Will there be a Dalai Lama 15. The Dalai Lama on enemies, Marxism and the third world war. parts of one life

The right to make decisions related to his own reincarnation belongs exclusively to the Dalai Lama, the 17th Karmapa Urgyen Thinley Dorje emphasized in an interview with the Tibetan service of Radio Free Asia (RFA) in Washington on the evening of April 15.

“In the Tibetan tradition, we avoid talking at length about the next incarnation of a living master,” he said. “However, now many questions have arisen. In my opinion, only the Dalai Lama himself should make a decision about his future reincarnation. So I trust his decision and rely on him completely. There are a lot of assumptions and conjectures, but it doesn’t worry me.”

The 17th Karmapa Urgyen Trinley Dorje is the only one among the highest lamas in the hierarchy of Tibetan Buddhism to have received recognition from Beijing and the Dalai Lama. He was raised in Tsurphu Monastery - the residence of the Karmapas since the 12th century - until December 28, 1999, when a 14-year-old boy managed to escape undetected from the supervision of Chinese intelligence services. During the week with the group Tibetan monks he made a difficult journey of 1,400 km through the Himalayas to India, where on January 5, 2000 he met with the Dalai Lama.

In 2005, the Indian central government granted him refugee status. Currently, the residence of the 17th Karmapa is located in Gyuto Monastery near Dharamsala.

Now Beijing ideologists are hoping to appoint their “successor” to the post of Dalai Lama in order to educate him in a “patriotic” spirit. Even if the Tibetans do not recognize it, this will not prevent them from using it for the purpose of external propaganda of the Communist Party’s policies.

A few months ago, the 14th Dalai Lama said he might become the last holder of this title.

“The Dalai Lama Institute will one day cease. Such human-made institutions will cease to exist,” the spiritual leader said in an interview with BBC Newsnight aired on December 16, during the Nobel Peace Prize summit in Rome. - It will be very sad if some stupid Dalai Lama comes and denigrates himself. So it is better if the centuries-old tradition ends during the period of the popular Dalai Lama.”

The Dalai Lama made a similar comment in a September interview with Welt am Sonntag, noting that he could easily imagine not having a successor. “Tibetan Buddhism does not depend on one person - we [in India] have very good organization with well-trained monks and learned philosophers,” he said.

The chairman of the Commission on Ethnic and Religious Affairs in the advisory body of the government, Zhu Weiqun, reacted in the pages of the Beijing Huangqiu Shibao with an exasperated statement: “Only the central government can decide whether to maintain or abandon the succession of the Dalai Lamas, and the last word on this issue does not belong to the 14th Dalai Lama.”

In November 1995, the party leadership decided, under the guise of the golden urn procedure, to appoint its “successor” for the X Panchen Lama, who died in 1989. Gendun Choki Nima, who was recognized as the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, disappeared without a trace along with his family.

The 11th Panchen Lama Gyaltsen Norbu, whom Tibetans call the “false Panchen,” visited the Mao Zedong Museum and other “red tourism” sites, and also repeatedly spoke in support of the party line in Tibet. For this he received a reception at the ruling Politburo and was present as a guest at the party congress. But in August 2014, as he embarked on a tour of Tibet, Chinese officials continued to threaten punitive sanctions against monks who refused to attend his ceremonies.

Here is the full text of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's statement regarding his next incarnation, which was the subject of discussion at the 11th Meeting of Heads and Representatives of the Four Schools of Tibetan Buddhism and Traditional Bon Religion, held in Dharamsala on September 22-24, 2011.

Introduction

My fellow Tibetans living in Tibet and beyond, all those who follow the tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, and all those associated with Tibet and Tibetans. Through the insight of our ancient kings, ministers and scholarly adepts, the Teachings of the Buddha in its entirety, including those based on the scriptures and personal experience the teachings of the Three Vehicles and the four branches of tantra, as well as the subjects and disciplines associated with them, flourished everywhere in the Land of Snows. Tibet has been and remains the source of the Buddhist tradition and associated culture for the whole world. He has greatly contributed to the happiness of countless beings in Asia, including China, Tibet and Mongolia.

In the process of preserving the Buddhist tradition in Tibet, we have developed a unique tradition of recognizing adept scholars, which has brought enormous benefits to both the Dharma and sentient beings, especially the monastic community.

