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Time of India
an hour ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Bodh Gaya Buddhists slam China's ‘control tactics'
Patna: The sacred land of Bodh Gaya is seething with anger. Members of the Buddhist community have expressed deep outrage over China's attempt to dictate terms on the succession of the 14th Dalai Lama, considered both a spiritual and political leader by Tibetans. The controversy erupted after Beijing rejected the Dalai Lama's declaration that his reincarnation would be recognised solely by the trust he founded. China insisted any future Dalai Lama must be chosen through its own state-sanctioned processes, including the archaic "Golden Urn" method. Bhante Priyapal, chief priest of Chakma Temple and a member of the International Buddhist Council, described China's actions as "totally unfair" and an extension of its expansionist policy. "Only the Dalai Lama should have the authority to name his successor," he said. Bhante Anand, general secretary of the Bhartiya Sangharaj Bhikkuu Mahasabha, voiced unanimous support. "The Dalai Lama is not just a spiritual leader but the King of Tibet. Only he has the right to choose his successor," he said. Tibetan Lama Tashi Guruji added, "We will only go by the Dalai Lama's decision. China must not meddle in our spiritual affairs." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Tecno Pova 7 Series: Making Your Phone Feel Ancient. TECNO Mobile Buy Now Undo Bhante Prajanasheel, chief advisor of the All India Buddhist Forum, said most Buddhists don't believe in reincarnation as Buddha preached liberation from the cycle of birth and death. "Still, the community stands firmly with the Dalai Lama," he said. China affairs expert Ajay Jha cautioned that the issue could further strain Sino-Indian relations. "India must tread carefully," he added.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Monster Blaze Wreaks Havoc In Turkey; Apocalyptic Scenes From Wildfires Caught On Cam
After India Snubs China, Tibet Tears Apart Beijing's 'Golden Urn' Tradition To Pick Dalai Successor After China claimed authority over the next reincarnation of the Tibetan spiritual leader through the so-called 'Golden Urn' system, India and Tibet's government-in-exile have hit back. Penpa Tsering, Sikyong (President) of the Central Tibetan Administration, slammed China for interfering in Tibetan religious affairs: 'Does a government that doesn't believe in religion have the right to choose our spiritual head?' He also challenged China's historical claim, noting that the Golden Urn was introduced only in 1793, while eight Dalai Lamas existed before that. India's Kiren Rijiju affirmed that only the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Buddhist traditions can decide his reincarnation. The tension signals a rising global front against Beijing's growing religious interference.#dalailama #kirenrijiju #tibet, #india #china #goldenurn #penpatsering #dalailamasuccessor #tibetchina #goldenurndebunked #indiachina #centraltibetanadministration #tibetanbuddhism #chinareligionrow #freetibet #toi #toibharat #bharat #trending #breakingnews #indianews 2.8K views | 5 hours ago
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Dalai Lama successor: After India snubs China, Tibet's president-in-exile picks apart 'Golden Urn' tradition
In response to China's remarks on the succession of the Dalai Lama, Penpa Tsering, the president of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), questioned Beijing's claim over religious matters, including the selection of the next Tibetan spiritual leader. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Speaking on China's insistence that the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama must follow the 'Golden Urn' process, Tsering said, "That's for the Chinese government to decide whether the government that does not believe in religion wants to interfere in the religious freedom of Tibetan people; not just occupy our country but also force a lot of things on us, including religious freedom to choose our own spiritual leader. " He added, "So, that is very unfortunate, and Chinese government always keeps saying something. They are saying that we broke from tradition. What tradition is the Chinese Government talking about? The Golden Urn? This was introduced only in 1793, late 18th century. There have been 8 Dalai Lamas before that. Are those not Dalai Lamas because there was no Golden Urn?" The comments from the Tibetan administration-in-exile came after minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Thursday that the choice of the next Dalai Lama rests only with the current Dalai Lama and the religious traditions of . Rijiju said, "The Dalai Lama is the most important and defining institution for the Buddhists. And all those who follow the Dalai Lama feel that the Incarnation is to be decided by the established convention and as per the wish of the Dalai Lama himself. Nobody else has the right to decide it except him and the conventions in place." This was the first official response from a senior minister after the Dalai Lama spoke publicly about his succession plan. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Earlier this week, China rejected the Tibetan spiritual leader's plan, with Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning reiterating that the selection must go through a process approved by Beijing. "The Dalai Lama's reincarnation must follow the principles of domestic recognition, the 'Golden Urn' process, and approval by the central government, in line with religious traditions and laws,' Mao said at a media briefing in Beijing. This comes after Dalai Lama declared that the Gaden Phodrang Trust, a non-profit institution he established, has the sole authority to recognise his future reincarnation. The 'Golden Urn' system, which China refers to as a traditional method for selecting high-ranking Tibetan lamas, was introduced during the Qing dynasty in 1793.
