CTA head shares details of Dalai Lama’s future plans, successor

ANI

In a press conference on July 2, 2025, Sikyong President, Central Tibetan Administration, Penpa Tsering revealed important details about Dalai Lama’s future plans and successor.

Transcript

00:00When the time comes, he will give instructions as mentioned in the earlier declaration.

00:05Traditionally, any altruist or any gender can be recognized.

00:12So there is no contradiction between tradition and what His Holiness has said earlier.

00:18When the time comes, His Holiness shall have to take reincarnation.

00:22Leaving instructions is necessary when there is a transition from one Dalai Lama to another Dalai Lama.

00:32All the delegates to the religious conference had a discussion on this,

00:38and the resolution was passed unanimously by the conference.

00:43Resolution of heartfelt gratitude to His Holiness, the great 14th Dalai Lama.

00:49On September 24, 2011, during the 11th Tibetan religious conference,

00:55His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, the savior and symbol of Tibetan Tibetans,

01:00Dharma king of the three realms, said,

01:04As far as 1969, I made clear that concerned people should decide

01:10whether the Dalai Lama's reincarnation should continue in the future.

01:14His Holiness further expressed,

01:17When I reach the age of Kendun troop, I will consult the high Lama's of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions,

01:23the Tibetan public and other concerned people who follow Tibetan Buddhism,

01:28and reevaluate whether the Dalai Lama's reincarnation should continue or not.

01:33On that basis, we will take a decision.

01:37Consequently, various sections of people, including the participants of the 14th Tibetan religious conference,

01:44Special General Tibetan conference,

01:48Tibetans both in and outside Tibet,

01:51Buddhist brothers and sisters from the Himalayan region,

01:54Mongolia, China and believers across the globe,

01:57Appealed an earnest request with single-minded devotion

02:01was appealed to His Holiness, the Dalai Lama,

02:05to continue the institution of the Dalai Lama for the benefit of all sentient beings in general,

02:10and Buddhists in particular.

02:12In response to this overwhelming supplication,

02:15His Holiness has shown infinite compassion

02:18and finally agreed to accept our appeal

02:21on this special occasion of His 90th birthday.

02:24Hence, during the 15th Tibetan religious conference held in Daramsala,

02:28the participants of the conference,

02:30led by eminent lamas of different religious traditions,

02:33representatives and devotees,

02:36conveyed their heartfelt gratitude to His Holiness the Dalai Lama

02:40for his grandeur and kindness

02:43and reached a consensus on the following important points.

02:46One, the participants of the 15th Tibetan religious conference,

02:50led by esteemed religious heads

02:53and realized masters of different religious traditions,

02:57made the unanimous resolution

02:59to support His Holiness the Dalai Lama's precious words

03:02on this significant subject,

03:04and this statement shall be made public far and wide.

03:08Number two, the core process of recognizing the reincarnation

03:12of His Holiness the Dalai Lama

03:14is as per the unique Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

03:19Hence, we not only strongly condemn

03:22the People's Republic of China's usage of reincarnation subject

03:27for their political gain,

03:29and we shall never accept it.

03:31Number three, Tibetans both inside and outside Tibet

03:35made a pledge to maintain national unity of solidarity

03:39and continue to struggle for the just cause of Tibet

03:42in a bid to extend wholehearted cooperation

03:45to the fulfillment of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's

03:48noble wishes and aspirations.

03:50So these are the three points that we have unanimously resolved on

03:55in the religious conference.

03:57And today, at this Presley event meet,

04:00we have Professor Samdong Rinpoche,

04:02who was a former Kalan Chiba and speaker of the Tibetan parliament.

04:07And Professor Rinpoche right now serves under His Holiness the Dalai Lama

04:12in the Gandhia Bodang Institute here in Dharamsala.

04:17So any questions related to the content of His Holiness' message today

04:23and any questions related to the private office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama

04:27will be answered by Professor Samdong Rinpoche.

04:30Anything to do with Godwin celebration

04:32or anything to do with the religious conference on other matters,

04:36I will respond to questions if there are any.

04:39So I welcome, I would like Lakshila to moderate this session

04:44as to who is going to ask what question

04:46and then who will respond accordingly.

