In Death There Is Life: A Rebirth For Tibetan Buddhism?

by Nicole

In response to the Communist Chinese government's edict, which went into effect on September 1st 2007, requiring Buddhist temples to get prior approval from four separate government departments before they can recognize individuals as reincarnated lamas, The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, has suggested he may hold a referendum amongst his followers worldwide to let them decide the future of the Dalai Lama lineage, which dates back to the 14th century.

The Chinese government have long been maneuvering to get their choice anointed as the next Dalai Lama after the death of the current one in order to gain greater control over the contentious region of Tibet. In 1995 they arrested the six year old boy The 14th Dalai Lama had named the Panchen Lama. Gedhun Choekyi Nyima (born April 25th 1989), The 11th Panchen Lama, is the second highest ranking Tibetan Buddhist lama, and according to tradition bears part of the responsibility for finding the next incarnation of the Dalai Lama. He became known as "the youngest political prisoner in the world," and has not been seen in public since his arrest, though the Chinese government claims he is still alive and well. In his place, Chinese officials installed their own pretender to the thrown.

The 13th Dalai Lama died on December 17th 1933 and Tenzin Gyatzo, the son of a poor farmer, was publicly recognized as the 14th Dalai Lama six years later in 1939. He was discovered after a long search and successfully completed a number of tests. During one of these he was able to pick out objects belonging to the previous Dalai Lama that were hidden amongst objects that weren't.

Tenzin Gyatzo follows in the footsteps of his 13 predecessors in a chain of reincarnation that dates back over 600 years. The first Dalai Lama, Gendun Drup, was himself said to be the earthly manifestation of Chenrezig, who is said embody the compassion of all Buddhas and walked the earth with Buddha Shakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism.

In his official biography, the 14 Dalai Lama says, "I am often asked whether I truly believe this. The answer is not simple to give. But as a fifty-six year old, when I consider my experience during this present life, and given my Buddhist beliefs, I have no difficulty accepting that I am spiritually connected both to the thirteen previous Dalai Lamas, to Chenrezig and to the Buddha himself."

Under the current climate of confusion and duress the exiled 14th Dalai Lama is suggesting he may either forgo rebirth or be reborn while he is still alive. The purpose of reincarnation is so that the Dalai Lama may complete the work of his predecessors.

In response to The 14th Dalai Lama's proposals, Liu Jianchao, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, said, "Dalai's remarks obviously violated the religious rituals and historical conventions." The Chinese government is officially atheist, so irony was piled on irony when Jianchao continued, "The reincarnation of the living Buddha is a unique way of succession of Tibetan Buddhism and follows relatively complete religious rituals and historical conventions."

In his typically compassionate way it seems The 14th – and perhaps final – Dalai Lama may gently be handing the Chinese government the delicate silk cord they require to hang their current policies against religion and the freedom to pursue it. Certainly he has shown any claim to logic or reason on the subject has long departed from the Communist administration’s inconsistent public utterings on the subject. I wonder how you say "hoisted by your own petard" in Mandarin?

| 11/29/07 | Practices