New Delhi, Dec. 10 -- The Golden Urn procedure has no basis in Buddhist doctrine. The identification of the Dalai Lama and other high lamas is a deeply religious and esoteric process rooted in Tibetan Buddhist traditions, not a political ritual. Thus, the Chinese Communist government's claim that the Golden Urn is an intrinsic element of Tibetan Buddhism is historically unfounded. The system was a foreign mechanism introduced into Tibet by the Manchu Qing court, not a native religious practice.

The foundation of the PRC's modern claim lies almost entirely in the Twenty-Nine Article Imperial Ordinance issued in 1793 following the Gurkha War (1791-1793). During this conflict, Tibet sought military assistance from the Manchu empire. After d...