作为“转轮王”和“文殊菩萨”的清帝——兼论乾隆帝与藏传佛教的关系

从历史背景来看,藏传佛教赋予中原统治者的"转轮王"和"文殊菩萨化身"称号只是一种尊称和象征性符号。不管是被动接受还是主动悦纳,它们对于清帝的核心意义在于确认其作为中原王朝统治者的身份。乾隆帝制作御容佛装像的基点在于以传统王朝的皇帝面对蒙藏族群,在此前提下融入个人的宗教趣味,形成了以"转轮王"兼"文殊菩萨化身"呈现的皇帝形象。如果说这种形式有什么更多的含义,那也不外乎是增加他对蒙藏高层的亲和力和他身为清帝的神圣性。新清史学者所主张的乾隆帝以藏传佛教的转轮王、菩萨身份治国的观点缺乏依据。

Emperor as Cakravartin and the Incarnation of Manjusri:The Relationship between the Qianlong Emperor and Tibetan Buddhism

In historical context,Tibetan Buddhism provided the title of Cakravartin and the Incarnation of Ma?ju?rī as religious honorifics and symbols for Chinese rulers.Whether it was passive acceptance or active embrace,the two titles identified the secular rulers as emperors of Chinese dynasty.The original intention of the Qianlong emperor’s acceptance of the two titles,especially Incarnation of Ma?ju?rī,was to bring the Qing rulers into an orthodox sequence with previous emperors of Chinese dynasties.On this basis,these two titles deified the Qing emperors,and also increased the affinity of Mongolians and Tibetans for the Qing Emperors.The author argue that American scholars of New Qing History have lacked the evidence to support their position that the Qianlong emperor ruled the country with the concepts of Tibetan Buddhism’s Cakravartin and Incarnation of Ma?ju?rī.The emperors of Qing dynasty always regarded themselves as rulers of a Chinese dynasty in their relationship to the Mongolians and Tibetans,and they had no intention of creating a theocracy.