Sitting-in-the-bed explained

Sitting-in-the-bed (Tibetan: ཁྲི་ལ་བཞུགས khri la bzhugs, Chinese: 坐床, zuo chuang)^[1] is a major religious ceremony in Tibetan Buddhist temples. It is a necessary ceremony for the reincarnated person to formally succeed the living Buddha by the reincarnated soul boy and change the name during the inheritance process of the living Buddha.

The main content of sitting on the bed is to respect the ancestors of Tibetan Buddhism sects, and Songtsen Gampo, Princess Wencheng, Padmasambhava, and the goddess Bailangmu.

For important lamas including the Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas, sitting-in-the-bed ceremony happens after Golden Urn ceremony and approval from the Central Government. Sitting-in-the-bed ceremony for the 10th Dalai Lama was held in the Potala Palace. ^[2] Sitting-in-the-bed ceremony for the 13th Dalai Lama was held in the Potala Palace.^[3]

See also

• Golden Urn
• The Discourse of Lama

Notes and References

1. Web site: Schaik. Sam van. 2009-09-15. The Sitting-in-Bed Ceremony and Other Strangeness. 2021-09-07. early Tibet. en.
2. Book: 陈庆英. The System of the Dalai Lama Reincarnation. 2005. 五洲传播出版社. 978-7-5085-0745-3. en. I made this decree to appoint you as the soul boy of the Dalai Lama, and to send High Commissioner Wengang, Chengdu General Suchongnga, Zanggyia Hotogtu on the eighth day of the eighth lunar month of the year to the Potala Palace together to arrange for your sitting-in-the-bed....
3. Book: Wang. Jiawei. The Historical Status of China's Tibet. Nyima. Gyaincain. 尼玛坚赞. 1997. 五洲传播出版社. 978-7-80113-304-5. en. Five days later, a sitting-in-the-bed ceremony was held in the Potala Palace for the enthronement of the 13th Dalai Lama..