. >> rinpoche: ♪ ♪ >> narrator: arjia rinpoche became a top aide to the panchen lama, the buddhist leader panchen lama died. >> one of tibet's most senior religious leaders, the panchen lama, has died of a heart attack. he was second only to the dalai lama, who has lived in exile in india for 30 years. >> narrator: it would be a crucial moment for china's influence on the tibetan hierarchy. >> rinpoche: >> narrator: chinese authorities placed arjia rinpoche on a committee to select the next panchen lama. behind closed doors, he says the authorities made it clear they were in charge. >> rinpoche: >> narrator: according to tibetan buddhists, when a dalai lama or panchen lama dies, he is reincarnated into a new person. the committee searched for boys who might be the panchen lama's reincarnation. secretly, the head of the search committee sent their names to the dalai lama in india. he made his choice-- without consulting the chinese government. >> welcome to the voice of america in tibetan. >> man (speaking tibetan): >> rinpoche: >> narrator: within days, the six-year-old boy the dalai lama