The 1st Dalai Lama, Gedun Drupa was a student of Je Tsongkhapa, and became his first Khenpo at Ganden Monastery. He also founded Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Shigatse. He was posthumously awarded the spi

The 3rd Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso, was the first in the tulku lineage to be entitled formally as the Dalai Lama. In 1578 Altan Khan presented the spiritual title of Dalai Lama, in honor of Sonam Gyatso