The internationally acclaimed face of Buddhism, the Dalai Lama, is the on the cover of Time magazine for the third time. The first time he had graced the magazine’s cover was on 15th April 1959. This was during the time when he fled Tibet to seek refuge in India. The magazine had carried a cover story documenting his sensational journey.
The second time was in 2008 when Time featured the Dalai Lama on its cover again carrying a story about his continued effort to spread the message of love, Buddhism spirituality and struggle to get the people of Tibet their right for an autonomous state.
Now, for the third time, the Buddhist leader is back on the cover of the magazine in his quintessential appearance of focused resolve for peace and fairness. An article being featured in the magazine talks about his relationship with China, his role in Tibet’s struggle amongst other things.
Time magazine which is reported to be the most widely read weekly in the world is currently owned by Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and his wife, Lynn Benioff. Benioff is a believer of mindfulness, meditation and the Buddhist way of life who also seeks guidance of Buddhist monks.
The Times correspondent based in Shanghai who travelled all the way to Dharamshala to interview the Tibetan leader in exile mentioned that, “The Dalai Lama didn’t show an iota of bitterness, not to the Chinese government, nor the British or Americans who abandoned Tibet, nor anyone else.”
This cover story also says, “In the six decades since, the leader of the world’s most secluded people has become the most recognizable face of a religion practiced by nearly 500 million people worldwide. But his prominence extends beyond the borders of his own faith, with many practices endorsed by Buddhists, like mindfulness and meditation, permeating the lives of millions more around the world.”