lama

Lama, in Tibetan Buddhism, is a title given to a respected teacher or monk. Derived from the Tibetan bla-ma, meaning "master" or "teacher," the term is used across schools to designate ordained spiritual leaders and scholars. Lamas may serve as tutors, ritual specialists, and lineage holders within monasteries. Some lamas are recognized reincarnate teachers, known as tulkus, and high-ranking lamas include figures such as the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama.

The llama is a domesticated South American camelid widely used as a pack animal and for its wool. In scientific classifications, the animal commonly known as llama is Lama glama; some taxonomic schemes place llamas and guanacos in the genus Lama, while alpacas and vicuñas are in Vicugna. Llamas are native to the high Andes of Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. They are social herd animals, tolerant of high altitude, and typically stand about 1.7 to 1.8 meters tall at the head and weigh around 130 to 200 kilograms. They are ruminants with a primarily herbivorous diet; they are generally calm but may spit when threatened.

Spelling differences can cause confusion: the animal is usually spelled llama with two Ls in English, whereas the Tibetan spiritual title is capitalized Lama. The similarity in spelling reflects unrelated origins.