Allison Vaughan Prof. Presnell Eng.

1103 October 17th, 2012

Dalai Lama Proposal

Inquiry Question: How do Buddhist Monks find the Reincarnation of the Dalai Lama? Primary Purpose: To Explore. With the course of this exploration, I would like to know exactly how Buddhist Monks find the next reincarnation of the Dalai Lama after the former Dalai Lama has passed away. I want to know if there is there a certain process that they go through in finding the new reincarnation. I want to learn more about the Mistaken Child who was thought to be the Dalai Lama, but turned out not to be and how being picked as a candidate changed the rest of their life. I would like to know how Monks figure out who is the reincarnation and who isnt as well as does the process only apply to people of a certain race, ethnicity, and gender or even if its just geographical terms. I want to know what becoming the Dalai Lama means to the Buddhist culture as well as the Tibetan Government and how the Dalai Lama is different from everybody else. I hope to find out if there has been one Dalai Lama, in particular that has been famously known, and what has made them so well known. I would like to find out if it was the process that they were chosen by or was it by their contributions as the Dalai Lama.

Ten Questions: A. B. C. D. E. F. Who is the Dalai Lama? What is the history and origin behind the important Buddhist figure? What is the process? How do monks know who is and who isnt? What separates the Dalai Lama from everybody else? Does the process confine people by race or ethnicity or even continent or gender? Are their restrictions to becoming the Dalai Lama? G. What does being the Dalai Lama represent to the Buddhist religion and the government? H. What about the Mistaken Child that was thought to be the next Dalai Lama?

I. J.

How did the decision change the life of the Mistaken Child? Were there any controversies with the child after he was decided not to be the true Dalai Lama? K. Who was been the most Famous or worldly known Dalai Lama? What made him so well known? Was it the process that he was chosen through or was it his contributions as the Dalai Lama?

Prior Knowledge: My Prior knowledge of the Dalai Lama is very slim to none. I can tell you that he is the head Monk of the Buddhist Religion and that the process to find the reincarnation is lengthy and taken very seriously. I remember in High School watching a movie about choosing the Dalai Lama, but I cant remember all of the details and specifics of the movie besides the topic. I know that Buddhist Monks live in elaborate and beautiful Monasteries in the Himalayan Mountains. I know whenever I think of the Dalai Lama I think of a kind Elderly Tibetan Man who wears small round glasses and wears yellow and red robes. Anything other than this, I dont know anything about the Dalai Lama or the process used to find the reincarnation and thats why I find this topic so fascinating. Prior Beliefs, Assumptions, and Stereotypes: I always think of the Dalai Lama as a gentle elderly Tibetan Man who wears little round glasses and yellow and red robes. When I hear the term Buddhism or Monks I tend to think about Buddha, meditation, and a state of extreme relaxation. So in turn, I think of the Dalai Lama of being this serene and calm being that is the Head Monk in the Buddhist Culture.

Working Knowledge: When doing a quick search on Google, just typing in Dalai Lama I came up with several entries with concerning the Dalai Lamas life and even the Dalai Lamas Facebook and Twitter page. The most interesting and probably the most helpful link in this search is the His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama link that redirects you to the official Website of the 14th Dalai Lama. From this page, I can find several tabs that are full of information all about the Dalai Lamas history, biography, teachings and even travel events around the world and worldly news. Further down the page on the Google search there is the link to the Dalai Lama Foundation which is program run in partnership with the Dalai Lama to create his vision of peace. In relation to the program for Peace, there is also a link farther down the Google search page, to the Nobel Prize website that references the 14th Dalai Lama in accordance to him receiving the Nobel Prize in 1989. Here the website gives information on the press release on the Nobel Prize of 1989 as well as the speech given by the Dalai Lama. This website gives a detailed history of the Dalai Lamas work towards peace throughout the world as well as a brief description on the Dalai Lamas own education through monastic universities.

With a brief search on Britannica when I type in Dalai Lama, I am immediately given an extensive list of all of the prior Dalai Lamas with an intricate and elaborate list of contributions with each different reincarnation, this list dates back to the first line of the Dalai Lama and then goes from the next reincarnation up until the 14th Dalai Lama, who is alive today. After the first page on the search, I come across articles on the Dalai Lama and Tibetan History. This website search will be very helpful when it comes time to know the history and contributions of the Dalai Lamas as well as how they influence the Tibetan government and overall history of Tibet. On The Internet Public Library there are several entries on the Dalai Lama appear and most of them look promising. Most of the searches on the Internet Public Library have to do the denouncing the Dalai Lama and monks. All of the searches that I have done make my topic so much more fascinating and I want to learn more and research more and more about how Monks find the reincarnation of the Dalia Lama.

If I need to narrow: I think this topic is probably already pretty narrow and specific but if I cant find information about the process, I think I will write about the Mistaken Child.

If I need to Expand: if I need to expand this topic, I will most likely do something on the Dalai Lama in general. Most likely, why do they win the Nobel Prize so often or how they influence the Tibetan government?