Expert: Alex Wilding - 3/29/2008

Question
What is the procedure for choosing a new Dalai Lama, when the current one dies? thank you!

Answer
Dear Jack,
An excellent question! There is no simple answer.
In the past, high lamas from his "school", the Gelukpas, would have looked for signs, visions, dreams, divinations, meditation experiences and so on and would have eventually come to a consensus.
The situation this time will be different for two reasons:
1) His Holiness has said that he may not return as the Dalai Lama at all, and it is also possible that he will, in this life, make some statement such as that he will definitely be reborn in a certain area, perhaps in India. He has not yet made such a statement, but has said things that indicate that he might.
2) The Chinese government is likely to claim that it has the right and the authority to choose the new Dalai Lama but, as in the case of the Panchen Lama, it is very unlikely that the Tibetans will accept their choice.
So to some extent, the answer to your question is that we will just have to wait and see! I hope this helps a bit.
All the best
Alex Wilding