Dalai Lama meets Mongolian child revealed as reincarnation of Tibetan Buddhism leader

A boy from Mongolia, whose name and age are unclear, with US dual-nationality has been revealed as the incarnation of the third most important spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism and was pictured for the first time alongside the Dalai Lama.

According to a report by The Times on Wednesday, March 22, the boy's formal title is the 10th Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa, the third-most senior Lama of Tibetan Buddhism, and the head of that faith in Mongolia. 

Pictures depict the US-born boy in a face mask and wearing a bulky red robe at a ceremony alongside the 87-year-old Dalai Lama in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh.

According to reports, the news about the Dalai Lama and his ceremony with the young boy has resulted in intense excitement among Buddhists. However, it has raised contempt among secular nationalists and alarm among those who fear this news would provoke the rage of Mongolia's powerful neighbour — China. 

Around 600 Mongolians came to celebrate their new spiritual leader. During the ceremony, the Dalai Lama said: "We have the reincarnation of Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa Rinpoché of Mongolia with us today. His predecessors had a close association with the Krishnacharya lineage of Chakrasamvara. One of them established a monastery in Mongolia dedicated to its practice. So, his being here today is quite auspicious."

According to a report by The Times, Dalai Lama in 2016 had visited Mongolia which was severely criticised by China. The Chinese government reportedly said the visit brought a negative impact on China-Mongolia relations. But before leaving Ulan Bator, the Dalai Lama said that Jetsun Dhampa, Tibetan Buddhism’s third-most-important lama, was reincarnated in Mongolia and the search was on to find him. 

Further, the reports suggest that the Mongolian boy is one of a pair of twins named Aguidai and Achiltai Altannar. However, which one among the two is yet unclear.