Dharamshala: The spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, Dalai Lama, celebrated his 90th anniversary Sunday after a week of events organized by his disciples.
During the celebrations, he challenged China again by speaking of his wish to live beyond 130 and promising to return by reincarnation after his death.
The winner of the Nobel Prize is considered one of the most influential religious leaders in the world, with a follow -up that extends far beyond Buddhism – but not by Beijing, which describes it as a separatist and sought to carry the faith under his control.
Fleeing his native Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese domination, the 14th Dalai Lama, as well as hundreds of thousands of Tibetans, were housed in India. Since then, he has pleaded for a peaceful approach to the “median way” to seek autonomy and religious freedom for the Tibetan people.
Thousands of followers around the world, as well as celebrities and officials from the United States and India, should attend its birthday celebrations in Dharamshala, the small Indian town in the foothills of Himalayas where the Dalai Lama resides.
The celebrations will showcase performance and cultural speeches, including one by a long -standing follower and Hollywood actor Richard Gere, as well as Indian federal ministers. The Dalai Lama itself should address the rally.
The previous week of festivities had a particular meaning for Tibetan Buddhists, because the Dalai Lama had previously indicated that he would talk about his succession to his 90th anniversary.
On Wednesday, he released their concerns by declaring that he would reincarnate as head of the faith after his death and that the Gaden Phodrang Trust, his non -profit institution, holds the only authority for recognition of his successor.
China, however, insisted that any succession must be approved by its management.
The United States, which seeks to counter the growing influence of China, urged Beijing to end what it calls interference in the succession of Dalai Lama and other Tibetan Buddhist lamas.
