The Dalai lama on Wednesday conceded that he may be the last one to hold the top spiritual title in Tibetan Buddhism, even as he blamed “hardliners” in Beijing for holding back President Xi Jinping from taking an objective look at his demand for genuine autonomy for Tibet.
Dalai lama told the BBC that it would be better that the centuries-old tradition ceased “at the time of a popular Dalai lama”.He said whether another Dalai lama should come after him would depend on the circumstances after his death and was “up to the Tibetan people.”The 79-year-old spiritual leader, who looked frustrated over world leaders including Pope Francis shunning to meet him for fear of offending China, pointed out that his role no longer included political responsibilities.In 2011, the Dalai lama handed these to an elected leader of the Tibetan Government in exile, lobsang Sangay. “The Dalai lama institution will cease one day. These man-made institutions will cease,” he said.