Famous Buddhist artist, straddling a pack animal, topless (5,4)
I believe the answer is:
dalai lama
'famous buddhist' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'artist straddling a pack animal topless' is the wordplay.
'artist' becomes 'dali' (Salvador Dali).
'straddling' indicates putting letters inside (straddle can mean to lie on both sides of).
'pack animal' becomes 'llama' (llamas are often used as pack animals).
'topless' means to remove the first letter.
'dali' enclosing 'a' is 'dalai'.
'llama' with its initial letter removed is 'lama'.
'dalai'+'lama'='DALAI LAMA'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for dalai lama that I've seen before include "Tibetan exile" , "World's Buddhist leader, once ruler of Tibet" , "'Spiritual leader of Tibet (5,4)'" , "Spiritual leader of Tibetans" , "Tibetan religious leader" .)