Dalai Lama reiterates that freedom would be prerequisite for where he would reincarnate

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His Holiness the Dalai Lama in conversation with Anant Goenka during the Express Adda in New Delhi. (Photo courtesy: T. Choejor/OHHDL)
His Holiness the Dalai Lama in conversation with Anant Goenka during the Express Adda in New Delhi. (Photo courtesy: T. Choejor/OHHDL)

(TibetanReview.net, May27, 2017) – The Dalai Lama has said May 24 that if the situation remains unchanged, he may never return to Tibet in this lifetime and that his reincarnation obviously cannot be born in a territory where there is no freedom. China has repeatedly made it clear that it will appoint its own Dalai Lama reincarnation, although this would be a negation of the fundamental basis of the Tibetan Buddhist system of reincarnation.

Speaking at the Express Adda in New Delhi, the Dalai Lama answered questions on a range of issues, including on the preservation of Tibetan culture, a world without violence, his commitment to vegetarianism (despite being a non-vegetarian himself for health reasons), the concept of analytical meditation, the relationship between religion and politics, and his thoughts on life on another planet.

On the issue of his reincarnation, the Dalai Lama has said, “If the situation remains like this, then I will die in this country.” He has clarified that it was not necessary for his reincarnation to be born in the country where he had died. However, he has added, if the reincarnation is recognised in a place which does not have “freedom”, it would be impossible to accept that.

The Dalai Lama has in the past said that the purpose of his reincarnation would be to carry on his unfinished work in this lifetime, suggesting that freedom would be necessary for this purpose.

The 81-year-old exiled spiritual leader of Tibet reiterated that a “more serious discussion” on the issue of his reincarnation would take place when he would be around 90 years old.

The Express Adda is a series of unique, informed, informal interactions with people at the centre of change in our times. It is an Indian Express platform for interactive debates with global thought leaders, key decision-makers, strategists and newsmakers. The Dalai Lama’s conversation was with The Indian Express’s Executive Director Anant Goenka and National Opinion Editor Vandita Mishra.

Guests at the event in the past have included India’s Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian, filmmaker Karan Johar, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Niti Aayog Vice Chairperson Arvind Panagariya, writer Amitav Ghosh, cricketer Rohit Sharma, economist and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen and, most recently, actor Saif Ali Khan.

NITI Aayog, or the National Institution for Transforming India, is a Government of India policy think-tank established by the Narendra Modi government to replace the Planning Commission.

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