The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, is believed to be the reincarnation of a long line of enlightened beings going back hundreds of years. The process of selecting a new Dalai Lama is rooted in centuries-old religious tradition and mysticism.
Who is the Dalai Lama?
In Tibetan Buddhism, lama is a title given to a high-ranking spiritual teacher or guru. It’s believed that some lamas are tulkus, or reincarnations of enlightened beings who choose to be reborn after death to continue their work of spreading Buddhist teachings.
Dalai Lama refers to a specific tulku whose first incarnation, Gedun Drupa, was born in the Tsang region of central Tibet in 1391 and who serves as the de facto leader of the Tibetan Buddhist school of Gelugpa.
How was the 14th Dalai Lama identified?
The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, was born into a farming family in 1935 in the Qinghai Province in China, formerly northeastern Tibet, and selected as Dalai Lama at the age of 2. After Tenzin’s predecessor died, senior Tibetan Buddhist monks immediately began the search for his reincarnation. This process can take years and typically includes:
Interpreting dreams and visions.
Observing and making inferences from omens and ancient rituals.
Making pilgrimages to sacred sites.
Analyzing signs, such as the direction of the smoke blowing from the Dalai Lama’s cremation or where he was looking when he died.
Evaluating a prospective child’s demeanor, intelligence and spiritual qualities.
According to the official office of the Dalai Lama, senior lamas found their way to Tenzin’s home through visions at Tibet’s “Oracle Lake,” Lhamo Latso. The leader of the search party, Kewtsang Rinpoche, pretended to be a servant and spent much of an evening with young Tenzin, who called him “Sera lama.” Kewtsang took this as a sign—Sera was the name of his monastery.
The party formally returned a few days later with a collection of objects, some of which belong to the deceased 13th Dalai Lama. Infant Tenzin correctly identified which objects were the previous Dalai Lama’s, saying, “It’s mine. It’s mine.”
How will a new Dalai Lama be chosen?
Over the years, Tenzin Gyatso has made several statements about his successor, including that the 15th Dalai Lama could be:
Female (a first).
Born outside of China or Tibet (a rarity).
An adult (meaning Tenzin would “emanate” or transfer his spirit to another person while still alive).
He has also suggested he may be the last Dalai Lama, though he has since said the institute of the Dalai Lama will continue through the usual process upon his death.
This process, however, may be complicated by the Chinese government, which claims the right to approve, if not choose, the next Dalai Lama through its lottery-like golden urn system. This may result in two rival successors for the title.
