Who chooses the next Dalai Lama and what is the monk called?

Answer 1

Choosing a Dalai Lama After the death of a Dalai Lama it has traditionally been the responsibility of the High Lamas of the Gelugpa Tradition and the Tibetan government to find his reincarnation. The High Lamas search for a boy who was born around the same time as the death of the Dalai Lama. It can take around two or three years to identify the Dalai Lama, and for the current, 14th Dalai Lama, it was four years before he was found. There are several ways in which the High Lamas might find out the location of where the next reincarnation will be found. * Dream - One of the High Lamas may dream about some mark or location that will identify the boy. * Smoke - If the previous Dalai Lama was cremated, High Lamas will watch the direction of the smoke and search accordingly. * Oracle Lake - High Lamas go to a holy lake, called Lhamo Lhatso, in central Tibet and watch for a sign from the lake itself. This may be either a vision or some indication of the direction in which to search.The home and village of Tenzin Gyatso, was identified in a vision from this lake. Once the High Lamas have located the home and the boy, they present a number of artefacts which they have brought with them in preparation, to the child. Amongst these artefacts are a number of items that belonged to the deceased Dalai Lama. If the boy chooses the items which belonged to the previous Dalai Lama, this is seen as a sign, in conjunction with all of the other indications, that the boy is a reincarnation. This procedure however, as Tenzin Gyatso has said himself, is not set in stone and if two thirds of the Tibetan people wish to change the method of identifying the next reincarnation, this would be just as valid. The search for the Dalai Lama has usually been limited to Tibet, although the third tulku was born in Mongolia. However, as Tibet has been taken by the Chinese government, Tenzin Gyatso says that if he is reborn it will not be in a country run by the People's Republic of China, or any other country which is not free.