I have thought long and hard about this, and I think the only solution to China's new reincarnation regulations is to create something like a Buddhist "Vatican," and give all the tulkus diplomatic passports. This could be accomplished in Bhutan, or Kalmykia, or some other predominantly Buddhist nation with the political will to actually do something. Now, to be fair, the new Article 27 of China's National Regulations on Religious Affairs doesn't just impact Buddhists, it also impacts Christians, in that China reserves the right to name Roman Catholic bishops. This naturally upsets the Vatican, but while they cannot prevent China from implementing the regulation they can at least highlight its lack of legitimacy. So, I put it to the King of Bhutan, or the President of Kalmykia, or the King of Thailand, for that matter: are you willing to create an independent city-state that will serve to protect Buddhist priests from political repression? If not, then why not? Is there any nation on this planet that has so absorbed the Dharma that they can practice the perfection of generosity and actually give up a fragment of their lands in order to save the Dharma?
