By Khedroob Thondup

In 2023, His Holiness the Dalai Lama recognised the young boy in Mongolia as the 10th Bogd Jetsun Damba Khutuktu—the spiritual leader of Mongolian Buddhism, equivalent in stature to the Dalai Lama in Tibet. For Mongolians, this was a moment of profound religious continuity, affirming centuries of lineage that ties their national identity to Buddhism. Yet, ten years later, the reincarnation remains cloistered, unannounced, and largely hidden from public life. The reason is not spiritual hesitation but geopolitical coercion: China’s overwhelming influence has forced Mongolia into silence.

The Dalai Lama’s recognition was not a casual gesture. It was a declaration that Mongolia’s spiritual heritage endures despite centuries of foreign domination. The Bogd Jetsun Damba lineage has historically been central to Mongolian identity, intertwining religion and nationhood. By acknowledg...