(Essential questions) Exclusive | Gao Ying: From the integration of politics and religion to the separation of religion and politics, why can Tibetan Buddhism achieve healthy development?

　　China news agency, Beijing, August 20 -

Question: from theocracy to secularism why Tibetan Buddhism to achieve healthy development?

——Interview with Gao Ying, associate researcher of the Institute of Religious Studies, China Tibet Research Center

　　China News Agency reporter Yang Chengchen

Data map: Gao Ying.

Photo courtesy of the interviewee

　　From the perspective of Tibetan Buddhism's own life course, the separation of religion and state brings important opportunities and challenges.

There have been many historical descriptions of Tibetan Buddhism's separation of state and religion from the social and cultural level, but people are less aware of the impact of this process on the development of Tibetan Buddhism.

　　Gao Ying, an associate researcher at the Institute of Religious Studies of the China Tibetology Research Center, recently accepted an exclusive interview with China News Agency "Question of East and West", trying to stand on the standpoint of Tibetan Buddhism, and discuss the relationship between Tibet’s integration of politics and religion under the feudal serf system to the separation of politics and religion. What exactly does Tibetan Buddhism mean and what changes have been experienced in the development of Tibetan Buddhism.

Data map: Tashilhunpo Temple exhibits the Qiangpa Thangka Buddha statue.

Photo by He Penglei

The Fifth Dalai Lama's religious status was recognized by the Central Government

China News Agency reporter: Tibet went from the unity of politics and religion under the feudal serfdom to the abolition of unity of politics and religion to realize the separation of religion and politics. How did Tibetan Buddhism develop and change in this process?

　　Gao Ying: The development of Buddhism in Tibet is divided into two historical stages in Tibetan historical records. The period of the Tubo dynasty from the middle of the 7th century to the middle of the 9th century is the "pre-prosperity period."

During this period, Buddhism was still a foreign religion in the Tubo dynasty, and it developed in the struggle with the original Bon religion in the area. During this period, it once occupied an advantage.

Some scholars believe that there was a phenomenon of Buddhist monks interfering in politics throughout the entire process of Buddhism in the Tubo dynasty.

The unity of politics and religion of Tibetan Buddhism in the "post-prosperity period" originated here.

　　From about the second half of the 10th century, Tibetan Buddhism entered the "post-prosperity period."

During this period, there were frequent regime changes in Tibet, and Buddhism was undergoing a full-scale revival, and many sects emerged.

According to historical records, in 1269 AD, Kublai Khan, the fifth generation patriarch of the Sakya Sect, was conferred the title of “Emperor Master” by Kublai Khan. Give him the political and religious power of 130,000 households in Tibet.

The Tibetan-state-religious unity system began to emerge.

　　In 1354, the Pamudrukpa Kagyu Sect, headed by the Lang family, began to take charge of the power of local politics and religion in Tibet, and it was granted by the central government of the Ming Dynasty.

After the establishment of the Pamudruba regime, a series of regulations including the "Fifteen Articles of the Code" were promulgated, and the patriarchal system was established, which further strengthened Tibet's political-religious unity system.

　　In 1642, the Gelug Sect united with the Mongolian Heshuote Ministry to control Tibet's political and religious power and established the Gandan Pozhang local government. It is worth noting that the political leader of the regime is the Khan King of the Mongolian Heshuote Ministry, not the Dalai Lama.

In 1653, the Fifth Dalai Lama was canonized by the Qing government; in 1713, the Fifth Panchen Lama was canonized.

Since then, the Qianlong Dynasty of the Qing Dynasty successively promulgated the "Thirteen Articles of Regulations for Rehabilitation of Tibet" (1751) and the "Twenty-nine Articles of Regulations for Rehabilitation in Tibet" (1793), which realized the institutionalization and standardization of the governance of Tibet by the Qing government. The Dalai Lama is officially authorized by the central government to participate in the management of Tibet's administrative affairs.

　　During this period, the Gelug Sect's political and religious unity system was formally formed, and there was no essential difference from other sects in history, such as the Sakya Sakya Sect's unity of politics and religion in the Yuan Dynasty.