04:48Leaving instructions is necessary

04:52when there is a transition from one Dalai Lama to another Dalai Lama.

04:58His Holiness is in good health

05:03and he promised to live a much long life.

05:08So therefore, it is only an indication

05:13then the population comes, he will give the instructions

05:17and it is not necessary at this moment.

05:20Is it clear?

05:22Details about the past.

05:24Is it different from the foundation, please?

05:26The differences between...

05:28No, no, no, this is the one.

05:30The name is the Godin Pudang Foundation,

05:34the Office of the Dalai Lama.

05:36There is a registered trust.

05:39Godin Pudang Trust, what is his Holiness the Dalai Lama?

05:42It is the same with this.

05:44Both of them, both of them.

05:47There are three registered institutions related to his Holiness.

05:51One is the Godin Pudang Trust,

05:53which is based in the Office of the Holiness the Dalai Lama.

05:57Then there is the Dalai Lama Trust, which is also registered in India,

06:00which is a non-profit organization.

06:03And then there is one Dalai Lama Foundation based in Zurich in Switzerland.

06:08So the Dalai Lama Foundation and the Dalai Lama Trust

06:11will have nothing to do with the selection process whenever the time comes.

06:15But it will be the Godin Pudang Trust who will be responsible for...

06:20as per the instruction and his Holiness message today.

06:24I hope it's clear now.

06:26There are three distinct organizations,

06:28Ganden Pudang Trust, which...

06:30Of his Holiness the Dalai Lama will be responsible.

06:34If you could tell me for the members or whenever, sir.

06:37Members right now are the board members or the secretaries of the Ganden Pudang Trust.

06:43So if you will, will?

06:45Within the project,

06:46G exclusive rights.

06:47얼마나 vii root

06:51Who are YOU within the profession.

06:53Hello, I am 그러면

07:02Anyway, Mr. Tupati Tupati Roger the Dalai Lama da,

07:04Thank you very much.

07:34In the Gauden Portan Association of India, this is the good.

07:41Where will the Gauden Portan Trust be?

07:43The Gauden Portan Trust is in the Swadhi country.

07:48It is in Bhartamia.

07:50There is no point here in China.

07:53And as soon as the Gauden Portan Trust will not be able to get the Gauden Portan Trust,

07:59the Gauden Portan Trust will remain in Bhartamia.

08:03He will live in the Saudi countries, so that there will not be any change in the world.

08:21Samaran, you say with the BBC, I guess I'm just looking for a little bit more clarity.

08:26Will there be another sort of message from His Holiness in terms of who the successor may be,

08:34in terms of, you know, where this person may be born?

08:37Or are we to interpret that his past messages of, you know, that the next Dalai Lama will be born free

08:45is sort of the most in terms we're going to get of prescription?

08:56No, there is no any other message.

09:02Whatever instructions are given, it will be an internal document.

09:07It will be given when it comes to the authorities of the Benapurna Trust.

09:12And whatever is to be announced for the public, that has already done,

09:17which is announced today through the Conference of Religions.

09:22So just a point of clarification, so anything further is not for public knowledge?

09:28No, no, no.

09:29Not at the moment.

09:30No.

09:31Yeah.

09:32Okay.

09:33When the time comes.

09:34Journalists, you don't like to wait.

09:36Just one day.

09:37Yeah.

09:38I'm Rajiv Mashaal with the New York Times.

09:43Professor, the Holiness has said before that my reincarnation will be born in a free country.

09:50Does that principle change in the emphasis today on the traditional process?

09:56That is one thing.

09:57And the second, does that completely rule out the possibility where he has said,

10:01it could be an adult that is selected in my lifetime.

10:04It doesn't necessarily need to be a man.

10:07Does that completely rule out those possibilities, the emphasis in today's statement on the traditional process?

10:12There is no contradiction between the traditional process and whatever he has said earlier.

10:25To born in a free country, there is of course the Tibet did not get freedom.

10:31When the time comes, his Holiness shall have to take reincarnation.

10:37And traditionally, any alterate or any gender can be recognized.

10:44So there is no contradiction between tradition and what his Holiness have said in earlier vocations.

