Report of the Recognition of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama

The concept of birth and re-birth dates back to the Vedic Period. They had immense faith on the life after death and had always focused themselves performing a better duty in order to unleash an individual from the chains of birth and death. Buddhism, being a movement within Brahminism also shares many similar concepts which are prevalent in Brahmanism or modern Hinduism. Like any common Hindus they also believe in the concept of birth and death and a perpetual soul. The Buddhists also have a sturdy belief on the incarnation of supreme souls after their death. The sturdiness of their faith on incarnation can be ascertained from the birth and incarnation of various Lamas and Rimponches in the Buddhist world.

The birth of an incarnation of the earlier supreme soul is a usual feature in Buddhism. The document of today’s post is also associated with the incarnation and recognition of His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama by then Political Officer of Sikkim B J Gould in May 1941. It is a cover page of the Report submitted by then Political Officer of Sikkim Sir Gould to the British Indian Government. I have found this certificate on the website of British Museum and is abided with the copy right of the same.

It is to be noted here that, apart from Sikkim, Sir B J Gould had the additional charge of Political Affairs of Bhutan and Tibet. He was an Indian Civil Servant of 1907 batch and had served as a British Trade Agent at Gyantse, Tibet from 1912-1913. In 1912, the Dalai Lama asked that some "energetic and clever sons of respectable families" should be given "world-class educations at Oxford College, London". The Indian government decided that Gould, who was about to go on leave back to England, should guide the four young boys (known as the "Four Rugby Boys") on their journey to the United Kingdom and assist them during their first few weeks in England in April 1913.  

In August 1936, Gould led a delegation to Lhasa to negotiate with the Tibetan government on the possibility of the 9th Panchen Lama's return to Tibet. Gould also discussed British military aid to Lhasa. Gould inquired about the creation of a British office in Lhasa, but the Tibetan government rejected this. Gould eventually departed Lhasa, but left behind his commercial representative, Hugh Richardson, who had been previously stationed in Gyantse. Richardson was equipped with a radio so Richardson could maintain contact with the British. In August 1936, Gould led a delegation to Lhasa to negotiate with the Tibetan government on the possibility of the 9th Panchen Lama's return to Tibet. Gould also discussed British military aid to Lhasa. Gould inquired about the creation of a British office in Lhasa, but the Tibetan government rejected this. Gould eventually departed Lhasa, but left behind his commercial representative, Hugh Richardson, who had been previously stationed in Gyantse. Richardson was equipped with a radio so Richardson could maintain contact with the British.

In 1940, Gould attended the installation ceremonies of the 14th Dalai Lama in Lhasa, Tibet. Gould brought a gift of a Meccano set for the young Tenzin Gyatso (the present Dalai Lama). In 1945 The British Mission under Gould helped to start a school in Lhasa, but it was soon closed under pressure from Tibetan religious authorities.

Sir Basil John Gould CMG, CIE (1883 -1956) served as a Political Officer of Sikkim, Bhutan and Tibet from 1935 to 1945. In 1941, Gould received the title of "Sir".

The Article related to Sir B J Gould is extracted from Wikipedia.