The Dalai Lama is the spiritual and political leader of Tibet. The office dates back to the 14^th century, and the current Dalai Lama is the 14^th person to hold it. He is considered a manifestation of Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, and the reincarnation of the 13 previous Dalai Lamas. The current Dalai Lama was born to a peasant family in northeastern Tibet in 1935 and chosen as Dalai Lama in 1939 after a nationwide search. The 4-year-old boy clinched his selection when he pointed to a box containing the 13^th Dalai Lama's dentures and said, "My teeth are in here."