Reincarnation, trouble with China and a stateless people: inside the Dalai Lama's succession story
©UK Independent
In March 1959, the 14th Dalai Lama left the Tibetan capital of Lhasa in the dead of night to flee from Mao Zedong's Communist regime. Over the course of the next seven decades, the Dalai Lama has inspired generations of Tibetans in exile as first the political and then spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism.
Born with the name Lhamo Dhondup on July 6, 1935, the Nobel Peace Prize winner has become synonymous with his stateless people's struggle in exile, and the arrival of his 90th birthday this month has left many of his followers considering the future after his death.
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Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Irish Independent
Reincarnation, trouble with China and a stateless people: inside the Dalai Lama's succession story
As the Nobel Peace Prize winner celebrates his 90th birthday, the future of Tibetan government-in-exile is shrouded in uncertainty ©UK Independent In March 1959, the 14th Dalai Lama left the Tibetan capital of Lhasa in the dead of night to flee from Mao Zedong's Communist regime. Over the course of the next seven decades, the Dalai Lama has inspired generations of Tibetans in exile as first the political and then spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism. Born with the name Lhamo Dhondup on July 6, 1935, the Nobel Peace Prize winner has become synonymous with his stateless people's struggle in exile, and the arrival of his 90th birthday this month has left many of his followers considering the future after his death.
The Journal
2 days ago
- The Journal
Dalai Lama says he plans to reincarnate after his death, meaning he will have a successor
THE DALAI LAMA has said the centuries-old Tibetan Buddhist institution will continue after his death, ending years of speculation that started when he indicated he might be the last person to hold the role. Speaking at prayer celebrations ahead of his 90th birthday on Sunday, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism said the next Dalai Lama should be found and recognised as per past Buddhist traditions, while signalling that China should stay away from the process of identifying his successor. The Dalai Lama's succession plan is politically consequential for most Tibetans who oppose Beijing's tight control of Tibet and have struggled to keep their identity alive, in their homeland or in exile. It is also profound for Tibetan Buddhists who worship him as a living manifestation of Chenrezig, the Buddhist god of compassion. The statement is expected to anger China, which has repeatedly said that it alone has the authority to approve the next religious leader. It insists the successor must be found in China's Tibetan areas, giving communist authorities power over who is chosen. Many observers believe there eventually will be rival Dalai Lamas — one appointed by Beijing, and one by senior monks loyal to the current Dalai Lama. Tenzin Gyatso became the 14th Dalai Lama in 1940. He fled Tibet when Chinese troops crushed an uprising in the Tibetan capital Lhasa in 1959 and has since been living in exile in the Indian town of Dharamshala. Tibetan Buddhists believe the Dalai Lama can choose the body into which he is reincarnated. The current Dalai Lama has said in the past that his successor will be born outside China. He laid out his succession plan in a recorded statement that was televised at a religious gathering of Buddhist monks in Dharamshala. He said the process of finding and recognising his reincarnation lies solely with the Gaden Phodrang Trust — an organisation founded by him in 2015. Advertisement 'No one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter,' he said, adding that the search for a future Dalai Lama should be carried out in 'accordance with past tradition'. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said 'the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama must adhere to the principles of domestic search in China' and 'approval by the central government'. She added that the process must 'follow religious rituals and historical settings, and be handled in accordance with national laws and regulations'. The Dalai Lama pictured in 1991. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo The Dalai Lama has often urged his followers to reject anyone chosen by Beijing. The self-proclaimed Tibetan government-in-exile he once headed before relinquishing his political role in 2011 supports this stance. Penpa Tsering, president of the government-in-exile, said Tibetans from around the world made 'an earnest request with single-minded devotion' that the position of the Dalai Lama should continue 'for the benefit of all sentient beings in general and Buddhist in particular'. 'In response to this overwhelming supplication, His Holiness has shown infinite compassion and finally agreed to accept our appeal on this special occasion of his 90th birthday,' he said at a press conference. Tsering warned China not to meddle in the process of the succession, saying it is a 'unique Tibetan Buddhist tradition'. 'We strongly condemn the People's Republic of China's usage of reincarnation subject for their political gain, and will never accept it,' he said. The search for a reincarnation begins after the incumbent's death. In the past, the successor has been identified by senior monastic disciples, based on spiritual signs and visions, and it can take several years before the next Dalai Lama is identified as a baby and groomed to take the reins.
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- RTÉ News
Dalai Lama suggests institution to continue at 90th birthday launch
Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, his given the strongest indication yet that the 600-year-old institution would continue after his death, at prayer celebrations for his 90th birthday. The Dalai Lama joined thousands of Buddhist followers in the prayer celebrations, a landmark event resonating far beyond the Indian Himalayan town where he has lived for decades. "As far as the institution of the Dalai Lama, there will be some kind of a framework within which we can talk about its continuation", he said, speaking in Tibetan. The leader, who turns 90 on 6 July, is according to Tibetans the 14th reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. He and thousands of other Tibetans have lived in exile in India since Chinese troops crushed an uprising in the Tibetan capital Lhasa in 1959. Draped in traditional maroon and yellow robes, the Dalai Lama sat and listened to speeches and chants of monks, nuns, pilgrims, as well as well-wishers from across the world. "Though I am 90 years old, physically I am very healthy," he said, before tasting a slice of Tibetan-style birthday cake, an elaborately decorated tower made from roasted barley and butter cut in front of him. "In the time I have left, I will continue to dedicate myself to the well-being of others as much as possible," he said. 'Continuation' The Dalai Lama's 90th birthday is more than a personal milestone. The charismatic Nobel Peace Prize-winning Buddhist Tenzin Gyatso is also expected to reveal if there will be another Dalai Lama after him. The Dalai Lama has said the institution will continue only if there is popular demand - and is widely expected to reveal that decision on Wednesday. The occasion carries profound weight not only for Tibetans, but also for global supporters who see the Dalai Lama as a symbol of non-violence, compassion, and the enduring struggle for Tibetan cultural identity under Chinese rule. "We offer our fervent devotions that Tenzin Gyatso, protector of the Land of Snows, lives for one hundred eons," a chorus of red-robed monks sang. "May all your noble aspirations be fulfilled," they added, in front of a crowd that included religious leaders of many faiths. His advancing age has also sparked concern over the future of Tibetan leadership and the delicate question of his succession. While China condemns him as a rebel and separatist, the internationally recognised Dalai Lama describes himself as a "simple Buddhist monk". Many exiled Tibetans fear China will name a successor to bolster control over a territory it poured troops into in 1950. The Dalai Lama has been lauded by his followers for his tireless campaign for greater autonomy for Tibet, a vast high-altitude plateau in East Asia about the size of South Africa. The Dalai Lama handed over political authority in 2011 to an exiled government chosen democratically by 130,000 Tibetans globally. At the same time, he warned that the future of his spiritual post faced an "obvious risk of vested political interests misusing the reincarnation system".
