(TibetanReview.net, Mar12’25) – Calling Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, a “political exile” with “no right to represent the Tibetan people,” atheist communist China has sought to make it clear Mar 11 that nothing will stop it from recognizing its own reincarnation of him.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning has made these remarks in response to the Dalai Lama’s decision, made known in his new book, Voice for the Voiceless, released that day, that it is inconceivable that he will decide to reincarnate in a territory under the Communist Party of China-state’s control. Doing so would be antithetical to the very purpose of his reincarnation, he has made it clear.
Spinning a patently false, or at best highly arguable narrative, Mao has maintained at a press briefing that the Dalai Lama’s lineage, status, and title have been determined by the government in China for “hundreds of years”.
Then, asserting a might-is-right authority to determine who should be recognized as his reincarnation when the eventuality arises, Mao has said, “The reincarnations of living Buddhas, including the Dalai Lama, should abide by national laws and regulations, follow religious rituals… (and be subject to) the approval of the central government.”
She has further claimed, falsely, that the current Dalai Lama’s religious status and title were also determined by “(China’s) central government”.
“The 14th Dalai Lama himself was identified in accordance with religious rituals and historical conventions, and this was submitted to the then central government to approve the succession,” Mao has added.
This is, however, neither true nor in keeping with China’s current plan for the recognition of his reincarnation, which postulates active party-state involvement at every stage of the religious process for his recognition and installation.
Tibetan Buddhism holds that a spiritually realized master has the power to determine his own reincarnation and often uses this power to help sentient beings by taking decision on a most appropriate rebirth. However, according to China, Tibetan tradition holds that the soul of a senior Buddhist monk is reincarnated in the body of a child following their death, as if the master and his soul are two different things.
This offers it a convenient, even if false, basis to claim the power to appoint the reincarnations of Tibetan Buddhist masters.
It has also enabled Mao to say, “The 14th Dalai Lama is a political exile who engages in anti-China separatist activities under the cloak of religion and has no right to represent the Tibetan people at all.”