Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the 17th Karmapa who is widely tipped to succeed the Dalai Lama as the spiritual figurehead of Tibetan Buddhism, says he has no intention of going into politics - at least for as long as he can hold off.
'I'm not sure I have this ability [to contribute to the resolution of the Tibetan problem],' he told the Post in an exclusive interview at the Gyuto Tantric Monastery in Dharamsala, India. 'Moreover, I now bear the title of the Karmapa. I need to respect the responsibilities of the Karmapa. It has its role.'
'Of course I also want to do something within my ability ... but I have not thought of taking the obvious steps into politics.'
The young spiritual head of the Kagyu sect escaped into India in late 1999 when he was 14, telling the media at the time that he went mainly because he wanted to study Buddhism with teachers in exile. He did not want to be forced to take up political positions in the Chinese government when he reached 18.
However, with his religious standing - Kagyu is one of the three main Tibetan Buddhist sects; both the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama belong to the Gelupa sect - and given his popularity and that he is recognised by both Beijing and the Dalai Lama, the Karmapa might find it difficult to stay away from politics.
His rising prominence is apparent: he travelled with the Dalai Lama to the United States in July and led prayers with the Dalai Lama on October 19 for the nine young Tibetans who committed self-immolation on the mainland.
When asked about speculation that he would succeed the Dalai Lama as the spiritual leader of Tibetans, or at least be an important figure until the next Dalai Lama comes to age, the Karmapa said, 'No one is capable of replacing [the Dalai Lama] as leader for the whole of Tibetan Buddhism', and being a Karmapa is already 'a lot of pressure'.