At the same time, during this period, the Gelug Sect's power system gradually entered the rigid period of Tibet's integration of politics and religion.

During this period, the Qing Dynasty promulgated relevant laws and regulations on governing Tibet, which also showed that the central government has gradually strengthened the local management of Tibet.

　　The Democratic Reform of Tibet in 1959 implemented the policy of "political unity, freedom of religion, and separation of politics and religion", abolished all economic and political privileges of temples, abolished feudal possession, feudal exploitation, personal slavery, and feudal management and hierarchy within temples. system.

The democratic reform removed what was contaminated by the feudal serfdom of religion, restored the true nature of religion, effectively guaranteed the freedom of religious belief of the Tibetan people, and laid the foundation for Tibet to implement people's democratic politics.

Data map: Traditional "Qiang Mu" performance.

Photo by China News Agency reporter He Penglei

Tibet is in a state of extreme poverty, backwardness, and closure and shrinking

Reporter from China News Service: What is Tibet like under the system of the integration of church and state?

　　Gao Ying: One of the main characteristics of the social and political system of old Tibet was that the Dalai Lama, as the main leader of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, also served as the head of the Tibetan local government, integrating politics and religion.

The Dalai Lama himself is not only the general representative of this unity of church and state system, but also the largest serf owner.

　　From the comprehensive establishment of Tibetan feudal serfdom in the middle of the 13th century to the overthrow of Tibetan feudal serfdom in the middle of the 20th century (1959), the book "Research on the Relationship between Tibetan Religion and Social Development" compiled by the former dean of the Tibet Academy of Social Sciences, Ciwang Junmei, believes that, Tibetan Buddhism was formed with the formation of the feudal serf system in Tibet and developed with the development of the feudal serf system.

During this period, with the support of the central government and the support of the feudal serf-owning class in Tibet, Tibetan Buddhism stepped onto the stage of Tibetan secular politics, formed a powerful monastery economy, and formed a unique Tibetan tradition in terms of ideology and culture. Buddhist culture.

　　At the same time, it must be noted that the serf-owning class, composed of three lords of officials, nobles, and upper-class monks, carried out extremely cruel political oppression and economic exploitation of serfs and slaves, and Tibetan society fell into a state of extreme poverty, backwardness, and isolation and shrinking.

According to statistics, before the democratic reform in Tibet, there were 2,676 monasteries and 114,925 monks. Among them, there were about 500 upper-class monks such as large and small living Buddhas, and more than 4,000 monks with real economic power.

At that time, about a quarter of the men in Tibet were monks.

Data map: Interior view of Tibet Buddhist College.

Photo by Gonggar Laisong issued by China News Agency

The unity of politics and religion is not the religious attribute of Tibetan Buddhism

Reporter from China News Service: Do you think there is a hidden connection between the integration of politics and religion and the development of Tibetan Buddhism in Tibetan history?

In what kind of environment was this system spawned in Tibet?

　　Gao Ying: Buddhism in Tibet comes from Chinese Buddhism and Indian Buddhism. Both of these sources hold the original intention of Buddhism.

This initial aspiration is Shakyamuni’s motivation and desire to abandon the throne, practice enlightenment, and save sentient beings. It is the liberation and enlightenment that Buddhist monks and achievers have repeatedly preached and practiced throughout their lives.

Under the special social and historical environment, Tibetan Buddhism was integrated with the secular regime for a period of time, and became a part of the unity of politics and religion under the authorization of the central dynasty and the support of the local aristocracy.

　　But the unity of religion and politics is not the religious attribute of Tibetan Buddhism. It was produced under specific social and historical conditions and will disappear with the disappearance of these conditions.

The main, essential, and core attribute of Tibetan Buddhism is the pursuit and practice of the ultimate goal of liberation and enlightenment.

In this process, observance of the precepts is the most important condition.

This point has been clarified since the time of Buddha Shakyamuni, and it has been unanimously recognized by the Southern, Han and Tibetan Buddhism.

