| In Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama is revered as a | | | | The current Dalai Lama escaped from Tibet to India in |
| king and also as a god. His office is primarily secular in | | | | 1959 when China invaded Tibet. Upon the death of the |
| nature. He is the head of government as well as the | | | | Panchen Lama in 1989, the Elders set upon an |
| spiritual head. He is clearly in charge. The Panchen | | | | exhaustive search for a young boy in whom they |
| Lama, by way of contrast, is afforded reverence | | | | believed the spirit of the deceased Panchen Lama had |
| more as a scholar, spiritual teacher, and spiritual | | | | been reincarnated. With the assent of the Dalai Lama, |
| theoretician. There is somewhat of a mentor-student | | | | (which assent they surreptitously obtained), the Elders |
| relationship between the two. The Panchen Lama | | | | identified a 6-year-old boy, Nyima, as the new Panchen |
| does not automatically become the new Dalai Lama | | | | Lama. This selection was unpalatable to the leadership |
| upon the death of the Dalai Lama. | | | | of China, whereupon they kidnapped Nyima and his |
| Belief in reincarnation is a fundamental tenet of Tibetan | | | | family and have held them incommunicado ever since. |
| Buddhism. Upon the death of the Dalai Lama or of the | | | | Nyima would now be 19 years of age. At or about the |
| Panchen Lama, the Elders engage upon a search for | | | | same time, China installed a so-called "Panchen Lama" |
| a young boy in whom the spirit of the departed one is | | | | of its own choosing, also a young boy, and installed him |
| said to be reincarnated. The surviving Dalai Lama or | | | | in Tibet under force of arms. Riots in protest erupted |
| Panchen Lama will take part in the identification | | | | throughout the country. |
| process. | | | | |