Buddhist Association of China Challenges Dalai Lama's Reincarnation Claims

On Thursday, the Buddhist Association of China released a statement addressing the claims made by the 14th Dalai Lama about his own reincarnation. They accused him of misrepresenting the situation by asserting the continuation of the Dalai Lama institution and violating established religious norms.

The association pointed out that since the time of the 5th Dalai Lama, the conferral of the title has relied on the central government, which is crucial for the legitimacy associated with the Dalai Lama's status. It clarified that any decision regarding reincarnation is not solely dependent on the Dalai Lama’s preferences but falls under the authority of the central government.

The statement further elaborated on the historical methods developed for identifying successors, which include a well-defined set of rituals. Since the introduction of the lot-drawing ceremony from the golden urn, the procedure for recognizing a new Dalai Lama depends on following specific steps, where the selected candidate must gain approval from the central government to establish both credibility and religious authority.

Additionally, the National Religious Affairs Administration has released guidelines to regulate the reincarnation processes for Living Buddhas within Tibetan Buddhism, underscoring that these measures apply strongly to the Dalai Lama as well.