Dharamshala: Just days ahead of his 90th birthday, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has affirmed that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue, dispelling uncertainty over the question of succession. He also declared that the Gaden Phodrang Trust will have the exclusive authority to recognise the next Dalai Lama.
In a statement made on May 21, 2025, in Tibetan Language and released by his office in Dharamshala on Wednesday, the 14th Dalai Lama — Tenzin Gyatso, also known as Lhama Thondup — stated, “I am affirming that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue, and 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.”
The announcement comes as celebrations marking the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday began on June 30 at Tsuglagkhang, the main temple in McLeodganj near Dharamshala.
Referencing a past statement, the Dalai Lama recalled that during a meeting with the heads of Tibetan spiritual traditions on September 24, 2011, he had said that as early as 1969, he had made it clear that the future of the Dalai Lama’s reincarnations should be decided by the concerned people. He had also stated that once he turned 90, he would consult the senior lamas of Tibetan Buddhist traditions, the Tibetan public, and others who follow Tibetan Buddhism to assess whether the institution should continue.
The statement issued on Wednesday confirmed that such consultations had taken place. “I have received messages through various channels from Tibetans and Tibetan Buddhists living in other parts of the world requesting that the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue,” he said.
He further stated that the responsibility to identify his successor will rest with the members of the Gaden Phodrang Trust and the Office of the Dalai Lama. These members, he said, should consult with the heads of the various Tibetan Buddhist traditions and with the reliable oath-bound Dharma Protectors who are inseparably linked to the Dalai Lama lineage. “They should carry out the procedures of search and recognition in accordance with tradition,” he added.
The reaffirmation from the Dalai Lama ends speculation over the future of the institution, reinforcing that the succession will follow traditional Tibetan Buddhist practices under the sole authority of the Gaden Phodrang Trust.
With PTI inputs