The Golden Urn Ritual

Lot-drawing from a golden urn is a method used in Tibetan Buddhism to select the reincarnated soul of a deceased grand living Buddha. This method was formally introduced in 1792 under the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Since then, golden urn lot-drawing has become an established tradition and widely practiced religious ritual. An exception is the reincarnation of the Karmapa Chodrak Gyatso, living Buddha of the Kagyu sect, which is determined by his last words. In both cases, the final selection of a reincarnated soul is subject to approval by the central government. In accordance with the Rules Governing the Reincarnation of Tibetan Living Buddhas, the golden urn method has to be applied in the reincarnation of a living Buddha if his own selection as a living Buddha was determined by using this method. Applications to be exempt from such a procedure should be submitted via religious affairs offices at the provincial (or autonomous region) level to the State Administration for Religious Affairs, or in case of an important selection, to the State Council for approval. Ever since the golden urn method was mandated, the selection of reincarnations has always been subject to the supervision by the central government. Only under special circumstances and upon the approval of the central government can the ritual be dispensed with.

金瓶掣簽

金瓶掣簽是藏傳佛教認定大活佛轉世靈童的方式，是清王朝乾隆五十七年（1792年）正式設立的制度。按照歷史定制和宗教儀軌，藏傳佛教大活佛的轉世靈童須經金瓶掣簽認定并報中央政府批準，唯獨噶瑪噶舉派的活佛噶瑪巴例外，其轉世靈童主要是由上一世噶瑪巴的遺囑來認定，但仍然必須經過中央政府的批準。《藏傳佛教活佛轉世管理辦法》規定，歷史上經金瓶掣簽認定的活佛，其轉世靈童認定實行金瓶掣簽；請求免予金瓶掣簽的，由省、自治區人民政府宗教事務部門報國家宗教事務局批準，有特別重大影響的，報國務院批準。金瓶掣簽制度形成后，掣簽權一直掌握在中央政府手中，少數情況特殊者也須報請中央政府批準后才可免于掣簽。