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In a bold move that escalates the ongoing dispute with Beijing, Dalai Lama has declared that his successor will be born outside China, specifically in the “free world.” This revelation comes from his new book, Voice for the Voiceless, which is set to be released on Tuesday.
The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, had previously suggested that the line of Tibetan spiritual leaders might end with him. However, in this book, he asserts the continuation of his reincarnation and clarifies that his successor will not be born under Chinese rule. “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 will continue,” he writes.
This statement directly counters China’s longstanding claim that it holds the authority to appoint the next Dalai Lama. Beijing, which considers Tibet an integral part of its territory, has insisted that any successor must be chosen through its state-controlled religious system. The Dalai Lama, who fled to India in 1959 after a failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese Communist rule, has repeatedly dismissed China’s claim over his reincarnation, stating that any appointee selected by Beijing would be illegitimate in the eyes of Tibetans.
Spiritual and political legacy
The book shows Dalai Lama’s commitment to ensuring that his spiritual and political legacy endures beyond his lifetime. He reveals that for more than a decade, he has received appeals from Tibetans inside and outside Tibet, urging him to secure the continuation of the Dalai Lama lineage. Tibetan Buddhist tradition holds that the soul of a senior monk reincarnates in a new child upon death. The current Dalai Lama was identified as the reincarnation of his predecessor when he was two years old.
Beijing swiftly dismissed the Dalai Lama’s statements, reiterating its stance on Tibet. A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry referred to the Tibetan leader as a “political exile engaged in anti-China separatist activities under the cloak of religion.” The official added that China’s position on Tibet remains unchanged and that the Dalai Lama’s remarks do not alter the “objective fact of Tibet’s prosperity and development.”
Details in July
Dalai Lama has said he will provide further details about his succession around his 90th birthday in July. Meanwhile, his book offers an account of his interactions with Chinese leaders over the past seven decades and reiterates his assertion that Tibet remains under “repressive Communist Chinese rule.” Despite Beijing’s efforts to control Tibet’s political and religious affairs, the Dalai Lama affirms that the Tibetan struggle for freedom will persist, even after his death.
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