The whole world is offering its final blessings to Pope Francis as it watches rituals and pageantry at the Vatican City that will culminate with the naming of a new Pope. The 1.4 billion Catholics and the rest of us will soon know when there is a new Pope just after the secret balloting by the College of Cardinals is completed. The signal of white smoke will rise from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel and a few hours later, the new Pope will appear on the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square.

Also soon, the world may also witness the succession of a new Dalai Lama and a new leader of the worldwide Buddhist Faith. Or, maybe not.

We say “maybe not” because that is what the current Dalia Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, has said. More than once he has said he may choose to end the 700-year-old lineage of Dalai Lamas, the holy leader that Buddhists believe is reincarnated from the bodhisattva. Gyatso has been teasing his followers for the past few years about his succession plans and he has urged his followers to anticipate an important announcement on his 90^th birthday this July.

Ever since the communist Chinese invaded Tibet and forced the Dalai Lama into permanent exile, the Chinese have threatened to disrupt the spiritual chain of the Buddhists and their holy leader, the Dalai Lama. In fact, the Chinese government since 2007 has named competitive successors to the highest ranks of the Tibetan and Buddhist leadership. That is why the current 14^th Dalai Lama is being so dramatic and elusive during his world travels and in his writings.

For his surprise July announcement, the current Dalai Lama also has alternately suggested he may seek to end the Dalai Lama institution and refuse to reincarnate himself. He also has said he would not rule out a woman successor. And, he has written, “I might take (my) rebirth as an insect, or an animal, (or) whatever would be the most value to the largest number of sentient beings.”

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Reincarnating with defiance

In his boldest declaration of defiance against the Beijing Chinese government he has said any new Dalai Lama after him “will be born in the free world … to be the voice for universal compassion and the embodiment of the aspirations of the Tibetan people.”

The living Dalia Lama is known for his sense of humor and many call him a “rock star.” Many observers have favorably compared the Dalai Lama to Pope Francis for their shared outreach to the world’s poor and oppressed populations and for their preference for simpler trappings and communications in their world leadership roles. Both religious leaders have been called “liberals” for their worldviews and political preferences.

Gyatso, who was born as Lhamo Thondup, has served as the 14^th Dalia Lama since 1939 after he was chosen by an expedition of Buddhist monks at the age of two to succeed the 13th Dalai Lama who had died in 1933. (He was ordained following his final religious exams in 1950 at the age of 23.)

The current Dalai Lama, who was forced into exile in 1959 by the communist Chinese from his Tibetan homeland, has become a very popular and recognizable figure far beyond his Eastern and Western Buddhist followers.

Among the world’s religions, the Dalai Lama position is considered the Buddhist equivalent of the Catholic’s papacy. But while there have been 268 popes named to lead the Catholic Church since the days of St. Peter, 2,000 years ago, there only have been 14 Dalai Lamas. That is because in the Buddhist Faith the practice of naming a reincarnated soul after the original Buddha (Siddhartha) did not begin until 700 years ago after Siddhartha’s death in northern India over 2,300 years ago.

Buddhism has been traced to the sixth century BCE, originating in northern India. Buddhist teachings reached Tibet by the 8^th century. Buddhism is not centered on a single supreme being like all other religions. There are many different Buddhist sects today, similar to the many theologies under Christianity. At its most basic Buddhism is a spiritual way of life that seeks an end to all suffering and a state of mind and soul that approaches enlightenment.

While the Catholic Church has a well-ordered structure for the selection of a new pope, the current Buddhist world has been thrown into a tizzy ever since the Chinese invaded the Dalai Lama’s homeland of Tibet and declared their Beijing government the ultimate authority over the office of the Dalai Lama.

The Year of Compassion

Preparations have been announced by the Central Tibetan Administration and the office of the 14^th Dalia Lama for a yearlong series of Long Life Offering ceremonies and large group prayers by international visitors. The sessions, held in Dharamsala, India, are free to everyone and registration for the events has been open since last year.

Over recent years, the Dalai Lama has been seeking comments from many Buddhist groups and individuals about their choice for the future makeup or successor of the high holiness position. At the same time, he has said he feels very healthy and may choose to live to age 110 or longer.

His Holiness has just released his newest book, “Voice for the Voiceless” wherein he chronicles the recent years of his struggles against the Chinese government and with his personal dilemma of determining a future path for his succession.

More than 110 books have been published under his name, including some taken from lecture series and others from a lifelong series of explorations he has had with world scientists over his favorite subject of how and where science and faith meet and intercross.

In his new book he writes, “In my role as the Dalai Lama, there is no issue more important than what I describe in these pages. My hope is that the book will stimulate fresh thoughts and conversations today and provide a framework for the future of Tibet even after I am gone.”

His Holiness was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his nonviolent resistance to the Chinese aggressions in Tibet and for his worldwide teachings of peace and humanitarian action.

The Dalai Lama has met with Pope Francis and most of the Catholic popes that preceded Francis during his own lifetime. He has met with almost every world leader including U.S. President Donald Trump. He addressed a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress during the Obama Administration where he made a strong appeal for action against climate change.

What the Dalai Lama believes

The Dalai Lama is a vegetarian and is opposed to the death penalty. He also opposes abortion, except for very limited exceptions. He claims to follow “true Marxist policies” to inform his political views. He has criticized many motives of capitalism, commercialization and profiteering. He has been a constant voice for women’s rights but he has called same-sex unions a “personal issue” that should not be persecuted although he has stopped short of endorsing same-sex marriage.

The Dalai Lama’s singular message is that practicing “compassion makes us happy.” If you’ve seen interviews or news clips of him, you know his Highness laughs and smiles a lot.

In Sanskrit, the word Dalai means “ocean” or “big” and the word Lama means “guru” or “teacher.”

In his latest book, he has elaborated on his beliefs about reincarnation, a topic the whole world will be watching for an answer this July. “Reincarnation is a phenomenon which should take place either through the voluntary choice of the concerned person or at least on the strength of his or her karma, merit, and prayers. Therefore, the person who reincarnates has sole legitimate authority over where and how he or she takes rebirth and how that reincarnation is to be recognized. It is a reality that no one else can force the person concerned, or manipulate him or her.”

That’s quite easy for a man to say who has been worshipped since the age of two as the living spirit and soul of Siddhartha, the original Buddha. But for the rest of us the idea of reincarnation is not something we’d usually consider for a birthday wish.

— Rollie Atkinson

4-28-2025