“India is a land where, because of the fundamental and long-standing traditions of ‘karuna’ and ‘ahimsa’, many different spiritual traditions flourish. – His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama – (January 3, 2023, Bodh Gaya)
On July 6, 2025, the world paused to celebrate the 90th birthday of one of the most beloved spiritual teachers of our era, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. For millions across the globe, including countless people in Bharat, he remains a living example of kindness, humility, and unshakable faith in the power of compassion.
Born in a village named Taktser, Amdo, Tibet in 1935, Lhamo Thondup, as he was first known, was recognized at the age of two as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama. He began a life of monastic learning at the age of five. Even as a child, his curiosity and gentle nature stood out, qualities that would mature into a vision that has touched humanity far beyond the Himalayan region.
While many accounts of his life emphasize historic events and challenges, his core message has always transcended circumstance: that true peace is built in the heart through the cultivation of altruism and understanding.
A Life Rooted in the Nalanda Tradition
His Holiness has often said that his entire spiritual worldview draws from the Nalanda Tradition—a system of philosophy and practice born in ancient Bharat. This heritage stretches back over a millennium, to the great monastic university of Nalanda, where scholars like Nagarjuna, Chandrakirti, Dharmakirti, and Shantideva debated, refined, and transmitted teachings that blended rigorous inquiry with profound ethics.
Throughout his life, His Holiness has expressed deep gratitude to the masters of Nalanda who laid the foundations of this tradition. Their works, which travelled over mountains and across centuries, eventually shaped the culture and learning of his homeland. He has called himself “student of the Nalanda Tradition,” reminding audiences that reason, compassion, and contemplation are inseparable pillars of spiritual growth.
In an age where many people search for meaning amid material pursuits, his clear, accessible way of sharing these ancient insights has given solace and inspiration to countless seekers.
Bharat: A Second Home
When His Holiness was forced to left his homeland in 1959, he arrived in Bharat seeking refuge, the birth place of Dhamma. The journey, undertaken on foot across high passes, marked the beginning of a new chapter in his life. Bharat, true to its age-old tradition of offering shelter to those in need, welcomed him with open arms. He often called himself as “a son of India” Bharat as his Guru, Tibetan as its disciples.
Over the decades, this bond of warmth and trust has blossomed into a living cultural exchange. In the Himalayan foothills, a vibrant community dedicated to the Nalanda Tradition has flourished. The settlement in Dharamshala, sometimes called “Little Lhasa,” is not only an administrative centre but also a place where the lineage of Nalanda scholarship continues to thrive.
His Holiness has often said that the greatest gift Bharat offered was the freedom to preserve and share the teachings of the Nalanda masters. Monasteries, cultural institutes, and schools have become part of this renewal. The students who study these texts today are, in a way, keeping alive an unbroken dialogue between the Himalayas and Bharat that began centuries ago.
A Messenger of Peace
Even as he rebuilt his community in exile, His Holiness never turned inward. Instead, he became a global ambassador of universal responsibility. His travels have taken him to universities, interfaith gatherings, scientific conferences, and schools across the world. Wherever he goes, his message remains simple, the key to a meaningful life lies in developing warm-heartedness, karuna (compassion) and ahimsa (nonviolence).
One of his most remarkable contributions is his dialogue with scientists. He has encouraged research into the benefits of meditation, emotional well-being, and ethics in education. In doing so, he has shown that ancient wisdom and modern science can learn from each other.
While his many honours, including the Nobel Peace Prize (1989), reflect global recognition, he has always insisted that external awards are secondary. The real measure of one’s life, he says, is whether one has brought a little more kindness and understanding into the world.
From the perspective of Bharat, this attitude is deeply familiar. The Upanishads teach that knowledge without compassion is incomplete. His Holiness embodies this spirit: a blending of intellectual clarity with unselfish service.
Teachings that Touch Everyday Life
His Holiness is admired not only as a scholar but as someone who relates to everyday people with a disarming sense of humour and directness. Whether addressing a gathering of schoolchildren in Ladakh or offering teachings in Bodh Gaya, he emphasizes the same principles: be honest, be gentle, and do what you can to ease the suffering of others.
His teachings have found a warm and welcoming audience, irrespective of their religious traditions, are drawn to the clarity and compassion in his words. He has spent many years engaging directly with university students, schoolchildren, and young professionals, encouraging them to cultivate not only academic excellence but also kindness and ethical awareness. His dialogues with young people reflect his deep faith in the next generation’s ability to create a more caring and peaceful world. In monasteries, cultural centres, and educational institutions, his presence and encouragement continue to guide those who seek a life grounded in wisdom and compassion.
“Whether we believe in a creator god, Ishvara or Brahma, or not, or like Jains and Buddhists in the law of causality, the main message is compassion. The purpose is the same; love and compassion are the universal practice of religion!” His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama (August 31, 2015, Maha Kumbh, Nashik)
His Holiness has also encouraged Buddhists to rediscover their ancient heritage. Over the years, he has made pilgrimages to places like Sanchi, Nalanda, Sarnath and Maha Kumbh, each visit a moment of shared reverence. For many in Bharat, these moments have rekindled pride in the land that once gave rise to such transformative ideas.
A Legacy for the Future
At ninety, His Holiness remains remarkably active. Despite the challenges that come with age, he continues to offer teachings, meet visitors, and guide his community. His life is a reminder that leadership is not measured by power but by integrity and the ability to inspire goodness in others.
In an age marked by uncertainty and rapid change, the message of His Holiness shines with renewed significance. He often reminds us, “My religion is kindness.” These few words carry a deep truth, offering a gentle remedy to the worries and divisions that trouble so many lives today.
From quiet hamlets nestled in the Himalayas to the bustling streets of Bharat’s great cities, his life demonstrates that genuine strength is born not from wealth or position but from a heart filled with compassion and a mind guided by timeless wisdom.
A Day of Gratitude and Reflection
On this 90th birthday, the people of Bharat join millions worldwide in offering thanks. Thanks for his unwavering dedication to compassion, thanks for his respect for Bharat’s ancient traditions, and thanks for the light he continues to share.
In monasteries and temples, lamps will be lit. In classrooms and homes, prayers will be whispered for his health and well-being. And in countless hearts, there will be the quiet recognition that his life has reminded us of something essential—that our purpose is not merely to seek personal gain but to be of benefit to others.
His Holiness often tells audiences that he is simply “a simple monk.” Yet for generations of people in Bharat and beyond, he has been a guiding star, showing that a life of simplicity, humility, and compassion can transform the world.
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