The unmistakably recognized reincarnation of Gedun Drup in the omniscient Gedun Gyatso and the founding of the Gaden Phodrang Labrang (institute of the Dalai Lamas) in the 15th century was followed by a series of recognized reincarnations. The third in this line, Sonam Gyatso, was given the title of Dalai Lama. The fifth Dalai Lama, Nawang Lobsang Gyatso, founded the Gaden Phodrang government in 1642, becoming both the spiritual and political head of Tibet. For more than 600 years since the time of Gedun Drup, a number of reincarnations have been unmistakably identified in the line of the Dalai Lamas.

From 1642, for 369 years, the Dalai Lamas served as political and spiritual leaders of Tibet. Now I have voluntarily put an end to this tradition. I feel proud and satisfied that we are able to adhere to the democratic system of government that is common throughout the world. Back in 1969, I made it clear that decisions about whether there would be future reincarnations of the Dalai Lama should be made by those directly affected. However, in the absence of clear instructions, there is an obvious danger that if the interested public expresses a strong desire for the institution of the Dalai Lamas to continue to exist, some politicians pursuing their own selfish interests will want to use the reincarnation system to achieve their political objectives. Therefore, it seems necessary to me, while I am in good health and clear mind, to give clear instructions regarding the recognition of the next Dalai Lama, so that there is no room for doubt or deception. To fully understand these instructions, it is very important to gain an understanding of the tulku recognition system and the basic concepts on which it is based. Therefore, I will give a brief explanation of them below.

Past and future lives

In order to accept the idea of reincarnation or the reality of a tulku, we must accept the existence of past and future lives. Living beings come to this life from past lives and after death they are reborn again. This sequence of continuous rebirths is accepted by all ancient spiritual traditions and philosophical schools of India with the exception of the Charvaka school, which stood on the principles of materialism. Some modern thinkers deny the existence of past and future lives on the grounds that they cannot be seen. Others do not draw such categorical conclusions on this basis.

Although many religious traditions accept rebirth, they differ in their views on what is reborn, the process of rebirth itself, and what happens in transition period between two lives. Some religious traditions accept the possibility future life, but deny the idea of past lives.

In general, Buddhists believe in the beginninglessness of birth and that, having freed ourselves from the wheel of existence by overcoming karma and destructive emotions, we will no longer be reborn under the influence of these conditions. Thus, Buddhists believe in the possibility of ending rebirths as a result of karma and destructive emotions, but most Buddhist schools of thought believe that the mental continuum itself cannot be stopped. To deny past and future rebirths is to contradict the Buddhist concept of ground, path and fruition, which must be explained in terms of the tamed and untamed mind. If we deny [the existence of past and future rebirths], then logically we will have to agree that this world and its inhabitants arise without any causes or conditions. Therefore, if we consider ourselves Buddhists, we must accept the existence of past and future births.

For those who remember their past lives, rebirth is a distinct experience. However, most ordinary beings forget past lives during the process of dying, transition and rebirth. Since the existence of past and future lives is not so obvious to them, in order to prove their reality, it is necessary to resort to logical arguments.

In the Buddha's teachings and subsequent commentaries, many different logical arguments are given to prove the existence of past and future lives. Briefly, they all boil down to four logical arguments: every object and phenomenon is preceded by an object and phenomenon of the same type; every object and phenomenon is preceded by a substantial cause; in the past the mind already had knowledge about objects and phenomena; and in the past the mind has already had experience [of interaction] with objects and phenomena.

Ultimately, all of these arguments rest on the idea that since the nature of the mind is clarity and awareness, then the substantial cause of the mind must be clarity and awareness. The substantial cause for the mind cannot be anything else, such as an inanimate object. It is obvious. Through logical analysis we establish that a new flow of clarity and awareness cannot arise without causes or from inappropriate causes. Having established that the mind cannot be created in a laboratory, we can also conclude that nothing can put an end to the subtle [flow of] clarity and awareness.

To my knowledge, no modern psychologist, physicist or neuroscientist has yet been able to observe or substantiate the emergence of mind from matter or without a cause.

