I can’t say I know much about Buddhism, and practically nothing about the Tibetan version of it so please excuse the presentation of this question.. I truly am ignorant of the subject and I mean no offense by it.
In Catholicism the pope is God’s intermediary. But there it is understood that he is just a simple man so it is acceptable that he could be afflicted with disease, as the current one is with Parkinson’s. As I understand it, though, in Tibetan Buddhism the Dalai Lama is selected because he exhibits some spiritual qualities higher than the average man (I may be mistaken and if so that probably answers the question). So, how far do these higher qualities extend? Are they only in the spiritual realm or should they also manifest physically? If his special status has a physical connection, how then can it be that the current one has to wear glasses?
[quote] If his special status has a physical connection, how then can it be that the current one has to wear glasses?
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In a weird way, your question is so cute. i don't think there's a physical connection; he's acknowledged as the spiritual connection to the previous 13 Dalai Lamas (and of course to Buddha himself). But i don't think it extends to the physical realm.
BTW there's a picture of him where he looks in his early 30s, and he's wearing glasses at least from that age. Maybe, you could even argue that his wearing glasses makes him more "accessible" to the 'ordinary' person, while at the same time his spiritual uniqueness/'superiority' of course demands a higher respect.
It is the spiritual qualities that make him who he is, not his eyesight. Did anyone's physical state ever have anything with their righteousness? Why would his?