From Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia © 1998 The Learning Company, Inc.

     The word Dalai means "vast sea" in Mongolian, while the word lama means "teacher" in Tibetan. Tibetan Buddhists regard the sea as a symbol of wisdom. According to their belief in reincarnation, each Dalai Lama is seen as a rebirth of the first of the line, who died in 1475.

     During the 20th century, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, a Nobel peace prize laureate, spoke out against Chinese abuses of Tibetans and against the destruction of Tibetan culture.

     Tenzin Gyatso (or Bstan-'dzin-rgya-mtsho) was born on June 6, 1935, in the village of Taktser, in Tsinghai Province, China. His parents, Chokyong Tsering and Sonam Isomo, were peasants. According to religious beliefs in Tibet, the death of the 13th Dalai Lama in December 1933 was the beginning of the life of the 14th Dalai Lama.

     The Dalai Lama wrote several books about Buddhism and about his own life.

NOTE: I must assume his words on life came from one of his books, or writings.