The Next Dalai Lama

[DharmaSpace]

Why is everyone in the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) confused about Tibetan history? In this video, Dr. Lobsang Sangay, Prime Minister of the CTA says that the next Dalai Lama will be chosen by the present Dalai Lama. He says “historically and traditionally” this is the way it has been done. Notice how he looks down when he is lying especially when he makes this statement.
Never in history have any of the Dalai Lamas been chosen by the previous Dalai Lama. The reason for this is because every Dalai Lama is supposed to be the reincarnation of the previous Dalai Lama. According to history and tradition, in order for the next Dalai Lama to appear the current Dalai Lama has to pass on first. Even people who are not Buddhist would be better at understanding how reincarnation works than the CTA.
This is another clear example that proves that none of the members of CTA are truly Buddhist. They do not believe in reincarnation or any of the other basic tenets of Buddhism. It seems that they are all just a bunch of politicians hungry for money and power.

http://dorjeshugden.com/wp/?p=13494

In theory yes the Dalai Lama being a Buddha he can emanate into many forms or bodies even when the current Dalai Lama is alive. But as pointed out in the comments it is not tradition to do so. So I think Lobsang Sangay just made it up along the way or hew improperly advised. I can see two Dalai Lamas in the next one, seems like everyone will have a double, one for China and one for the rest of the WORLD. Feels like a Matrix movie. All the high lamas and incarnations have doubles, well i do hope all of them spread the dharma that would be awesome double of all the high incarnations.

[michaela]

Dear DharmaSpace

Maybe what Dr. Lobsang Sangay means by history is Dalai Lama as an enlightened being has the ability to predict where his successor will be born?

I found this fact interesting because, to put the story aside, Dalai Lama is a title just like Gaden Tripa.  Maybe it will be better if Dalai Lama position are to be chosen democratically and his terms should be limited just like monastery abbot and Gaden Tripa.  If this is the case, I think the possibility that we have the ban in the future like the one implemented on DS, will be much smaller or even none.

[vajratruth]

Not if Beijing has anything to say about it, and they do. In 2007, the Chinese Government enacted a law that asserted the Chinese government was the final authority in the process that recognizes a reincarnated lama claiming that "all Tibetan spiritual leaders, including the Dalai Lama, must be approved by the Chinese central government."

The basis of China’s claim is that it possess the Golden Urn, a relic that was used by the Manchu emperors to anoint Tibetan Lamas. The “Historical Procedure" is based on the use of the 17th Century Golden Urn system whereby names of proposed reincarnated lamas would be drawn from an urn and sent to the Chinese Government for the final decision.

It is the same urn that China used to appoint the 11th Panchen Lama, rejecting the boy identified by the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama.

On a separate occasion the Dalai Lama has indicated that the Tibetan people collectively should have a role in choosing his successor. Speaking at a gathering of world religious leaders in Amritsar, India, he discussed the prospect of a referendum before he dies:

"When my physical condition becomes weak, and there are serious preparations for death, then the (referendum) should happen", he said.

So, it’s really not altogether up to Dr Lobsang Sangay, or the CTA or even the Dalai Lama.

[Big Uncle]

From the looks of it, I am wondering if the Dalai Lama is thinking of turning the whole incarnate system of the Dalai Lamas into an elected position. He seems to give a lot of different and mixed messages all the time.

I believe at one point, the Dalai Lama appeared to be nurturing the young Karmapa to take on the role as he's always near the Dalai Lama. The Karmapa has even appeared during the Dalai Lama's recent birthday event. However, since the Karmapa controversy erupted, we haven't heard much from him since.

According to wikipedia:-
The Dalai Lama said as early as 1969 that it was for the Tibetans to decide whether the institution of the Dalai Lama "should continue or not". He has given reference to a possible vote occurring in the future for all Tibetan Buddhists to decide whether they wish to recognize his rebirth. In response to the possibility that the PRC may attempt to choose his successor, the Dalai Lama has said he will not be reborn in a country controlled by the People's Republic of China or any other country which is not free. According to Robert D. Kaplan, this could mean that "the next Dalai Lama might come from the Tibetan cultural belt that stretches across northern India, Nepal, and Bhutan, presumably making him even more pro-Indian and anti-Chinese".

[Ensapa]

This is interesting, to see the Kalon Tripa lying about the Dalai Lama's next incarnation. They seem to want to go head on with a political battle with China, but one thing they forgot was that China has over 3000 years of unbiased history as they have learnt from the days of the Han dynasty that an unbiased history and learning from it is the key to improvement. The Tibetans have failed to learn this which is why they are still stuck at where they are. If they did, Dharamsala would have been a sprawling metropolis by now and there would be much development going on and many nations of the world would actually respect Tibet as a country as opposed to now when Tibet only has a bunch of hippies as supporters. China would actually listen to them if they want to hold a talk with China since they have something to show. China is a powerful nation and they will not bow down to such an incompetent government in more ways than one so CTA must prove their worth if they would wish to engage in talks with the Chinese. Perhaps, CTA could keep more transparent records of their own history so that they can learn from it in the future and not repeat the same mistakes or that they can improve and learn from it. However the case, the politicians in CTA looks like people who are only interested in power like what the article says and they do not care what really happens with the Dalai Lama. If only they showed a bit more care...

I have heard of divination methods that use an urn, that calls upon Manjushri to help give the answers. Perhaps, this golden urn is consecrated and blessed by the same method? And that not every one can use this but only a trained lama which has gone through many retreats. Emperor Kangxi is considered as Dorje Shugden's emanation and it is not surprising if he had invented this urn for these times whereby he would know that Tibet would have been taken over by China and China would want to choose their own Lamas without the Dalai Lama and his entourage. The golden urn method is actually a method of divination that is valid in some ways, although one must wonder how did it survive the cultural revolution and if it was desecrated during that time, rendering its powers useless. But the 11th Panchen Lama that was predicted by the urn has so far, turned out to be very promising and has made waves in the Buddhist scene of China.

The ban would be lifted in 5 years, and HHDL would still be very much alive. It would probably be one of the few last things he does before he passes on. And after his passing, CTA will dissolve next as nobody is competent enough to lead. HHDL is mentoring Lobsang Sanggay, but he isnt picking up so far..