The Worlds Most Influential People--Our fifth annual list of the worlds most influential people: leaders, thinkers, heroes, artists, scientists and more


Millions of people turn to the Dalai Lama for inspiration, but to whom does he turn? He and his people have struggled all their lives with the audacity of hopelessness. Oppression and exile are their daily bread. Yet the Dalai Lama, 72, remains calm in the face of cruelty. What does he think of the human race? "We are the superior species on Earth but also the biggest troublemakers," he once told me.



The Dalai Lama at Home﹝達賴喇嘛家居生活活動﹞

The Flame Keeper--His Holiness is a strong advocate for all peoples rights to basic freedoms of speech and thought, but holds that violence cannot solve any problem deep down.


The Dalai Lama at Home

Morning Ritual--The Dalai Lama begins each day with prostrations to a statue of Buddha in his home.

The Dalai Lama at Home

Work Space--Though his government-in-exile serves as a rebuke to the Chinese presence in Tibet, the Dalai Lama encourages every possibility for dialogue with China.

The Dalai Lama at Home

Daily Reading--Though he is a spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama also holds a doctorate in philosophy. He rejects anything that has been disproved by scientific inquiry and dismisses Buddhist teachings not verified by science.


The Dalai Lama at Home

Vision--From his hilltop residence, His Holiness can see the Himalayan Valley that separates the Indian subcontinent from Tibet.


At Attention--Each day, during his walk from his home to his official office, the Dalai Lama is saluted by the sentries who guard him.


Hand to Hand--Outside his office, the Tibetan leader greets delegations of visitors who have come to pay their respects.


Teaching--During a teaching session, Buddhist monks study texts.


In Session--Among fellow Buddhists, the Dalai Lama delivers complex, analytical talks and wrestles with complicated doctrinal issues. When he finds himself in the wider world, he prefers to offer simply everyday principles that anyone, regardless of religion, might find helpful.


Commemorative Moment--On the 49th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising, His Holiness addressed a gathering at the official Tibetan temple in Dharamsala.


Among Supporters--The whole world stands to gain, the Dalai Lama has said, from a peaceful and unified China, "but genuine harmony must come from the heart. It cannot come from the barrel of a gun."


Listening--Buddhist monks listen to speeches on the 49th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule.


Prayer Flags--A monk adds a flag to the thousands that have already been tied at a Tibetan shrine in Dharamsala.