Published by World Tibet Network News - Wednesday, November 29, 1995

Text of report by Xinhua news agency

Lhasa, 29th November A ceremony of drawing lots from the Golden Urn to confirm the reincarnated child of the 10th Great Master Panchen was held strictly according to the religious rituals of Tibetan Buddhism in front of the statue of Sakyamuni at the Jokhang Temple today. A six-year-old boy, Gyaincain Norbu from Lhari County in Tibet's Nagu Prefecture, was chosen as the reincarnation of the 10th Bainqen Erdini. The ceremony was presided over jointly by State Councillor Luo Gan, representative of the State Council; Gyaincain Norbu, special commissioner of the State Council and chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region; and Ye Xiaowen, special commissioner of the State Council arid director of the Religious Affairs Bureau under the State Council Several hundred people, including Pagbalha Geleg Namgyai, chief adviser for the search for the reincarnated child of the Panchen, leaders from the Tibet Autonomous Region, members of the leading group and the advisory group for the search for the reincarnated child of th

e Panchen, living Buddhas from Tibet and other Tibetan nationality areas, representatives of Chinese Buddhism and Bali Buddhism and other religious believers, attended this historic activity Zhao Puchu, president of the Buddhist Association of China, chief adviser for the search for the reincarnated child of the Panchen, also participated in the ceremony.

On 28 January 1989, the 10th Panchen Lama passed away. Out of respect for the will of the Panchen Lama, for the religious belief and religious feelings of believers in Tibetan Buddhism and for the religious rituals of Tibetan Buddhism, the State Council made the Decision on the Funeral Arrangements for and Reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama three days after his death The decision stipulated that a search group consisting of major living Buddhas, abbots of monasteries, and senior monks from the Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery should select three candidates for the reincarnated child for the Panchen Lama through divinations, lake observation and secret searching, Then they should report the candidates to the Tibet Autonomous Regional Government before submitting the list of candidates to the State Council for approval of selection of the reincarnation from among the three candidates by drawing lots from the Golden Urn.

At the first glimmer of dawn today the ancient city of Lhasa looked beautiful and tranquil. Joss sticks and candles were burning in the Jokhang Monastery, decorated with coloured pennants flags and lit up by butter lamps The monastery, located in the centre of the city, was thus filled with an auspicious atmosphere. Luo Gan, representative of the State Council and State Councillor, read out a State Council document on approving the three candidates for the lot drawing from the urn. Later, Gyalcan Norbu, special commissioner of the State Council and chairman of the Tibet autonomous regional government, declared the opening of the lot-drawing ceremony.

Two young monks in purplish-red Kasayas [patchwork robes Worn by Buddhist monks] carried in the urn, which was bestowed by the Qing Dynasty Emperor in 1792. It was glistening under the lights of the candles.

Representatives, special commissioners, leaders of the Tibet Autonomous Region, senior monks and living Buddhas, as well as the parents of the three candidates examined one by one the ivory slips bearing the candidates' names. Ye Xiaowen, special commissioner of the State Council and director of the State Council's Religious Affairs Bureau, announced that the writing of the names of the lots was correct. Cering Lama, director of the Democratic Management Committee of the Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery and head of the leading group for the search for the reincarnation, put the ivory slips into a golden urn, shook it several times and enshrined the golden urn in front of the statue of Sakyamuni amid prayers said by scores of monks.

Bomi Qambalozhub, head of the Tibet branch of the Chinese Buddhist Association and member of the search group, drew lots from the golden urn.. The 77-year-old acting abbot, Gandain Chaiba, who is well versed in the five major Buddhist scriptures, prostrated himself before the statue of Sakyamuni and the Golden Urn and prayed in silence. Then, he drew a lot from the Golden Urn and gave it to Gyalcan Norbu, who allowed the lot be verified by all leading officials, senior monks and living Buddhas present as well as the parents of the chosen boy and announced: "The boy from Lhari County, Gyaincain Norbu, is the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama. The boy will become the 11th Panchen Erdini after the result is submitted to and approved by the State Council." There was great rejoicing at the site, many people present spreading tsampa [cakes made of barley and butter] in the air amid the sounding of religious horns.

After the lot-drawing ceremony, the reincarnation bowed to senior Bomi Qambalozhub and took him as his master. Bomi Qambalozhub performed tonsure for the reincarnated soul boy according to religious rituals and bestowed on him a religious name - Jizun Losang Qamba Lhunzhub Qoigyijabu Baisangbu.

Thus, the grand lot-drawing ceremony, long awaited by the broad masses of monks and people in the areas inhabited by believers of Tibetan Buddhism, was crowned with success.

Source; Xinhua news agency domestic service, Beijing, in Chinese