What Information and Resources Are on the Dalai Lama's Official Website?
Updated
dalailama.com is the official website of the Office of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. It works as a central hub for three kinds of material: current activity (schedule, news, photos, videos), the Dalai Lama's own messages and statements organized by theme, and practical information for people who want to attend teachings, request an audience, or read his books. The site is in English, and the page evidence shows it is actively updated with dated news items.
Current Activity: Schedule, News, Photos, and Videos
The site's navigation lists Schedule, News, In Pictures, and Videos as separate sections, plus LIVE Webcasts. These are the places to check for what is happening now rather than for background reading.
- Schedule — upcoming and recent engagements.
- News — dated reports written from the office's perspective. The page evidence includes items such as prayers offered for the Dalai Lama's long life (October 21, 2026), a meeting with nuns who took part in the Winter Debate (October 20, 2026), a congratulatory letter to Nobel Peace Laureate Navi Pillay (October 10, 2026), and birthday greetings to Prime Minister Modi (September 17, 2026). Each item carries a place line (Thekchen Chöling, Dharamsala, HP, India) and a date, so you can judge how current a report is.
- In Pictures — photo sets tied to events. The featured item on the page shows the Dalai Lama meeting a U.S. Congressional Delegation led by the Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means at his residence in Dharamsala on October 21, 2026, with a "View Photos" link.
- Videos and LIVE Webcasts — recorded and live video, useful if you cannot attend in person.
If your goal is simply to follow events as they happen, start with News and Schedule; the photo and video sections add context to the same events.
Messages and Thematic Statements
A Messages section groups the Dalai Lama's statements by subject rather than by date. The topics listed in the navigation are:
- Compassion and Human Values
- World Peace
- Environment
- Religious Harmony
- Buddhism
- Retirement and Reincarnation
- Tibet
There is also an Articles, Transcripts and Interviews section and a page for Acceptance Speeches, which collects remarks given when receiving honors. These pages suit readers who want the Dalai Lama's position on a specific theme rather than a chronological feed.
Teachings and Practical Advice for Attendees
The site addresses people planning to attend teachings in India, not just remote readers. The navigation includes Teachings and, under it, Practical Advice for Attending the Teachings in India — a page aimed at the logistics and conduct of attending in person. Related teaching material includes:
- Training the Mind — mind-training (lojong) content.
- Words of Truth.
- Introduction to the Kalachakra — background for those interested in the Kalachakra teachings.
A reader planning a trip should read the practical advice page before the doctrinal material, since it covers the attendance side rather than the content of the teachings.
Office, Audiences, Media, and Books
The Office section explains the institutional side and lists ways to make contact:
- Public Audiences and Private Audiences — the two audience categories the site distinguishes.
- Media Interviews — the route listed for press requests.
- Invitations — for organizations seeking the Dalai Lama's participation.
- Contact — general inquiries.
- The Gaden Phodrang Trust — listed as a related office entity.
A Books section ("View all books") points to published works. The site does not display prices or purchase mechanics in the material available, so treat it as a catalog and check a bookseller for availability and cost.
A Note on One Recurring Topic
The navigation includes a dedicated page on Dolgyal (Shugden), indicating the office maintains an official position on this contested practice. Readers who encounter the term elsewhere can check that page for the office's own framing.
How to Use the Site Efficiently
| If you want to… | Go to |
|---|---|
| Know what the Dalai Lama is doing this week | Schedule, News |
| See photos or video of a specific event | In Pictures, Videos, LIVE Webcasts |
| Read his position on peace, environment, or Tibet | Messages (topic pages) |
| Prepare to attend teachings in India | Teachings → Practical Advice for Attending the Teachings in India |
| Request an audience or invite him | Office → Public/Private Audiences, Invitations |
| Find a book | Books |
One caution: news items are dated and written by the office, so they reflect its perspective and should be read as primary statements rather than neutral reporting. For time-sensitive plans such as attending a teaching or requesting an audience, confirm details through the Contact page rather than relying on a news item alone.