The designation of the successor of the Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, arouses lively interest, not only among the faithful of his religion, but also in China, India and the United States, for strategic reasons.
The Nobel Peace Prize, which will celebrate its 90th birthday on Sunday, is considered one of the most influential figures in the world, with an audience that goes far beyond the framework of Buddhism.
How was it chosen?
According to Tibetan tradition, the soul of a high -ranking Buddhist monk reincarnates after his death.
The 14e Dalai Lama, born Lhamo Dhondup on July 6, 1935 in a family of farmers of the current Chinese province of Qinghai, was identified as the reincarnation of his predecessor when he was only two years old.
A delegation sent by the Tibetan government made its decision on the basis of several signs, including a vision revealed to a senior monk, according to the official website of the Dalai Lama. The researchers were convinced when the child recognized objects that belonged to 13e Dalai Lama declaring: “It’s me, it’s me”.
During the winter of 1940, Lhamo Thondup was taken to the Potala Palace in Lhassa, the capital of the current Autonomous region of Tibet, and officially inducted as the spiritual leader of the Tibetans.
How will his successor be chosen?
In his book “Voice for the Voiceless”, published in March 2025, the Dalai Lama affirms that his successor will be born outside China.
The Dalai Lama has lived in exile in northern India since 1959, after having fled a failed revolt against the communist regime of Mao Zedong.
He writes there that he will reveal the details concerning his succession as he approaches his 90e birthday. On Monday, during a rally in Dharamsala, he said: “A certain manager will be set up to discuss the perpetuation of the Dalai Lama institution. He did not give more details.
The Tibetan parliament in exile, based in Dharamsala in Himalayas like the Dalai Lama, specifies that a system has been set up to allow the government in exile to continue its activities, while the officials of the Gaden Phodrang Foundation will be responsible for finding and recognizing its successor.
The Dalai Lama created this foundation in 2015 in order to “preserve and support the tradition and the institution of the Dalai Lama” for its religious and spiritual functions, according to its website. Among its leaders are several of his close collaborators.
What does China say?
Beijing claims that its leaders have the right to approve the successor to the Dalai Lama, as an inheritance of imperial times. A selection ritual, consisting in drawing the names of possible reincarnations in a golden urn, dates back to 1793, under the Qing dynasty.
The Chinese authorities repeat that the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama must be done according to national laws, which impose the use of the Golden Urn and the Birth of Reincarnations on Chinese territory.
But many Tibetans suspect any Chinese involvement of being a maneuver to strengthen Beijing’s influence on the community.
It is inappropriate, according to the Dalai Lama, that “Chinese communists, who reject religion, interfere in the system of reincarnation of the Lamas, and a fortiori in that of the Dalai Lama”.
In his work, he urges the Tibetans not to accept “a candidate chosen for political ends, by anyone, including by the authorities of the People’s Republic of China”, by appointing the country by its official name.
Beijing describes Dalai Lama, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for having maintained the Tibetan cause, “separatist” and prohibits any display of his photo or public demonstration for him.
In March 2025, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that Dalai Lama was a political exile “who has no right to represent the Tibetan people”.
China denies any repression of the rights of the Tibetan people and affirms that its governance ended the serfdom and brought prosperity to a region formerly late development.
What role could India and the United States play?
In addition to the Dalai Lama, India is home to more than 100,000 Tibetan Buddhists, free to study and work there.
Many Indians have a deep respect, and experts in international relations believe that his presence in India gives New Delhi a certain lever against Rival China.
The United States, which faces growing competition with China on the world, have repeatedly said its commitment to defend the human rights of the Tibetans.
American parliamentarians have already declared that they would not allow China to influence the choice of the successor to the Dalai Lama.
In 2024, the American president of the time, Joe Biden, promulgated an exhorting Beijing law to settle the dispute concerning the increased independence of Tibet.
