Tibet’s 14th Dalai Lama turns 90 on July 6. The world’s attention is focused on Tibet’s spiritual leader as the world’s most prominent Buddhist monk is set to announce plans to select his successor on his birthday. The issue is not just a spiritual one, but a complex geopolitical struggle, as China, which has swallowed Tibet, now seeks to control the centuries-old reincarnation process of selecting Buddhist lamas. How is the Dalai Lama chosen? – The process of choosing a successor to the Dalai Lama is according to spiritual tradition. Tibetan Buddhist monks rely on visions, signs and dream interpretations to find a new Dalai Lama. – Senior monks first try to find clues in the body of the deceased Dalai Lama. For example, when the 13th Dalai Lama was laid to rest after his death, his head was initially facing south, but then turned to the east. Taking this incident as a sign, it was interpreted that the Dalai Lama would be reborn in the east. – After that, the senior monks go to visit the sacred ‘Lamoi Lhasa’ lake in Tibet. It is believed that this lake indicates the place of the Dalai Lama’s rebirth. – A child who is considered a possible reincarnation of the Dalai Lama has to go through a series of tests. In which he is asked to identify objects used by the previous Dalai Lama. If the child succeeds in doing so, he is accepted as the new Dalai Lama. The current Dalai Lama passed such tests and was elected at the age of just two. – This process can take years. Often, a leadership vacuum is created when a suitable child is not found.
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