DHARAMSHALA, July 2: Ending years of speculation over the future of his spiritual lineage, the Dalai Lama on Wednesday declared that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue after his death, and that his non-profit trust, the Gaden Phodrang, will have exclusive authority to identify his reincarnation.
In a video message delivered during his 90th birthday celebrations in Dharamshala, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader affirmed his reincarnation and decisively countered China’s long-standing claim that it holds the right to appoint his successor.
“I am affirming that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue,” the Dalai Lama said, addressing a gathering of monks, international journalists, and prominent supporters, including actor and long-time Tibet advocate Richard Gere. “The Gaden Phodrang Trust… shall carry out the procedures of search and recognition in accordance with past tradition. No one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter.”
The Dalai Lama’s message marks a significant moment for Tibetans and the global Buddhist community, who have long awaited clarity on his succession. China, which views the Dalai Lama as a separatist, has insisted that any future reincarnation must be born within China and selected through its state-approved methods — including the use of the “golden urn” system dating back to the Qing dynasty.
The Tibetan spiritual leader, who fled to India following a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959, reiterated that his reincarnation would not be born in China and urged his followers to reject any candidate chosen by Beijing.
According to tradition, senior Buddhist monks are reincarnated into new bodies, typically young children, who are identified through signs, visions, and religious rituals. The 14th Dalai Lama was discovered at age two in Qinghai province (formerly Amdo, Tibet) and formally recognized after passing several spiritual tests.
The Gaden Phodrang Trust, which manages the Dalai Lama’s spiritual and administrative affairs, will consult with the heads of all Tibetan Buddhist schools and other traditional authorities when the time comes to identify his successor. Samdhong Rinpoche, a senior official with the Trust, confirmed to reporters that no written instructions have been issued yet, but said the future Dalai Lama could be of any gender or nationality.
Penpa Tsering, President of the Central Tibetan Administration — the Tibetan government-in-exile — said the Dalai Lama is in good health and remains open to visiting Tibet if political conditions allow. He also welcomed the recent lifting of some U.S. restrictions on funding for Tibetans in exile.
The U.S. has consistently opposed China’s attempts to control Tibetan religious affairs. American lawmakers have declared that only the Tibetan people, through their traditional processes, have the right to determine the next Dalai Lama. The succession issue has also taken on geopolitical significance, with the U.S. and India closely watching developments amid increasing tensions with China.
As he approaches his 90th birthday on July 6, the Dalai Lama remains one of the world’s most influential spiritual leaders. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, his message of compassion, nonviolence, and religious harmony continues to resonate worldwide — even as political uncertainty clouds the future of his homeland.
