This yr, the Dalai Lama’s 91st birthday celebration in Dharamshala will be extra particular. There are stories that he may train his successor on this occasion. In Tibetan Buddhism, selecting the next Dalai Lama is a actually traditional and religious process, recurrently linked to the idea in reincarnation.
Nonetheless, China needs to intervene in this process. Chinese language authorities claim that they've the staunch to approve the next Dalai Lama. But many Tibetans take into account right here is suitable a capacity for China to steer the Tibetan folks and their religion.
This time, the resolution of the next Dalai Lama is no longer handiest significant for Tibetan Buddhists, but additionally for countries cherish India, China, and the United States, resulting from the political and strategic impact it can need.
The Dalai Lama, who won the Nobel Peace Prize, is considered as some of the revered religious leaders in the enviornment. His followers are unfold all over many countries, no longer appropriate in Buddhist communities.
After fleeing from Tibet in 1959, the Dalai Lama made Dharamshala in India the spoiled for his authorities-in-exile. He has been residing right here and guiding the Tibetan folks for the past 66 years, continuing to be their religious head from this small metropolis in the Indian Himalayas.
Q: Why create folks issue the Dalai Lama may perhaps train his successor this time?
The Dalai Lama has been residing in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, since 1959, after fleeing Tibet all over a failed riot against China’s communist rule.
He no longer too prolonged ago wrote a e-book called “Affirm for the Unvoiced”, printed in March 2025. In the e-book, he acknowledged he would allotment info about his successor around the time of his 90th birthday. That’s why many take into account he may create the announcement this yr, all over his 91st birthday celebration.
Q: When and how used to be the present Dalai Lama chosen?
Per Tibetan custom, it's believed that a senior monk’s soul is reborn after loss of life.
The present Dalai Lama, the 14th, used to be born on 6 July 1935 in a small farming household in northeast Tibet. His birth name used to be Lhamo Dhondup.
When he used to be appropriate 2 years weak, a search personnel from the Tibetan authorities came making an strive to search out the reincarnation of the thirteenth Dalai Lama. They learned several indicators. The final proof came when young Lhamo known items that belonged to the thirteenth Dalai Lama and acknowledged, “Right here is mine.”
In iciness 1940, he used to be taken to the Potala Palace in Lhasa and used to be formally declared the religious chief of Tibet.
Q: How will the next Dalai Lama be chosen?
In his 2025 e-book, the Dalai Lama acknowledged that his successor will be born outside China. He plans to designate the positioning as nicely.
The responsibility to search out and acknowledge the next Dalai Lama will be given to the Gaden Phodrang Foundation, which he established in 2015.
This foundation used to be created to withhold the Dalai Lama’s religious custom and involves quite a pair of his close and trusted followers.
Q: How is the next Dalai Lama traditionally learned?
The search follows former Tibetan Buddhist customs built on the idea in reincarnation, the premise that the Dalai Lama’s spirit is reborn in a new child after he passes away. The principle steps are:
- Senior monks gape uncommon needs, omens, or events that occurred around the Dalai Lama’s loss of life. These clues point them against the sphere the put the kid shall be born.
- A personnel of trusted monks travels to the seemingly areas to search for children who match those clues.
- Every child is shown each day items blended with possessions that belonged to the gradual Dalai Lama (equivalent to beads, bowls, or prayer instruments). If a baby confidently picks out or says, “Right here is mine,” that is taken as a true signal of recognition.
- The monks quietly glance the kid’s temperament, kindness, and wisdom—qualities anticipated of a future Dalai Lama.
- When the quest personnel and senior lamas agree, the chosen child is publicly proclaimed the next Dalai Lama.
Q: Can the a similar process silent work now that Tibet is below Chinese language set an eye on?
The present Dalai Lama has acknowledged in current talks and in his 2025 e-book “Affirm for the Unvoiced” that he will leave definite written instructions for selecting his successor:
- He says the next Dalai Lama will be learned in a rustic the put China can no longer intervene.
- The successor generally is a lady, an grownup, or take some new rep, whatever best serves the Tibetan folks.
- Any different should be permitted by Tibetan Buddhist custom and by the Tibetan neighborhood itself, no longer by outside governments.
What occurs if there’s no Dalai Lama but? Who will lead the Tibetan folks?
If there's a time when the present Dalai Lama is no longer any longer there and the next one has no longer been learned but, the work will silent continue. The Tibetan authorities-in-exile, which is predicated in Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh), has already created a draw to set working smoothly all over this gap. This methodology will take care of both the authorities and the tasks of the Dalai Lama.
What does China recount regarding the next Dalai Lama?
China says that it has the staunch to approve the next Dalai Lama. They claim this power comes from a custom started in 1793 all around the Qing dynasty. Per China, the resolution must observe Chinese language felony pointers, which comprise the usage of a “Golden Urn” lottery draw and selecting someone born interior China.
Nonetheless, the Tibetan neighborhood doesn’t procure this. They suspect about handiest the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Buddhist custom should issue who the next religious chief is.
Why are Tibetans scared about China’s feature?
Many Tibetans grief that China needs to manipulate the Dalai Lama’s resolution to steer the Tibetan folks. A revered Buddhist monk even acknowledged that it’s scandalous for the Chinese language Communist Celebration, which doesn’t observe religion, to intervene in something as sacred as selecting the next Dalai Lama.
China recurrently calls the Dalai Lama a “separatist” and bans his photos or any public toughen for him. In March 2025, China’s international ministry acknowledged the Dalai Lama is suitable a “political exile” and doesn’t picture the Tibetan folks. China additionally claims that its rule introduced development to Tibet by ending “slavery.”
What roles can India and the US Play?
India is home to over 100,000 Tibetan Buddhists. They stay, gape, and work freely in India. But China has always considered the Dalai Lama’s presence in India as an project and considers India a rival.
The US has shown true toughen for Tibetan rights. American leaders comprise acknowledged many times that China should no longer be allowed to intervene in the resolution of the next Dalai Lama. In 2024, U.S. President Joe Biden signed a rules that places stress on China to allow more freedom for Tibet and to prefer points peacefully.