Time of India
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
In snub to China, India says only Dalai can pick successor
NEW DELHI: India on Thursday firmly rejected China's claim that it has a decisive say in choosing the Dalai Lama's successor and asserted that the issue could be decided only in accordance with the wishes of the and established Buddhist traditions. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "The Dalai Lama's position is of immense importance, not just for Tibetans but for millions of his followers across the globe. The right to decide on his successor rests solely with him, in accordance with centuries-old Buddhist customs," parliamentary affairs and minorities minister told reporters. He also dismissed as "unwarranted interference" China's objection to the Dalai Lama's announcement that he has "exclusive authority" in deciding who gets to succeed him. The response came after the 90-year-old spiritual head of the Gelug branch of Tibetan Buddhists, who has lived in exile in India since 1959, asserted that the institution of Dalai Lama would continue after his death, and that his successor would be chosen by the Gaden Phodrang Trust, a non-profit set up by him. The Dalai Lama had earlier said his successor would be from among his supporters based outside China: something that runs counter to Beijing's known desire to have one of its loyalists from Tibet anointed. "The Dalai Lama's reincarnation must follow the principles of domestic recognition, the 'Golden Urn' process, and approval by the central govt, in line with religious traditions and laws," the Chinese foreign ministry had said in response to the Dalai Lama's statement. With the Dalai Lama turning 90, the succession issue has gained urgency amid fragile India-China ties. Rijiju to represent India at Dalai Lama b'day event The spat over reincarnation adds another layer to bilateral tensions that have persisted since the 2020 border clashes and China's recent diplomatic outreach to Pakistan. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Kiren Rijiju, a Buddhist from Arunachal Pradesh, will visit Dharamshala along with his cabinet colleague and animal husbandry minister Lalan Singh, to represent Indian govt at the Dalai Lama's birthday celebrations. The question of succession has long been a sensitive subject for Beijing, which seeks to assert control over . It holds a grudge against India for its decision to offer shelter to the Dalai Lama when he fled Tibet in 1959. It has dubbed the Tibetan religious leader a "splittist". The Dalai Lama, with his saintly image and message of peace and a following that that includes Hollywood celebrities and members of global cultural elite, has been a thorn in China's side, fuelling its desire to reduce the institution of religious leadership of Tibetan Buddhists to an adjunct of the Communist dictatorship. In the 1990s, China controversially installed its own Panchen Lama after the mysterious disappearance of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the boy selected by the Dalai Lama for the second-most revered figure for Tibetan Buddhists. Panchen Lama has failed to gain acceptance among Tibetans, heightening fears of similar interference in the Dalai Lama's succession.
