dalai-lama-declares-who-can-name-his-next-incarnation

Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has asserted that the Gaden Phodrang Trust, a foundation established by him, holds exclusive authority to recognise his future reincarnation, categorically ruling out any role for external entities, including China, in the succession process.

 

In a formal statement issued on Wednesday, the Dalai Lama reaffirmed the procedures laid out in 2011 concerning the recognition of the next Dalai Lama. “The process by which a future Dalai Lama is to be recognised 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,” he said.

 

Statement Affirming the Continuation of the Institution of Dalai Lama

(Translated from the original Tibetan)

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… pic.twitter.com/VqtBUH9yDm

— Dalai Lama (@DalaiLama) July 2, 2025

 

14th Dalai Lama makes it clear: His reincarnation will only be decided by a foundation appointed by him & China will have no role in appointing 15th Dalai Lama

Full address by his holiness short while ago: https://t.co/uxwciX68vi pic.twitter.com/w114H2PiSy

— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) July 2, 2025

“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,” the spiritual leader added.

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The Dalai Lama went on to underline, “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 referred to a statement made on 24 September 2011, during a meeting of the heads of Tibetan Buddhist traditions, in which he had posed the question of whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue. “As far back as 1969, I made clear that concerned people should decide whether the Dalai Lama's reincarnations should continue in the future,” he recalled.

 

Though he had refrained from making public declarations on the matter over the past 14 years, the Dalai Lama noted that requests urging the continuation of the institution had come from across the Tibetan community, including leaders of spiritual traditions, members of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, NGOs, and Tibetan Buddhists from the Himalayan region, Mongolia, Russia, and even mainland China.

 

“In accordance with all these requests, I am affirming that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue,” he declared.

 

With this announcement, the responsibility now rests with the Gaden Phodrang Trust to commence the search and recognition process for his successor, following traditional procedures and spiritual consultation.