There are people who remember a past life or even many past lives, and can also recognize places they have visited in past life, and their former relatives. Such cases have happened not only in the past. Even today, in the East and West, there are many people who can remember incidents and experiences from their past lives. To deny this is to be dishonest and biased in the research, because it contradicts the available evidence. The Tibetan system of recognizing rebirths is a reliable method of research based on people's memory of their past lives.

How does rebirth happen?

There are two ways to be reborn after death: rebirth through karma or destructive emotions, and rebirth through compassion and prayer. In the first case, due to ignorance, negative and positive karma is created, leaving imprints on the consciousness. Strong desire and clinging again activate these imprints, which directs us to the next life. As a result, we are involuntarily reborn in higher or lower worlds. This is how ordinary beings continually rotate in the circle of existence, like a spinning wheel. But even under such circumstances, ordinary beings motivated by good intentions can diligently engage in virtuous practices in their lives. Everyday life. In this way they accustom themselves to virtuous thinking, which, when activated at the moment of death, can help them to be reborn in higher spheres of existence. On the other hand, the highest bodhisattvas who have achieved the path of vision are reborn not due to karma and destructive emotions, but due to their compassion for living beings and prayers for the benefit of others. They can choose the place and time of rebirth, as well as their future parents. Such rebirth, which occurs with the sole purpose of benefiting others, is rebirth through the power of compassion and prayer.

Meaning of Tulku

The Tibetan custom of using the epithet "tulku" (nirmanakaya, body of emanation, or manifested body of the Buddha) in relation to recognized incarnations [lamas] apparently arose from the fact that believers began to use it as an honorary title. However, it subsequently came into widespread use. In general, the term tulku refers to a specific aspect of a buddha, one of the three or four described in the Vehicle of Sutras. According to this explanation of these aspects of a buddha, a person who is completely bound by destructive emotions and karma has the potential to achieve the dharmakaya (the body of truth), consisting of jnanakaya and svabhavavikakaya. The first corresponds to the enlightened mind of the Buddha, capable of accurately and directly perceiving everything as it is at the same moment in time. He is purified of all destructive emotions, as well as their imprints, due to the long-term accumulation of merit and wisdom. The second, svabhavavikakaya, corresponds to the empty nature of the omniscient enlightened mind. These two aspects are manifested by Buddhas for themselves. However, since others do not have direct access to them, and only the Buddhas themselves can interact with these aspects, the Buddhas also need to manifest in material forms that are accessible to sentient beings in order to help them. That is why the highest material manifestation of a Buddha becomes the sambhogakaya (the body of bliss), accessible to the highest bodhisattvas and possessing five characteristics, including, for example, being in the Akanishta paradise. And from the sambhogakaya manifest myriads of manifested bodies of buddhas, or tulkus (nirmanakaya), which can be gods or people and are accessible even to ordinary beings. These material aspects of a buddha are called "form bodies" and are intended to serve others.

Nirmanakaya (the body of emanation, or the manifested body of a Buddha) can be of three types: 1) the highest body-nirmanakaya, its example can be Buddha Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha who performed twelve acts of a Buddha, including being born in his chosen place, etc.; 2) the creative nirmanakaya body, with the help of which Buddhas serve others, manifesting as artisans, artists, etc., and 3) the embodied nirmanakaya body, with the help of which the buddhas manifest themselves in various forms, for example in the form of people, deities, rivers, bridges, healing herbs and trees to help other beings. Incarnations of spiritual masters, who are recognized and called "tulkus" in Tibet, belong to the third of the three listed categories of nirmanakaya. Among such tulkus, there may be many who fully correspond to the characteristics of the embodied body of nirmanakaya buddhas, but this does not apply to all. Among the Tibetan tulkus there may also be incarnations of higher bodhisattvas, bodhisattvas on the path of accumulation and preparation, as well as mentors who, for obvious reasons, have yet to enter these bodhisattva paths. Thus, the title "tulku" is given to incarnate lamas either on the basis that they are like enlightened beings or because of their association with certain qualities of enlightened beings.

As Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo said:

“Reincarnation is what happens when a being is reborn after a predecessor passes away; emanation is when manifestations arise without their source passing away.”

