The Dalai Lama, the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism, has signaled that the centuries-old tradition of the Dalai Lama could continue beyond his lifetime. Speaking at a prayer ceremony ahead of his 90th birthday on July 6, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, offered his clearest indication yet that his reincarnation remains a possibility. “There will be some kind of a framework within which we can talk about its continuation,” he told followers, pointing to an evolving conversation around the institution’s future.
Spiritual Leader Suggests Framework for Successor
Tibetan Buddhists believe that the Dalai Lama can reincarnate at will, choosing the body into which he returns. This belief has shaped the leadership of Tibetan Buddhism since the first Dalai Lama was recognized in 1587. However, Gyatso has previously floated the possibility that he might be the last. In a 2004 interview with Time, he said, “The institution of the Dalai Lama, and whether it should continue or not, is up to the Tibetan people. If they feel it is not relevant, then it will cease and there will be no 15th Dalai Lama.”
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
Rejects Beijing’s Authority Over Reincarnation
Now living in exile in India since fleeing Tibet following the failed 1959 uprising against Chinese rule, the Dalai Lama remains a symbol of Tibetan identity and resistance. Beijing considers him a separatist, rejecting his spiritual authority and insisting that any future reincarnation must be approved by the Chinese government. Gyatso has firmly rejected this stance, urging his followers not to recognize any successor named by Beijing.
Instead, he has suggested that the next Dalai Lama could be found outside of Tibet, potentially in India, and that the successor could be of any gender. In a recent post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, the Dalai Lama shared a statement titled Affirming the Continuation of the Institution of Dalai Lama, reinforcing his intent to preserve the spiritual lineage on Tibetan terms and not China’s.
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