Religious Tradition and Historical Customization:The Living Buddha Reincarnation System of the Kagyupa Sect with the Golden Urn Drawing Lots
The reincarnation system of the living Buddha of the Kagyupa Sect originated from Dusom Chenba(Dus-gsum-mkhyen-pa),and was later formally initiated by Karma Pakshi.The system has been improved by the successive Karmapas,and widely popularized both in the Kagyupa Sect and other sects.Since the Qing Dy-nasty,the central government has incorporated the reincarnation of living Buddhas into the national administra-tive system through the systems such as the Golden Urn Drawing Lots,and the Kagyupa sect has thus formed a standardized historical customization.During the absence of central authority,the reincarnation system of the Ka-gyupa sect was subject to various restrictions by local forces.This situation was only improved after the democrat-ic reform.Based on relevant documents and archives,the paper restores the detailed rules of the reincarnation system of the Kagyupa's living Buddhas in different historical periods,and discusses the circumstances.It is be-lieved that respecting religious traditions,following historical customization and ensuring the final decision-mak-ing authority of the central government are the only ways to make religious traditions and wills be respected in the process.
the Kagyupa sectGolden Urn Drawing Lotsreincarnation systemrestoration
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