Recognizing new incarnations

The practice of recognizing who a given being is based on determining its past life took place during the lifetime of Buddha Shakyamuni. In the four sets (agamas) of the Vinaya Pitaka, in the Jatakas, the Sutra on Wisdom and Folly, the Sutra on the Hundred Karmas, and so on, the Tathagata revealed the action of karma, telling countless stories about how the consequences of certain karma accumulated in one of the past lives are experienced a person in the present. In addition, the lives of many Indian teachers who lived after the Buddha contain stories about where they were born before. There are many such stories, but in India there is no system for recognizing new incarnations and assigning serial numbers to them.

System for recognizing new incarnations in Tibet

Bon, the pre-Buddhist tradition of the indigenous people of Tibet, already recognized the existence of past and future lives. And with the spread of Buddhism in Tibet, almost all Tibetans began to believe in past and future births. The search for new incarnations of many spiritual mentors, as well as the custom of devotionally praying to them, were widespread in Tibet. Many reliable sources, books written in Tibet, such as the Mani Kaboom and the Fivefold Teachings of Kathang, as well as the teachings of the illustrious and incomparable Indian master Dipankara Atisha, given in the 11th century in Tibet and included in the Books of Disciples [traditions] Kadam" and the work "Precious Garland: Answers to Questions" tell the story of the reincarnations of Arya Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. However, the current tradition of officially recognizing new incarnations of teachers arose at the beginning of the 13th century, when Karmapa Pagshi was recognized by his students as the reincarnation of Karmapa Dusuma Khyenpa in accordance with the prediction he left. Since then, over the course of more than 900 years, seventeen incarnations of the Karmapas have been recognized. Similarly, since the recognition of Kungi Sangmo in the 15th century as a new incarnation of Khandro Chokyi Dronme, more than ten incarnations of Samding Dorjde Phagmo have been recognized. Thus, among the recognized tulkus in Tibet there are both monks and lay practitioners of tantra, men and women. The system of recognizing reincarnation that exists in Tibet gradually spread to other traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, as well as Bon. Today, there are recognized and Dharma-serving tulkus in all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism: Sakya, Gelug, Kagyu and Nyingma, as well as Jonang and Bodong. Of course, among the tulkus there are those who disgrace their name.

The omniscient Gedun Drub, who was a direct disciple of Je Tsongkhapa, founded the Tashilhunpo Monastery in Tsang and cared for his disciples. He died in 1474 at the age of 84. Although at first people made no effort to find his new incarnation, they were forced to recognize him in a child named Sangye Chophel, born at Tanaka, in Tsang in 1476, due to his amazing and unmistakable memories of a past life. Since then, the tradition of searching for and recognizing subsequent incarnations of the Dalai Lama began, which was first carried out by Labrang Gaden Phodrang, and then by the government of the same name.

Ways to recognize new incarnations

After the emergence of the tulku recognition system, various procedures related to its practical implementation began to develop and spread. The most important of them involve consideration of the prophetic letter of the predecessor and other instructions and directions left by him; the ability of a new incarnation to reliably talk about his past life; recognition [by the new incarnation] of objects belonging to his predecessor, and recognition of people close to him. In addition, additional methods were used, such as asking reliable spiritual guides for fortune-telling, as well as seeking predictions from worldly oracle deities who were able to communicate through mediums immersed in a trance, and observing visions manifested on the surface of the waters of the sacred lakes of the protectors. , such as Lhamo Latso, a sacred lake south of Lhasa.

In the event that there is more than one potential candidate for recognition as a tulku, and the choice is difficult, there is a tradition of making the final decision through dough ball divination (zen tak) in front of a sacred image and invoking the power of truth.

Emanation before the departure of the predecessor (ma-dhe tulku)

Usually, reincarnation is understood as the rebirth of a person after the death of a predecessor. Ordinary living beings, as a rule, are not able to manifest emanations before death (ma-dhe tulku), but the highest bodhisattvas, capable of simultaneously manifesting in hundreds or thousands of bodies, can manifest emanations even before their death. Within the Tibetan system of recognizing tulkus, there are emanations that belong to the same mental continuum as their predecessor; emanations that are connected to others by the power of karma and prayers, and emanations that arise as a result of blessings and assignments.

