Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CHENGDU289
2007-12-12 03:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Chengdu
Cable title:  

REINCARNATION BEFORE DEATH: MORE COMMON THAN YOU THINK

Tags:  PGOV PHUM KIRF SOCI CH 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CHENGDU 000289 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/CM AND DRL
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL FOR CHRISTINA COLLINS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2032
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KIRF SOCI CH
SUBJECT: REINCARNATION BEFORE DEATH: MORE COMMON THAN YOU THINK

CHENGDU 00000289 001.2 OF 003


CLASSIFIED BY: James A. Boughner, Consul General, U.S. Consulate
General, Chengdu, China.
REASON: 1.4 (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CHENGDU 000289

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/CM AND DRL
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL FOR CHRISTINA COLLINS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2032
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KIRF SOCI CH
SUBJECT: REINCARNATION BEFORE DEATH: MORE COMMON THAN YOU THINK

CHENGDU 00000289 001.2 OF 003


CLASSIFIED BY: James A. Boughner, Consul General, U.S. Consulate
General, Chengdu, China.
REASON: 1.4 (d)

1. (C) Summary: The Dalai Lama's recent statement that he may
choose a successor before his death drew accusations from
self-styled protectors of religious orthodoxy in the Chinese
Communist Party that the Dalai Lama was breaking with Tibetan
tradition. According to Congen's Tibetan Buddhist religious
sources, however, reincarnations before death have long been a
part of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, still occur from time to
time, and have even been recognized by China's current
government. End summary.



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Dalai Lama's Suggestion Brings CPC Criticism

--------------




2. (SBU) During a recent visit to Japan, the Fourteenth Dalai
Lama said, "One of the possibilities I have been considering
with my aides is to select the next Dalai Lama while I'm alive."
This statement drew immediate criticism from the Chinese
Government in its claimed role as the "guardian of religious
orthodoxy" and even surprised many Western observers. In an
official statement, the PRC government noted "The Dalai's
statement violates religious rituals and historical conventions
of Tibetan Buddhism". PRC official statements refer to the
Dalai Lama simply as Dalai as a studied sign of disrespect.




3. (C) ConGen Chengdu Tibetan FSN contacted prominent monks at
several Tibetan monasteries to ask their opinion (Note: our FSN
- strictly protect -- grew up in a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in
China and has a close relative who became an assistant to the
Dalai Lama after escaping to Nepal. End note). All agree that,
according to relevant Buddhist theories and Tibetan history,
choosing a holy person's reincarnation before his or her death
is not something abnormal or unprecedented at all.



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Monks: Reincarnation Before Death Rooted in Tradition


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4. (U) According to Tibetan Buddhism, all fully enlightened
beings, even those who have passed just the "First Ground" of
the "Ten Grounds of Realization" can choose the mode, the
nature, and the timing, as well as the number of simultaneous
reincarnations and the location of their succession or
rebirth/manifestation.




5. (U) The Tibetan Buddhist system of identifying holy beings'
reincarnations or manifestations started in the 13th century.
According to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, say prominent
Tibetan monks, where appropriate in a special scenario,
selecting or identifying an important lama's
manifestation/incarnation before his or her death is not
something "illegal" and immoral or unprecedented. Reincarnation
before death is deeply rooted in Tibetan Buddhist theory and
practice.



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Tibet's First Reincarnated Lama ID'd Before Death

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6. (C) According to our Tibetan monk contacts, there is a
special term in Tibetan known as "Ma De Trul Ku' (m `ds sprul
sku),which literally means the incarnation or manifestation of
a living holy man. The very first reincarnated lama in Tibetan
Buddhism was Karma Pakshi (1204 - 1283),the Second Karmapa. He

CHENGDU 00000289 002.2 OF 003


was identified as the reincarnation of Karma Dusum Kyenpa (1110
- 1193),the First Karmapa, according to the will made by the
First Karmapa, which clearly indicated the specific location and
time of his rebirth, while he was still alive. The very precise
identification of the first reincarnated lama began the
tradition of lama incarnations.



