Editor,
Since the 11th century, it has been widely believed in Central Asian Buddhist countries that Avalokiteœvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, has a special relationship with the people of Tibet and intervenes in their fate by incarnating as benevolent rulers and teachers such as the Dalai Lamas.
The Dalai Lama’s reincarnation system has a long history. Phowa is the discipline that is believed to transfer the mindstream to the intended body. Upon the death of the Dalai Lama and consultation with the Nechung oracle, a search for the Lama’s yangsi, or reincarnation, is conducted.
The first is to identify a reincarnation search team, which consists of senior monks from the Gelug tradition, such as those from major monasteries like Drepung, Sera, and Ganden, who follow spiritual signs and rituals to locate a child born around the time of the previous Dalai Lama’s death. The process is guided by the Dalai Lama’s own instructions, often left in a predictive letter, and involves consulting oracles, visions, and tests to confirm the candidate’s identity.
The search begins after the Dalai Lama’s death, guided by signs like the direction of smoke from his cremation, visions at Lhamo Latso (a sacred oracle lake), or dreams of high lamas. Potential candidates are tested by recognizing possessions of the previous Dalai Lama or demonstrating precocious spiritual knowledge. If one candidate is identified, high lamas and living Buddhas from major monasteries verify the choice. If multiple candidates emerge, a public lottery (historically the golden urn) may be used, though this was rare for the Dalai Lamas. Once identified, the child is trained in Buddhist philosophy, rituals, and leadership to prepare for their role as a spiritual and temporal leader.
Take the 14th Dalai Lama as an example. After the 13th Dalai Lama’s death in 1933, the search group, guided by Regent Reting Rinpoche, observed signs: the deceased Dalai Lama’s head turned northeast, and visions at Lhamo Latso revealed the letters ‘Ah’, ‘Ka’, and ‘Ma’, pointing to Amdo, Kumbum monastery, and a specific house. The team, including Kewtsang Rinpoche, travelled to Amdo, where two-year-old Lhamo Thondup recognized a disguised monk as ‘Sera lama’ and correctly identified items like a rosary and drum belonging to the 13th Dalai Lama. He was therefore identified as a candidate for the 13th Dalai Lama and was officially recognized as the 14th Dalai Lama in 1939.
Following the 1959 Tibetan uprising, the 14th Dalai Lama sought refuge in India and established the central Tibetan administration to counter the Chinese government. Since 2007, China’s State Religious Affairs Bureau Order No 5 mandates that all reincarnations, including the Dalai Lama’s, require state approval. Only registered monasteries in Tibet can apply, and unauthorized searches are criminalized. The Chinese government’s involvement has threatened the exiled community. In 2011, the Dalai Lama issued a statement announcing that the Gaden Phodrang Trust in Dharamsala, India, is the designated agency for the next search and will announce the reincarnation plan on his 90th birthday.
Since then, the Kashag and Sikyong Penpa Tsering have repeatedly claimed that the Dalai Lama will be reincarnated and firmly opposed the interference of the Chinese government. In mid-February 2025, the Dalai Lama made it clear in his book Voice for the Voiceless: Over Seven Decades of Struggle With China for My Land and My People that he will be reincarnated and a new Dalai Lama will be born in the free world. As the Dalai Lama’s birthday approaches, the central Tibetan administration said it plans to hold the 15th Tibetan Religious Conference in Dharamshala from 2 to 4 July to meet with senior leaders of the four major Tibetan Buddhist sects – Sakya, Kagyu, Nyingma and Gelug. According to sources, the 15th Tibetan Religious Conference will determine the candidate for the regent and the members of the reincarnation team.
Obviously, this conference has attracted the attention of all Tibetans, because it is not only a matter of the inheritance of the Gelugpa sect, but also concerns the interests and future of all Tibetans.
Likha Tana