The Dalai Lama is a spiritual and political leader, who chooses to be called a “Tibetan Buddhist monk”. He describes himself as a humble and down-to-earth religious leader. However, his appearance on global platforms seems to contradict the image of a pious and shy monk. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In the Western world the Dalai Lama is seen as a charismatic figure, a man of peace and wisdom, who admires and follows the pacifist principles of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King. It popularized Buddhism in the West and many have Buddha statues (though not as a religious symbol but as an interior design statement). However, the Dalai Lama's status as a populist leader in the West reflects his cult-like position. To them he is less of a religious guide, more of an inspirational guru. The Dalai Lama of recent times is a great supporter of progressive religion. He believes that moving away from the dogmatic framework of religion allows the masses to relate more to the spiritual dimension of religion. His presence at Glastonbury is an example of this evolution that embraces mass audiences to spread his message. Patti Smith introduced the Dalai Lama as “her holiness.” Patti uses monastic figurative language to express her respect for the spiritual leader. This respect arises from individual observations; personal influences and cultural stereotypes. His acceptance speech on the occasion of his 80th birthday revolves around his ideology of peace, harmony and prosperity. He deliberately uses affectionate words such as: "compassion, self-confidence and the importance of friendship" which show that he is aware of his social environment and acts according to it. The Dalai Lama gave "Smith a big hug" before leaving the stage. An act that would be disturbing for orthodox, traditionally patriarchal Buddhists. The Dalai Lama challenges this dogmatic approach through his belief in gender equality. He can be seen as a modern religious preacher, who wants the Western world to consider Buddhism as a progressive religion. It presents a Buddhism that is in harmony with other world religions. This helps explain the growth of Buddhism in the West. The Dalai Lama represents the Tibetan people on geopolitical platforms. The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to him in 1989 recognizing his work as an ecological activist and increasing his visibility around the world. As a religious leader, he chooses not to ignore the role of science in bringing benefits to humanity. This suggests that he is aware that the only way forward in the Western democratic world is to show progress and find scientific logic in religion. The Chinese, however, see him as an antagonist trying to sow distrust between Tibetans and the Chinese government. The Chinese government censored his activities and accused him of hypocrisy; they see him as a political figure who undermines Chinese sovereignty and seeks autonomy for Tibet. The Western world's recognition of him has further encouraged the Chinese argument that his motivations are political. However, his reputation in the Western world has made it impossible for the Chinese government to suppress Tibetan monks since 1950. This is evident in his Glastonbury speech, when he states: “for the welfare of others”, reinforcing his positive position. image in the Western world. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a custom essay We can conclude that the Dalai Lama's reputation has been..