Trust will pick successor, says Dalai Lama; China says its approval must

KULLU: Ahead of his 90th birthday, the Dalai Lama on Wednesday said the institution of the Dalai Lama would continue, and that Gaden Phodrang Trust , founded by him, has the sole authority to recognise the future reincarnation.

In a message to China, which has been insisting that it would choose the successor, the 14th Dalai Lama said "no one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter".

"When the time comes, His Holiness will reincarnate, and any adult or a person from any gender can be recognised as his reincarnation," said Samdhong Rinpoche, a member of the Trust, at a press conference in McLeodganj. "It's not necessary that the next Dalai Lama will be from Tibet," Rinpoche said.

A PTI report from Beijing quoted the Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman rejecting this succession plan. At a media briefing, Mao Ning insisted any future heir to the Dalai Lama "must follow the principles of domestic (Chinese) recognition - the 'Golden Urn' process - and approval by the central govt (Beijing) in line with Chinese religious traditions and laws".

Buddhists from across world wrote to Dalai over continuation of institution

In a recorded video statement shown on Wednesday, the first day of the three-day 15th Tibetan Religious Conference that started in McLeodganj, the 14th Dalai Lama said responsibility for choosing his successor rests exclusively with the members of the Gaden Phodrang Trust, a non-profit foundation established by him in 2015. Gaden Phodrang members should carry out the search for his successor in accordance with tradition, he said.

"They (the members) should consult the various heads of Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the reliable oath-bound Dharma Protectors who are linked inseparably to the lineage of the Dalai Lamas. The members should carry out the procedures of search and recognition in accordance with past tradition," said the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama recalled that he had asked, during a meeting with the heads of Tibetan spiritual traditions on Sept 24, 2011, whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue, and mentioned then that as far back as 1969 he had made it clear that the "people concerned should decide whether the Dalai Lama's reincarnations should continue in the future".

"I also said during the meeting in 2011 that when I am about 90, I will consult the high lamas of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions, Tibetan public, and other concerned people who follow Tibetan Buddhism, to re-evaluate whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue," he said.

The Dalai Lama also said that he has had no public discussions on this issue in the last 14 years. However, members of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile , members of the Central Tibetan Administration , NGOs, Buddhists from the Himalayan region, Mongolia, Buddhist republics of the Russian Federation, and Buddhists in Asia, including from mainland China, have written to him with reasons, earnestly requesting that the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue.

"In accordance with all these requests, I am affirming that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue," said the Dalai Lama.

Trust member Rinpoche said there wouldn't be any other message from the Dalai Lama regarding his successor in the coming days. "Whatever instructions he will give now will be meant for the Gaden Phodrang Trust only."

It's not necessary that the Dalai Lama's reincarnation would be from Tibet only, he remarked. "There are no restrictions or limitations of geographical boundaries when it comes to the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama . In the past, the Dalai Lamas have taken birth in different countries," he said.

In response to a question on the future of the Tibetan freedom movement , Penpa Tsering, head of the Tibetan govt-in-exile, said Tibetans would continue to follow the "middle way policy". "It was proposed by the Dalai Lama and approved by a majority of Tibetans in 1996, and unanimously adopted by the Tibetan govt-in-exile. This policy cannot be changed by one person and will continue in future as well. There will have to be a referendum to change our policy," said Tsering.