For years, the Chinese government has attempted to discredit the Dalai Lama, calling him a “wolf in monk’s robes”, claiming that he forfeited his authority over Tibetans 60 years ago, when he went into exile. The succession of the Dalai Lama is of utmost importance in this project. But China has also ‘invested’ millions of dollars to rebuild and renovate many monasteries and recognised Buddhism as an “ancient Chinese religion”. Monasteries are highly surveilled, schools do not teach Tibetan language, culture and history, and dissenting voices often just ‘disappear’. Not that China is not repressive anymore. Other oracles and lamas with the power of divination are also consulted before the final proclamation is made. The prospective child then has to undergo multiple ‘tests’ in which they ‘recall’ their past lives and recognise objects that their predecessor used, such as spectacles, prayer beads, etc. The predecessor himself leaves guidance regarding his reincarnation. Several procedures are followed to recognise Tulkus (recognised reincarnations). (Photo: The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama) He passed a series of tests before he was recognised as the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation. His Holiness, The 14th Dalai Lama, sitting on the throne during his official enthronement ceremony in Lhasa, Tibet on February 22, 1940. “This secures a continuous line of succession through successive re-embodiments”, John Powers wrote in his book Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism (1995). According to Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the spirit of a deceased lama is reborn in a child. Since then, “a series of unmistaken reincarnations has been recognised in the lineage of the Dalai Lama”, the Dalai Lama said in 2011. To consolidate his rule, he instituted the tradition of succession through reincarnation in the Gelug school, himself claiming to be the reincarnation of Avalokiteshvara, one of the most important Bodhisattvas in Mahayana traditions. The fifth grand lama of the school, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso, was conferred the title of Dalai Lama (‘Dalai’ being the Mongol word for ‘ocean’). Notably, in 1417, Jé Tsongkhapa founded the Gelug school, which developed a strong hierarchy and by 1640 it leapt into the temporal government of Tibet with the assistance of Mongol prince Gusri Khan. Since then, this custom slowly spread to all Tibetan traditions. The Dalai Lama traces this tradition to “the recognition of Karmapa Pagshi as the reincarnation of Karmapa Dusum Khyenpa by his disciples in accordance with his prediction”. It was also around this time that the first instances of “formally recognizing the reincarnations of lamas” can be found. Tibet’s hierarchical system seemingly emerged in the 13th century. Also Read | A million Tibetan children separated from families in China, forced to assimilate through oppressive actions: UN experts
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