Several hundred special reincarnational lineages have been identified in Tibet, the most respected being that of the Dalai Lama. Dalai Lamas have played a dominant role in Tibetan politics in addition to their spiritual leadership.
Dalai Lamas, or their regents, governed much of the Tibetan plateau with varying degrees of autonomy from the 17th century until China occupied Tibet in But he fled his homeland in after a Tibetan rebellion against Chinese rule was forcefully repressed. Tibet has undergone sweeping changes in his absence. For more than 60 years, the Dalai Lama has lived in a compound with a garden where he walks each morning if it is not raining, near a Tibetan Buddhist temple in Dharamshala, a picturesque Himalayan hill station in northern India.
The town hosts the Central Tibetan Administration, also known as the Tibetan government in exile, which represents hundreds of thousands of Tibetans who have fled their homeland since it was annexed by China.
Tibetan exiles set fire to Chinese goods in Dharamshala in after a crackdown by Chinese troops against protests in Tibet. Credit: AP. I first encountered the Dalai Lama at a difficult moment for him and the Tibetan people. It was March and anti-China protests inside Tibet had turned violent, attracting global media attention.
The press conference was sometimes tense as reporters questioned why he was not being more critical of the repressive tactics being used by Chinese authorities inside Tibet. When my turn came, the Dalai Lama held my hand for some time and remarked on how far I had come to attend.
At one point, the Dalai Lama leant forward in his chair, fixed me with an intense gaze and described the predicament facing all Tibetans campaigning for greater autonomy for their homeland. It can only express the truth. Our only weapon, our only strength, is justice and truth.
The Dalai Lama during a press conference in Dharamshala in March The conclusion of that press conference was different to any I have experienced. The Dalai Lama stayed on to greet his inquisitors one at a time. With charm and grace, he shook hands, joked and chatted. The writer found constant inspiration from his hometown of Hannibal and the people he met along the way.
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By Clarence Haynes. China also wants to appoint its own Dalai Lama. But it is important to Tibetan Buddhists that they are in charge of the selection process.
Because of the threat from China, the 14th Dalai Lama has made a number of statements that would make it difficult for a Chinese appointed 15th Dalai Lama to be seen as legitimate. For example, he has stated that the institution of the Dalai Lama might not be needed any more. However, he has also said it was up to the people if they wanted to preserve this aspect of Tibetan Buddhism and continue the Dalai Lama lineage.
Another option the Dalai Lama has proposed would be for him to appoint his reincarnation before he dies. In this scenario, the Dalai Lama would transfer his spiritual realization to the successor. A third alternative Tenzin Gyatso has stated is that if he dies outside of Tibet, his reincarnation would be located abroad, most likely India.
Lastly, he has mentioned the possibility of being reborn as a woman, but added that he would have to be a very beautiful woman. He believes that appearance is important in transmitting Buddhist teachings. In April , U. The successor to the dalai lama is traditionally identified by senior monastic disciples, based on spiritual signs and visions.
In , however, the Chinese foreign ministry declared that only the government in Beijing can appoint the next dalai lama , and no recognition should be given to any other candidate. As a scholar of transnational Buddhism , I have studied Buddhism and its refashioning in the context of globalization. The dalai lama is a highly influential figure, and choosing a successor is not just a religious issue, but a political one as well. All dalai lamas are thought to be manifestations of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokitesvara.
Bodhisattvas are beings who work solely for the benefit of others. East Asian and Tibetan Buddhists, as part of the Mahayana sect, believe bodhisattvas have reached this highest realization. Furthermore, Mahayana Buddhists believe bodhisattvas choose to be reborn, to experience the pain and suffering of the world, to help other beings attain enlightenment.
Tibetan Buddhism has hundreds if not thousands of such lineages, but the most respected and well-known is the dalai lama. The 14 generations of dalai lamas, spanning six centuries, are linked through their acts of compassion and their wish to benefit all living beings. The current Dalai Lama was enthroned when he was about 4 years old and was renamed Tenzin Gyatso. The search for him began soon after the 13th Dalai Lama died. Disciples closest to the Dalai Lama set about to identify signs indicating the location of his rebirth.
There are usually predictions about where and when a dalai lama will be reborn, but further tests and signs are required to ensure the proper child is found.
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