Dharamshala: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has recognised an 8-year-old US-born Mongolian boy as one of the highest spiritual leaders in Buddhism, Dalai Lama’s office confirmed. However, the enthronement ceremony has not taken place yet.
The Dalai Lama acknowledged the 8-year-old as Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa Rinpoche’s reincarnation during his visit to Mongolia a few years ago in 2016.
The Mongolian boy named as the 10th Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa Rinpoche had visited Dharamshala along with a group of Mongolian devotees and attended the teachings of the Dalai Lama and preliminary Chakrasamvara empowerment on March 8-9, 2023.Â
The Office of the Dalai Lama in early this March released a photograph of the young boy Lama with a caption that read, “The reincarnation of Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa Rinpoche of Mongolia presenting traditional offerings to His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the start of the preliminary Chakrasamvara Empowerment at the main Tibetan temple in Dharamshala.”
During the teachings, Dalai Lama said, “Khalkha Jetsun Rinpoche is here with us today. He came here to receive the Chakrasamvara empowerment, the previous Jetsun Dhambas practice mainly Chakrasamvara and it’s an auspicious occasion.
The 9th Khalkha Jetsun Rinpoche was a Tibetan and he died in Mongolia in 2012. His family now living in Dharamshala. His son Choephel Yonten runs a cafe in Mcleodganj.
Choephel Yonten, told UNI that they lived in Dharamshala but in 2009 they had gone to Mongolia and in 2012 his father, the 9th Khalkha Jetsun Rinpoche passed away in Mongolia.
He further said that he did not know much about the new reincarnated boy but, in 2016 His Holiness the Dalai lama visited Mongolia and appointed or recognised him as the 10th Khalkha Jetsun Rinpoche.
He said that the boy, the 10th Khalkha Jetsun Rinpoche visited Dharamshala along with a group of Mongolian Buddhist devotees for His Holiness’ teachings on March 8-9, 2023. Actually, the family of the 10th Khalkha Jestsun Rinpoche doesn’t make any statement about the boy and they keep it secret. He said that he did not know as to why they kept it as a secret. He suggested that there may be some political reasons behind it but expected that the things will become clearer in future.
The son of 9th Khalkha Jetsun Rinpoche stated that as far as his enthronement ceremony is concerned, it didn’t happen here yet, might have happened in Mongolia which he was not sure.
“I didn’t hear anything about his enthronement. His Holiness the Dalai Lama briefly appointed him in 2016, nothing much officially but this time his Holiness the Dalai Lama said publically that the 10th Khalkha Jetsun Rinpoche is here with us. So it’s official now. Everybody knows about it and he is a very important Lama.
All spiritual leaders like His Holiness the Dalai Lama or Khalkha Jetsun or Panchen Lama, we consider all of them equally respected.”
On Tuesday, UNI Contacted the Dalai Lama’s office at Dharà mshala which confirmed about this development.
