Dalai Lama: 'I may be the last leader to hold this title'

The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader said: ‘Whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue or not is up to the Tibetan people.’

17:36 17 December 2014

The Dalai Lama has conceded he may be the last leader to hold the title. He said: “Whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue or not is up to the Tibetan people.”

"The Dalai Lama institution will cease one day. These man-made institutions will cease," the Dalai Lama told the BBC.

"There is no guarantee that some stupid Dalai Lama won't come next, who will disgrace himself or herself. That would be very sad. So, much better that a centuries-old tradition should cease at the time of a quite popular Dalai Lama."

Tibetan Buddhism’s second-highest figure is the Panchen Lama, who is meant to be the next Dalai Lama. In 1995, a young boy was chosen for this position but was rejected by China, which chose its own candidate. The whereabouts of the Dalai Lama’s choice are unknown.

Meanwhile, the Dalai Lama also talked about encouraging democracy in China.

"China very much wants to join the mainstream world economy," he said.

"They should be welcome, but at the same time the free world has a moral responsibility to bring China into mainstream democracy - for China's own interests."