Dalai Lama says institution will continue after his death: ‘Gaden Phodrang Trust has sole authority...’

Dalai Lama

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Wednesday formally affirmed that the 600-year-old institution of the Dalai Lama will continue after his death and added that the Gaden Phodrang Trust has sole authority to recognise the future reincarnation -- bringing about an end to years of speculation that started when he indicated that he might be the last person to hold the role.

The statement effectively rules out any say for China in the process of naming the next Dalai Lama.

In a statement on Wednesday, Dalai Lama stated, "The process by which a future Dalai Lama is to be recognized has been clearly established in the 24 September 2011 statement which states that responsibility for doing so will rest exclusively with members of the Gaden Phodrang Trust, the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. They should consult the various heads of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the reliable oath-bound Dharma Protectors who are linked inseparably to the lineage of the Dalai Lamas. They should accordingly carry out the procedures of search and recognition in accordance with past tradition."

"I hereby reiterate that the Gaden Phodrang Trust has sole authority to recognise the future reincarnation; no one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter, he added.

The Dalai Lama also recalled making a statement on whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue during a meeting of the heads of Tibetan spiritual traditions on September 24, 2011.

The statement said, "On 24 September 2011, at a meeting of the heads of Tibetan spiritual traditions, I made a statement to fellow Tibetans in and outside Tibet, followers of Tibetan Buddhism, and those who have a connection with Tibet and Tibetans, regarding whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue. I stated, "As far back as 1969, I made clear that concerned people should decide whether the Dalai Lama's reincarnations should continue in the future.""

The Dalai Lama noted that he had not made any public statements on the issue over the past 14 years. However, leaders of Tibet's spiritual traditions have written to him with reasons, earnestly requesting that the institution of the Dalai Lama continue.

"Although I have had no public discussions on this issue, over the last 14 years leaders of Tibet's spiritual traditions, members of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, participants in a Special General Body Meeting, members of the Central Tibetan Administration, NGOs, Buddhists from the Himalayan region, Mongolia, Buddhist republics of the Russian Federation and Buddhists in Asia including mainland China, have written to me with reasons, earnestly requesting that the institution of the Dalai Lama continue. In particular, I have received messages through various channels from Tibetans in Tibet making the same appeal. In accordance with all these requests, I am affirming that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue," the Tibetan monk said.