Abstract: The lecture explores the history of Tibet's most famous reincarnation lineage. We will look at the lives of the fourteen Dalai Lamas, their achievements, and the role they played in shaping Tibetan identity. The talk will focus on the period starting with the Fifth Dalai Lama as from then onwards, the Dalai Lamas were not only the spiritual, but also the political leaders of Tibet. The prestige and power that came with their office were frequently the cause for intrigues, power games, and attacks, both from inside Tibet and from its Mongol and Chinese neighbors. The combination of spiritual and political leadership gave rise to several issues, for instance the need to fill the power vacuum during a new incarnation's childhood through the installation of regents, and the recognition of reincarnations who were not willing to fulfill the expectations of a Dalai Lama.  

Dr. Gabriele Coura is a Lecturer at the Department of South Asian, Tibetan and Buddhist Studies at the University of Vienna. She holds a BA in Languages and Cultures of South Asia and Tibet from the University of Hamburg, and an MA in Tibetology from the University of Vienna. Her dissertation “dPal-spungs Monastery from the 18th to the Early 20th Century: A Buddhist Place of Education and Its Similarities and Differences with Benedictine Monastic Institutions” will soon be available in print. Her research focuses on the cultural, religious, and social history of Tibet.

Reception to follow. 

Please note that external guests need to register for events. If you are an external guest, please send an email to religion@ceu.edu. We will request a visitor card for you, which you can pick up from the reception desk upon your arrival. 

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