Thupten Gyatso
The immediate predecessor of the current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (1876–1933) was the Thirteenth Dalai Lama and one of the most important and long-lived in the lineage of Dalai Lamas. He ruled during a period of political upheaval which saw him forced into periods of exile from 1904 to 1909 and 1910 to 1913.
Since the early 8th century, Tibetans and Himalayan people have treasured "Namtars" as written or spoken narratives that demonstrate the realization of the Buddhist path by exceptional practitioners. These namtars, or spiritual biographies, serve as inspirational guides on the path to enlightenment.
Today, Namtars Foundation aims to record, preserve, and freely offer the world a written and electronic treasury of the oral wisdom of Tibetan and Himalayan Buddhism.
