Not exactly. Alex Caring-Lobel September 10, 2014
An interview with the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso by the Sunday edition of German paper Die Welt has caused quite a stir in the media and in Tibetan communities across the globe.
“We had a Dalai Lama for almost five centuries,” the Dalai Lama is quoted as saying in the interview. “The 14th Dalai Lama now is very popular. Let us then finish with a popular Dalai Lama.”
The German paper seems to have understood this statement to mean that the Dalai Lama wishes to discontinue the lineage, running the interview under a subtitle that includes the statement “the Dalai Lama does not want to have a successor.”
News sources like Agence France-Presse, whose version of the story has been reprinted in numerous other publications like Al Jazeera and Yahoo! News (and essentially reworded in the Huffington Post), have interpreted the Dalai Lama’s statement as a reversal of longstanding policy regarding the continuation of the Dalai Lama lineage.
These reports garnered so much attention that even China was impelled to reply. This morning, government officials called on the Dalai Lama to respect the historic practice of reincarnation in a press conference (no irony intended, we think): “China follows a policy of freedom of religion and belief, and this naturally includes having to respect and protect the ways of passing on Tibetan Buddhism.”
The transcript of the Die Welt interview, however, paints a very different picture from that taken up by most media outlets. The Dalai Lama prefaces the aforementioned statement by saying “sometimes I make a joke…” and speaks alternately about his role as a politician and as a spiritual leader.
“The institution of the Dalai Lama was important mainly because of its political power,” he says earlier in the interview. “Politically . . . the centuries of having a Dalai Lama should be over.” This statement is nothing new, as Tenzin Gyatso relinquished his political power back in 2011.
The Dalai Lama institution led Tibet politically for nearly four centuries, from 1642 until just a few years ago. But it came to represent the de facto leadership of Tibetan Buddhism only recently, beginning when the current Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959.
Speaking of his role as a spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama tells Welt am Sonntag that “Tibetan Buddhism is not dependent on one individual. We have a very good organizational structure with highly trained monks and scholars.” Asked whether the Tibetans will require a Dalai Lama in the future, he responds modestly, “No, I don’t think so.”
Robert Barnett, director of Columbia University’s Tibetan Studies program, thinks the meaning of this statement has been lost in translation.
“It is in line with the tradition whereby all lamas are expected to demonstrate diffidence about the question of their return as a kind of humility,” Barnett told Tricycle. “The convention is that they are only able to return if their followers pray intently for them to do so.”
Barnett also holds that there is a more significant issue that the Dalai Lama addresses here, which seems to escape both his German interlocutors and the American media. “He is clearly saying that his role as the leading figure in Tibetan Buddhism will not continue,” says Barnett.
The 14th Dalai Lama acquired this role due to the exigencies of exile. In the interview, he seems to say that the robust Tibetan monastic academies that have been established in India over the decades obviate the need for such an institution, and after the current Dalai Lama passes away, other Buddhist sects will likely run themselves with greater autonomy as they have in the past. Barnett points to the fact that although this has long been understood to be the case, the utterance takes on special importance because it constitutes a clear statement of intention.
Several statements of the Dalai Lama that appear later in the interview further contradict the interpretation that he intends to end the Dalai Lama lineage altogether. “I hope and pray that I may return to this world as long as sentient beings suffering remain,” he says.
He goes on to quote the first Dalai Lama: “‘I have no desire for any of these heavenly places. I want to be reborn, where I can be of use.’ This is my wish, too.”
The suggestion that the Dalai Lama line might be reaching its end seems to be the result of one big misunderstanding.
just another selfish guy who wants to be a legend
"“I hope
and pray that I may return to this world as long as sentient beings
suffering remain,” he says."
This however does not imply that he will return as a Dalai Lama incarnate. Who knows what he's thinking...
If what he have said is considered selfish, it is not selfishness for himself, it is more for the wellbeing of the Tibetan peoples. Whether he will be considered a legend in the future, let history takes its own course.
By the way, he is not just another guy. To the Tibetan Buddhists, he is in the same league as the God of the theist religions. His words and action carries as much weight as the WORDS in the holy scriptures of the theist religions. That is why the Chinese government was compelled to reply when he comments on the subject of the cessation on this linkage. It worries them as they have decree the next Dalai Lama must be born in China which would means a Dalai Lama under their control. If this linkage ceases, the Chinese government would have lost a very important mouthpiece to help them set their agenda for the province of Tibet.
Ice:
The problem with the Dalai Lama lineage is that if Dalai Lama does not end his lineage with his incarnation, the China government will choose their own Dalai Lama to become a puppet Dalai Lama that is politically indoctrinated to serve the state's purposes, as it has done with their own chosen Panchen Lama, etc. This will sow conflicts.
After all, Dalai Lama may have served his political purposes, since the times of being ruled by religious leaders may be over for Tibet. Tibet is now part of China and is unlikely to become an independent state for better or worse in any foreseeable future.
Yeah, like Aik TC said.
religion is a very poweful tool to use in politics. defying a culture norm that is there for centuries is not somehing a head of a religion should do out of dispair.
there r too much risks involved if religion is mix with politics n history has proven. if chaos strikes, Lives will be lost .
The Offices of reincarnated lamas including that of the Dalai Lama, and how they are identified and selected are religious tradition of the Tibetan Buddhists, in this case that of the Gelugpas. If the Dalai Lama decides that the linkage is to be discontinued, no followers of the tradition will object to it.
It is when others who are not of the Faith decides to play ‘God’, interfering, exploiting and making decisions on behalf of the religion for their political end that is doing harm, causing discontent and the lost of lives. We see that happening in Tibet with 125 lives lost so far by self immolation of monks and laypersons.
so 125 lives lost due to his actions n involvement in politics , yet he is not repent?
how many lives more to make him regret?
What he talk about on the above article is concern with religious matters and not about politics. He should repent and regret? Because 125 lives were lost due to these people deep conviction against Chinese policies implemented and imposed on them that are slowly and surely undermining their religious practices that are part and parcel of their daily live? Compassion and sympathy would be more appropriate values to project for these people and those connected with them.
perhaps u should open up yr eyes n ears to his speech. if kong hee said that god spoke to him. would u beleive?
I am Buddhist. To Buddhists there is not such a thing as an ‘All mighty God’ in the first place. Should I even care to believe or disbelieve what he would have said?
sama sama , u only listen to what your religion chief said , so do the followers in his church
Buddhists should ask questions if in doubt and think critically, not accepting whatever people said
Buddhists should ask questions if in doubt and think critically, not accepting whatever people said
The often referred to Kalama Sutta AN 3.65 provides good guidelines.