Dalai Lama says he plans to reincarnate - but how is a successor chosen and why is it controversial?
Tenzin Gyatso, who became the 14th reincarnation of the Dalai Lama in 1940, made the announcement at prayer celebrations on Monday, which marked his 90th birthday in the Tibetan calendar. His birthday in the Gregorian calendar is this Sunday.
He said the next Dalai Lama should be found in line with Buddhist traditions, signalling that China should stay away from the process of identifying his successor.
But China's communist authorities have long insisted they should be the ones to select the next reincarnated figure.
Here, we look at the tensions with China, how a successor is chosen and what the spiritual leader's role is.
Tensions since Dalai Lama fled Tibet
The Dalai Lama and thousands of other Tibetans fled to India after a failed uprising against Chinese Communist rule in 1959.
He has been living in the town of Dharamshala in India since then, helping establish a democratic government-in-exile while also travelling the world to advocate autonomy for the Tibetan people.
Beijing has campaigned for decades to counteract the international influence of the Dalai Lama, whose world travels draw attention to the Communist government's often harsh 60-year rule over Tibet.
How is the next Dalai Lama chosen?
To understand why there is anxiety over the next Dalai Lama, it's important to understand how the next one is chosen - or rather, identified.
Tibetan Buddhists believe the Dalai Lama can choose the body into which he is reincarnated.
The search for a Dalai Lama's reincarnation begins only upon the incumbent's death, and it can take several years.
In the past, the successor has been identified by senior monastic disciples while they are still a baby, based on spiritual signs and visions, and they have been groomed to take the reins.
Tenzin Gyatso was identified as a baby in 1937, and formally recognised as the 14th Dalai Lama two years later before being enthroned in 1940.
The searchers from the Tibetan government were convinced when the toddler identified belongings of the 13th Dalai Lama with the phrase, "It's mine, it's mine".
What is the Dalai Lama's succession stance?
He said in 2011 that the institution of the Dalai Lama did not necessarily have to continue, and that he would leave it up to the Tibetan Buddhist community.
Then in his book Voice For The Voiceless, which was published earlier this year, he wrote that his successor would be born in the "free world", meaning outside China.
He made his succession plans more explicit in a recorded statement that was televised at a religious gathering of Buddhist monks in Dharamshala on 30 June, saying the next Dalai Lama should be found and recognised as per past Buddhist traditions, while indicating China should not be involved.
He stated reincarnation lies solely with the Gaden Phodrang Trust - a non-profit he founded in 2015 that oversees matters related to the spiritual leader and the institute of the Dalai Lama.
"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."
Hours after the Dalai Lama's latest announcement, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry reiterated that his succession must be approved by China.
Before the Dalai Lama's announcement, the Tibetan Buddhist community had rallied for him to change his stance and pledge that there would be a successor, with many fearing the Chinese authorities would name their own reincarnation if he didn't.
Many believe the dispute will mean there are eventually rival Dalai Lamas - one appointed by Beijing, and one by senior monks loyal to the current Dalai Lama.
What does the Dalai Lama do?
The Dalai Lama is believed to be the manifestation of Chenrezig or Avalokiteshvara, the god of compassion and the patron saint of Tibet, who chose to reincarnate to serve the people.
There have been 14 incarnations since the creation of the Tibetan Buddhist institution in 1587.
Dalai Lama means Ocean of Wisdom, and Tibetans normally refer to him as Yeshin Norbu, the Wish-Fulfilling Gem, or simply Kundun, meaning The Presence.
He has travelled the world in efforts to promote peace, and in 1989 was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle for the liberation of Tibet.
The Dalai Lama once headed the self-proclaimed Tibetan government-in-exile, before relinquishing his political role in 2011 and allowing a democratic president to take his place.
He said he was retiring politically to focus solely on his spiritual affairs, ending a 368-year-old tradition of the Dalai Lamas functioning as both the spiritual and temporal head of Tibet.
