浅析清帝与章嘉·若比多吉往来信函的内容及其历史意义

On the Content and Historical Significance of the Letters Between the Qing Emperors and Changkya Rolpai Dorje

作为清代四大活佛之一,章嘉•若比多吉自幼延清皇京师并在宫廷成长,前后侍奉了雍正和乾隆二帝,因佛教造诣深厚,在汉蒙藏等地享有盛誉。文章通过对清朝皇帝和章嘉•若比多吉之间往来信函的研究,全面了解清廷支持格鲁派以巩固政权的理政思想,以及章嘉•若比多吉在雍正和乾隆皇帝的支持下在蒙汉地区弘法传佛的业绩。雍正二年(1724),清政府镇压青海罗卜藏丹津时,郭隆寺和却藏寺等安多地区的很多寺院都遭到了破坏。雍正下令岳钟琪、年羹尧将章嘉•若比多吉护送至京。章嘉•若比多吉到达西宁时接到雍正皇帝的圣旨,此乃雍正支持格鲁派的开端。雍正十二年(1734),册封章嘉•若比多吉为“灌顶普善广慈大国师”,赐金印、金册,下诏三世章嘉恭送七世达赖喇嘛到卫藏。从此三世章嘉正式参与清朝的政教事务。乾隆元年(1736),中央政府命三世章嘉管理京师喇嘛事务,并且赏赐“札萨克大喇嘛印”一枚。此后章嘉•若比多吉开始管理京师等地的宗教事务。乾隆沿用康熙和雍正的治国思想,继续支持格鲁派,在京师和热河等地大量修建格鲁派寺院,翻译佛经,讲经立法,从而极大地提高了三世章嘉在宗教领域的地位。

Changkya Rolpai Dorje was one of four most famous Tulkus during the Qing Dynasty.Growing up in the palace of Beijing from a young age,Chankya Tulku served Emperor Yongzheng and Qianlong,and enjoyed a deep attainment in Buddhism and a reputation in Han,Monglian and Tibetan regions.This article focuses on the content of the letters between the Qing Emperors and Changkya Rolpai Dorje and their historical value.Through these letters,we can learn that the Qing emperors supported the Gelug School to consolidate their political power.Changkya Tulku was favored by both Yongzheng and Qianlong,and through the support of these two emperors,he was able to spread Buddhism in the Mongolian and Han regions,giving a strong impetus to the development of Buddhism in the north.In the second year of the Yongzheng reign(1724),when the Qing government suppressed the BloBzangBstan’dzin in Qinghai,many monasteries,including DgonLung and Chu Bsang,were destroyed.Yongzheng ordered Yue Zhong Qi and NianGeng Yao to escort Changkya Tulku to Beijing.When Changkya Tulku arrived in Xining,he received a holy decree from Yongzheng Emperor,which marked Yongzheng’s support for the Gelug School.At the request of ThubBkan Tulku and Changkya Tulku,Yongzheng granted permission to rebuild the Gelug monasteries,which had been damaged during the chaos in Qinghai.In the12thyear of Yong zheng reign(1734),ChangkyaTulku was ennobled as the“GreatMaster of Empowermentand Universal Compassion”,and was given agoldsealandagoldbook to escort theSeventhDalaiLamato Central Tibet.In the first year of the Qianlong reign(1736),the central government appointed Changkya Tulku to manage the affairs of the lamas in Beijing and awarded him the“seal of the Great Lama of Zasak”.From then on,Changkya Tulku began to manage religious affairs in the capital.Qianlong not only followed the ideas of Kangxi and Yongzheng in governing the territories,but also continued to support the GelukSchool by building a large number of Geluk monasteries in Beijing and Jehol,translating Buddhist scriptures,preaching and legislating on many religious matters,and using the deeds of the Buddhist kings of Tubo as a model to turn the capital into a Tibetanlike place,thus enhancing his own status in religious matters.