I would say that there are a few different kinds. The First are Tibetans who see him as the leader of their country. Then there are Buddhists of the Gelug branch of Tibetan Buddhists who see him as their Spiritual leader and then there are Buddhists in general who see him as an important spiritual teacher.
Buddhists.
To be honest there is no such thing as Dalai Lama religion. The Dalai Lama between the 17th century and 1959 was in fact the title of the head political figure of the Tibetan government as well as the country's foremost religious figure. The current Dalai Lama is the 14th Dalai Lama in the line. However, each new Dalai Lama is chosen as being seen as a reincarnation (born again) of the previous Dalai Lama. The religion you may be thinking of is Buddhism; the religion practiced by the Dalai Lama and his followers.
If the 6th Dalai Lama was the same with the 5th Dalai Lama, then there is only one who had been reincarnating life-after-life. According to his current Title The 14th Dalai Lama (Mongolian for "Ocean of Wisdom"), then, thirteen Dalai Lamas have ruled Tibet before the current Dalai Lama. Pram Nguyen
The Dalai Lama escaped persecution when China invaded his country, annexing it permanently. His followers begged him to go into exile in a safe country.
The 14th Dalai Lama is the current Dalai Lama. He was born in 1935 and he is still alive.
The current Dalai Lama is the 14th Dalai Lama.
13 before the current, 14 in total.
The dalai lama has authority because they are seen as spritual leaders of the Tibetan people. They have many responsiblites, and they are believed to be the reincarnation of the previous Dalai Lama. And finally the senior monks find the next Dalai Lama through signs and visions.
The 14th Dalai Lama is Tenzin Gyatso.
The cast of Dalai Lama Awakening - 2014 includes: The Dalai Lama as himself
The Dalai Lama won't retire. Like being a Bishop, being a Lama is a job for life. At the Dalai Lama's death, a new Dalai Lama will be chosen by the High Lamas of the Gelugpa tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
The correct spelling is Dalai lama. The dalai lama was once the ruler of Tibet. He is considered holy to many people.