Dalai Lama

I recently watched Seven Years in Tibet and I have a new found fascination for the Dalai Lama.

A friend told me that the Dalai Lama comes to power through a selection process including male monk children sorting through belongings--the child who selects the belongings who are previous possessions of the Dalai Lama is the reincarnated spirit of the Dalai Lama himself--and is then put into power.

You begin to wonder if these amazing individuals became so valued and intelligent through the nurturing they received by chance...if you don't believe in reincarnation--then the new Dalai Lama is only who he is because of is upbringing, correct?

Nature vs. Nurture
Hmmm