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The Independent
28 minutes ago
- The Independent
A tiny town in India's Himalayas buzzes with activity to celebrate Dalai Lama's 90th birthday
Thousands of Tibetan Buddhists began streaming in India's Himalayan town of Dharamshala on Sunday to celebrate the 90th birthday of the Dalai Lama, who said days ago that he plans to reincarnate after dying. Hundreds of red-robed monks and nuns braved incessant rain and poured through the narrow streets of Dharamshala to make their way towards the main Dalai Lama temple, where the spiritual head was scheduled to deliver a speech. A crowd of Tibetans — some carrying ceremonial offerings — walked beside them. Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, has been living in exile since he fled Chinese rule in Tibet in 1959, and his birthday will be attended by thousands of his followers from around the world along with celebrities and officials from the United States and India. Earlier this week, the Nobel Peace Prize winning Buddhist spiritual leader said he plans to reincarnate after his death, ending years of speculation that he might be the last person to hold the role. He also said that the next Dalai Lama should be found and recognized as per past Buddhist traditions. On Saturday, the Dalai Lama said he hoped of living for decades more, until the age of 130. In the past the Dalai Lama has said his successor will be born in the 'free world' — outside China. Many exiled Tibetans, however, fear China will name its own successor to the Dalai Lama to bolster control over Tibet, a territory it poured troops into in 1950 and has ruled ever since. China, which views the Dalai Lama as a separatist, has repeatedly said that it alone has the authority to approve the next spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism. It also says it will reject anyone chosen without Beijing's consent. Recognized worldwide in his red robes and wide smile, the Dalai Lama describes himself as a 'simple Buddhist monk.' But millions of Tibetan Buddhists worship him as living manifestations of Chenrezig, the Buddhist god of compassion. The Dalai Lama was thrust onto the Tibetan throne in 1937. Soon after, Chinese troops swept into his homeland in the 1950s and crushed a failed uprising, forcing him to escape with thousands of his followers to India where he established a government in exile. Since then, he has spent more than seven decades in exile and sustained a nation in exile by managing to build a community that's kept the Tibetan culture and identity alive. The Dalai Lama has also become one of the world's most recognizable figures while leading a Tibetan diaspora through their struggle for autonomy and opposition of China's control of Tibet.
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
Dalai Lama turns 90 and vows to keep defying China for years
DHARAMSHALA, India, July 6 (Reuters) - The spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, the Dalai Lama, turns 90 on Sunday after a week of celebrations by followers during which he riled China again and spoke about his hope to live beyond 130 and reincarnate after dying. The Nobel laureate is regarded as one of the world's most influential religious leaders, with a following that extends well beyond Buddhism, but not by Beijing which calls him a separatist and has sought to bring the faith under its control. Fleeing his native Tibet in 1959 in the wake of a failed uprising against Chinese rule, the 14th Dalai Lama along with hundreds of thousands of Tibetans took shelter in India and has since advocated for a peaceful "Middle Way" to seek autonomy and religious freedom for Tibetan people. Thousands of followers from around the world, celebrities, and officials from the United States and India, will attend his birthday celebrations in Dharamshala, the small Indian town in the foothills of the Himalayas where the Dalai Lama lives. During the celebrations, which will include cultural performances and remarks by long-time follower and Hollywood star Richard Gere as well as federal Indian ministers, the Dalai Lama is scheduled to deliver a speech. The preceding week of celebrations was particularly important for Tibetan Buddhists as the Dalai Lama had previously mentioned that he would speak about his succession at his 90th birthday. On Wednesday, he allayed their concerns about the future of the institution of the Dalai Lama by saying that he would reincarnate as the leader of the faith upon his death and that his non-profit institution, the Gaden Phodrang Trust, had the sole authority to recognise his successor. China has said that the succession will have to be approved by its leaders. The United States, which is seeking to counter the rise of China, has called on Beijing to cease what it describes as interference in the succession of the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan Buddhist lamas.
The Guardian
5 hours ago
- The Guardian
Buddhist rebirth v Chinese control: the battle to choose the Dalai Lama's successor
Few celebrations have the hills of Dharamshala abuzz like the birthday of the Dalai Lama. But this year, as monks and devotees flooded into the mountainous Indian city before the Tibetan spiritual leader turns 90 on Sunday, the mood of anticipation has been palpable. For years, the Dalai Lama had promised that around his 90th birthday he would make a long-awaited announcement about his reincarnation. Finally, in a video broadcast to Tibetan monks and leaders on Wednesday, he laid out what the future would hold. It came amid fears of a ruthless succession battle between the Tibetan community and the Chinese government, which for decades has sought to control the institution of the Dalai Lama, revered as the highest teacher in Tibetan Buddhism. Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, confirmed he would remain in the role until he died. Then, as per centuries of tradition, he would be reincarnated, and only his inner circle – a trust of closely allied monks – would have the 'sole authority' to locate his successor; an often lengthy process to track down a child in which his spirit has been reborn. 