Dalai Lama

Like the wise men of the biblical tale, in the late 1930s a group of Tibetan monks and government officials, disguised as merchants, went to the remote north-east part of the country to search for a child who had been born. According to the prophecy, the new incarnation of the Dalai Lama was to be born in that part of Tibet. In the late winter of 1937 they arrived at the house where lived the family of the then two year old Lhamo Dhondrub.

The boy passed with flying colors all the tests that would show that he was the new incarnation of the Dalai Lama. Even some physical characteristics were consistent with the recently deceased former supreme leader of Tibet. The young boy was brought to Lhasa to now be prepared for his future mission. Thirteen years later, on 17 november 1950, he was proclaimed Tibet's head of state.

The Dalai Lama - which can be translated "Sea of Wisdom" – is considered in Tibetan Buddhism to be a perennial incarnation of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Chenresi in Tibetan). A bodhisattva refers to an enlightened soul which before entering into Nirvana chooses to continue to incarnate on Earth in order to assist mankind. The current Dalai Lama is the fourteenth in the series. He was born as Lhamo Dhondrub July 6, 1935 in Takster (Tengster) in what was then north-eastern Tibet (now part of the Chinese Qinghai).

As the Communist Chinese forced their sovereignty upon Tibet and after a Tibetan uprising against the Chinese supremacy was brutally put down, the Dalai Lama was forced into exile in 1959. He was offered political asylum in India and was allowed to establish a Tibetan government in exile in Dharamsala. From here he has since pursued a peaceful struggle for Tibetan autonomy and religious freedom. In 1989 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Through his travels and appearances, the current Dalai Lama has become known worldwide as the gentle and kind wisdom teacher with a twinkle in his eye and a characteristic chuckling laughter.

His chart looks like this:

The Dalai Lama, July 6, 1935, 04:38, Tengster (Takster), Tibet

(Source: Astro DataBank)

Dalai means "Ocean" and Lama "Wisdom" or "Teacher" (Sanskrit: Guru). Appropriately enough, the Dalai Lama (the "Ocean of Wisdom") has the planet Neptune (the sea or ocean) in sextile with the planet Jupiter (wisdom teacher).

The most prominent signs in his horoscope are Cancer (gentle, protective, nurturing, motherly, sensitive), Virgo (purity, service, earthy spirituality) and Pisces (compassionate, self-sacrificing, gentle, intuitive, peaceful), which all describe him very clearly. Water signs Cancer and Pisces are considering and show a sympathetic and understanding person who speaks freely from the heart.

Most prominent houses are the First (his identity, personality and his appearance in the world) and the Third (communication, curiosity, mental energy, as well as authorship - the Dalai Lama has written several books).

The first quadrant in the horoscope is most emphasized, suggesting that the Dalai Lama is independent and able to organize and shape his life. Planets in the eastern and northern hemispheres are stressed - we have a person who is self-motivated, who goes his own way and who values freedom and independence (the eastern hemisphere). His inner resources (the northern hemisphere) is crucial and forms the basis of his outward appearance.

The Moon is in its waxing phase - he is future-oriented and have confidence in his own ability to meet challenges. The Moon rules over the horoscope because it governs the Cancer Ascendant. The conjunction with Neptune reflects his spirituality and the placement in the sign Virgo and in the Third House indicates his ministry and his spiritual communication. The Moon in conjunction with Neptune in Virgo in the Third House is also about his quest for purity (Virgo) in thought (third house) and deed (Virgo).

The Sun in Cancer in conjunction with the Ascendant illuminates his personality and the way that he is facing the world. It forms an harmonious sextile to the Moon/Neptune in Virgo in the Third House, showing the Dalai Lama's mild and friendly image and role as a spiritual teacher. Pluto, also in Cancer in the First House, reflects further the great impression his presence makes on others.

Mercury in its own sign Gemini (intelligence, curiosity, communication) in the Twelfth House, and without aspects apart from a square to the MC, controls the Fourth and Twelfth Houses. Mercury is important in the horoscope as it rules Virgo and therefore disposes the Moon and Neptune. The Twelfth House represents both exile and meditative seclusion.

Neptune, in conjunction with the Moon in Virgo and the ruler over the MC in the sign Pisces and over the Tenth House (his role in the world), provides a good description of the incarnation of the Bodhisattva - here to serve his fellow men and a higher purpose. Saturn (authority) in Pisces (spirituality) in the ninth house (religion and philosophy) provide further support for this, as indeed the whole horoscope.

Like a glittering diamond of spiritual compassion a Dragon Formation is illuminating and dominating the horoscope bringing everything together: a Great Trine with the Sun/Ascendant in Cancer in the First House, Jupiter in Scorpio in the Fifth House, and Saturn in Pisces in the Tenth House - a Water Trine in Fire Houses (1, 5, 9). The chart ruler - the Moon in conjunction with the MC-ruler Neptune in serving and humble Virgo - completes the successful Dragon Pattern.

That the Dalai Lama's spirituality also has an earthy dimension becomes clear partly because Saturn (the earth) is in Pisces (the spiritual) and partly because Neptune (spirituality) is in the humble Earth sign Virgo (and also in conjunction with the Ascendent ruler, the Moon).

Much can also be inferred from the fact that Mars is in Libra in the Fourth House (the home) squaring both the Sun and (in a broad sense) Pluto in Cancer in the First House. The Dalai Lama was forced away from his home at two key occasions in his life, as a small child, when he was brought to the monastery in Lhasa and as the leader of Tibet when he was forced into exile in 1959.

The position of Mars also tells about the Dalai Lama's pacifism and nonviolent struggle. It is debilitated in Libra and the square to the Sun in the first house shows that battle (Mars) is foreign to his identity and person (the Sun, the Ascendant). One can say that the Dalai Lama's pacifism and nonviolent struggle involves a spiritualization of the Mars energy. Mars in Libra in the fourth house can also be translated as peaceful (Libra) fight (Mars) for a liberated homeland (Fourth House). The square to the Sun in Cancer in the First House associates his own personality and identity (the Sun) as well as his appearance and role in the world (the First House) with the peaceful struggle for an independent (First House) homeland (Cancer). The horoscope makes it clear that the Dalai Lama is not driven by personal ambition but by caring for others (Cancer) and with everyone's best interest in mind (MC in Pisces).

Dalai Lama's humor and infectious enthusiasm, his joviality and characteristic chuckling laughter and the mischievous twinkle in his eye are all described very well by Jupiter in Scorpio in the Fifth House as part of the prosperous Dragon.

The fortunate and in all things harmonious horoscope seems to powerfully confirm the accuracy of the Tibetan notion of the Dalai Lama (the "Ocean of Wisdom" or "The Great Teacher") as an incarnation of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara!

A few more observations:

Venus is the only planet in a Fire sign. In Leo it is disposed by the Sun in nurturing Cancer and reflects a leader (Leo) that communicates (Third House) peace and harmony (Venus).

Mercury in Gemini in the Twelfth House gives the image of the spiritual teacher who speaks and writes about universal topics addressed to all mankind (everything caracteristic of the Twelfth House).