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Bsod-nams-rgya-mtsho

Dalai Lama
Also known as: Sonam Gyatso

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Bsod-nams-rgya-mtsho was the third Dalai Lama and the first to be officially recognized by that title. The title, meaning "ocean-wide," was bestowed upon him by Altan Khan of the Tumed Mongols in 1578, signifying his profound wisdom. This marked a significant patron-priest relationship between the Mongol leader and the Tibetan Buddhist hierarch. The Dalai Lama is considered a reincarnated spiritual leader, an embodiment of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, with a lineage stretching back to the 14th century. The Gelukpa (Yellow Hat) school, to which the Dalai Lamas belong, emphasizes moral and philosophical teachings, rigorous monastic discipline, and logical reasoning as paths to enlightenment.123

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