Does the Dalai Lama speak for all Buddhists as the Global Leader and Authority on Buddhism that all Buddhists must obey?
There is a major Fake News that the Dalai Lama speaks for all Buddhists, as the Leader of all Buddhists worldwide, and whatever he says must be the law accepted by all Buddhists, of all nations. Nothing could possibly be further from the truth.
“I am just a simple Buddhist monk - nothing more” - Dalai Lama
As a Nobel-Laureate, the Dalai Lama is famous around the world, and arguably the world's most famous Buddhist monk. As a result, many peddle the Fake News and False Narratives that Dalai Lama is the "Pope of all Buddhists" and what he says is binding on all Buddhists of all Buddhist nations, just as what the Pope says is binding on all Catholics worldwide.
Truth about the Dalai Lama
While we mean the Dalai Lama no disrespect, we must respectfully point out that the Dalai Lama is NOT recognized by ANY Buddhist nation on earth, and he is NOT the leader or Spokesperson for Buddhists around the world. As he himself has stated, he is just a Buddhist monk, like the millions of Buddhist monks that can be found worldwide. The Dalai Lama does NOT have any special stature or authority over any other Buddhist monks - except for the Diaspora of Tibetan refugees and practitioners of the Yellow Hats sect.
Every Buddhist nation has its own Buddhist clergy, as well as its own treasured Buddhists sutras or authorities. There is NO Global Buddhist Sangha with one major leader comparable to what the Pope means to all Catholics. NO Buddhist nation accepts any dominion or authority of any other Buddhist nation, and NO Buddhist sect accepts the leadership of any other Buddhist sect. Tibetan Buddhism is practiced by less than 2% of the Buddhists in the world, and the Dalai Lama is the Head of the Yellow Hats sect of Tibetan Buddhism, which would estimate to around 0.5 % of Buddhists worldwide. However, legally Tibet is seen as a part of China, and therefore the Dalai Lama's position in no way impacts Buddhists of any other nation (outside the extreme minority of Yellow Hats/Gelukpas). Hence, while the Dalai Lama has a right to express his own personal opinions, he does NOT speak for the Global Buddhist community, and is NOT the leader of Buddhists worldwide. He himself has made this clear that he is simply a Buddhist monk - and while Buddhists appreciate that he has won a Nobel Peace Prize, it in no way gives him any special stature in the Buddhist world where we strictly and exclusively honour the Buddha, Buddhist deities, Buddhist authorities and ancient Buddhist saints. Om Mani Padme Hum.