Dalai Lama

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/dalai-lama

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the title origin?First conferred in 1578 by Altan Khan upon Sonam Gyatso
2. What is the spiritual designation?Believed to be a reincarnation of Avalokiteśvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
3. What does the title "Dalai Lama" mean?It means "Ocean of Wisdom" and is given to the spiritual leader of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism.
4. Who was the first person to receive the title Dalai Lama?The title was first given in 1578 by Altan Khan to Sonam Gyatso, who became the third Dalai Lama.

Gelug School: The most recent school of Tibetan Buddhism, founded by Je Tsongkhapa, to which the Dalai Lamas belong.
Bodhisattva: An enlightened being in Mahayana Buddhism who postpones their own nirvana to help all sentient beings achieve enlightenment.
Ganden Phodrang: The government established by the 5th Dalai Lama, which served as the administrative body of Tibet for centuries.
Secular Ethics: A moral framework based on reason and human experience, independent of religious beliefs.