Atom Brief

Dalai Lama Declares His Trust The Only Recognition Authority

By Atom Brief Editors

Beijing's foreign ministry insists Communist Party approval is still required, keeping a decades-old dispute over the 90-year-old monk's successor unresolved.

• Gaden Phodrang Trust, his own office says, alone may recognize the next Dalai Lama.
• Statement signed May 21, 2025, made public July 2, on the Dalai Lama's own website.
• Trust must consult Buddhist tradition heads and oath-bound Dharma Protectors before naming an heir.

Why it matters: A trust can put a name on paper; obedience on the ground crowns the actual Dalai Lama.

Office of the Dalai Lama (dalailama.com) statement on reincarnation authority ↗ · Jul 12, 20267/12/26 · ✓ Checked✓ Check