'No one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter,' the Dalai Lama told his monks. The announcement ended years of speculation that, in an attempt to prevent Chinese interference, the Dalai Lama might put forward an alternative mode of reincarnation, such as transferring his spiritual essence to a successor who could be found while he was still alive. To the great worry of many in the Tibetan diaspora, he had even hinted that he may not reincarnate at all. The Dalai Lama's latest statement was a clear defiance of the Communist party in China, which has long held the view that only it has the authority to decide the next Dalai Lama and has even enshrined the right into Chinese law. However, Tansen Sen, a scholar of Indo-Chinese relations and Buddhism, noted that the Dalai Lama's message struck a more diplomatic tone than some of his previous statements. In earlier writings, he had said the 15th Dalai Lama would be born in the 'free world' – taken to mean outside China – but this time he did not repeat that. 'I see this as a very strategically handled announcement which avoided ruffling China's feathers too much,' said Sen. 'The Dalai Lama is not only a religious leader, he is also a shrewd thinker and I think he realises that there are larger issues at play, particularly that he is caught geopolitically between India and China.' However, China's sensitivity over the issue was evident in the absence of the Dalai Lama's statement from all Chinese or Tibetan media. 'China's propaganda managers seem very reticent for this news to reach Tibetans or even Chinese,' said Robert Barnett, a scholar of Tibetan history at Soas University of London. 'Presumably that's because Chinese leaders fear a popular outpouring of support for the Dalai Lama, or they are struggling to agree on how to respond.' China invaded and took control of the autonomous region of Tibet in 1950. After a failed uprising by Tibetans in 1959, China threatened to arrest the Dalai Lama – who acted as a religious and political leader – forcing him into exile in India. After his perilous escape across the Himalayas, in April 1959 the Dalai Lama met the then-Indian prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, who declared – against much opposition within his own government – that the Tibetan spiritual leader 'should be allowed to live in peace' in India. Since then, the Dalai Lama, along with other Tibetan religious leaders, civilians and parliamentarians in exile, have established their political and religious headquarters in Dharamshala, high in the Himalayan mountains. From his outpost, the Dalai Lama has been both a religious leader and a tireless and highly effective global advocate for the Tibetan cause and community over the past 66 years. He has vocally resisted calls by China for it to have any say over the institution of the Dalai Lama or to meddle in the succession process. Within greater Tibet, home to 6 million people, Chinese authorities have imposed increasingly draconian measures and censorship to try to crush the influence of the Dalai Lama, including banning images of him. Beijing has described the Dalai Lama as a 'wolf in monk's clothing' and views him as a dissident and separatist, even as he advocated for greater Tibetan autonomy within China, rather than full independence. Chinese efforts are widely seen to have failed, and as the Dalai Lama's international profile has grown – he has a Nobel peace prize and millions of devotees, including some of the world's biggest celebrities – he remains more revered than ever. His presence as a constant thorn in the side of Chinese efforts to impose complete homogeneity over Tibet means officials have become increasingly determined to control what happens when he dies. In a statement after the Dalai Lama's announcement this week – which was only published in English – the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, said his successor 'must be chosen by drawing lots from a golden urn and approved by the central government'. Analysts have widely agreed the most likely scenario after the death of the Dalai Lama is that two successors will be appointed; one located by Tibetan monks, as per tradition, probably outside China and recognised by the Tibetan community in exile, and another selected by the Chinese Communist party from within China. Over the decades, the Dalai Lama's presence in Dharamshala and the free movement he is afforded by India has remained a source of tension in Indo-Chinese relations. Yet since 2020, when border tensions erupted into violent skirmishes, it appeared the Indian government, led by the prime minister, Narendra Modi, began to see the Tibet issue as a direct form of leverage over China. China has emphasised that any country that interferes in the Dalai Lama reincarnation will be sanctioned – a message seen to be directed at India. In a notable break from convention, this week India's minister of minority affairs, Kiren Rijiju, himself a Buddhist, said publicly that reincarnation of the Dalai Lama '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.' China's foreign ministry instantly called on India to 'stop using Tibet issues to interfere in China's domestic affairs'. Amitabh Mathur, a former adviser on Tibet to the Indian government, said it was highly likely that the Dalai Lama's office would have pre-informed New Delhi of the reincarnation announcement, and that Rijiju's statement would not have been made without consulting senior ministries. 'It certainly goes above and beyond what has been said by India before,' said Mathur. He suggested the geopolitical challenges over the Dalai Lama were likely to become more complicated after his death, particularly if the Tibetan officials located his reincarnation inside India, in defiance of China's own possible selection. Tibetan officials have confirmed that unofficial back channels remained open with the Chinese and that the Dalai Lama was doing all he could to prevent the 600-year-old Tibetan Buddhist institution being hijacked by Chinese political interests. 'He's viewing these things from a very practical lens,' said Mathur. 'Don't forget, the Dalai Lama is as well versed in statecraft as he is in spiritual matters.' Nonetheless, as he led prayers on the eve of his birthday, the Tibetan leader – who appeared in good health – emphasised that he did not foresee his death coming any time soon. 'I hope,' he said, 'to live another 30 or 40 years.'
