After years of search by top monks, a 4-year-old Tibetan boy was on Sunday chosen as the sixth “Living Buddha” in the Tibetan capital Lhasa through a lot-drawing system of two candidates conducted by the 11th Panchen Lama who is being projected by China as the Dalai Lama’s successor.
In a ceremony that took place in Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, two slips bearing names of the two candidates were separately sealed in silk bags and put in a golden urn after being carefully examined by their family members, government representatives and senior monks.
Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, the Chinese government-appointed 11th Panchen Lama, picked a silk bag out of the urn, which confirmed Losang Doje as the reincarnation of the fifth Living Buddha.
The lot-drawing process was followed under the guidelines stipulated by the Chinese government. The 20-year old Lama himself was chosen in a similar fashion 15 years ago.
Losang Doje, who was chosen as the sixth Living Buddha on Sunday, was born on November 30, 2005 in Lhunze County of Shannan Prefecture to Pema Lacong and her husband Gaesang Wangdue.
Losnag was selected as one of the candidates after several years of search by senior monks as per religious practices and traditions, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
The boy would become the sixth “Living Buddha Dezhub” after the approval of the People’s Government of the Tibet Autonomous Region.
The fifth living Buddha, Dezhub Jambai Gaisanggyaco, died in Lhasa on March 11, 2000 at the age of 66.
He used to serve as a member of the Buddhist Association of China and Standing Committee of Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.