DHARAMSHALA, India. The Dalai Lama is expected to address the issue of his succession during a three-day Buddhist gathering this week, just days before his 90th birthday, as Beijing closely monitors developments surrounding the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader.
The conference, which begins this week in Dharamshala and is being held for the first time since 2019, brings together more than 100 Tibetan Buddhist leaders. It is seen as a significant moment for the Tibetan community, with the Dalai Lama anticipated to share details about how and where his successor might be found.
Beijing, which considers the Dalai Lama a separatist, insists it has the authority to choose his successor. However, the Dalai Lama has repeatedly stated that his reincarnation will not be born in China and urged his followers to reject any figure appointed by the Chinese government.
Tibetan Buddhists believe that enlightened monks are reborn to continue their spiritual mission. The current 14th Dalai Lama was recognized as the reincarnation of his predecessor at the age of two and has since become a global symbol of Tibetan identity and resistance to Chinese control.
“The rest of my life I will dedicate for the benefit of others, as much as possible, as extensive as possible,” the Dalai Lama told followers on Monday during a long-life prayer offering.
He added, “There will be some kind of a framework within which we can talk about the continuation of the institution of the Dalai Lamas,” though he did not elaborate further.
The Dalai Lama, who has lived in exile in India since fleeing Tibet in 1959 following a failed uprising against Chinese rule, has previously said that his reincarnation could take place in India.
Dolma Tsering Teykhang, deputy speaker of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile, emphasized the importance of hearing from the Dalai Lama himself. “While China tries to vilify him at every chance, it is also trying to create rules on how to control the reincarnation process,” she said. “China is trying to grab this institution for its political purpose.”
Tibet’s chief state oracle, Thupten Ngodup, noted that while discussions on reincarnation typically do not occur while a spiritual leader is still alive, the current situation is different because of interference from the Chinese government.
China, in a statement last March, dismissed the Dalai Lama as a political exile who “has no right to represent the Tibetan people.” The Chinese government has said it is willing to talk with him if he acknowledges Tibet and Taiwan as inalienable parts of China — a condition rejected by the Tibetan government-in-exile.
The Dalai Lama will also attend a prayer ceremony led by the Tibetan government-in-exile on July 5 and speak during his birthday celebration on July 6. According to the organizers, Indian Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and other Indian officials are expected to attend. Actor Richard Gere, a longtime supporter of Tibetan causes, will also be present.
Tibetans have continued to offer prayers for the Dalai Lama’s health, especially after his knee surgery in the United States last year. In an interview with Reuters in December, the Dalai Lama said he could live to be 110. His predecessor passed away unexpectedly at the age of 58.
While the Dalai Lama’s Gaden Phodrang Foundation will lead the search for his reincarnation after his death, political responsibilities have already been passed on. In 2011, the Dalai Lama formally relinquished his political role to a democratically elected leadership, ending a 368-year-old tradition of being both the spiritual and temporal head of Tibetans.
“Since he has come in the form of a human, we have to agree that there will be a moment when he is not with us,” said Teykhang. “His Holiness has really prepared us for that day. He made us act as if he’s not there.”
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
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