His Holiness the Dalai Lama In Tibet, Tibetan Buddhism and the monastic tradition lie at the center of religious and secular life. Buddhism provides the primary doctrine by which the Tibetans have traditionally governed themselves for the past 400 years. The Dalai Lama is one of the central figures of Tibetan secular and religious life. According to Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama is the reincarnation of Chenrezig, the patron saint of Tibet, who is believed to be the Buddha of Compassion. This section of Xizang Zhiye covers the important role which the Dalai Lamas have played in Tibet's evolution. This section of Xizang Zhiye also provides important information about the life of the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, including a chronology of his life. In this chronology, one can get an understanding of how the Chinese invasion of Tibet forced the 14th Dalai Lama to flee his homeland and create a government in exile in Northern India. This is the extraordinary story of the Dalai Lama's ongoing struggle to maintain the freedom of the Tibetan people.