Dalai names US-born Mongolian boy as Dhampa Rinpoche reincarnate

An eight-year-old boy born in the US has been named by the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the third most important spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism. The ceremony was held in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh, where 87-year-pld the Dalai Lama lives in exile, reported The Independent.

"We have the reincarnation of Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa Rinpoché of Mongolia with us today," Dalai Lama said during the ceremony. "His predecessors had a close association with the Krishnacharya lineage of Chakrasamvara. One of them established a monastery in Mongolia dedicated to its practice. So, his being here today is quite auspicious," he added.

The boy was pictured with the Dalai Lama during the ceremony. The faith's spiritual leader has been pictured with the eight-year-old boy taking part in a ceremony in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh - where the Dalai Lama, 87, lives in exile - recognising him as the 10th Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa Rinpoche, according to The Times.

Going by the report in the Mongolian media, the boy is one of a pair of twin boys named Aguidai and Achiltai Altannar. They are the sons of Altannar Chinchuluun and Monkhnasan Narmandakh, a university Mathematics professor and a national resources conglomerate executive, respectively.

The grandmother of the eight-year old Garamjav Tseden is a former member of the Mongolian Parliament.

The decision to name the boy as the reincarnation of the third most important spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism is expected to rub China the wrong way due to its animosity with the Dalai Lama.

Beijing had earlier claimed that it would recognise Buddhist leaders chosen by the government. The Chinese authorities had arrested the second most important Buddhist leader, Panchen Lama, in 1995 and replaced him with its own candidate.

Nonetheless, the development resulted in intense excitement among Buddhists, but people among the Buddhist community are expecting China to react the same way liked it responded in 1995.

The Dalai Lama has been living in India ever since he fled Tibet in 1959. The Tibetan government-in-exile operates from India and over 1,60,000 Tibetans live in the country.