# Happy Birthday Dalai Lama

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-birthday-dalai-lama/967521>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [July 6, 2022, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-birthday-dalai-lama/967521 "2022-07-06T19:19:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-birthday-dalai-lama/967521/1 "2022-07-06T19:19:15Z")

</div>

He is 87

When he dies it’s expected China will try to name his replacement. Tibetans will never accept that. It will be a big problem .

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-birthday-dalai-lama/967521/2 "2022-07-07T05:17:45Z")

</div>

Happy Birthday to the big guy!

Man, I really hope he lives to be 100 and his tulku reincarnation is truly recognized.

Godless Chinese think they can find a replacement for the Panchen Lama and any of the other 1,000 or so reincarnates. I say pox on them. And the real Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, hasn’t been seen since he was 6 years old.

I really had high hopes for Tibet when I spent a lot of time there in the 1980s. Naive silly youngster was I. Would love to be proven wrong.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2022, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-birthday-dalai-lama/967521/3 "2022-07-09T14:27:56Z")

</div>

I saw him speak once. He’s a surprisingly inspiring man.

Happy belated birthday!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2022, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-birthday-dalai-lama/967521/4 "2022-07-09T21:01:44Z")

</div>

Most likely the next Dalai Lama will be born outside Tibet so the Chinese cannot interfere. Likely India but could be anywhere. Dalai Lama said next DL could even be a woman. Or he said he may be the last DL.

Chinese might try to pick another person in Tibet but no Tibetan will accept that person.

There was a kid in Spain who was supposed to be a important lama. When he turned 18 he said he wanted to live a regular life so that’s what he is doing now.

> **[Osel Hita Torres - The reluctant lama](https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-19702122)**
>
> Being identified as a toddler as the reincarnation of a revered Buddhist lama was an honour but the chosen boy eventually turned his back on his destiny.