Portrait of the Dalai Lama

Sir Charles Bell

Published by Wisdom, softcover, illustrated


The Dalai Lamas of Tibet are unique. A succession of fourteen have been guiding the spiritual life of the Tibetan people for nearly six centuries, and for three hundred years have held secular power as well. Revered as the human embodiment of Chenrezig, the Buddha of Compassion, they choose, out of their great desire to benefit others, to reincarnate life after life as the Dalai Lama.

Thubten Gyatso, the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, was bom to a peasant family in 1876. He was discovered, brought to Lhasa and enthroned at the age of three. Educated as a monk, he took over full power when he was eighteen and ruled until his death thirtyseven years later. His rule would prove to be more strong, more radical and more complete than that of any Dalai Lama since the Great Fifth.

"His courage and energy were inexhaustible. He recoiled from nothing," writes Charles Bell, who as Political Officer in the Himalayas first met him in 1910. They developed a firm and affectionate friendship, politically and personally, that would last for twenty-five years.

Portrait is packed full of history, stories, facts and figures, anecdotes and conversation, and is compelling reading. Bell describes all aspects of Tibetan life, religion and politics - the very heart of which is the Dalai Lama. He paints a vivid and masterly picture of this powerful yet humble man, who worked tirelessly and unceasingly for the good of Tibet: who struggled continually against both political and military onslaughts from China, and fought vainly for support from the outside world; and who made radical changes at every level of life in his mediaeval nation, uniting and strengthening her as never before.
Yet in his final testament a year before his death in 1933 the Dalai Lama warned of "the great hardship and overpowering fear" that would surely sweep the land...
Bell concludes with a poignant description of the discovery and eventual enthronement of the new Dalai Lama, the Fourteenth - who continues to guide his people with as much energy and compassionate wisdom (from his exile in India after China finally overran an exhausted and defeated Tibet in 1959) as the Great Thirteenth before him.

Sir Charles Bell was born in Calcutta in 1870 and educated in England at Winchester and Oxford. He joined the Indian Civil Service in 1891 and was transferred to Kalimpong, Sikkim, in 1901, where he began his lifelong relationship with Tibet. He twice acted as Political Officer for Sikkim, Bhutan and Tibet and eventually held that post for ten years