Why continuation of the Dalai Lama institution is such a big deal

New Indian Express

21 hours ago

A wave of relief and excitement enveloped Tibetan Buddhists on July 2 when the Dalai Lama, their tallest spiritual leader who turns 90 today, said in a video message that the 'institution of the Dalai Lama will continue.' The spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetans till 2011, he gave up political leadership that year, assigned it to a democratically elected body, and was iffy about the continuation of the Dalai lineage. Yet, he continued to be the face of Tibetan resistance against usurper China. The latest decision to perpetuate the institution of the Dalai Lama gave spiritual heft to the ongoing fight for at least internal autonomy despite Chinese stranglehold on their land and way of life.
In his July 2 message, he said his reincarnation could be an adult, not necessarily a male, but will be born in a free country, adding the selection will be solely vested with the Gaden Phodrang Trust, the institution of the Dalai Lama. The message reaffirming the continuation of a 600-year-long sacred tradition gave a long-awaited life line to Buddhists in Tibet and the diaspora, most of whom continue to live in exile in India ever since they first arrived with the 14th Dalai Lama in 1959.
'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... They should consult the various heads of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the reliable oath-bound Dharma Protectors who are linked inseparably to the lineage of the Dalai Lamas. They should seek advice and direction from these concerned beings and carry out the procedures of search and recognition in accordance with past tradition. I shall leave clear written instructions about this. Bear in mind that, apart from the reincarnation recognized through such legitimate methods, no recognition or acceptance should be given to a candidate chosen for political ends by anyone, including those in the People's Republic of China,' the Tibetan spiritual leader had stated in his September 24, 2011 message, while relinquishing his role as the temporal/political head of the Tibetans and vested the power with the democratically elected Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).
Since 2011, the Dalai and officials in the Kashag — the Tibetan government-in-exile with headquarters in Dharamshala — have a system in place to continue political work while officers of the Gaden Phodrang Foundation set up in 2015 are tasked with maintaining and supporting the tradition of the Dalai Lama.
While the Dalai's formal announcement that the centuries long tradition will continue after his demise was widely welcomed in and outside Tibet and those who follow Tibetan Buddhism across the world, the reincarnation of the Dalai has been at the crux of a seismic India-China relationship. India's decision to continue to host the Dalai Lama has been an enduring flashpoint between the two giant Asian neighbours.
For Tibetans, the Dalai Lama represents their most sacred tradition of faith, identity, motherland, culture, language, ethnicity and collective aspiration of continuity as one race. But for the People's Republic of China (PRC), he is a separatist leader. The latter's message - Tibetan Buddhism is separate from Chinese control and it is important to preserve Tibetan Buddhist traditions - was a challenge to PRC's hegemonic and forced control over Tibetan autonomy, Tibetan Buddhism, ethnicity and religious freedom.
China took no time to reject the Dalai's message on his reincarnation. The same day, in a rejoinder, the Global Times in China quoted Li Decheng, deputy director-general of and a research fellow with China Tibetology Research Center, as saying that 'managing the reincarnation of Living Buddhas in accordance with the law is an important aspect of China's administration of religious affairs… The reincarnation of Living Buddhas is by no means merely an internal religious matter, nor is it solely the 'unique predestined bond' claimed by the 14th Dalai Lama. Instead, it reflects national sovereignty, governmental authority, religious principles, and the sentiments of lay followers.'