Dalai Lama Forever (Source: Grok_AI)
On July 2, 2025, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama issued a significant statement reaffirming the continuation of the institution of the Dalai Lama, addressing a question he first raised in 1969 and elaborated on in 2011. The announcement, translated from the original Tibetan, clarifies the process for recognizing the future Dalai Lama and underscores the exclusive authority of the Gaden Phodrang Trust in this sacred responsibility.
In his statement, the Dalai Lama reflected on discussions initiated in 2011 during a meeting of the heads of Tibetan spiritual traditions. At that time, he invited Tibetans in and outside Tibet, followers of Tibetan Buddhism, and those connected to the Tibetan cause to consider whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue. He noted that in 1969, he had already expressed that the decision rested with the concerned people. The Dalai Lama further stated that when he reaches around ninety years of age, he would consult high Lamas, the Tibetan public, and other followers of Tibetan Buddhism to reassess the institution’s future.
Over the past 14 years, the Dalai Lama has received widespread appeals from various groups urging the continuation of the institution. Leaders of Tibet’s spiritual traditions, members of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, participants in a Special General Body Meeting, the Central Tibetan Administration, NGOs, Buddhists from the Himalayan region, Mongolia, Buddhist republics of the Russian Federation, and Buddhists across Asia, including mainland China, have all written to him, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the Dalai Lama’s lineage. Tibetans within Tibet have also conveyed similar requests through various channels.
Responding to these earnest appeals, the Dalai Lama affirmed that the institution of the "Dalai Lama will indeed continue". He reiterated the process outlined in his 2011 statement, which designates the Gaden Phodrang Trust, the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, as the sole authority responsible for the search and recognition of the future Dalai Lama. The Trust is tasked with consulting the heads of Tibetan Buddhist traditions and reliable oath-bound Dharma Protectors linked to the Dalai Lama’s lineage, following established traditions for the identification process.
The Dalai Lama explicitly stated that no entity outside the Gaden Phodrang Trust has the authority to interfere in this matter, reinforcing the Trust’s exclusive role in ensuring the integrity of the recognition process. This declaration aims to safeguard the spiritual and cultural significance of the Dalai Lama’s lineage, which has guided Tibetan Buddhism for centuries.
Issued from Dharamshala, this statement not only addresses the concerns of the global Tibetan Buddhist community but also provides clarity on the future of one of the world’s most revered spiritual institutions. The Gaden Phodrang Trust’s role as the sole arbiter in recognizing the next Dalai Lama underscores the importance of tradition and autonomy in this sacred process.