Senior religious figures representing four schools of Tibetan Buddhism on Wednesday unanimously endorsed the Dalai Lama's sole authority to choose his successor, guaranteeing legitimacy that a possible Chinese appointee would lack.
Over 100 lamas, including nine high lamas, or senior Buddhist priests, representing all schools of Tibetan Buddhism, adopted a special resolution to that effect on the first day of the 14th Tibetan Religious Conference, which lasts until Friday.
"The authority of decision concerning the way and manner in which the next reincarnation of the 14th Dalai Lama should appear solely rests with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama himself," the three-point resolution says. "If the government of the People's Republic of China for political ends chooses a candidate for the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan people will not recognize and respect that candidate."