The Wire
a day ago
- Politics
- The Wire
Rijiju Backs Dalai Lama on Reincarnation as China Says Beijing's Approval Needed
New Delhi: A day after the Dalai Lama stated that only a trust affiliated with his office would have the authority to decide on his reincarnation, prompting China to assert that its approval was necessary, India's minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju endorsed the Tibetan Buddhist leader's position and said that no one else had the right to make that decision. Talking to reporters on Thursday (July 3), Rijiju said that the Dalai Lama is the "most important and defining institution" for Buddhists. 'And all those who follow the Dalai Lama feel that the Incarnation is to be decided by the established convention and as per the wish of the Dalai Lama himself. Nobody else has the right to decide it except him and the conventions in place," Rijiju was quoted as saying by PTI. On Wednesday, just days before his 90th birthday, the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism had outlined his succession plans in a long-anticipated statement from Dharamshala, where he has lived for decades. 'I am affirming that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue,' he said in a video message in the Tibetan language. 'I hereby reiterate that the Gaden Phodrang Trust has sole authority to recognize the future reincarnation. No one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter.' China, which considers the Dalai Lama a separatist figure, responded by reiterating that any reincarnation must receive approval from Beijing. Chinese ambassador to India Xu Feihong posted on social media that the Dalai Lama's successor must be selected through the 'Golden Urn lottery procedure'. Beijing 'exempted' the incumbent Dalai Lama from the lottery procedure, Xu said, but his successor 'must follow the process that consists of search and identification in China, lot-drawing from the Golden Urn' and have 'central government approval'. He will also need to 'comply with religious rituals and historical conventions as well as Chinese laws and regulations', per Xu, who said that the Chinese government lawfully 'protects the tradition of reincarnation of Living Buddhas [among whom is the Dalai Lama]'. The Indian government will be represented by Rijiju and Rajiv Ranjan Singh, minister of Panchayati raj, fisheries and animal husbandry, at the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday event in Dharamshala on July 6. Rijiju, a practising Buddhist from Arunachal Pradesh, has consistently expressed admiration for the Dalai Lama, as evident from his social media posts. He has extended birthday greetings to the Tibetan spiritual leader every year and, in 2023, inaugurated the Dalai Lama Centre for Tibetan & Indian Ancient Wisdom in Bodh Gaya, an event attended by the Dalai Lama himself. As a Union minister, his presence at the birthday celebrations is not new. However, his clear endorsement of the Dalai Lama's position on reincarnation is unprecedented. This is the first time an Indian government functionary has commented publicly on the matter, and the remarks are likely to invite a response from Beijing. It is unclear whether this represents an official shift in India's position, or will be dodged by New Delhi as a personal view of the minister. Until now, New Delhi has been publicly cautious in its approach to the Dalai Lama. It has neither commented on the issue of his succession nor formally recognised the Central Tibetan Administration, though it does not interfere in its lawful activities. India, which has been home to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile for 66 years, has traditionally described the monk as 'a revered religious leader' who is 'accorded all freedom to carry out his religious activities' in the country. This has been New Delhi's standard line when responding to Chinese objections, particularly regarding his visits to Arunachal Pradesh. The question of succession raises fresh dilemmas for India – whether it should take a public position on the matter, and to what extent China might expect or demand a stance from New Delhi. In a 2024 paper, former foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale noted that while India has so far refrained from taking a public position, it has also shown reluctance to accept Chinese-appointed religious figures uncritically. He cited the case of Ugyen Thinley Dorje, one of two claimants to the title of the 17th Karmapa Lama, regarded as the second-most senior figure in Tibetan Buddhism after the Dalai Lama. Endorsed by China's State Council, Ugyen Thinley Dorje escaped to India seven years later. He has since lived abroad and acquired a foreign passport. Gokhale, who also served as India's ambassador to China from 2016 to 2017, also raised a set of difficult questions in the same paper that New Delhi may eventually have to confront. These include how a disagreement with China over the Dalai Lama's reincarnation could fuel Chinese distrust and trigger a shift in its foreign policy posture. He also raised questions around how India might handle the interment of the current Dalai Lama's remains and what its position would be if the Dalai Lama Trust were to identify an Indian citizen as the reincarnation.