The main purpose of the coming of the reincarnated [lama] is to continue the unfinished works of his predecessor aimed at serving the Dharma and beings. In the case of a lama being an ordinary being, instead of recognizing his reincarnation as belonging to the same mental continuum, one can recognize his emanation in another person who has a connection with that lama by virtue of pure karma and prayers. An alternative solution would be to appoint a follower as the lama, who would be either his disciple or one of the younger ones. Such a person will also be recognized as his emanation. Since all these options are possible for an ordinary being, we can reasonably talk about the manifestation of emanation before passing away, which will not be a continuation of the stream of mind of the predecessor. In some cases, one high lama may have several reincarnations at once, which will be incarnations of his body, speech and mind, and so on. Recently, such emanations manifested before death as Dubjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje and Chogye Trichen Ngawang Khyenrab have become widely known.

Using the Golden Urn

As the age of decline deepens and more and more reincarnations of high lamas are recognized (some for political reasons), a growing number of lamas are recognized through inappropriate and dubious methods, causing tremendous harm to the Dharma.

During the conflict between Tibet and the Gurkhas (1791-1793), the Tibetan government had to resort to the help of Manchu military forces. Thanks to this, the Gurkha troops were expelled from Tibet, but subsequently the official authorities of Manchuria, under the pretext of increasing the efficiency of the administration of the Tibetan government, put forward a 29-point proposal. This document included a proposal to draw lots from the Golden Urn to decide on the recognition of the reincarnations of the Dalai Lama, the Panchen Lama and various hutukhtu (the Mongolian title given to high lamas). As a result, this procedure was applied to some reincarnations of the Dalai Lama, Panchen Lama and other high lamas. The decree on the observance of this ritual was signed by the Eighth Dalai Lama Jampel Gyatso. However, after the introduction of this system, this procedure was not used in the installation of the 9th, 13th and myself, the 14th Dalai Lama.

As for the 10th Dalai Lama, his true reincarnation was found and confirmed without the use of the Golden Urn, but to please the Manchus, it was announced that the procedure had been followed.

Thus, the Golden Urn was really only used to identify the 11th and 12th Dalai Lamas. However, the 12th Dalai Lama was recognized even before the procedure took place. So, there was only a single case where the Dalai Lama was recognized using this method. Similarly, of the Panchen Lamas, only the VIIIth and IXth were identified through the Golden Urn, and no one else. This system was imposed by the Manchus, but the Tibetans had no faith in it because they did not see any spiritual power in it. However, if you approach it honestly, then you can see in it similarities with fortune telling with dough balls (zen-tak).

In 1880, when the 13th Dalai Lama was recognized as the new reincarnation of the 12th, there were still traces of the priest-patron relationship that linked Tibet and the Manchus. He was recognized as an unmistakable reincarnation by the 8th Panchen Lama, also based on the predictions of the oracles Nechung and Samye and the visions that appeared in the waters of Lake Lhamo Latso, and therefore the Golden Urn was not used. This becomes clear when reading the will of the 13th Dalai Lama, written in the Year of the Water-Monkey, which says:

“As you know, I was chosen by a non-traditional method of drawing lots from the Golden Urn - I was chosen on the basis of prophecies and fortune telling. According to these fortune-telling and prophecies, I was recognized as the incarnation of the Dalai Lama and enthroned."

When I was recognized as the 14th incarnation of the Dalai Lama in 1939, the priest-patron relationship no longer existed. And therefore, the question of the need to confirm reincarnation with the help of the Golden Urn did not arise. It is widely known that the then Regent of Tibet and the Tibetan National Assembly carried out the procedure for recognizing the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, relying on the prophecies of high lamas, oracles and visions that appeared in the waters of the sacred lake Lhamo Latso; this took place without any interference from the Chinese. However, some concerned Kuomintang officials subsequently, using cunning methods, spread false statements through newspapers that they had authorized the abstention of the Golden Urn and that Wu Chongqing had allegedly presided over my enthronement ceremony, etc. This lie was exposed by Ngabo NgawangJigme, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the most progressive person in the eyes of the People's Republic of China, at the Second Session of the Fifth People's Congress of the Tibet Autonomous Region (July 31, 1989). His position was not in doubt, because at the end of his speech, in which he gave a detailed explanation of the events and presented documentary evidence, Ngabo Ngawang Jigme asked:

“Should the Communist Party follow in the footsteps of the Kuomintang and continue these lies?”

