Download The Dalai Lama

Name____________________________________ Period ______________Date ________
Vocabulary: Circle any vocabulary words you don’t know. Put a check mark next to any vocabulary
words you do know. Put a questions mark next to any vocabulary words you think you might know.
 Dalai Lama
 Tibet
 Buddhism
 Karma
 The Buddha
 Nirvana
 Reincarnation
 Exile
Tibet, Buddhism, and the Dalai Lama
Background Knowledge: What do you know about Buddhism? What do you know about the Dalai
Lama? What do you know about Tibet?
Buddhism
 Buddhism is a religion that originated in India between the 4th and 6th
centuries BCE based on teachings of the _____________________
 The religion spread from __________________ and became popular
throughout Asia
 World's 4th most popular religion with 500 million followers
Tibet
• A region on the Tibetan Plateau in Asia
• Tibet declared its independence from China in __________, but was
reincorporated into China in ______________.
• The highest region on Earth with an average elevation of 16,000 feet
• ___________________________ is here!
Buddhism
• Buddhism is a religion that originated in __________________ between the
4th and 6th centuries BCE based on teachings of the Buddha
• The religion spread from India and became popular throughout Asia
• World's 4th most popular religion with _____________________ followers
• Buddhists believe in studying the teachings of the Buddha,
________________, and cultivating wisdom, loving kindness, and
_________________________.
The Buddha
• The Buddha was born as Siddhartha Guatama.
• It is said that he reached enlightenment while meditating under a tree.
• The Buddha discovered "The Way," a path of spiritual practice to end suffering
and enter ____________________.
Reincarnation
• Buddhists believe in past and future lives
• When you die, your soul/essence will be ________________ into another
person or being
• People with good ________________ reborn into better conditions, people
who have poor karma are reborn into worse conditions.
• When a person frees themselves from passion, hate, and ignorance, they can
end the cycle of death and rebirth. The end of this cycle is called
_____________________.
Who is the Dalai Lama?
• Title means ____________________________.
• The Buddhist spiritual leader of _________________.
• The Dalai Lamas are believed to be manifestations of Avalokiteshvara or
Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of _____________________ and the patron saint
of Tibet.
• Bodhisattvas are believed to be enlightened beings who have
postponed their own nirvana and chosen to take rebirth in order to
serve humanity.
The Dalai Lama
• There have been ______ Dalai Lamas from 1392- Present
• Dalai Lamas are educated as Buddhist _______________. They study many
things including logic, Tibetan art and culture, Sanskrit, medicine, and
Buddhist philosophy.
• In addition to being a religious leader, the Dalai Lama also has political power.
The Fourteenth Dalai Lama
• The current Dalai Lama is named Tenzin Gyatso.
• “Gyatzo” means ______________ in Sanscrit
• He was identified as the incarnation of the previous Dalai Lama when he was
only two years old.
• He began his training to be a monk when he was ___________.
• He became the political leader of Tibet when he was only fifteen. He led Tibet
with the help of two Prime Ministers.
Trouble with China
• In 1950, China decided Tibet should be reincorporated into mainland China
• Tibet sent representatives to _________________, _____________________,
and ________________ asking for support against China.
• The representatives were sent home.
• China sent in its army and invaded Tibet to put pressure on the Tibetan
government
• The Tibetan government and the Dalai Lama eventually agreed, and Tibet,
once again, became part of China.
• From 1950-1959, the Dalai Lama worked to keep tensions between China and
Tibet low. The Dalai Lama participated in peace talks with the Chinese
Government and ___________________
• In 1959, the Chinese government plotted to kill the Dalai Lama and he fled to
__________________.
• The Dalai Lama has been living in __________________ ever since.
• He still advocates for a Free Tibet and travels the world teaching Buddhist
traditions
Why does China dislike the Dalai Lama?
• The Dalai Lama represents Tibetan separatism, or the idea that Tibet and
China should be separate countries.
Critical Thought Questions: Please answer the following questions with at least two
complete sentences.
1. How is Buddhism different from Christianity, Islam, and Judaism?
2. What do you think about the conflict between Tibet and China? Explain.