With the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday in 2025, there have been increased discussions about the future Dalai Lama reincarnations and the role that Tibetans will play in shaping their own religion.
Already, the Chinese government is making plans for when the 14th Dalai Lama passes, with the wishes of the Tibetan people ignored in favour of a false Lama who would act as a government puppet. But China’s plans will not go unchallenged – the Tibetan people are pushing-back against China’s plans, and even the 14th Dalai Lama himself has commented on the future of the Dalai Lama lineage:
Since the purpose of a reincarnation is to carry on the work of the predecessor, the new Dalai Lama will be born in the free world so that the traditional mission of the Dalai Lama — that is, to be the voice for universal compassion, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, and the symbol of Tibet embodying the aspirations of the Tibetan people — will continue.– Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama
Inside Tibet, the Chinese government imposes strict rules around Tibetan Buddhism, controlling vital religious events and access to holy sites. Every year new reports emerge of monasteries being demolished, religious schools closed, and monks and nuns arrested. Even possessing a photograph of the Dalai Lama inside Tibet can result in arrest and police brutality.
China’s fear of Tibetan Buddhism and the potential that it has to bring the Tibetan people together is demonstrated in the 1995 kidnapping of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the Panchen Lama. As the Panchen Lama, he would have played a pivotal role in Tibetan Buddhism, including in helping to identify future Dalai Lamas. However, shortly after he was recognised as the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, at age 6, he was abducted by the Chinese government and replaced with a false Lama, not recognised by the Tibetan people.
Tibetans carry a portrait of the Dalai Lama through the streets of London on Tibetan Uprising Day in London, 10 March 2022.
For too long, the world has stood by and allowed China to encroach on the rights of Tibetans. That is why we are calling on all governments to take a stand. Our demands are simple:
Recognise the positive impact of the 14th Dalai Lama on the world, the legacy of peace and unity that he has built.
Restore the religious freedom of Tibetans inside Tibet, the right to revere and keep images of the Dalai Lama, and the right of the Dalai Lama to return to his home country.
Respect the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people, including the right of Tibetans to identify the next Dalai Lama. Issue statements of support to Tibetans around the world that your government will keep fighting for the rights and safety of Tibetan Buddhists.
Interfering in the selection of the Dalai Lama is a political act, and a profound insult to the Tibetan people’s culture, desires, and beliefs. It is vital that the world sends a clear message to the Chinese government: this plan will fail.
For centuries, Buddhism has stood at the heart of Tibet’s unique national identity, society and culture. To the Chinese government, however, Tibetan Buddhism is a threat to its rule and a challenge to its goal of colonising Tibet.
In 1995, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima turned six years old. Barely a month later, he became the world's youngest political prisoner.
Drago County in Kardze, eastern Tibet, is the latest target in an ongoing assault on Tibetan Buddhism. Schools, statues, and religious objects have all been destroyed by the CCP.
