How does the Dalai Lama choose his successor?
When a Dalai Lama dies – or even before their death – a successor is found rather than chosen. Traditionally, senior Tibetan monks conduct an elaborate quest to find a child who is the Dalai Lama’s next incarnation. The search involves consulting oracles, interpreting visions and reading spiritual signs.
Why does Dalai Lama live to Dharamshala India now?
In 1959, following the brutal suppression of the Tibetan national uprising in Lhasa by Chinese troops, the Dalai Lama was forced to escape into exile and since then he has been living in Dharamsala, northern India.
Who is below the Dalai Lama?
Panchen Lama
Panchen Lama is one of the most important figures in the Gelug tradition, with its spiritual authority second only to Dalai Lama. Along with the council of high lamas, he is in charge of seeking out the next Dalai Lama. “Panchen” is a portmanteau of “Pandita” and “Chenpo”, meaning “Great scholar”.
Is Dalai Lama Indian?
The 14th and current Dalai Lama is Tenzin Gyatso, who lives as a refugee in India….
| Dalai Lama | |
|---|---|
| Residence | McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala, India |
| Formation | 1391 |
| First holder | Gendün Drubpa, 1st Dalai Lama |
| Website | dalailama.com |
How many lamas are there?
The institution of the Dalai Lama is a relatively recent one. There have been only 14 Dalai Lamas in the history of Buddhism.
Could the Dalai Lama’s successor be reincarnated in India?
The controversies over the Dalai Lama’s successor are likely to have a direct impact on India; one possible scenario put forward by the Dalai Lama himself is that he could be reincarnated in a “free country”, likely to be India rather than Tibet.
Is China the only country watching the Dalai Lama’s succession?
Yet China is not the only country now keeping a watchful eye on the Dalai Lama’s succession. Since 1959, the Dalai Lama has lived in exile in Dharamshala, nestled in the Himalayas, and Tibet has remained a sensitive factor in India’s relationship with China, with whom it shares a 2,000-mile border.
Who is the leader of the Tibetans?
Tsewang Gyalpo Arya, spokesman for the Tibetan government in exile, told NPR in an interview in September at his office downhill from the Dalai Lama’s monastery in Dharamsala. Until 2011, the Dalai Lama was considered Tibetans’ political leader as well as their spiritual leader.
Can China interfere in Tibetan spiritual matters?
This has been rejected by the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan parliament in exile, which sits in Dharamshala. Penpa Tsering is the president of the parliament-in-exile, and works closely with the Dalai Lama. He said: “A non-believer, atheist government like China interfering in Tibetan spiritual matters is a complete no-no, it cannot be accepted.