The Chinese invented bureaucracy, after all...
A Reincarnation Application must be filed by all Buddhist temples within the People's Republic of China, before they are allowed to recognize individuals as reincarnated living buddhas.
Tibetan Buddhist believe lamas or other religious figures can consciously decide to be reborn, often many times, in order to continue his or her religious pursuits. In 2007, the Chinese government passed a decree that each of these people who plan to be reborn must complete an application and submit it to several government agencies for approval. (the article continues...)
Saw this on the "Did you know?" section on Wikipedia's front page. All I can say is... wow.
Tibetan Buddhist believe lamas or other religious figures can consciously decide to be reborn, often many times, in order to continue his or her religious pursuits. In 2007, the Chinese government passed a decree that each of these people who plan to be reborn must complete an application and submit it to several government agencies for approval. (the article continues...)
Saw this on the "Did you know?" section on Wikipedia's front page. All I can say is... wow.