Is the Dalai Lama planning to retire? Possibly, and as soon as within a year. As The Guardian reports:
“Speaking during an Indian television interview, the exiled Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader said that he was contemplating raising the issue with the elected political leadership of the Tibetan community in exile within six months and that a final decision could be made “a few months” later. […]
“Traditionally the office of the Dalai Lama combines spiritual and temporal roles. The current 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, has progressively distanced himself from a direct political role and expressed a desire to live as a simple monk. He remains however official head of the central Tibetan administration in exile.”
It should be made clear that His Holiness is talking of removing himself from political life but not necessarily stepping out of his spiritual role. “In order to utilize fully democracy I felt [it is] better I am not involved [and that] I am devoted to other fields, promotion of human values and peace and harmony.”
His Holiness also said it was possible that he would be the last of the Dalai Lamas — that is, if the majority of Tibetan Buddhists decide that the role of Dalai Lama is no longer necessary. More from The Guardian here.
