The reincarnation system for the Living Buddhas is
the main point distinguishing tibetan Buddhism from other
forms of Buddhism. What led to the introduction of the
system?
The term Living Buddha emerged in the
early Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) when Emperor Kublai Khan
honored Pagba, head of the Sagya Sect, by granting him the
title "Buddha of the Western Paradise.'' Thereafter,
eminent Tibetan monks we distinguished themselves in the
practice of Buddhism were referred to as ''Living Buddhas.''
However, the term Living Buddha was not recognized as a
special title for a monk who became the successor of the
deceaed leader of a monastery until the eventual
introduction of the Living Buddha reincarnation
system.
In 1252 , Kublai Khan granted an
audience to Pagba and Garma Pakshi, an eminent monk with the
Garma Gagyu Sect. Garma Pakshi, however, sought the
patronage of Monge Khan who proceeded to bestow him a
gold-rimmed black hat and a golden seal of authority. Prior
to his death in 1283, Garma Paksli penned a will to ensure
the established interests of his sect. The will advised his
disciples to locate a boy to inherit the black hat, with the
instruction based on the premise that Buddhist idelogy is
eternal, and a Buddha would be reincarnated to complete the
missions he had initiated. Garma Pakshi's disciples acted in
accordance with the will and located the reincarnated soul
boy of their master. The event marked the introduction of
the Living Buddha reincarnation system for the Black-Hat
Line of Tibetan Buddhism. During the Ming Dynasty
(1368-1644), Emperor Yongle honored Black-Hat Living Buddha
Garmaba as the ''Great Treasure Prince of Dharma,'' the
first of the three "Princes of Dharma.'' The Living
Buddha reincarnation system remains in operation today. On
September 27, 1992, the Curpu Monastery in Doilungdeqen
County, Lhasa, was the site of a grand ceremony marking the
enthronement of the 16th Living Buddha Garmaba. The event
marked a new page in th history of the Garma Gagye
Sect.
Various sects of Tibetan Buddhism reacted
to the introduction of the Living Buddha reincarnation
system by creating numerous similar systems. During the Qing
Dynasty (1644-1911) reign of Emperor Qianlong alone, 148
Grand Living Buddhas registered for reincarnation with the
Board for Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs, with the number of
registrants rising to 160 by the end of the dynasty. The
most influential reincarnation systems have since been the
Dalai and Bainqen Lama systems.
The
reincarnation system for the Dalai Lama was introduced in
the 16th century. In the early years of the Qing Dynasty,
the 5th Dalai Lama journeyed to Beiing to pay homage to
Emperor Shunzhi. The Qing emperor granted him the honorific
title of "the Dalai Lama, Overseer of the Buddhist
Faith on Earth Under the Great Benevolent Self-subsisting
Buddha of the Western Paradise.'' The title Dalai Lama was
thus established and is still in up today. The current Dalai
Lama was enthroned in the Potala Palace on February 22,
1940, during a ceremony presided over by Wu Zhongxin,
minister of the Commission for Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs
of the nationalist government of the Republic of China
(1911-49). The nationalist government ordered that he be
confirmed as the reincarnated soul boy of the 13th Dalai
Lama without the requirement to carrying the established
method of drawing lot from the golden urn and that he
instead directly succeed as the 14th Dalai
Lama.
The reincarnatin system for the Bainqen
Lama was introduced in 1713 when the 5th Bainqen was granted
the honorific title as "Bainqen Erdeni," with
Erdeni meaning "great treasure" in Manchu. The 9th
Bainqen Erdeni and the 13th Dalai Lama were at odds during
the period of the Republic of China, with the 9th Bainqen
Erdeni departing for China's hinterland. He later passed
away in Qinghai Province. The Tashilhungpo Monastery, the
resident monastery for the Bainqen Erdeni, located a boy by
the name of Gongbo Cidain. All signs pointed to the fact
that he was indeed the reincarnated soul boy of the 9th
Bainqen Erdeni. Li Zongren, the acting president of the
Republic of China, issued a special order instructing that
the boy "be excuses from the lot-drawing method and
given the special permission to succeed as the 10th Bainqen
Erdeni." The grand enthronment ceremony held in the Tar
Monastery on August 10, 1949, was presided over by Guan
Jieyu, minister of the Commission for Mongolian and Tibean
Affairs of the nationalist government of the Republic of
China.
The Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism came
to power in Tibet in the 17th century and the Living Buddha
reincarnation system became a bone of contention with the
upper class in Tibet. In 1793, as part of an effort to turn
the tide by overcoming drawbacks characteristic of soul boys
nominated from the same tribes, the Qing government
promulgated the 29-Article Ordinance for the More Efficient
Governing of Tibet. Article one of the Ordinance stipulates:
In order to ensure the Yellow Sect continues to flourish,
the Grand Emperor bestows it with a golden urn and ivory
slips for use in confirming the reincarnated soul boy of a
deceased Living Buddha. For this purpose, four major
Buddhist Guardians will be summoned; the name's of
candidates, as well as their birth years, will be written on
the ivory slips in the three languages - Manchu, Han chinese
and Tibetan; the ivory slips will be placed into the golden
urn and learned Living Buddhas will pray for seven days
before various Hotogtu Living Buddhas and High Commisioners
stationed in Tibet by the Central Government officially
confirm the reincarnated soul boy by drawing a lot from the
golden urn in front of the statue of Sakyamuni in the
Jokhang Monastery.
The system of drawing lot
from the golden urn thus perfected the Living Buddha
reincarnation system of Tibetan Buddhism. Following the
lot-drawing ceremony, the High Commissioners and leaders of
the soul boy search group were required to report the result
to the Central Government. The enthronement ceremony was
held following the approval of the Central
Government.
The Qing court commissioned
artisans to create two golden urns. One go1den urn, used to
confirm reincarnations of the Dalai Lama and the Bainqen
Erdeni, is currently housed in the Potala Palace in Lhasa.
The other, used to confirm the reincarnations
of
Mongolian and Tibetan Grand Living Buddhas
and hotogtu Living Buddhas, is housed in the Yonghegong
Lamasery in Beijing.
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