"No, because such questions, to me, implicitly acknowledge we are talking about a fictional world. The question about the Dalai Lama, however, is a question abo

"No, because such questions, to me, implicitly acknowledge we are talking about a fictional world. The question about the Dalai Lama, however, is a question about this world." Or, perhaps you're implicitly talking about the world in which the Dalai Lama is reincarnated. There's not much difference to your distinction. The correct answer is whatever is commonly excepted by Buddhists, I guess, or perhaps there is an official number. 0 would be a trick answer.