<p>If I can add just a little more detail - the Dalai Lama is an emanation of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokite%C5%9Bvara" rel="nofollow">Avalokiteśvara</a>, the Bodhisattva of compassion. As @MatthewMartin said - Avalokiteśvara will continue to come into the world as long as there are unenlightened beings to help.</p>

<p>Interestingly Avalokiteśvara also eminates as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karmapa" rel="nofollow">Karmapa</a> and other Tibetan lamas so presumable can co-exist.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-11T08:41:13.130Z
As Crab Bucket suggests, here, rebirth is one thing, emanation another.
Tenzin Dorje
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-05T15:45:35.203Z
Not sure about the notion of a being been reborn as more that one persion (Karmapa and Dalai Lama) so I've asked the question http://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1925/can-a-being-be-reborn-into-more-that-one-body-in-tibetan-buddhism
Crab Bucket
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-05T15:32:28.997Z
2014-07-21T09:24:19.487Z
2014-07-21T09:24:19.487Z
Crab Bucket
<p>Mahayanas say that if you ask your teacher to come back, he can choose to come back out of compassion, he doesnt have to, he does to help sentient beings.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-21T10:50:00.530Z
2014-07-21T10:50:00.530Z
konrad01
<p>This is a fundamental premise of Mayayana, that the goal is not to be extinguished and leave samsara like an Arhat, but to stick around until everyone is enlightened. </p>

<p>Here is the zen formulation of the Bodhisattva Vow (couldn't find the Tibetan version)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Beings are numberless; I vow to save them. Delusions are
  inexhaustible; I vow to end them. Dharma gates are boundless; I vow to
  enter them. Buddha's Way is unsurpassable; I vow to become it.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>As for where one is upon enlightenment, there are more lots of formulations, I don't have a good idea on how to summarize them.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-04T13:53:15.503Z
2014-07-04T13:53:15.503Z
MatthewMartin
<p>Assuming the result of enlightenment is attainment of Nirvana, and assuming Dalai Lama is enlightened, why does he keep on getting reborn?</p>

<p>Could it mean that Nirvana means something else, for example a state of egolessness while still a person on planet Earth?</p>

<mahayana><enlightenment><nirvana><dalai-lama>
If Dalai Lama is enlightened, why he keeps coming back?
# If Dalai Lama is enlightened, why he keeps coming back?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-07-04)

Assuming the result of enlightenment is attainment of Nirvana, and assuming Dalai Lama is enlightened, why does he keep on getting reborn?

Could it mean that Nirvana means something else, for example a state of egolessness while still a person on planet Earth?

**Tags:** mahayana, enlightenment, nirvana, dalai-lama


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2014-07-04. Score: 10 | Accepted answer

This is a fundamental premise of Mayayana, that the goal is not to be extinguished and leave samsara like an Arhat, but to stick around until everyone is enlightened.

Here is the zen formulation of the Bodhisattva Vow (couldn't find the Tibetan version)

> Beings are numberless; I vow to save them. Delusions are
> inexhaustible; I vow to end them. Dharma gates are boundless; I vow to
> enter them. Buddha's Way is unsurpassable; I vow to become it.

As for where one is upon enlightenment, there are more lots of formulations, I don't have a good idea on how to summarize them.


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### Answer by username_1 on 2014-07-05. Score: 2

If I can add just a little more detail - the Dalai Lama is an emanation of [Avalokiteśvara](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokite%C5%9Bvara), the Bodhisattva of compassion. As @username_4 said - Avalokiteśvara will continue to come into the world as long as there are unenlightened beings to help.

Interestingly Avalokiteśvara also eminates as the [Karmapa](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karmapa) and other Tibetan lamas so presumable can co-exist.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Not sure about the notion of a being been reborn as more that one persion (Karmapa and Dalai Lama) so I've asked the question http://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/1925/can-a-being-be-reborn-into-more-that-one-body-in-tibetan-buddhism  
> **username_2**: As username_1 suggests, here, rebirth is one thing, emanation another.  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2014-07-21. Score: 0

Mahayanas say that if you ask your teacher to come back, he can choose to come back out of compassion, he doesnt have to, he does to help sentient beings.


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