So how do they determine who is the next Dalai Lama?

[sillymofo]

We were just talking about it at the office, and apparently, the monks would go all over the world to find this Dalai Lama, which is suppose to be the reincarnation of the last one. But how do they know?

If they pick your kid, would you be ok with it?

What if the kid is born into a Catholic family?

 

[Excelsior]

I dunno..but did you see Little Buddha (1993)? I thought it was a neat movie.

 

[CrazyHelloDeli]

Rock, Paper, Scissors

 

[axelfox]

Dance contest.

 

[Schadenfroh]

I AM THE GRAND LLAMA

 

[bigredguy]

Watch the King of the Hill episode on it.

 

[Pepsei]

Interesting that you mention Catholics, Dalai Lama is suppose to be the head of state for Tibet as well as the spiritual lead, just like the Pope.

Supposely, when Dalai Lama dies, the "council" will go out and search for where his "soul" ends up.
It is usually around the area of Tibet, including India. During the testing, they would have all sorts of religious artifacts and relilcs around the child. The child would recognize the actual item that the past Dalai Lama would use and pick it up. There are more tests.. but it is like that.

There's a dispute when the last Panchen Lama (the second spiritual leader of Tibet) was picked. supposely, the child was picked by Dalai Lama, but abducted by the Chinese gov. and the Chinese gov. turn around and prop up another child and appoint him as the Panchen Lama instead.

There's another Lama (the third spiritual leader, I fogot his title) who fled China maybe a few years ago, and is living in India now.

 

[NYSTrooper]

Sort of off topic...

A long time ago when I was in 4th or 5th grade the Dalai Lama was in Abq NM and went to see the Constitution and DOI at the same time as our class trip. I was being a clown on the escalator and almost knocked him over. At about the same time my Grandpa began hiring Tibetan monks at his handmade candle factory. The Dalai Lama has visited it a couple times, and once I was there when he came by. I asked him about the Abq NM incident and he remembered it vividly because people don't physically touch him much and that was the only time he could remember almost getting knocked over. He got a 10 year overdue appology.

 

[dolph]

i went to a tibetan exhibit at a museum on thurs and was wondering the same thing. not sure if this answer satisfies me, but it's the best i could come up with after 5 min of searching:

Immediately after the death of the Dalai Lama, a group of high-ranking monks set out to find the one chosen to be his reincarnation. Every mother who is pregnant at the time of the Dalai Lama?s death hopes that she will bear the son that will be chosen as the next Dalai Lama. The use of oracles, visions, and signs, will help determine who the new Dalai Lama will be. The Regent of Tibet goes to the sacred lake of Lhamo Lhatso at Chokhorgyal, about 90 miles south east of Lhasa. For centuries, the Tibetans had observed that visions of the future could be seen in this lake.

When the right person is found, he must pass a series of test to prove that he is the true reincarnation, including choosing items used by the previous Dalai Lama from a montage of items some real and some counterfeit. He must also possess all the correct physical characteristics, including long ears, moles in the right places on his torso, and two vestigial bits of skin at the shoulder blades, indicating the two other arms possessed by the Bodhisattva (biography from Nobel Prize Winners).

Once the new Dalai Lama is chosen, he must move to Lhasa where he begins his studies. This trip to Lhasa is a long processional, with many stops. In every village and town passed, the Dalai Lama encounters processions of lamas and monks carrying emblems and decorations. The people of the towns also join in the processionals. Along the way, high-ranking officials, such as prime ministers, and members of the cabinet, will receive the Dalai Lama (My land and My People). Once the processional is completed, and the Dalai Lama has reached Lhasa, there will ceremonies to welcome him and give thanks for finding him

(from http://www.uwec.edu/greider/Chinese.Japan/student.web.pages/Modernity%20and%20Spirituality/RebeccaKelm/immediately_after_the_death_of_t.htm )

 

[Koing]

Interesting stuff.

Koing