VZCZCXRO9437
RR RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHCN #0289/01 3460339
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 120339Z DEC 07
FM AMCONSUL CHENGDU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2688
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 0051
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0009
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0006
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 0001
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 3254

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. 
 
 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
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. 
 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
Monks: Reincarnation Before Death Rooted in Tradition 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
 
 
¶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. 
 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
Tibet's First Reincarnated Lama ID'd Before Death 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
 
 
¶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. 
 
 
 
------------------------------------------ 
 
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. 
 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
The PRC Has Recognized Reincarnations Before Death 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
 
 
¶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. 
 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
Today's Reincarnations Work Alongside `Predecessors' 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
 
 
¶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. 
 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
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