5th Dalai Lama Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Ngawang Lobsang

Ngawang Lozang Gyatso

Religion

Tibetan Buddhism

Personal

Born

1617
Lhoka Chingwar Taktse, Ü-Tsang, Tibet

Died

1682 (aged 64–65)
Lhasa, Tibet

Parents

Dudul Rabten (father)
Kunga Lhanzi (mother)

Senior posting

Title

5th Dalai Lama

Period in office

1642–1682

Predecessor

Yonten Gyatso

Successor

Tsangyang Gyatso

Tibetan name

Tibetan

ངག་དབང་བློ་བཟང་རྒྱ་མཚོ་

Transcriptions
Wylie	Ngag-dbang blo-bzang rgya-mtsho
THL	Ngawang Lozang Gyatso

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Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso (Tibetan: ངག་དབང་བློ་བཟང་རྒྱ་མཚོ་, Wylie: Ngag-dbang blo-bzang rgya-mthso) was a very important leader in Tibet. He lived from 1617 to 1682. He was the 5th Dalai Lama. He was the first Dalai Lama to have both spiritual (religious) and temporal (political) power over all of Tibet. People often call him the Great Fifth because he was such a key leader.

Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso helped unite all of Tibet. Before him, there were many civil wars. He brought peace and order with help from a Mongol army. He became an independent leader for Tibet. He also made connections with other countries, like the Qing Empire. He even met some of the first European explorers who visited Tibet. He was also a great scholar. He wrote 24 books about many different topics.

The Early Life of the Great Fifth
Uniting Tibet and Gaining Power
- Bringing Peace and Unity
- Building the Potala Palace
Tibet's Place in the World
- Connecting with Other Nations
A Scholar and Writer
- His Many Books
His Legacy
Gallery
See also

The Early Life of the Great Fifth

Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso was born in 1617. His birthplace was Lhoka Chingwar Taktse in Ü-Tsang, Tibet. His father was Dudul Rabten and his mother was Kunga Lhanzi. He was recognized as the new Dalai Lama when he was young. This meant he would become the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism.

Uniting Tibet and Gaining Power

Before the Great Fifth, Tibet was often divided. Different groups fought for control. This led to many years of civil wars.

Bringing Peace and Unity

Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso worked to bring all of Tibet together. He got help from a Mongol leader. This help ended the long wars. After this, he became the main leader of Tibet. He led the government known as the Ganden Phodrang. This government ruled from Lhasa.

Building the Potala Palace

One of his most famous achievements was starting the building of the Potala Palace. This huge palace became the home of the Dalai Lamas. It also served as the center of the Tibetan government. It is a very famous building in Tibet.

Tibet's Place in the World

As the leader of Tibet, the 5th Dalai Lama made sure Tibet was seen as an independent country.

Connecting with Other Nations

He created relationships with other powerful countries. He had important meetings with leaders from the Qing Empire in China. These meetings helped Tibet stay peaceful and strong. He also met some of the first Europeans to visit Tibet. This showed that Tibet was open to the world.

A Scholar and Writer

The Great Fifth was not just a political and spiritual leader. He was also a very smart person.

His Many Books

He wrote a lot of books. He wrote 24 volumes (sets of books) on many different subjects. These books covered religious topics and other scholarly ideas. His writings are still important today for understanding Tibetan Buddhism and history.

His Legacy

Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso passed away in 1682 in Lhasa, Tibet. He is remembered as one of the most important Dalai Lamas. He unified Tibet, built the Potala Palace, and made Tibet a strong country. His work helped shape Tibet for many years to come.