Dharamshala, July 2, 2025 — In a decisive message delivered to the 15th Tibetan Religious Conference, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama affirmed that the sacred institution of the Dalai Lama will continue. In a pre-recorded video, the spiritual leader declared that the recognition of his next reincarnation will be carried out exclusively by the Gaden Phodrang Trust, the spiritual office he established. With this announcement, His Holiness has laid to rest years of speculation and firmly placed the future of the Dalai Lama lineage in the hands of Tibetans, untainted by political interference.
The Dalai Lama reminded the world that as early as 1969, he had made clear that whether his reincarnation should continue was a decision for the Tibetan people and followers of Tibetan Buddhism. In his 2011 statement, he promised that when he reached the age of ninety, he would consult the senior Lamas of the Tibetan traditions and the Tibetan public to re-evaluate the matter. Now, as his ninetieth year approaches, he has received an overwhelming outpouring of appeals—from the Tibetan people inside Tibet and in exile, from Himalayan Buddhists, Mongolians, practitioners in the Russian republics, and even from within mainland China. In light of these earnest requests, His Holiness announced his solemn affirmation: the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue.
He declared that the entire responsibility for identifying his successor rests solely with the Gaden Phodrang Trust. This body, he said, will consult with the heads of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the reliable, oath-bound Dharma Protectors who are intimately connected to the Dalai Lama lineage. The recognition will be carried out according to the time-honored traditions of Tibet, with no deviation and no intrusion. His Holiness stressed unequivocally that no government, institution, or external force—especially the Chinese Communist Party—has the authority to interfere in this process.
The statement strikes a direct blow to China’s repeated assertion that it has the right to approve reincarnations under its own legal framework. His Holiness has long warned that the next Dalai Lama must be born in a free country, not under occupation. He has urged the Tibetan people and the world at large to reject any reincarnation proclaimed by Beijing, calling such attempts illegitimate and politically motivated.
His message arrives at a time of immense spiritual and political significance. This year marks the beginning of the “Year of Compassion,” a commemorative theme chosen by the Central Tibetan Administration to honor the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday. The announcement brings clarity and comfort to millions of followers who have long awaited guidance on this issue. It also reinforces the legacy of the Dalai Lama as not only a spiritual teacher but as a protector of Tibetan identity, sovereignty, and tradition.
Reactions to the statement have already rippled across the Tibetan Buddhist world. Senior Lamas and community leaders have welcomed the decision as both timely and necessary. In contrast, the Chinese government has expressed its disapproval, insisting that all reincarnations of Tibetan lamas must be approved by Beijing—a claim His Holiness has described as deeply contradictory, coming from a regime that rejects the very idea of rebirth.
This firm declaration by the Dalai Lama is not merely a spiritual decision. It is a political stand against historical erasure, a cultural assertion against imperial interference, and a reaffirmation of a people’s right to protect their faith without coercion.
