"No Reincarnation Without the Chinese Government's Permission": A Strange Law That Really Exists

"No reincarnation without government permission." This is no joke; it is a law actually enforced in China. Its full title is:

"Measures on the Management of the Reincarnation of Living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism"

It was issued by the Chinese central government and has been in force since 1 September 2007.

The gist of the law is this: "Every Tibetan lama who claims to be a reincarnation must ask the state for permission in advance, and must first receive official approval documents from the Chinese authorities, before he is considered to have 'reincarnated legally'."

Without going through this process, a claim of reincarnation is deemed "void" and may even lead to a charge of "violating religious law".

Although no penalty is clearly specified, the text says: "Anyone who violates these measures will be dealt with by religious affairs departments and other relevant government departments in accordance with existing laws." This could be interpreted to mean that a person making such a claim might be charged with incitement, or with organizing religious activities illegally, which carries a maximum sentence of 5 years, or something else we cannot know.

Why would a government meddle in the cycle of birth and death? The answer is that it is directly tied to the "Dalai Lama". The current Dalai Lama is the supreme leader of the Tibetan people, and he has lived in exile since 1959, after China took over Tibet. Every Dalai Lama has come from a "child believed to be a reincarnation", who was recognized by other lamas.

For China this is politically dangerous, because a "spiritual leader" who is not under the state's authority could become a leader of resistance against China. So the law was issued to control the next Dalai Lama's rebirth. Put simply: before being reborn, you must "notify the state first", or you won't pass!

The current Dalai Lama has responded to this, saying: "A Chinese government that does not believe in religion has no right at all to decide on reincarnation." He has also said that the next Dalai Lama may not be born in China, or may not be reborn at all, if the situation stays as it is.

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