The political leader of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Sikyong Penpa Tsering, has dismissed the recent remarks made by Chinese Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, on the reincarnation of the 14th Dalai Lama, saying they reflect a complete ignorance of the concept of reincarnation.
Taking to social media recently, the Chinese diplomat shared that the Dalai Lama has no authority to decide whether the reincarnation system will continue or not. This comes after the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader announced on July 2 that the 600-year-old institution of the Dalai Lama will continue and that Gaden Phodrang Trust has sole authority to recognise the future reincarnation.
Sikyong Penpa Tsering said, “The social media post by the ambassador is ignorant of the very concept of reincarnation, because the whole purpose of reincarnation is for a spiritually realised person to decide where he or she should be reborn to carry on the responsibilities or activities of the previous life or lives.”
Sikyong said that the post, in fact, reflects complete ignorance of the very notion of reincarnation and the reason and objective behind it. “For a government that does not believe in any religion, being responsible for recognition and forcing Lamas inside to be part of that decision-making process is pitiful,” Tsering said.
Taking to X, ambassador Xu Feihong shared that in fact, as a unique succession method of Tibetan Buddhism, the practice of Living Buddha reincarnation has continued over 700 years. “Currently, there are over 1,000 reincarnation systems of Living Buddhas in Xizang and Tibetan-inhabited prefectures/counties of Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu and Qinghai provinces. The 14th Dalai Lama is part of this long-standing historical tradition and religious succession, not otherwise. The reincarnation of Dalai Lamas neither began from him nor will end due to him. He has no authority to decide whether the reincarnation system shall continue or be abolished,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Taking to X, ambassador Xu Feihong shared that in fact, as a unique succession method of Tibetan Buddhism, the practice of Living Buddha reincarnation has continued over 700 years. “Currently, there are over 1,000 reincarnation systems of Living Buddhas in Xizang and Tibetan-inhabited prefectures/counties of Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu and Qinghai provinces. The 14th Dalai Lama is part of this long-standing historical tradition and religious succession, not otherwise. The reincarnation of Dalai Lamas neither began from him nor will end due to him. He has no authority to decide whether the reincarnation system shall continue or be abolished,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}In his July 2 statement, the Dalai Lama said his decision was influenced by numerous requests from Tibetan spiritual leaders, members of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile, and the Buddhist diaspora in the Himalayas, Mongolia, the Russian Federation and Asia, including mainland China, that the institution should continue.
The spiritual leader reiterated that the Gaden Phodrang Trust has sole authority to recognise the future reincarnation and no one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter. After this announcement, an irate Beijing, which describes the Dalai Lama as a “separatist”, countered that the spiritual leader’s reincarnation “must be approved by the central (Chinese) government”.
The process of recognising the reincarnations of lamas in Tibetan Buddhism is solely and uniquely a Tibetan religious tradition. In contrast, China maintains that the process of selecting his successor must adhere to Chinese law, asserting its control over Tibetan Buddhism and rejecting any succession beyond its authority.