Walking from his house to the monastery, he grabs a fully-loaded automatic weapon from an Indian guard, who maintains his stiff posture but must be a bundle of nerves. A dead Dalai Lama probably wouldn't do much for his promotion chances. Security has been tightened since late last year, when several Tibetans were arrested for alleged spying activities that remain murky to this day. The Dalai Lama has two security teams, Tibetan and Indian, and some of the most rigorous search procedures imaginable. Pens are taken apart, and the pages of notepads scanned, as if for some secret poison.
Body searches are thorough.
And yet locals say that, until not long ago, the man the Chinese would dearly love to see out of the way used to walk unescorted in the hills. Since winning the Nobel Peace Prize, the Dalai Lama has spent more and more time on international engagements. And that has meant conquering his fear of flying. Now, he spends his air time meditating. He has plenty of opportunities to do so.