Soon after the devastating tsunami that claimed 18,500 lives in Japan in March 2011, the Dalai Lama, residing in his northern India home, pledged to visit the affected area to offer support. Later that year, I accompanied him to Ishinomaki, a fishing village almost completely destroyed by the disaster. I had initially met him as a teenager and had been in regular conversation with him for 37 years. I also published a book about his work and vision.
As soon as his car stopped amid the wreckage, the Tibetan leader stepped out and offered blessings and words of encouragement to the hundreds of people lining the road. He embraced people, comforting them in their sorrow. Afterward, in a nearby temple that had miraculously survived, he reflected on his own sudden escape from Tibet in 1959, noting that loss is a part of life, but renewal is always possible.
That moment exemplifies how the 14th Dalai Lama, nearing his 90th birthday on July 6th, has become a global spiritual guide, offering help worldwide. He often states that “my religion is kindness” and emphasizes that science should take precedence if it contradicts Buddhist teachings. This approach has made him a unique spiritual figure who can connect with people across all boundaries in our increasingly divided world.
In a time where moral leadership is scarce, he offers wisdom and compassion that resonates with millions from diverse backgrounds, providing both comfort and direction.
Born in a humble cowshed in a remote village, the Dalai Lama is the first to travel beyond Asia. He frequently mentions that while he lost his homeland after fleeing Tibet to avoid war with China, he gained the world as his home. Having accompanied him from Okinawa to Los Angeles, and Jaipur to Zurich, I can attest to this. He is a Buddhist leader who discusses the Gospels with Christians, his eyes filled with tears as he recounts Jesus’s parables. He also champions “secular ethics,” identifies as a “defender of Islam,” seeks advice from rabbis on preserving culture in exile, and considers himself a student of India, the predominantly Hindu nation where he has lived for 66 years.
This open-mindedness is liberating, particularly now when so many are divided by conflicting beliefs. In my half-century of conversations with the Dalai Lama, I’ve observed that his initial reaction is to find common ground with everyone he encounters—whether child, soldier, or Chinese Communist Party member. He begins each day praying for his “Chinese brothers and sisters,” distinguishing between individuals and the Beijing government, which has attempted to destroy Tibet. Although he’s a highly respected religious figure, he views religion as an optional enhancement to life, like tea, while kindness and responsibility are essential for everyone.
Above all, he is pragmatic. As the leader of his people since the age of four, he is not interested in impractical or idealistic ideas. He understands that Tibetan forces once captured the Chinese capital in the 8th century, while China has also nearly eradicated Tibet at times. Borders are always changing. During ten recent Novembers spent traveling across Japan with him, I was deeply moved each year when I saw rooms full of impoverished, weeping Han Chinese citizens from the People’s Republic, who had spent their limited savings to hear the Dalai Lama speak.
To Buddhists, he is an accomplished scholar who uses ancient texts to highlight the need for environmental and global awareness due to the interconnectedness of all people. For Tibetans, he is one of the most influential Dalai Lamas in their history. To others, he is a compassionate personification of conscience who trusts in “common sense, common experience, and scientific findings.” A natural democrat, he gave up his political power in 2011, though his people often wish he would make decisions for them. He has also said that he might be the last Dalai Lama, but not the last spiritual leader of Tibetans, because Beijing will likely select a Party member as his successor after his death.
It is paradoxical that he has established Tibetan monasteries and communities in India and around the world, while Tibet is increasingly threatened by foreign settlers and oppressive policies. He has inspired trust in many nations, even as his own people are driven to self-immolation and despair. He is a cherished guest in almost every country, yet he cannot return to his own. One of his greatest strengths is his ability to maintain perspective in an era of fleeting attention spans.
The day after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, I asked him questions on behalf of *Vogue*. While Tibetans worldwide celebrated, the Dalai Lama remained thoughtful. He questioned whether he had done enough, saying he could only dedicate himself fully, knowing that, as his predecessors believed, justice will eventually prevail. Ninety years from now, and in the centuries ahead, he will be remembered as a pioneering global spiritual leader.
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