Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has stated that the next Dalai Lama will be born in a free and democratic country, not in China.
Speaking to the media on July 8, Khandu expressed hope that the 14th Dalai Lama would live for many more years and said there was no need for speculation on the next reincarnation at this time.
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Khandu, a follower of the Dalai Lama and a practicing Buddhist, said the selection process for the next Dalai Lama will begin only after the passing of the current spiritual leader.
“There is a set procedure for identifying the next Dalai Lama. All rules are already in place, and the process will be followed as it has been historically,” he said.
Quoting the Dalai Lama’s own words, Khandu noted that His Holiness is in good health and has often said he may live to be 130 years old. “We all hope and pray for that. His Holiness has said he will live to 130, and I believe it,” Khandu said.
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When asked about the potential birthplace of the 15th Dalai Lama, the Chief Minister said it is too early to speculate. “His Holiness has mentioned that the next Dalai Lama will be born in a free world, where democracy exists. So it will definitely not be China, where there is no democracy,” Khandu stated.
He further explained that while the exact location of the next Dalai Lama’s birth cannot be predicted, it is expected to be in a place where freedom of expression and religious liberty are upheld. “It could be anywhere in the democratic world,” he said.
Regarding China’s objections to the succession of the Dalai Lama, Khandu remarked, “I don’t know why China is objecting. The Dalai Lama institution is not recognised in China. It is respected mainly in the Himalayan belt and among Tibetan Buddhists. China has no role in this process.”
He clarified that the Gaden Phodrang Trust, which oversees the spiritual and administrative affairs of the Dalai Lama, will lead the search for the 15th reincarnation when the time comes.
Addressing questions about the continuation of the Dalai Lama institution and the possibility of a female successor, Khandu said, “Before the 14th Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday, all heads of Buddhist traditions met and affirmed that the institution would continue. So there is clarity on that front.”