Data map: On April 5th, the 2021 Tibetan Buddhism study monk's assessment and promotion of Geshe La Rangpa degree in the Tibet Autonomous Region was held at the Jokhang Temple.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Jiang Feibo

Tibetan Buddhism seeks liberation, and the unity of politics and religion is a wrong path

China News Agency reporter: From the 10th century to the middle of the 20th century, how do you comment on the 10-century development of Tibetan Buddhism under the unified church and state system?

　　Gao Ying: With the approval and empowerment of the central dynasty, the local government of Tibet was established and developed on the basis of feudal serfdom, and it was in harmony with feudal serfdom.

For hundreds of years, Tibetan Buddhism has been attached to the secular kingship. On the one hand, it has mastered Tibet’s important social lifeline such as politics, economy, culture, medical care, and education. On the other hand, it has enjoyed the worship of religious people. The scenery is boundless, and in fact suffered a deep internal injury.

For a certain period of time, Tibetan Buddhist monasteries were at the top of society, and the upper monks did not produce, and used oppression, exploitation, and enslavement to obtain wealth from serfs, which far exceeded their own survival needs, causing selfish desires to inflate, corrupt and degenerate. It is extremely contrary to the core spirit of Buddhism's compassion and equality.

　　In the 1950s, apart from accepting voluntary donations from believers, Tibetan Buddhist temples also had various methods of forced donations, such as requiring believers to hand over all their property to the monastery after death.

The temple can also lend usury, and the interest is several times higher than the principal. In order to continue to accumulate wealth and repay ten-thousand-year bonds, short debts, etc., they can only repay the interest but not the principal.

The upper-class lamas in the monastery are engaged in private business, using their religious status and beliefs of the believers to forcibly sell the goods that cannot be released to the believers or even turn into usury.

The monks are strictly hierarchical, the uppermost living Buddha controls the local government, and many monks have low status.

The Russian Tribikov said in "Buddhist Pilgrims in the Holy Land of Tibet" that "monks are also divided into high and low, and they live a life above and below."

Before liberation, 80% of Tibetan monks were illiterate.

There is a torture hall in the temple to store weapons. The evil monks abused Buddhist teachings to satisfy their greed. They described swindling and plundering as cultivating blessings and virtues for all living beings. They used torture and punishment for those serfs who were unable to pay taxes or violate the law, which completely violated the law. The fundamental commandment.

Even driven by the desire for power or jealousy, they provoke discords, form cliques, humiliate each other, and initiate sectarian struggles for power.

The high-level monks at the center of power are inevitably involved in the struggle for power. The experience of the sixth Dalai Lama in history and the premature death of the ninth to the twelfth Dalai Lama are the results of power struggles.

　　Because monks enjoy extremely high social status and too many privileges, they are in sharp contrast with the humble status, hard work, and hard life of the general public, making the monks a means of solving livelihoods, a symbol of social status, and a way to enjoy life. , Lost the true qualities of being a monk for spiritual practice.

The privilege of the unity of politics and religion has made Tibetan Buddhist monasteries extravagant and chaotic, and the precepts are abolished. The monks have mixed virtues and bad behaviors.

For a religion like Tibetan Buddhism that pursues liberation, the unity of politics and religion is a misguided path, and it is even more sad.

In this regard, intellectuals in Tibetan Buddhism such as Saikangwa Living Buddha (1000-1069), Gendun Choupei, and Sharma Pa (1852-1913) have long had insights.

Saikangwa Living Buddha promoted the Richupa movement in the history of Tibetan Buddhism. He believes that “after gaining secular authority, it is easy to practice the Dharma, and it is possible to make incomparable offerings to Sakyamuni and his disciples. However, to implement it for his own benefit. Buddhism is only the shadow of Buddhism." He emphasized that the core of Buddhism is to practice and implement it in daily life, abandon the monastic life with good conditions, and go to the mountains to live in seclusion.

His behavior represents the aspirations of true Tibetan Buddhism believers. Many monks in history have followed in their footsteps, far away from the hustle and bustle of power while practicing alone, and become the "Richuopa" monk who is the master of Yixiu.

