The Book of Joy

death, intermediate state, and rebirth. In my case, I undertake this kind of
meditation five times in a day, so on a daily basis, I kind of go through
death and rebirth—five times I leave and five times I come back. So I
suppose,” said the Dalai Lama, “when I actually die, I should be well
prepared!” With these words, his twinkling eyes and mischievous smile
became thoughtful and tender. “But I don’t know. When actual death
comes, I hope I will have the ability to apply this practice effectively. I
don’t know. So I need your prayers.”
“The Chinese say you will not decide who your reincarnation will be,”
the Archbishop said, returning to a source of humor throughout the week.
For the Archbishop, one did not want to miss the opportunity to link
prayer to politics and meditation to activism—or a good joke. Certainly
the declaration that the Chinese government (which does not sanction or
accept religion) would choose the next reincarnation of the Dalai Lama
was fodder for another good laugh.
“I prefer, after my death,” the Dalai Lama said with a laugh, “that you
search for my reincarnation, that you carry the investigation rather than
an antireligious, atheistic, Communist government.”
“Yes,” the Archbishop said after a pause, perhaps wondering how he
would carry on the investigation to find the next Dalai Lama.
“I usually say—” the Dalai Lama continued, “half-joking, half-serious
—first Chinese Communist Party should accept the theory of rebirth, then
they should recognize Chairman Mao Tse Tung’s reincarnation, then
Deng Xiaoping’s reincarnation, then they have a right to be involved with
the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation.”
“Yes,” the Archbishop mused. “I was very interested because they
claim to be atheists and all of that, but they say they will decide whether
you are going to be reincarnated. That is quite something.” The
Archbishop was chuckling and shaking his head at the absurdity of the
Chinese government trying to restrict the Dalai Lama’s movements even
in the next life.
Then words fell away, dialogue and jokes settled into quiet
contemplation.
The Dalai Lama took off his glasses. His beautiful face was so