The Next Dalai Lama: How Tibetan Monks Will 'Confirm' Reincarnation
On his 91st birthday in Dharamshala, the Dalai Lama may reveal his successor—born outside China—defying Beijing's efforts to control Tibetan spiritual leadership
Tibetans in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, are preparing for a grand celebration of the Dalai Lama's 91st birthday, amid much speculation that he may designate his successor. Unlike political appointments, the selection of a new Dalai Lama is guided by Buddhism's traditional process of reincarnation. Yet China insists on controlling this process, claiming the right to approve the next Dalai Lama, an assertion many Tibetans view as an attempt to undermine their culture.
The succession is not merely a religious matter but one with geopolitical significance, drawing interest from India, the United States, and of course, China. The Nobel Peace Laureate has led the Tibetan community from Dharamshala for 66 years since fleeing Tibet in 1959, and remains revered far beyond Buddhist circles.
How The 14th Dalai Lama Was Chosen
According to Tibetan tradition, it is believed that the soul of a senior Buddhist monk is reincarnated after death. The 14th Dalai Lama was born on July 6, 1935, as Lhamo Dhondup into a farming family in north-eastern Tibet. At the age of two, a search team appointed by the Tibetan government confirmed his identity as the 'reincarnation" when he apparently recognised possessions belonging to the 13th Dalai Lama.
In the winter of 1940, Lhamo Dhondup was brought to the Potala Palace in Lhasa, where he was formally enthroned as the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people.
This time, the Gaden Phodrang Foundation, set up by the Dalai Lama in 2015, will head the search and recognition process. The Dalai Lama has stated that his successor will be born outside China, ensuring freedom from political interference.
The Selection of His Successor
The process of the selection of the successor involves:
Ensuring Tibetan Governance In Exile
Until a new Dalai Lama emerges, the Tibetan Parliamentary body in Dharamshala will continue managing governance and ensuring continuity of Tibetan leadership.
Beijing asserts that its leaders must approve the next Dalai Lama, relying on a Qing-era golden urn method (established in 1793) and insisting that the next incarnation be born within China.
The Tibetan exiled government rejects this, arguing China, an officially atheist state, has no place in spiritual matters. Beijing counters by labelling the Dalai Lama a 'separatist' and heavily regulates devotion to him within China.
With over 100,000 Tibetan Buddhists in India, China views the Dalai Lama's presence there as contentious. Meanwhile, the US last year passed laws urging China to refrain from interference, framing the issue as one of religious freedom and human rights.
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