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Dalai Lama
A representative image of a Chinese dragon. Photo: Unsplash

Dalai Lama envoy says Mongolia is becoming 'testing ground' for China's control over Buddhist reincarnation

| @indiablooms | Aug 04, 2025, at 11:04 pm

Telo Tulku Rinpoche, the former head of Buddhists of the Republic of Kalmykia and the Envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Russia, Mongolia, and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS countries), has warned that Mongolia has emerged as a testing ground for Beijing’s campaign to control the sacred Buddhist institution of reincarnation.

“Mongolia is pretty much under control of China politically, economically, and now we can say spiritually as well,” Rinpoche was quoted as saying by Phayul.

“They have a very strong influence to silence the Mongolian authorities, which they have succeeded in," he said.

Dalai Lama recently clarified that his institution will continue and his successor will be recognised solely by members of the Gaden Phodrang Trust.

Amid a debate on who will succeed him- he is the current 14th Dalai Lama- , and how the process will be carried out—especially given the geopolitical tensions between the Tibetan exile community and China, the spiritual leader said he took the decision based on the requests he received from various sections to continue with his institution.
In a long statement issued on X, Dalai Lama earlier said, "Although I have had no public discussions on this issue, over the last 14 years leaders of Tibet’s spiritual traditions, members of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, participants in a Special General Body Meeting, members of the Central Tibetan Administration, NGOs, Buddhists from the Himalayan region, Mongolia, Buddhist republics of the Russian Federation and Buddhists in Asia including mainland China, have written to me with reasons, earnestly requesting that the institution of the Dalai Lama continue.
 

Meanwhile, China insisted that it must approve the reincarnation of the next Dalai Lama, invoking its 1959 “Golden Urn” system and historical precedents.

It has declared that any Dalai Lama chosen without its approval will be considered illegitimate.

This sets the stage for a possible two-Dalai Lama scenario—one selected by Beijing inside Tibet, and another chosen by the exile community.

In his statement, Dalai Lama said the process to recognise his successor will be according to his September 24, 2011 statement that mandates the members of the Trust to consult "Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the reliable oath-bound Dharma Protectors who are linked inseparably to the lineage of the Dalai Lamas".

Dalai Lama recently celebrated his 90th birthday.

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