Dalai Lama Says Succession Not A Serious Problem For Him

As the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people as the Dalai Lama ages Buddhists here in Syracuse have been joining Buddhists across the world with shared anxieties about what will happen when the Dalai Lama retires or dies. As the very much admired spiritual leader of Buddhism in every corner of the world the Dalai Lama fully understands the impact which his presence has for his followers. However, he says he is not concerned about the issue of succession to his position.            
The Tibet Sun, http://tibetsun.com, has reported "Succession not a serious issue for me: Dalai Lama". In fact His Holiness the Dalai Lama has recently said  “Succession is not a serious issue for me. Looks like the Chinese government is more seriously looking for it. ” The Dalai Lama made these comments  while answering questions on the sidelines of the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in the national capital of India, New Delhi. The Dalai Lama went on to comment that the continuation of the Dalai Lama as an institution depended on what the Tibetan people wanted. He said “I made it very clear as early as 1969, if majority of Tibetan people feel that now the Dalai Lama institution is no more needed, we can finish it."
The Dalai Lama fled Tibet with many of his supporters and took refuge in India when Chinese troops moved in and took control of Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, in 1959. Since than he has headed the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh. About 140,000 Tibetans now live in exile, over 100,000 of them in different parts of India.  And over six million Tibetans live in Chinese occupied in Tibet.

Buddhists here in Syracuse will join in prayers with Buddhists from around the world that there will be a continuation of respect for Buddhist values when the Dalai Lama is no longer around.


Mandel News Service: http://www.mandelnews.com