Published by: World Tibet Network News, 96/03/30

Lhasa, 29th March: A leading Buddhist scholar has said that the 11th Panchen Lama, Jizun Qamba Lhunzhub Qoigyijabu, is indeed the only soul boy of the late 10th Panchen Lama.

Sarkam Gaqen Cering, a 67-year-old lama from the Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery, the seat of the Panchen Lama, said that the boy's movements bear a striking resemblance to those of the late 10th Panchen Lama...

Pilgrims flocked to the Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery from the city of Xigaze, where the lamasery is located, the regional capital of Lhasa, as well as from Qinghai and Gansu provinces. Many of them come to pay respects to Jizun Qamba Lhunzhub Qoigyijabu, the 11th Panchen Lama.

Gaqen Cering, who is also the deputy director of the lamasery's Democratic Administrative Committee, said there were even more pilgrims present when the 11th Panchen Lama is in the lamasery...

Reviewing the reincarnation of the former Panchen Lamas, Gaqen Cering said the practice of drawing lots from a gold urn, to decide the selection of the new Panchen Lama, is the most convincing and fair method.

He added that the 11th Panchen Lama was chosen this way in front of the statue of Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, as the reincarnated boy of the late 10th Panchen Lama,

"All Tibetan Buddhists trust this choice," he added.

As a member of the group in charge of searching for the soul boy of the late 10th Panchen Lama, Gaqen Cering took part in all the important search activities.

He said the search and confirmation of the soul boy complied with historical conventions and religious rituals.

"Jizun Qamba Lhunzhub Qoigyijabu is the sole 11th Panchen Lama," exclaimed Gaqen Cering.

"No-one, not even the Dalai Lama, can impose a Panchen Lama on us. Neither we lamas in the Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery nor the Tibetan Buddhism believers will accept that," he noted.