Deception strategy and vain hopes

In the recent past, there have been cases where irresponsible administrators of wealthy labrangs (lama estates) used inappropriate methods to recognize reincarnations, thereby undermining the foundations of the Dharma, the monastic community and our society. Moreover, since the reign of the Manchus, the Chinese political authorities have repeatedly resorted to various deceptive measures, using Buddhism, Buddhist teachers and tulkus as a tool to achieve their political goals while interfering with the affairs of Tibet and Mongolia. Today, the authoritarian rulers of the People's Republic of China, the Communists, who reject religion but interfere in religious affairs, are conducting a so-called re-education campaign and have issued the so-called Decree No. 5 on the Control and Recognition of Reincarnation, which came into force on September 1, 2007. This is unthinkable and shameful decree. Forcibly introducing various inappropriate methods of recognizing reincarnation to eradicate our unique Tibetan cultural traditions is causing harm that will be difficult to reverse.

Moreover, they say that they are waiting for my death and will choose the 15th Dalai Lama at their own discretion. It is clear from their recent regulations and subsequent statements that they have an elaborate strategy to deceive Tibetans, followers of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and the world community. In this regard, since I feel a responsibility to protect the Dharma and sentient beings by resisting these evil designs, I make the following statement.

The next incarnation of the Dalai Lama

As I mentioned earlier, reincarnation is a phenomenon that must occur either by the voluntary choice of the person involved, or at least by virtue of his karma, merit and prayers. Therefore, only the reincarnating person himself has exclusive legitimate power over exactly where and how he will be reborn and how his reincarnation should be recognized. In reality, no one else can force or manipulate the reincarnating person. Such interference in the system of reincarnation, and especially the reincarnation of the Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas, is especially inappropriate on the part of Chinese communists, who openly reject the very idea of the existence of past and future lives, not to mention the concept of reincarnating tulkus. Such brazen interference contradicts their own political ideology and demonstrates double standards. If this state of affairs continues in the future, it will be impossible for Tibetans and followers of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition to accept or acknowledge it.

When I am about 90 years old, I will consult with the high lamas of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions, the Tibetan people and other concerned people among the followers of Tibetan Buddhism to re-evaluate whether the institution of the Dalai Lamas should continue or not. On this basis we will make our decision. If it is decided that the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama should continue to be sought, and there is a need to recognize the 15th Dalai Lama, then the responsibility for this will primarily fall on certain individuals of the Dalai Lama Foundation "Gaden Phodrang". They will need to consult with the various heads of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the trusted, sworn Dharma protectors who are inextricably linked to the lineage of the Dalai Lamas. They will have to seek advice and guidance from these beings and carry out search and recognition procedures according to the tradition of the past. I will leave clear instructions on this matter in writing. It should be remembered that except for the reincarnation recognized through such legitimate methods, no other candidate elected for political reasons by anyone, including in the People's Republic of China, can be recognized and recognized.

Dalai Lama
Dharamsala

Translation from English by Natalia Inozemtseva

According to Buddhist beliefs, after his physical death, the Dalai Lama moves into the body of one of the newborns. Therefore, after the death of the Dalai Lama, the monks organize a search for his next incarnation - a small child who must have certain characteristics and must pass tests. The search usually takes several years. Then the child goes to Lhasa (the capital of Tibet), where he undergoes training under the guidance of experienced lamas.

There are a number of signs by which monks are looking for a new incarnation of the Dalai Lama, whose birth usually takes place in Tibet, China or Mongolia.

During the annual Rajendra Mathur memorial lecture organized by Editor's Guild in India on August 9, the Dalai Lama said that “preparatory work” for choosing his successor, the 15th Dalai Lama, will begin within the next two years.

Austrian climber Heinrich Harrer, who escaped from a camp in India and spent the remarkable “Seven Years in Tibet,” the title of his autobiography, recounted in an article published in July 1955 in the magazine National Geographic about how the 14th Dalai Lama was recognized.

A search party traveling to Qinghai Province in China in 1937 to search for the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama stopped at a small house where a two-year-old boy jumped up and ran out to meet them. The lamas from the search party came to his parents' house and laid out things in front of him, two years old, including some that belonged to the late Dalai Lama. The boy immediately chose them from the pile and said: “This is mine.” Thus, it was determined that it was he who was inhabited by the soul of the deceased, and he was recognized as the next incarnation of the Buddha.

