Social+Structure

Only Tibetan Buddhism. It goes Dali Lama (top) Ponchin Lama (successor) then the monks and nuns which have an order based on education level and age, then the non-clergy.

In Theravada (traditional) Buddhism there are high priests in charge, then monks, students which are like temporary monks and everybody else. Because it is closely held to tradition men are generally considered superior or to have more authority than women in this system.

In mainstream Buddhism there are priests and then most have yogis or whatever they are called, they are like well-studied Buddhist that help the priests but they don't take vows and such, and then the laity. In some of these denominations (I guess they are called that in Buddhisms too) the priests can be women and in some they have limited authority.

The Dali Lama was the King of Tibet as well as the "Pope" of that branch of Buddhism. He was the living Buddha, not just a priest. The Ponchin Lama is also a living Buddha because he will become the Dali. To all other Buddhists (non-Tibetan) the Dali Lama is the King of Tibet and a well-venerated monk but not the living Buddha. Also when I say living Buddha I don't mean "the" Buddha Sidvarta Gotama but another Buddha, the first enlightened King of Tibet.