Lama
Let an agent explain lamas, relay roles, titles, reincarnation traditions and institutions from Buddhist studies sources with contested succession issues attributed, describe the named titles and figures, and distinguish lamas from monks in general, gurus in Hinduism, abbots and the Andean llama.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain lamas, relay roles, titles, reincarnation traditions and institutions from Buddhist studies sources with contested succession issues attributed, describe the named titles and figures, and distinguish lamas from monks in general, gurus in Hinduism, abbots and the Andean llama.
A title for a teacher of the Dharma in Tibetan Buddhism, equivalent to the Sanskrit guru, applied to senior monks and teachers, including reincarnate lamas called tulkus who are often addressed as Rinpoche, precious one, heads of schools such as the Sakya Trizin of the Sakya school and the Drikung Kyabgon of the Drikung Kagyu, called Drikungpa, the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama, and figures such as Dudjom Rinpoche of the Nyingma and Samdhong Rinpoche, a former head of the Tibetan government-in-exile; in Mongolia and Buryatia the Khambo Lama heads Buddhist communities. Succession and recognition of reincarnations, especially of the Dalai and Panchen Lamas, are politically contested between Tibetan Buddhist authorities and the Chinese government, and positions are attributed.
What it is for: Religious teaching and leadership in Tibetan Buddhism.
It can be explain roles and titles; relay reincarnation traditions; describe named titles and figures; present succession debates with attribution.
Distinguishing features
Teacher title
Tulku reincarnation lineages
School leadership
Political dimensions
What it looks like
Monks or teachers in maroon and yellow robes, sometimes with ceremonial hats.
Physical character
Dalai Lama lineage: from 15th century note
Golden Urn procedure: 1793 year - Qing decree, contested
Panchen Lama dispute: 1995 year - rival recognitions
How it is recognised
Tibetan Buddhist teacher title
Drikungpa, Sakya Trizin, Khambo Lama, Rinpoche, Dudjom Rinpoche, Samdhong Rinpoche
Monks may not be lamas; Hindu gurus are in other traditions; abbots head monasteries; llamas are animals
Related models
is a kind of - in registry terms
includes -
includes -
is contrasted with - homophone
In practice
Families and kinds
tulkus and Rinpoches
heads of schools such as Sakya Trizin
Dalai and Panchen Lamas
Mongolian and Buryat lamas
lay and married lamas in some traditions
Standards and regulation
Chinese State Religious Affairs Order No. 5 on reincarnation of 2007
Tibetan Buddhist traditional recognition procedures
Failure modes and hazards
Partisan framing of succession disputes
Treating all monks as lamas
Disrespectful framing
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What a lama is.
Attribution.
Definition
Definition.
Definition
Definition.
- What is a lama, and how does the role differ from monks in general, Hindu gurus, abbots and llamas? definition
- Is the question about religious practice, history, a specific teacher or politics? boundary
Titles
Named titles and figures.
Titles
Titles.
- What are Rinpoche, Sakya Trizin, Drikungpa and Khambo Lama, and who are Dudjom Rinpoche and Samdhong Rinpoche? definition
- Which entry fits the specific title? action
Religion Traditions.
Attribution.
Tulku
Reincarnation lineages.
Tulku
Tulku.
- How are tulkus recognised in Tibetan Buddhism? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Schools
Schools.
Schools
Schools.
- How do Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug schools organise leadership? provenance
- Which sources are cited? provenance
Politics Succession disputes.
Attribution.
Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama succession.
Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama.
- What do the Dalai Lama, Tibetan exile authorities and the Chinese government say about succession, with positions attributed? provenance
- Is the presentation neutral and attributed? boundary
Panchen Lama
Panchen Lama dispute.
Panchen Lama
Panchen Lama.
- What happened with rival Panchen Lama recognitions in 1995, as reported by different parties? provenance
- Which entry fits Gedhun Choekyi Nyima? action
Context Beyond Tibet.
Context.
Mongolia
Mongolian Buddhism.
Mongolia
Mongolia.
- What is the role of lamas and the Khambo Lama in Mongolia and Buryatia? provenance
- Which entry fits Buddhism in Mongolia? action
West
Lamas in the West.
West
West.
- How have Tibetan lamas taught in Western countries, and what controversies have been reported, with sources attributed? provenance
- Which entry fits Tibetan Buddhism in the West? action
What the second pass must settle
- Should named figures be split off as instances?
- How should succession positions be presented and kept current?
- Should Khambo Lama be a separate entry?