Now, 80 years after this amazing event, the Dalai Lama believes that the time has come to prepare for the selection of his successor. “Some preparations for a future search for a reincarnation of the Dalai Lama will begin within the next year or two,” the Dalai Lama said, indicating that his successor could be found either in Mongolia or in the Northern Himalayas (India). The Dalai Lama's significant remarks on his succession were overshadowed by his statement on the opposition to Doklam, where he referred to the spirit of “Hindi-Chini bhai bhai”. These comments, however, are unlikely to go unnoticed in Beijing as the statement contradicts what the Dalai Lama said on September 24, 2011.

The process of choosing his successor, he said then, would not begin until he turns 90, in 2025. Then he will appeal to the Tibetan Buddhist high Lamas about the need to continue the establishment of the Dalai Lama. Various leaders of Tibetan Buddhist traditions will be consulted to select the 15th Dalai Lama.

Scientists point to two important aspects statements dated August 9 - the Dalai Lama has already decided on the need to continue the institution, and the timing of choosing a successor has been shifted. “He feels the dual pressure of old age and the Chinese,” says the Tibetologist Claude Arpi.

There were some hints of a change in thinking among the Tibetan community in a recent statement Lobsanga Sangaya, President of the Tibetan government in exile. Speaking at the Indo-Tibetan Foundation in New Delhi on May 17, Sangay said that the Dalai Lama will choose his successor during his lifetime. “He (the Dalai Lama) says he will resolve this issue at the age of 90, but I think it should happen earlier, and I think it can happen,” he noted.

In November 2007, the Dalai Lama suggested that before his death, Tibetan Buddhists should elect his successor through a referendum, rather than the traditional method of choosing a child to succeed him. The spiritual leader of the Tibetans did not specify what exact form the proposed referendum would take.

While the Dalai Lama has not specified the nature of the ceremonies, which will begin in the next two years, scientists say they are likely prayers and tantric rituals at Buddhist monasteries demanding his reincarnation. There is another significant deviation - the 15th Dalai Lama, unlike the previous 14, will be chosen during the lifetime of his predecessor.

The Dalai Lama's recent statements are significant in light of China's growing intransigence and total abandonment of limited autonomy for Tibet. IN last years Beijing called the Dalai Lama an “ox in sheep's clothing” and actively protested his visit to Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang Monastery in April this year.

The Dalai Lama's 2011 statement ended with the warning: “Please note that other than reincarnation recognized through legal means, no candidate selected for political purposes by anyone, including the People's Republic of China, should be recognized.” .

In a statement on August 9, the Dalai Lama confirmed that his successor would be chosen either in Mongolia or India.

At the deepest level, all of us human beings are the same; each of us strives for happiness and each of us does not want to suffer. That is why, whenever I have such an opportunity, I try to draw people’s attention to what unites us as members of one family, humanity, and how deeply interconnected we are with each other in our existence and desire for well-being.

Today, people are increasingly recognizing the close connection between our states of mind and the happiness we experience, as evidenced by a growing number of scientific discoveries. Many of us live in a society that is very developed in material terms, and yet among us there are many people who are not so happy. Behind the beautiful façade of wealth and prosperity lies an inner restlessness that leads to disappointment, unnecessary fights, addiction to drugs and alcohol, and in the worst case, suicide. There is no guarantee that wealth will necessarily lead you to the joy or fulfillment you seek. The same can be said about your friends. When you are in the grip of intense anger and hatred, even your closest friend will seem cold, distant and repulsive.

However, we humans are endowed with amazing intelligence. In addition, all human beings have the ability to be filled with extreme determination and to choose the point of application of this extreme determination at their own discretion. As long as we remember that we have this wonderful gift of the human mind, as well as the ability to be filled with determination and channel it in a positive direction, we can maintain our inherent mental health. Knowing that we have this greatest potential gives us strength. The very recognition of this fact acts as a mechanism that allows us to cope with any difficulties - no matter what situation we find ourselves in - without losing hope and self-esteem.

