In Tibetan Buddhism, the successive Dalai Lamas form a lineage of (tulku) magistrates which traces back to 1391. According to tradition, the rarefied mindstream of these tulku take repeated births and embodiment to fulfill their Boddhisattva vow. They are of the Gelug School of Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhists hold the Dalai Lama to be one of innumerable incarnations of Avalokiteśvara ("Chenrezig" [spyan ras gzigs] in Tibetan), the bodhisattva of compassion.

Between the 17th century and 1959, the Dalai Lama was the head of the Tibetan Government, administering a large portion of the country from the capital Lhasa. Since 1959, the Dalai Lama has presided over the Central Tibetan Administration. He is often referred to simply as "His Holiness" (HH), or "His Holiness The Dalai Lama". The Dalai Lama is often thought to be the head of the Gelug School, but this position officially belongs to the Ganden Tripa ( ), although it should be noted that the Dalai Lama appoints the Ganden Tripa (a temporary position) and in practice exerts more influence. Tibetans usually call the Dalai Lama by the epithets: Gyalwa Rinpoche ( ) meaning "Precious Victor," or Yeshe Norbu ( ) meaning "Wish-fulfilling Jewel".