Finding a 'living Buddha'

According to Tibetan belief, the Dalai Lama is reincarnated when he dies. Until now, his replacement has been selected by a committee of senior monks, who look for boy babies born around the time of the lama's death. Several possible candidates are picked out and esoteric tests and family background checks are used over several years to decide which child shows the closest spiritual characteristics to the deceased lama.

Similar procedures are carried out for all of 100 or so "living buddhas" in Tibetan Buddhism. Earlier this year, however, the Chinese government proclaimed it had the right to veto all new choices of living buddhas. In an attempt to assert political control, the religious affairs bureau said any monastery that failed to follow its procedures would be punished.

The divergence of selection methods has had tragic consequences. In 1995, Chinese authorities placed a six-year-old boy, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, under house arrest because he had been chosen by the Dalai as the new Panchen Lama, the second-highest living buddha. He has not been seen since.

In his place, Beijing has anointed a different "soul boy" - Gyaltsen Norbu - to the position, but he is so lacking in popular support that they dare not let him live in the Panchen's sacred traditional home - the Tashilumpo monastery in Xigaze.