Dalai Lama recently recognised an eight-year-old US-born Mongolian boy as one of the highest Buddhist spiritual leaders, know who is Aguidai Altannar, his age, family, parents, biography
Meanwhile, different ethnic groups in Mongolia expressed mixed emotions when the Dalai Lama referred to the child Aguidai as a “reincarnation.”
Who is the Mongolian boy named the new Buddhist Lama?
Aguidai, an 8-year-old Mongolian boy born in the US, has been appointed the tenth Khakha Jestun Dhampa Rinpoche. It is the third highest position in Tibetan Buddhism.
On March 8, a photo went viral of the Dalai Lama and an eight-year-old boy at a ceremony in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, India. It is the place where Tenzin Gyatso, the 87-year-old Dalai Lama, currently resides in exile.
At the ceremony, the Dalai Lama informed his 600 followers that the reincarnation of Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa Rinpoche of Mongolia was present at the event.
The Announcement Creates Political Turmoil Between Nations
Sue Byrne, a Mongolian Buddhism expert, said the boy has now become the centre of a geopolitical “chess game” between China and Mongolia. The was an unknown person before being named the incarnation. Buddhists in Mongolia have been excited, secular nationalists have been contemptible, and those who fear China’s rage have been worried.
Given that Beijing is Mongolia’s major commercial partner and that the two countries have long-standing friendly relations, China is likely to take offence at the Dalai Lama’s most recent action.
Who is Aguidai Altannar Mongolian boy named the new Buddhist Lama by Dalai Lama, biography, age, family, parents, nationality
As per the reports, he is one of two twin boys named Aguidai and Achiltai Altannar. Aguidai has dual citizenship, was born in the US in 2015, and has at least two siblings. He hails from one of the wealthiest families in Ulan Bator. His family also has a strong history of political standing.
Aguidai’s Family
Eight year old Aguidai’s father, Altannar Chinchuluum, is working at the National University of Mongolia as a mathematics professor. Whereas, his mother, Monkhnasan Narmandakh, is the chairman and CEO of a sizable mining and construction company. Furthermore, his grandmother, Garamjav Tseden, was a former parliamentarian.
The family has long supported Ulan Bator’s Gandan Tegchinlen, one of Mongolia’s most important monasteries.
The Mongolian Boy’s Predecessors
The boy’s forebears have ties to the Chakrasamvara Krishnacharya lineage, which the Dalai Lama acknowledged during the ceremony. During the ceremony, the Dalai Lama said, “His being here today is exceedingly fortunate.
However, due to its contentious nature regarding Mongolia’s foreign policy, neither the government nor anyone in the Buddhist hierarchy has discussed the representation of the 8-year-old.
China vs. the Dalai Lama
Tibetan independence or autonomy has historically been viewed as a threat by the Chinese government. It has always taken a harsh stance towards the Dalai Lama and his supporters. Therefore, the Chinese authorities can interpret the Dalai Lama’s selection of a new spiritual leader, particularly one from a region, as a provocative act.
When the Dalai Lama named the Panchen Lama as the second-most important Buddhist leader in 1995, the Chinese authorities seized the boy right away and replaced him with one of their own choices.
The Buddhist community is worried that if the current Dalai Lama passes away, a similar tragedy will occur.
The Dalai Lama: Who Is He?
The Dalai Lama is the head of the Tibetan Buddhist faith, a variety of Mahayana Buddhism that has its roots in Tibet. The individual who is believed to be the next Dalai Lama is given the title “Dalai Lama,” which translates to “ocean of wisdom.”
Tenzin Gyatso, As The Dalai Lama
Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, who assumed the title at the age of two and was born in 1935, fled Tibet in 1959 following a failed revolt against Chinese rule.
The Dalai Lama is not simply a spiritual leader; he is also a significant political figure. Until 2011, when he handed over political control to an elected leader, he served as the head of the Tibetan government in exile.
He has been a prominent supporter of the preservation of Tibetan culture and autonomy, but the Chinese government has opposed him politically because it sees him as a separatist and a danger to Chinese sovereignty.
The Dalai Lama said that the possibility of another Dalai Lama being chosen by Chinese authorities in the future is slim to none, besides the one chosen in a “free country”. “So that’s another issue for the Chinese! It’s possible; it might occur, he continued.
A #Mongolian boy, born in the #UnitedStates, has been named as the 10th Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa Rinpoche, the third highest rank in #Tibetan Buddhism, by the Dalai Lama#DalaiLama#Buddhism #Aguidai pic.twitter.com/Dy0iSMWePG
— Rakesh Kumar🇮🇳 (@irakeshjha) March 27, 2023
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