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Sixth Dalai Lama Reincarnated Before Death

--------------




7. (SBU) In the Dalai Lama succession as well, identifying the
"Ma De Trul Ku" is also not something unprecedented. For
example, the 7th Dalai Lama (1708-1757) was identified as the
reincarnation/manifestation of the 6th Dalai Lama (1683-1746) in
1714 while the 6th Dalai Lam was still alive. This is
consequently clear historical evidence of the Tibetan Buddhist
"Ma De Trul Ku" System. The Dungkar Tibetological Dictionary
officially published by the China Tibetology Publishing House in
April 2002 in Beijing (ISBN-80057-540-3/z.265) also acknowledges
the historical fact of the Sixth to Seventh Dalai Lama
phenomenon in pages 679-684. There are also many more such
examples about the system of the "Ma De Trul Ku" in all over the
Tibetan Autonomous Regions and Tibetan areas in Sichuan and
other Chinese provinces.



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The PRC Has Recognized Reincarnations Before Death

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8. (SBU) The current Chinese government's "identification" of
reincarnate Lamas, including the system of "Ma De Trul Ku,"
officially began around 1990. A typical example is the Seventh
Taktsa Rinpoche in Taktsa Monastery, Dzoge County of Ngaba
Prefecture, in Sichuan Province. The Seventh Taktsa Rinpoche
was identified as the reincarnation of the Sixth Taktsa Rinpoche
at the age of 24 by the Sixth Taktsa Rinpoche, and the Sixth
Taktsa Rinpoche is still alive.



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Today's Reincarnations Work Alongside `Predecessors'

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9. (SBU) The well-respected Seventh Taktsa was among the first
group of reincarnate lamas identified in the early 1990s with
the official permission from the Chinese government. Therefore
the Seventh Taktsa holds "the reincarnate lama identification
certificate" (huofo zheng) issued by the Chinese government. In
addition, the Seventh Taktsa is currently a member of the
Sichuan Provincial Chinese People's Political Consultative
Congress, Vice Chairman of Dzoge County CPPCC, and the Vice
Director of the Ngaba Prefecture Buddhist Association.




10. (SBU) Moreover, the Sumba Lama in Gansu Province's Labrang
Monastery, and the Gartse Rinpoche in Kartse Monastery in Kanlo
Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture also have reincarnations before
death -- "Ma De Trul Ku" -- living with them in their
monasteries. The Tsang Trulku, in Tsang Monastery in Tsolo
Prefecture in Qinghai Province also has his own "Ma De Trul Ku"
according to the monks of Tsang Monastery.



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Comment: Confusing to Outsiders But Not Unprecedented

CHENGDU 00000289 003.2 OF 003



-------------- --------------




11. (C) The Tibetan Buddhist belief that enlightened people like
high lamas have considerable control over the time and place of
incarnation is the likely reason for the Dalai Lama's frequent
public references to his incarnation, including several
assertions that he will be reincarnated outside of China.
Statements of this kind are traditionally taken into account
when searching for the reincarnation of a high lama. According
to Tibetan tradition, the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama
recognize one another. The Panchen Lama designated by the
Chinese government has little prestige while the location of the
Panchen Lama recognized by the Dalai Lama is not known.
Reincarnation before death would enable the Dalai Lama to
recognize his own reincarnation, neatly avoiding the problem of
recognition by the Panchen Lama.




12. (C) As noted by our contacts, the Dalai Lama's statement was
not a decision. Rather, it was a mention of an option open to
him according to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Such a
decision would likely not be controversial within Tibetan
Buddhism. However, since the melding of religion and politics is
prominent in both the Tibetan and Communist Chinese traditions,
albeit with politics dominating religion on the Chinese side and
religion dominating politics on the Tibetan side, it is
certainly not surprising that it could excite controversy.
BOUGHNER