Your humble servant lost his freedom at the age of sixteen, and his country at the age of twenty-four. I have lived in exile for more than half a century, and during that time, we Tibetans have dedicated ourselves to preserving Tibet's inherent national identity, culture and [spiritual] values. Almost every day news comes from Tibet that breaks our hearts, and yet not one of them will make us give up. I myself find support in the following reflection: if the situation can be improved and the problem can be solved, then there is no need to worry. In other words, if there is a way out of a difficult situation, then you should not lose your balance. Should be taken correct actions, namely, to look for a way out, a solution. It is quite obvious that directing your energy to finding a solution to a problem is much wiser than focusing on anxious thoughts.

On the other hand, if there is no way out, if there is no way to find a solution, then worrying about this is also pointless, because nothing can be done anyway. In this case, the sooner you come to terms with what happened, the better it will be for you. This approach naturally means that you look the problem squarely in the eye and try to assess the situation with an open mind. Otherwise, you will not be able to find out whether there is a solution to the problem or not.

An unbiased assessment and proper motivation can also keep you away from fear and anxiety. If you cultivate a pure and sincere intention, if you are motivated by the desire to help out of kindness, compassion and respect, then you can do any work in any field. Your actions will be much more effective without fears and anxieties, without looking at others and worrying about whether you will ultimately be able to achieve your goal. And even if you fail on the way to your goal, you will feel good in your soul that you made the effort. And if your intentions are bad, even if others praise you or you achieve your goal, you will still be unhappy.

Of course, sometimes it may seem to us that our whole life is no good, that we are not able to cope with the difficulties that befall us. Each of us is visited by such thoughts from time to time, mastering us to a greater or lesser extent. When this happens, it is extremely important to find a way to lift your spirit. This can be done by thinking about how lucky we are. Perhaps there is a person who loves us very much; or we have some talents; perhaps we received a good education; or we have the basic necessities - food to fill our stomachs, clothes to cover our bodies, and a roof over our heads; or perhaps in the past we have performed acts of altruism. You need to take into account even the smallest positive aspect of your life. For if we fail to lift our spirits, then there is a great danger that we will continue to slide into the abyss of helplessness. And this can lead us to lose faith that we are even capable of anything good. By doing this, we are setting ourselves up for despair.

As a Buddhist monk, I know that the main disturbers of our inner peace are the so-called “clouding emotions.” All these thoughts, emotions and mental states, which are a reflection of a negative inner attitude and lack of compassion, inevitably deprive us of peace. All our negative thoughts and emotions - hatred, anger, pride, lust, envy and others - are considered the source of the difficulties we experience, troublemakers. Negative thoughts and emotions prevent us from achieving our deepest aspirations - to be happy and avoid suffering. When we act under their influence, we are not aware of the impact they can have on other people. They push us into destructive actions that have a bad effect on others and ourselves. Murders, scandals, deceit - all these negative actions begin with darkening emotions.

This inevitably leads us to the question: is it possible to educate your mind? There are many similar methods in different traditions. In Buddhism, for example, there are special instructions for “training the mind,” where special emphasis is placed on developing concern for others and the ability to transform unfavorable circumstances into favorable ones. It is this way of thinking, transforming problems into happiness, that has helped the Tibetan people maintain their self-esteem and presence of mind in the face of enormous difficulties. These instructions have brought me great practical benefit personally.

A great Tibetan master of “mind training” once remarked that the most amazing quality of the mind is that it can be transformed. I have no doubt that those who make an effort to transform their minds, overcome afflicting emotions and achieve inner peace will, over time, certainly see a change in their attitude towards life and reaction to people and events. Their mind will become more disciplined and positive. And I’m sure they will notice that by bringing happiness to others, they themselves become happier.

I pray that anyone who makes this [training] their goal will feel blessed and come to a successful conclusion.

Dalai Lama

Friends, we have selected 18 vital for you important rules from the great sage: Do Lamas. Each of us should read this.

So here are the Rules:

1. Accept that great love and great success come with great risk.

2. When you lose, you do not lose the accumulated experience.

3. Follow the eternal three rules:

♦ respect yourself;
♦ respect others;
♦ do not shirk responsibility for your actions.

4. Remember that what you want is not always what you really need.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them correctly.

6. Don't let a small argument ruin a great friendship.

7. If you make a mistake, immediately do everything to correct it.