Dalai Lama: The Soul of Tibet

The BIOGRAPHY of the Dalai Lama explores the life and times of Tibet's political and spiritual leader. Born the fifth of seven children in a small rural village, the Dalai Lama was proclaimed leader of the Tibetan people after demonstrating that he was the reincarnation of the previous Dalai Lama. In 1950, the life of the Dalai Lama changed suddenly when the Chinese communists invaded Tibet and prohibited the practice of religion. Flung into exile, the Dalai Lama has spent his years in neighboring India tirelessly negotiating for the cultural autonomy for his people. Rewarded for his efforts, the Dalai Lama received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. A man of great charm, wit, intelligence and humility, the Dalai Lama has become one of the world's most admired men and a great leader in the tradition of pacifistic resistance.

• Autonomy
• Buddhism
• Diplomat
• Divine
• Exile
• Feudal
• Monasteries
• Self-rule
• Theocracy
• Tibet

1. How does the geography of Tibet shape its society?

2. What is the significance of the Dalai-Lama in Tibetan culture?

3. How did they find the new Dalai-Lama?

4. What happened when the Chinese invaded Tibet? What happened politically? What happened culturally?

5. How did the communists feel about religion? How did they express their ideology in law?

6. Why did the Dalai-Lama leave Tibet?

7. How did the Indian government react to the Dalai-Lama?

8. What is meant by the phrase "nation in exile" to describe the Tibetan people?

9. What were the goals of the Dalai-Lama when he came to the United States?

10. How would the Tibetan people achieve cultural autonomy?

1. Find Tibet on a map. Trace the Dalai-Lama's path from Tibet to India, his country of exile.

2. Discuss the history of non-violent protest. Compare the Dalai-Lama to Gandhi and Martin Luther King. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the non-violent approach.

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Air Dates

• December 08, 2004