The 11th Panchen Lama
(right)?in Tashilhunpo Monastery
The rule on the management of reincarnations of Tibetan living
Buddhas issued by the State Administration for Religious Affairs
(SARA) on July 18 came into effect on September 1.
The rule, an important move by the government to safeguard
religious freedom of citizens according to law, has won staunch and
extensive support from the Tibetan Buddhist circles and believers
in China.
To maintain the validity and purity of all living Buddha
reincarnation and uphold the solemnity of the law, it is necessary
to reiterate the key principle already enshrined in the new rule
that any reincarnated living Buddha, appointed against the rule, is
illegal and invalid.
The government has attached importance to the reincarnation of
living Buddhas in line with law after the founding of the People's
Republic of China in 1949, and especially after the 3rd Plenary
Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of
China in 1978. The location, confirmation and enthronement of the
reincarnated soul boy of the 10th Panchen Lama were completed in
1995 in line with historical convention and and religious ritual of
Tibetan Buddhism. Since 1991, nearly 1,000 living Buddhas have been
approved in Tibet, Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu and Yunnan, which
satisfied followers' needs. The rule is based on past and present
experience, thorough investigation, opinions from various circles
and respect for the ways of living Buddhas' succession. The rule
demonstrates the government has further legalized its governance of
living Buddha reincarnation. The rule is bound to have significant
impact on standardizing governance on living Buddha reincarnation,
protecting people's religious freedom, maintaining the normal order
of Tibetan Buddhism and the building of a harmonious society.
Firstly, religious freedom is a basic right endowed by the
Chinese Constitution. China has more than 100 million religious
followers including the Tibetan Buddhism followers. To protect
religious freedom is an important indication of the protection of
people's interests, respect for and protection of human rights. To
enact and implement the rule, which represents the government's
religious freedom policy, will help protect the religious features
of Tibetan Buddhism followers and normal religious activities of
Tibetan Buddhism in accordance with the law.
Secondly, the religious ritual and historical convention of
living Buddha reincarnation established throughout the history is
an essential feature and indispensable part of Tibetan Buddhism.
They are important measures taken by the central government to
administer Tibet region and Tibetan Buddhist affairs, and must be
respected. Meanwhile, it has been proved by history that Tibetan
Buddhism can only enjoy sound development through adapting to the
social environment. The policies and regulations on governance of
Tibetan Buddhism should be improved constantly to fit in with
developments of society and changes of Tibetan Buddhism itself.
Thirdly, to implement administration guided by law in an
all-round way is an important part of the rule of the country by
law. The management of living Buddha reincarnation, as a way of
practicing administrative power, must be conducted in accordance
with the law. Article 27 of the Regulation on Religious Affairs
prescribes "The succession of living Buddha should be carried out
under the guidance of religious groups and conform to religious
ritual and historical convention. The succession must be approved
by departments of religious affairs or governments above municipal
level." The rule adds more details to the relevant articles of the
regulation and makes them easier to follow.
Fourthly, there are still problems with the reincarnation of
living Buddhas although it has been generally well observed to
date. Some reincarnated soul boys were appointed against religious
ritual and historical convention, and without the government's
approval. This violated the normal order of Tibetan Buddhism and
undermined the internal integrity of Tibetan Buddhism. The
personages of the Tibetan Buddhist circle strongly protested
against such practice and asked the government to strengthen its
governance. Implementation of the rule regularized living Buddhas'
reincarnation and met the demand of the Tibetan Buddhist circles
and aspiration of the followers.
The rule is composed of 14 articles, including the aim of the
rule, the principles, the prerequisites, the approval procedures,
the duties and responsibilities of religious groups for
reincarnation as well as punishment for those violating the
regulations. The regulations have the following features:
Firstly, the rule was issued by the SARA as a ministry rule. In
2004, the State Council issued the executive "Regulation on
Religious Affairs", which prescribes related procedures for living
Buddha reincarnation in Article 27, Section two. The rule by SARA
is made based on the Regulation on Religious Affairs. It has more
details in the reincarnation governance and demonstrates that China
has further legalized its management of living Buddha
reincarnation.
Secondly, it regularizes the government's role in living Buddha
reincarnation. The government only administers religious affairs of
State and public interest and will not interfere in the pure
internal affairs of religion. The authority prescribed by the rule
includes:
Accepting, verifying and approving applications for
reincarnation.
Approving requests for exemption of such ritual as a boy
candidate can only be enthroned after he draws the lot with his
name on it from a golden vase.
Approving living Buddha succession.
Approving the candidates for master interpreter and chanter of
Buddhist scripture for the living Buddha and other related issues
formed throughout history.
The government does not interfere with the pure internal affairs
of religion: Such as the composition of groups for locating
reincarnated soul boys, organizing activities of trying to find the
soul boys, and identifying the soul boys. All these pure internal
affairs of religion will be handled by the Buddhist association or
monastery administration organizations according to religious
ritual and historical convention.
Thirdly, the rule prescribes prerequisites for living Buddha
reincarnation. Based on the strong demand from Buddhist
representatives and aimed at maintaining the normal order of
Tibetan Buddhism, the third article of the rule lists three
prerequisites for the reincarnation:
Most of the local followers and monastery administrative
organization demand the reincarnation.
The reincarnation system is real and successive.
The monastery applying for reincarnation of a living Buddha must
be the monastery at which the incumbent living Buddha is registered
and the monastery is the legally registered venue for Tibetan
Buddhism activities and is capable of fostering and offering proper
means of support for the living Buddha.
Fourthly, the rule made clear the duties of religious groups in
the reincarnation. It said the main duties of religious groups
are:
Local Buddhist organizations should put forward their opinions
on the approval and sanction of reincarnation of living
Buddhas.
After the reincarnation application is approved, relevant local
Buddhist organizations should guide the locating of the
reincarnated soul boy.
The administrative organ of the reincarnated Buddha's monastery
or relevant Buddhist organizations should organize the searching
group and arrange the location affairs.
The Buddhist group at provincial level or the Buddhist
Association of China will organize the confirmation of the
reincarnated soul boy in line with religious ritual and historical
convention.
Hen the reincarnated soul boy is enthroned, the relevant
Buddhist organizations should grant a certificate to the living
Buddha.
Local Buddhist organizations should verify the training plan for
the enthroned living Buddha and choose suitable master interpreter
and chanter of Buddhist scripture for the living Buddha.
In addition, the rule only provides general principles for some
specific affairs. Since there are many Tibetan monasteries and
religious sects of Tibetan Buddhism with varied practices in the
living Buddha reincarnation, provinces and autonomous regions
concerned can frame detailed regulations based on the rule
according to their own situation. The copy of the detailed
regulations need to be submitted to the SARA for putting on
records.
The rule has presented new demands for Buddhist organizations
and set higher requirements for related departments to govern in
accordance with the law. The departments concerned must study and
implement the rule earnestly so as to protect the religious freedom
of citizens and the legitimate rights of the religious circle. The
validity and purity of living Buddha reincarnation must be
guaranteed in accordance with the law and the solemnity of the law
must be safeguarded. Any so-called reincarnated living Buddha,
appointed against the rule, is illegal and invalid.
(Xinhua News Agency December 27, 2007)
