The 14th Dalai Lama's 90th birthday next year marks an auspicious moment in the history of modern Buddhism. Around this milestone, he will decide whether to reincarnate and, therefore, whether his lineage will continue. The current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is a reincarnation of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion and spiritual leader of the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism. A Bodhisattva is a “realized being” who is inspired to “attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings, [and] who have vowed to be reborn in the world to help humanity.” By undertaking the Bodhisattva Vow, the Dalai Lama pledges to support the “awakening” of others by postponing his own liberation. He can choose to continue in the cycle of rebirth to support the collective spiritual development of others or to enter liberation.

The question of his succession highlights a broader social issue, which is the lack of women’s representation in Buddhist leadership. The Gelugpa Dalai Lama lineage, which began in 1391, has so far been solely dominated by men. His growing popularity in the West has sparked questions about his succession, with Western media outlets frequently asking: Could the next Dalai Lama be a woman?

None, One, or Two Dalai Lamas?

Traditionally, the search for the reincarnated Dalai Lama involves finding a child, usually within Tibet, who is put through a series of tasks designed to authenticate his position and test his abilities. To date, all of the reincarnated Dalai Lamas have been male. The Panchen Lama of the Gelugpa School, the Dalai Lama's second-in-command, is typically responsible for seeking out his successor. Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, who has been missing since 1995, was selected by the Dalai Lama as the next Panchen Lama. A new Panchen Lama has since been instated by China, and Chinese authorities have claimed that Nyima is living a normal life in China (USCIRF).

Since 1959, Tibet has been occupied and governed as an autonomous region of China, with the current Dalai Lama living in exile. China has suggested that they will choose the “official” Dalai Lama, while Tenzin Gyatso argues that his successor should be “of the Tibetan heart”. He has also stated that his reincarnation is likely to be reborn outside of Tibet. Choosing not to reincarnate would be a controversial move aimed at undermining the authority of the Chinese government, which is likely to choose its own Dalai Lama after his death. This political struggle has its roots in China’s 1959 invasion of Tibet. 

Since the spiritual leader of the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism has been living in exile, he has found unprecedented popularity and influence in the West. In addition to being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, the Dalai Lama has gained support and developed friendships with notable Hollywood figures, including Sharon Stone, Richard Gere, and Lady Gaga. The latter was banned from performing or selling her music in China after meeting with him. His exceptional reach and influence extend far beyond Buddhist temples. The spiritual leader has shared his counsel with former US President Barack Obama at the White House and addressed crowds from the Glastonbury Festival in the UK. The Dalai Lama’s profound global impact and political clout inspire not only Buddhists but also political and cultural movements internationally.

Controversy and Western Culture

In recent years, speculation surrounding the 15th Dalai Lama’s gender has led to substantial public scrutiny, including what was dubbed “The week the internet cancelled the Dalai Lama” in 2019.

The controversy began when the Dalai Lama suggested that he could return as a “mischievous blonde woman.” The discussion intensified after a 2015 BBC interview, during which he joked that if he reincarnated as a woman, she “must be very attractive, otherwise not much use.” He elaborated on these comments four years later, where he stated that: "Real beauty is inner beauty, that’s true. But we human beings, I think, the appearance [is] also important.”

These remarks provoked widespread criticism, especially from feminist groups, on social media, and in Western tabloids. His Office quickly issued a press release, attributing the controversy to cultural differences and the difficulty of translating humour across contexts. According to his Office, his comments were meant to reflect the “contradictions between the materialistic globalized world… [and] more esoteric ideas about reincarnation.” The press release apologised for his unintentional sexism, stating that “off-the-cuff remarks, which might be amusing in one cultural context, lose their humor in translation when brought into another”. The Times journalist Anna Behrmann published a critique of his apology, commenting that his “sense of humour would not be out of place in a 1970s British sitcom” (Behrmann 2019). 

The Dalai Lama’s original comments can be traced back to 1992 during an interview with the Paris editor of Vogue magazine, grounded in a setting far removed from his traditional religious duties. His Office explained that, in the original context of his comments, he was responding to the “unfamiliar ambience of working with a team whose prime focus was the world of high fashion”. It is clear that while his interactions with Western culture have radically expanded his influence, they’ve also exposed him to cultural clashes that challenge his role as both a Tibetan monk and prominent Buddhist leader.

Buddhism, Gender, and Moving Forward

The debate surrounding the Dalai Lama’s succession, which has gained prominence due to Tenzin Gyatso’s popularity, is part of a broader cultural debate about leadership and gender roles within Buddhism. Gender is a contentious issue in many arenas of Buddhist practice, not just for his role of the Dalai Lama. Patriarchal attitudes often limit women’s equal opportunities to learn the Dharma (the doctrine of the Buddha), take leadership positions, and develop their spiritual potential. This includes limitations on becoming a monastic in many traditions.

This inequality is rooted in early Buddhist history. Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī, the Buddha’s aunt and foster-mother, requested to join the Sangha and establish a women’s order of bhikṣuṇīs (or nuns). Although he initially expressed reluctance to do so, the request was later accepted, subject to nuns following eight additional ‘heavy rules’. One of these states that a nun who has been ordained for over 100 years must stand and give homage to a monk, even if he has just been ordained for a single day. 

In Tibetan Buddhism, women are currently only capable of novice ordination. They cannot become full nuns within the tradition (Powers and Templeman 2012). However, progress has been made in recent years. The 14th Dalai Lama has advocated for women’s rights within Tibetan Buddhism, pioneering equal access to the academic Geshema degree for the first time. This academic achievement allows them to study the full monastic code, which was previously only available to men (Haas 2013). Despite these advancements, gender inequality persists in Tibetan Buddhism. Today, organisations like Sakyadhita lead the international fight for women’s equal access to ordination and Buddhist practice by connecting women across traditions.

Conclusion:

If past precedent is followed, it is highly unlikely that the next Dalai Lama will be a woman. This discussion surrounding the 15th Dalai Lama has sparked important international conversation between Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike, highlighting the important cultural exchange between Western audiences and Buddhist traditions. Although the Dalai Lama’s use of humour was critiqued by much of his Western audience, his unprecedented popularity has brought to light the debate about equal opportunities within Buddhism.

Full ordination remains out of reach for Tibetan Buddhist women. This raises questions about how tradition can reconcile with contemporary values, especially in a globalised world. The ongoing controversy, along with the Dalai Lama’s forthcoming decision surrounding his 90th birthday, serves as a stark reminder of the struggle for gender equity in religious leadership.

Notes:

I would like to thank my supervisor Dr Scott Pacey as well as the editors of the Religion Factor, Dr Manoela Carpenedo Rodrigues and Laura Osigwe for their helpful comments on this blog post.

Bibliography:

Powers, John and David Templeman. 2012. Historical Dictionary of Tibet. Plymouth: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.

Haas, Michaela. 2013. Dakini Power: Twelve Extraordinary Women Shaping the Transmission of Tibetan Buddhism in the West. Boston: Snow Lion.

Further Reading:

Halafoff, Anna and Praveena Rajkobal. 2015. ‘Sakyadhita International: Gender Equity in Ultramodern Buddhism’ in Feminist Theology vol. 23, issue 2: pp. 111-127.

Tibetan Nuns Project. 2019. ‘Historic accomplishment as Geshemas hired to teach nuns’. Accessed 19 October 2019. https://tnp.org/historic-accomplishment-as-geshemas-hired-to-teach-nuns/.