Seal of the Fifth Dalai Lama China, Qing Dynasty 17th Century

Tibet Museum Photo Courtesy of Bowers Museum Chinese, Manchu, and Tibetan inscriptions, carved into this official seal, express the international stature and importance of the Fifth Dalai Lama, the “Buddha of Great Compassion in the West and Leader of the Buddhist Faith beneath the Sky.” The Fifth Dalai Lama, also known as the Great Fifth, built the Potala Palace and served as both the secular ruler and spiritual teacher of Tibet, a dual role held by each subsequent Dalai Lama. Detail: seal

all images and text © Bowers Museum and Tibet Museum