Once identified, the successful candidate and his family are taken to Lhasa (or Dharamsala) where the child will study the Buddhist scriptures in order to prepare for spiritual leadership. If more than one candidate is identified, the true successor is found by officials and monks drawing lots in a public ceremony. If a single candidate has been identified, the High Lamas will report their findings to eminent individuals and then to the Government. They assess the candidate against a set of criteria, and will present the child with various objects to see if they can identify those which belonged to the previous Dalai Lama. When these signs have been interpreted and a successor found, there is a series of tests believed to ensure that they are the genuine reincarnation of the previous Dalai Lama. For example, if the previous Dalai Lama was cremated, they can watch the direction of the smoke to suggest where the rebirth will take place. To help them in their search, the High Lamas may have visions or dreams, and try to find signs. The search is generally limited to Tibet, although the current Dalai Lama has said that there is a chance that he will not be reborn, and that if he is, it would not be in a country under Chinese rule. It took four years to find the 14th (current) Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso. According to Buddhist scholars it is the responsibility of the High Lamas of the Gelugpa tradition and the Tibetan government to seek out and find the next Dalai Lama following the death of the incumbent. That person, when found, will then become the next Dalai Lama. Following the Tibetan Buddhism belief in the principle of rebirth, the Dalai Lama is believed by adherents to be able to choose the body into which he is reincarnated.
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