sky [above]//May [I] also remain eternally to serve as one who solves the infinite sentient beings' myriad problems," His Holiness immerses himself in their service. We have nothing but admiration for all his endeavours, but these are certainly taking a great toll on His Holiness' health. The physical wellbeing of His Holiness is very important for humanity in general, and for the short and long-term benefits of the Tibetan people in particular. Therefore, we would like to implore him to kindly see to it that his daily programmes do not come in the way of his good health.

 

A few leaders of the People's Republic of China, who are blind to choosing between right and wrong and who lack foresight due to their preoccupation with short-term personal and political power gains, are liberally spending both human and financial resources to issue baseless accusations against and to slander His Holiness. This is because of the jealousy arising out of their inability to match His Holiness' meritorious deeds all over the world. Their actions, which resemble spitting in the air that will fall back on themselves, has become a source for the people of the world to view the autocratic Chinese leaders as the ones who are unable to accept the truth and who rely only on lies and violence rather than seeking truth from facts. This has also become a condition for the Tibetans to remain more united. However, as stated in the Indian and Tibetan treatises on worldly affairs that the power of the opposition should not be underestimated or neglected, the Kashag would like to make some important appeals to the Tibetans in and outside Tibet at this critical period.

 

As a result of the clear display of the united Tibetan spirit in 2008, the sympathy and support to the Tibetan cause by the people of the world, and due especially to His Holiness' achievements and great deeds, the other side is using all its political, financial and human powers to create discord among Tibetans and between Tibetans and the local communities where Tibetans live in exile. It is particularly using many deceitful means to erect obstacles on the way of Holiness' activities and deeds globally. The Kashag would like to make an emphatic appeal to the Tibetans in and outside Tibet that they should remain alert to these Chinese manipulations and always be careful in maintaining unity among ourselves and keeping good relations with the local communities.

 

Since the upcoming elections for the fifteenth Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile and the third directly-elected Kalon Tripa are crucially important, the people at large are currently engaged in serious discussions and debates as to whom they should vote. At such a time, the people should be careful about the other side's evil designs and infiltrations. Moreover, each Tibetan must sincerely and courageously take part in the election processes by not shirking their democratic responsibilities and rights. It is very important to use one's own intelligence, rather than following what others say, in making the right choice of candidates in the ensuing elections. The Kashag would like to appeal to all the Tibetan people to give a serious thought over these.

 

For over fifty years, the Tibetans in and outside Tibet have been able to withstand the unbearable circumstances and emergencies with great courage and strength, and for over four generations the Tibetans have been able to maintain their religion, culture and tradition. This is solely due to the grace of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Furthermore, the fact that Tibetans have, in un-diminishing spirit, been able to continue our non-violent movement is a matter of great pride for us. Looking at the changes that are taking in the world and within the country, the issue of Tibet is heading towards finding a solution. Nevertheless, His Holiness often states that one must hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Hence if the issue of Tibet takes time to resolve, then it is important for the Tibetans in and outside Tibet to preserve their unique character of good moral conduct without losing their spirit. Good moral conduct is not only a symbol of the Tibetans but also a source for the Chinese and the people around the world to have affection for and to support our cause. Likewise, the young Tibetans must make efforts towards their general studies, and particularly towards becoming professionals well-versed in both traditional and modern education.

 

The mutually beneficial Middle-Way policy, which has been adopted by the overwhelming majority of the Tibetans under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, is the sole way to resolve the issue of Tibet. The Kashag is currently pursuing this policy, based on the fact that it enjoys the overwhelming majority support of the Tibetans and the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile has endorsed it unanimously. We believe that all of the Tibetan people will, after having relied on their respective intelligence to ascertain the merit of this policy, support it whole-heartedly.

 

Finally, the Kashag prays that His Holiness may live long and all his wishes be spontaneously fulfilled. May the truth of the issue of Tibet prevail soon!

 

The Kashag (translated from Tibetan)