Gedhun Choekyi Nyima - Selection of The 11th Panchen Lama

Selection of The 11th Panchen Lama

Following the death of the 10th Panchen Lama in 1989, the search for an individual to be recognised as his reincarnation, by Tibetan Buddhists, quickly became mired in bureaucracy and controversy.

Armed with Beijing's approval, the head of the Panchen Lama search committee, Chadrel Rinpoche, maintained private communication with the Dalai Lama in order to arrive at a mutually acceptable candidate for both the Dalai Lama and Beijing authorities concerning the Panchen Lama's reincarnation issue. After the Dalai Lama named Gedhun Choekyi Nyima as the 11th incarnation of the Panchen Lama, Chinese authorities had Chadrel Rinpoche arrested and charged with treason. According to Tibet government in exile, he was replaced by Sengchen Lobsang Gyaltsen, so chosen because he was more likely to agree with the party line. Sengchen had been a political opponent of both the Dalai Lama and the 10th Panchen Lama.

The new search committee ignored the Dalai Lama's 14 May announcement and instead chose from a list of finalists; the list excluded Gedhun Choekyi Nyima. In selecting a name, lots were drawn from a Golden Urn, a procedure used in Tibet by the Chinese (Manchu) emperor in 1793. The older method involves using possessions of the former Lama to identify his reincarnation. Chinese authorities announced Gyancain Norbu as the search committee's choice on 11 November 1995.