Ahead of his 90th birthday on July 6, the 14th Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, once again affirmed that the centuries-old institution of the Dalai Lama will continue.
He made it clear that the authority to decide the succession lies solely with the Tibetan people.
In a video message by the office of the Dalai Lama, Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh, the spiritual leader said, “The next Dalai Lama will be chosen according to Tibetan traditions. The decision will be based on spiritual and cultural practices that have been followed for centuries. It is not something that political powers can dictate.”
His statement that directly challenges external attempts to interfere in the spiritual affairs of Tibet, the 89-year-old Nobel Peace laureate stressed that no government, including the Chinese, has any role to play in the process of identifying his reincarnation.
The remarks from the Dalai Lama came amid growing concerns among Tibetan communities and human rights organizations over China’s attempts to assert control over Tibetan Buddhism by potentially appointing a successor of its own choice. Beijing has consistently maintained that it will have the final say in the reincarnation process, a claim widely rejected by the Tibetan diaspora and global religious leaders.
The Dalai Lama has addressed this issue in the past, stating that he may choose not to reincarnate or could reincarnate outside of Tibet. However, in his latest statement, he reaffirmed his commitment to the continuation of the lineage, reassuring Tibetans around the world that the spiritual leadership will endure. “The purpose of the Dalai Lama is to serve the Tibetan people and preserve the teachings of compassion and wisdom,” he said.
“The reincarnation will take place in a free and open manner, in line with Tibetan customs, not through political decree,” he added.
The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), the Tibetan government-in-exile based in Dharamshala, supported the Dalai Lama’s statement, calling it a “clear reaffirmation of the Tibetan people’s right to preserve their religious and cultural traditions without interference”.
As the revered spiritual leader nears his 90th birthday on July 6, the question of succession had always remained critical in the past as well. While there is no official timeline for identifying the 15th Dalai Lama, the current leader’s unwavering stance has once again underlined the importance of protecting spiritual autonomy and the cultural identity of the Tibetan people.
On July 6, he will be attending a series of public programs in honour of his 90th birthday organized by the Kashag of the Central Tibetan Administration at Dharamshala on behalf of all the Tibetan people.