For the sake of real practice, Master Shamapa left the monastery full of conflicts of interest and relied on alms to live, and founded Dicha Temple in Qinghai with the theme of practice.

A generation of marvelous monks, Gengdun Qunpei, has resisted the decadent unity of politics and religion all his life, thinking that the marriage of Tibetan Buddhism and politics is like putting salt and sugar together.

Data map: Gao Ying.

Photo courtesy of the interviewee

The healthy development of Tibetan Buddhism must remove all non-Buddhist restraints

　　China News Agency reporter: After 1959, Tibet realized the separation of religion and politics.

In the subsequent stages, what characteristics did the development of Tibetan Buddhism show in Tibet?

　　Gao Ying: If Tibetan Buddhism wants to develop healthily, it must release all non-Buddhist imprisonment, return to the original intention of Buddhism, clean up its roots, strictly abide by the precepts, and purge the Sangha.

The democratic reform in Tibet in 1959 abolished the feudal serf system and the unity of politics and religion.

Tibetan Buddhism has finally been liberated from the cage of secular power, and can concentrate on the right path of pure practice, saving the world, and enlightenment to become a Buddha.

　　First of all, the socialist system abolished exploitation and privileges, provided everyone with equal legal protection and awareness, and was a social system suitable for the practice of the Sangha.

To realize the separation of church and state, return to society the social management, medical care, education, and economic powers that Tibetan Buddhism should not be responsible for, and return the powers of learning, practice, temple management, and operation to the religious groups, temples, and monks, and empower monks to be voluntary On the basis of the legal right to participate in politics.

Any feudal possession, feudal exploitation, and personal slavery carried out in the name of faith were all eliminated, and the feudal management and hierarchical system in the temple was abolished.

Created a big environment in line with Buddhism's compassion and equality thoughts.

　　Second, after the separation of state and religion, all religious affairs are managed in accordance with the law, and Tibetan Buddhism has obtained an equal and free space for survival and development.

The rights and obligations of temples, monks, and believers are clearly stipulated in laws and regulations. Various affiliations and hierarchies have been abolished. As an ancient tradition, the reincarnation of living Buddhas has been preserved and continued, and they are also subject to legal management and management like other affairs. Social supervision.

The public funds and property of the temple have been transformed from the traditional management system around the eminent monks, which is mainly based on living Buddha, Khenpo, Jingshi, Gegui, Wengze, etc., to a democratic management method.

The monastery "emphasizes both agriculture and Zen" can engage in self-supporting activities for monks and nuns that are legal and doctrinal, such as agriculture, commerce, and service industries.

The Constitution guarantees citizens' freedom of religious belief. All citizens have the freedom to believe in or not to believe in religion. Monks and nuns can also choose to end or continue their life in accordance with their personal wishes.

　　These legal constraints and guarantees lead beliefs to rationality, lead monks to study Buddhism, and protect the purity of monks and religious groups.

In addition, after the separation of church and state, the basic right of survival of monks is also covered by the law and social security system. Monks and nuns in the Tibet Autonomous Region have medical insurance, endowment insurance, and minimum living allowances. The maintenance of monks’ houses is included in the indemnificatory housing construction plan.

These social guarantees solved the survival problem of monks and reduced their dependence on their native families.

It can be said that Tibet’s religious and social policies after the separation of state and religion has worked hard to create an inclusive and relaxed environment. The monks no longer need to mediate in the center of power or worry about basic livelihoods. They can devote all their time and energy to studying the classics, practicing and practicing. Buddhist affairs.

　　Comparing the status of Tibetan Buddhism under the unity of politics and religion and the separation of religion and politics, it is obvious that the system of separation of religion and politics in a socialist society is conducive to the healthy development of Tibetan Buddhism.

(over)

　　Gao Ying is an associate researcher at the Institute of Religious Studies of the China Tibetology Research Center. She is mainly engaged in the research of religious psychology and cultural exchanges between Han and Tibetan Buddhism.