Dalai Lama’s Followers Urge China: Respect His Choice On Succession Left To Gaden Trust

Follower of the Dalai Lama expressed their elation at his statement that Gaden Phodrang Trust will have sole authority to recognise his future reincarnation.

Speaking to ANI, several attendees of the 15th Tibetan Religious Conference on Wednesday said that the Dalai Lama’s statement was a direct message to China.

General Secretary of Tibetan Women’s Association, Tenzin Nyima said, “His Holiness will be chosen by his office and the leaders of Buddhism from his office. So many Tibetan people were waiting for his message. So today he has given the statement, and we are very happy. And it also conveyed the message to the outsiders that no one has the right to interfere in the Tibetan traditions. Outsiders are not allowed to choose any successor of his, it’s directly a message to the Chinese government only.”

Tenzin Tsundue, Tibetan writer and activist, noted that this was a great step taken by the Dalai Lama.

“This is great news and the first important step His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, has taken, where His Holiness declared that there will be a 15th Dalai Lama. His Holiness said that the decision is not his alone, said that for many decades, the Tibetans, the Buddhists around the world, especially people in the Himalayas from India and around the world, have asked him again and again that there should be reincarnation,” he said.

He said that the decision that there would be a 15th Dalai Lama is an important one.

“Today, he made this important decision that there will be a 15th Dalai Lama, and the first declaration that happened today. What His Holiness also said was that towards the end of the statement that the decision and the process will be carried out by Ganden Phodrang, which is directly run under His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. His Holiness said that Ganden Phodrang alone has the authority and no one else. So this is a clear indication that China has nothing to do with this. And, whatever China has been saying, they have nothing to do with the entire process of selecting the next Dalai Lama,” he said.

Tsundue noted that the Dalai Lama is healthy at the moment, but the decision is an important one.

“We also know that His Holiness, at the moment, is healthy, he’s doing fine. He’s meeting almost 400 people every single day. So these are great signs, and he had indicated today in this declaration that there will be a 15th Dalai Lama,” he said.

Tenzin Lekshay, Spokesperson of the Tibetan government in exile, also welcomed the decision, saying that the decision was an important one. Although she said that the Dalai Lama will now live further and is healthy. But the decision affirmed that only his office will decide who his reincarnation would be.

“He has been very consistent in the manner of whatever he has been doing. So for his incarnation, he is the sole legitimate power and authority, and he’s always said the right thing. The good thing is that he will live for another 20-30 years. So why should we worry about the reincarnation process at all? Let the time come, then he decides. So this time, because His Holiness is gracious, His Holiness is living, he’s vibrant, so what more joy we should have? Yes, it’s a clear message. The authority is with His Holiness and has been given to the Trust,” he said.

Secretary of the Department of Information and International Relations of the CTA, Krma Choying, said that the current statement is a reiteration of a similar statement given by him in 2011. It stated that no outsider will be involved in the selection of the Dalai Lama.

“We didn’t know what kind of message he would give today, but by looking at the statement, it seems like the statement is more or less similar to the one he gave in 2011. His Holiness has promised to live up to 113 years, you know, so I hope we are not in a hurry. So I think whatever he says is his final decision. The incarnation is the prerogative of the Ganden Phodrang, the development of the Office of His Holiness, and so it is the Chinese government or any other individual who has no concern for any interference,” he said.

Nawang, a Tibetan Buddhist monk, said that he was happy to hear this message, just like other Tibetans.

“Very clearly he told that his reincarnation will continue in the future. That is a very good message. One reason to be happy today. This is also enough message to China. It means that the next reincarnation will be selected by our side, not by the other,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Tibetan Spiritual Leader, the Dalai Lama, stated that the Gaden Phodrang Trust, a foundation established by him, can only recognise future reincarnations, and no one else has the authority to decide on the matter. This statement rules out any say for China in the process of naming the next Dalai Lama.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Dalai Lama stated, ” The process by which a future Dalai Lama is to be recognized has been established in the 24 September 2011 statement which states that responsibility for doing so will rest exclusively with members of the Gaden Phodrang Trust, the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. They should consult the various heads of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the reliable oath-bound Dharma Protectors who are linked inseparably to the lineage of the Dalai Lamas. They should accordingly carry out the procedures of search and recognition under tradition.” (ANI)