The Dalai Lama at 90: A Life of Compassion Without Borders

By Dmitri Yusov, ANNO Media

On July 6, 2025, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama turned 90 — a milestone not just in the life of a spiritual leader, but in the story of our shared global conscience. Born as Lhamo Thondup in the small village of Taktser in northeastern Tibet in 1935, he was recognized at the age of two as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama. His journey from a remote monastery to the world stage would become one of the most poignant spiritual odysseys of the modern era.

Young Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama in 1944

For those who have encountered him — whether in person or through his words — the Dalai Lama radiates something more than wisdom. It’s a quiet clarity, a laughter that transcends dogma, a presence that feels both ancient and profoundly human. I was blessed, quite literally, to experience this firsthand. In 2007, while traveling through Dharamsala — the Himalayan town that became the heart of the Tibetan exile community — I received his blessing by chance. Just two years later, I attended his public teachings in Lausanne, Switzerland, seated just meters from him. The memory of his calm gaze and gentle humor lingers with me still.

A Life of Exile, A Voice for Peace

Since fleeing Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule, the Dalai Lama has lived in exile in India, transforming personal tragedy into a life-long mission for peace, non-violence, and human rights. While he once served as the political leader of the Tibetan government-in-exile, he voluntarily relinquished this role in 2011, focusing instead on spiritual leadership and what he calls “inner disarmament.”

He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for advocating peaceful solutions based on tolerance and mutual respect, even as his homeland remains under Chinese control. His “Middle Way Approach” seeks genuine autonomy for Tibet within the People’s Republic of China — a proposal that has long faced political deadlock but remains a blueprint for non-violent diplomacy.

Beyond Buddhism: A Global Moral Voice

While rooted in Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama has long transcended religious and cultural boundaries. He speaks of a “secular ethics” based on shared human values — compassion, forgiveness, mindfulness — that can unite believers and non-believers alike.

He has written dozens of books and delivered lectures around the globe, often engaging in dialogue with scientists, educators, and thinkers. His collaborations with figures such as Archbishop Desmond Tutu (in The Book of Joy) and neuroscientists from Harvard and MIT reveal a mind constantly seeking harmony between ancient wisdom and modern knowledge.

For millions, he represents something increasingly rare: a moral voice uncorrupted by power, a humble teacher in an age of ego.

Legacy and the Future

At 90, His Holiness remains active, though he has significantly reduced international travel. In recent years, he has focused on mentoring the next generation of Buddhist teachers and advocating for environmental awareness and universal responsibility.

The question of succession remains complex. China insists on control over the selection of the next Dalai Lama, while Tibetan exiles and the current Dalai Lama himself suggest the possibility of ending the line altogether or choosing a successor outside of Tibet. As he once said with a smile, “Whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue or not is up to the Tibetan people.”

Рhoto by Luca Galuzzi (Lucag). Сropped from Image:Dalai Lama 1430 Luca Galuzzi 2007.jpg

A Personal Reflection

It is difficult to describe what it means to sit a few meters from the Dalai Lama. In Lausanne, in that quiet hall bathed in light, surrounded by people from many faiths and countries, I remember one thing above all — his laughter. Not forced or grandiose, but simple, almost childlike. As if saying: despite all, the world is still worth loving.

That moment, like my unexpected blessing in Dharamsala, has stayed with me through life’s twists and turns. It is not just the man I remember, but the feeling he left behind — of peace not as a vague ideal, but as something possible, alive, already present within us.

As the Dalai Lama turns 90, may we honor him not just with words, but with action — by choosing empathy over anger, connection over conflict, and by remembering, as he so often reminds us: “Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.”