Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, March 11: In his newly released book Voice for the Voiceless, exiled Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama asserted that his successor will be born in the “free world,” explicitly ruling out China as a place of reincarnation. The book, reviewed by Reuters and published on Tuesday, emphasised his determination to ensure the continuation of the Dalai Lama lineage beyond Beijing’s influence.
“Since the purpose of a reincarnation is to carry on the work of the predecessor, the new Dalai Lama will be born in the free world so that the traditional mission of the Dalai Lama — that is, to be the voice for universal compassion, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, and the symbol of Tibet embodying the aspirations of the Tibetan people — will continue,” the Dalai Lama wrote.
The octogenarian leader in his book revealed that he has received numerous petitions for more than a decade from a wide spectrum of Tibetan people, including senior monks and Tibetans living in Tibet and outside, “uniformly asking me to ensure that the Dalai Lama lineage be continued.” He also acknowledged the diminishing likelihood of his return to Tibet, citing his advanced age and Chinese Communist persistent repression. However, he remained resolute that the Tibetan people’s struggle for freedom would endure “no matter what,” even after his passing.
The book was released in the United States by William Morrow and in the United Kingdom by HarperNonFiction, with HarperCollins set to publish it in India and other countries. According to the publisher’s website, the book is a “unique offering of personal, spiritual, and historical reflections—some never shared before—detailing His Holiness’s decades-long struggle to protect Tibet and its people from Chinese oppression.”
China has long sought to control the selection of the next Dalai Lama. When questioned about the book at a press briefing on Monday, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the Dalai Lama as a “political exile engaged in anti-China separatist activities under the cloak of religion.” The spokesperson further claimed, “What the Dalai Lama says and does cannot change the objective fact of Tibet’s prosperity and development.”
Last month, Beijing expressed its desire for the Dalai Lama to “return to the right path,” stating that discussions about his “future” could only proceed if he recognized Tibet and Taiwan as “inalienable parts of China” and accepted the People’s Republic of China as the sole legitimate government.
The Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile Dolma Tsering Teykhang rejected these conditions outright, calling them an impediment to meaningful dialogue. “It is not feasible for His Holiness to tell lies—that’s not going to happen,” she said. “If they dictate that His Holiness should declare Tibet an inalienable part of China, that is a distortion of history. By distorting history, you cannot achieve a peaceful and amicable solution,” she added, criticizing Beijing’s approach as undermining any possibility of genuine negotiations.
The release of the book coincides with the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday on July 6, a defining moment for both the Tibetan spiritual leader and the exiled Tibetan community as he is expected to consult senior Buddhist leaders to discuss his reincarnation. In September 2011, the Dalai Lama stated that he would seek the counsel of senior Tibetan Buddhist scholars, the Tibetan public, and his followers before making a decision on whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue. “When I am about ninety I will consult the high Lamas of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions, the Tibetan public, and other concerned people who follow Tibetan Buddhism, and re-evaluate whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue or not. On that basis, we will take a decision. If it is decided that the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama should continue and there is a need for the Fifteenth Dalai Lama to be recognized, responsibility for doing so will primarily rest on the concerned officers of the Dalai Lama’s Gaden Phodrang Trust.”
He further expressed, “I shall leave clear written instructions about this. Bear in mind that, apart from the reincarnation recognized through such legitimate methods, no recognition or acceptance should be given to a candidate chosen for political ends by anyone, including those in the People’s Republic of China.”
2 Responses
HH The Dalai Lama tells the story that after the Chinese PLA’s assault on the Tibetan people’s National Uprising and murdered 87,000 Tibetans lay dead after the onslaught, Mao asked the Chinese military leaders in occupied Tibet, “if they got the Dalai Lama”? The Chinese authorities in occupied Tibet replied, “No”! Mao immediately retorted, “then, you have lost”! These are the prophetic words of Mao the Mad man! To this day after seven decades of brutal and illegal occupation of Tibet, The Dalai Lama still remains a nightmare for the Chinese imperialist colonial occupiers of Tibet. For the Tibetan people he is our saviour who single handedly put Tibet on the international crises spot and brought shame, bad publicity and tarnished the CCP’s image internationally! It is seething with anger against the exiles but there is little they can do. As the Dalai Lama always says, “the CCP got the bullets but we got the truth and truth is more powerful the bullets”! The Dalai Lama has said way back in the 1980s that His reincarnation will be born outside China and Tibet! The reason he gave was as he has in his recent book, “since the reincarnation is to continue the work of the previous Lama, it’s only natural that he will be born in an environment where would be able to pursue his predecessors good work”!!! He further added that “if he undo the work of the previous Lama, that would make no sense in coming back as his reincarnation”! Therefore, it is only natural and perfectly logical that the Dalai Lama will be born in an environment conducive to carry on his previous reincarnations good work which is in the free world! Since this is what’s going to happen in the future, the Chinese communists are losing sleep! They know, as long as they are unable to tame the Dalai Lama, they cannot win the battle for Tibet! They have been on a death-watch for the last many years with their belief that once the present Dalai Lama is no more, the Tibetan freedom movement will fizzle out. However, we can take comfort in the thought that as long as the Dalai Lama continues to return as a human being in the form of reincarnations for the sake of the Tibetan people, Tibetans in exile will continue to flourish and the Tibetans inside occupied Tibet will repose their hopes on him and the exile Government as the legitimate Government of the Tibetan nation. This will give both legitimacy and longevity to the Tibetan freedom movement- not just for generations but many life times, if need be!!! Mao’s words are ringing true more than ever!
????????have to recognise 15th dalai lama and to continue institution..one and only our livng god the dalai lama..how we can be alive wdout his holliness.think about future situations if there isn’t buddhist leader to lead and bestow