The title (Mongolian for “Ocean Teacher”) has been held since the 14th century. The current holder, Tenzin Gyatso, was recognized as the 14th Dalai Lama at age two and has led the Tibetan Buddhist tradition in exile since the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1950.
In Tibetan Buddhism‘s understanding, the Dalai Lama is an emanation of Chenrezig (Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of Compassion). The 14th has spent his life teaching compassion and non-violence to a global audience, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.