10:52Good morning.

10:53This is Manish Kumar Jha.

11:02To Sikyong, this is a historic occasion.

11:04I understand we are talking about the next phase, the continuity of the institution of Dalai Lama.

11:09But I would like you to comment on your struggle and your resolution for the Tibet,

11:15how the movement is then a significant shift in your position for the Tibet,

11:20the fight against Chinese operations in Tibet.

11:23Would you like to comment on this occasion today?

11:25And any shape and framework of furthering your movement in this regard?

11:30The middle wave policy is the set policy that was proposed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama,

11:40approved by the majority of the Tibetans at that time, way back in 1996,

11:46and then it was unanimously adopted by the Tibetan parliament in exile.

11:50So this cannot be changed by one person just because I am the Sikyong.

11:55I cannot change the position or the parliament by itself cannot change the position.

11:59If we need to, there has to be a process of referendum if we have to change the policy

12:08of the Central Tibetan Administration Resolution in resolving the Sino-Tibet conflict.

12:13So there are a lot of questions being asked about what will happen during the interregnum

12:18if there is going to be reincarnation in the future.

12:22That I have said many times that His Holiness, not even one year after coming into exile,

12:28under very difficult circumstances, introduced democracy and had the foresight to prepare the Tibetans,

12:36to empower the Tibetan, ordinary Tibetans to take up the responsibility for the cause,

12:41because of which even an ordinary person like me could be in this position.

12:46And His Holiness, since 2001, after the election of Professor Samdung Rinpoche, as the Karnatriba has said, he was semi-retired.

12:55And then ten years after that, in 2011, His Holiness devolved all his political and administrative responsibilities.

13:01My predecessor took over as Sikang for ten years. This is my first time. We just finished our fourth year.

13:07So this trend will continue, the political system of governance and the struggle.

13:12The same democratic set will continue even in the interregnum. That is one of the questions that you are also asking.

13:19And lately, there have been any interaction with the Chinese authorities and Tibetan authorities?

13:24We have always said that there are some back channels which are not official. Back channels are not official.

13:30If we see a good prospect of resolution of the Sino-Tibet conflict, then it's possible that we will try harder.

13:38But right now, if you look at all the policies and programs that the Chinese government has laid down in Tibet,

13:44it's all aimed at destroying the identity of the Tibetan people,

13:49the belief that if there are no nationalities, then there are no nationality issues.

13:54So this is what Xi Jinping's government is doing, targeting Tibetan language, Tibetan religion,

13:59which are the basis of Tibetan identity. Tibetan language is one among the 15 oldest languages in this world.

14:05We have always said that we are proud of being a repository of one part of ancient Indian wisdom,

14:11rooted in the values of Ahimsa and Karuna, non-violence and compassion.

14:18So there won't be any shift in the position until such a time that it warrants

14:26and it will be done as per the charter of the Tibetans in exile.

14:30Sir, this is Raghwendra Ram from BBC News. Two quick things. Is it fair to say that as per Dalai Lama's message given today,

14:47now there is no possibility of him giving any indications about his reincarnation during his lifetime?

14:55And second, what does this mean? I mean, how should that Tibetan people should take this?

15:02I think you have not read the message properly. Today's message is his acceptance for the continuity of the Dalai Lama institution.

15:22In the 1960s and 70s, he proposed that Dalai Lama institution should be ended.

15:29Now, whether Dalai Lama institution should continue or not, it is to be decided by the followers of the Dalai Lama, by the people.

15:37And for that, he had announced the declaration in 2011.

15:44And in response to 2011, the whole Buddhist followers, now Buddhist followers, whosoever is interested in the Dalai Lama institution,

15:55they have asked Dalai Lama to continue the institution of Dalai Lama in future as well.

16:02So, today's message is acceptance of that request. Now, yes, there will be Dalai Lama institution will continue,

16:11and after 14th Dalai Lama, there will be 15th Dalai Lama, there will be 16th Dalai Lama. This was the acceptance.

16:17And when it will come and how it will be recognized, these are entirely different questions.

16:24When the tank comes, he will give instructions as mentioned in the earlier declaration.

Category

Transcript

Recommended