U.S.-born Buddhist lama Jalue Dorje walks out of a prayer hall during a series of rituals and prayers bestowed by the spiritual leader of Shechen Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Sunday, April 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Luis Andres Henao)
A teenage Buddhist lama recently blessed thousands at a monastery in the Himalayan foothills.
Just six months earlier and half a world away, he was pulling all-nighters to play Madden NFL on his Xbox at his home in a Minneapolis suburb.
Both are home to Jalue Dorje.
Dorje grew up a typical American teen, loving rap music, video games and football. He’s also an aspiring spiritual leader — recognized from an early age by the Dalai Lama as a reincarnated lama.
