Page 208 - 2018 Hong Kong Important Chieese Art

The ivory seal (the’u) belonged to the Dalai Lamas and was Established as an academic degree for philosophical studies,
used in all likelihood to grant the title of Rabjampa (rab ’byams the title of Rabjampa was granted after a rigorous examination
pa) to the monks of Gomang College (sgo mang) from Drepung taking the form of a public debate between selected
Monastery having successfully mastered their scholastic candidates. In 1648, the Great Fifth requested this examination
training. to be held annually (Dreyfus, op. cit., pp. 144-145).
As an honorary title meaning “the one who has studied The system of examination underwent further changes during
extensively”, the term Rabjampa designated scholars who the time of the Seventh Dalai Lama (1708-1757). Monks from
had gone on a scholastic tour. It was not until the 17th the three great monastic universities of Drepung, Ganden, and
century that the title was first granted officially to five monks Sera would by then join the Great Prayer in Lhasa and compete
from the Gelugpa tradition during the Great Prayer festival for the prestigious title of Geshe Lharampa (dge bshes lha
of 1625 (Georges B.J. Dreyfus, The Sound of Two Hands rams pa): the term Lharampa is believed to be a contraction of
Clapping: The Education of a Tibetan Buddhist Monk, Berkeley, Lhasa and Rabjampa (Tarab Tulku, A Brief History of Tibetan
London, 2003, pp. 144-145). From that time onwards, the Academic Degrees in Buddhist Philosophy, Copenhagen, 2000,
title of Rabjampa reflected the fulfilment of fixed institutional pp. 18-23). Lower titles such as Tsokrampa (tshogs rams
requirements. The Fifth Dalai Lama (1617-1682), who was eight pa), Lingsé (gling bsre), and Dorampa (do rams pa) were also
years old at the time and studied at Drepung, recalled this created.
event in his autobiography (Dalai Lama V. ag-dba -blo-bza
In view of the role played by the Fifth Dalai Lama (i.e. early
-rgya-mtsho, The Illusive Play: The Autobiography of the Fifth
education at Drepung, establishment of annual examination,
Dalai Lama, trans. Samten Gyaltsen Karmay, Chicago, 2014,
and Mongol connection) and the historical development of
p. 62):
the Gelugpa examination during the Great Prayer festival (i.e.
“During this time the streets and markets in Lhasa were filled change of title nomenclature), it seems plausible that the ivory
with Tibetans, Mongols and the Hor people. This year there seal had been made in the 17th century, perhaps around 1648
were Konchog Chozang from Chuzang, Ngagwang Palzang when the Fifth Dalai Lama ordered Rabjampa examinations to
from Burtag, the scholar Sonam Chozang from Domnyag, be held yearly.
Samlo Denma and Dagpo Kachu who all five sat for the
examination of the Rabjam degree. They did a real service to
the doctrine. After the end of the Great Prayer I returned to
Drepung.”

206 SOTHEBY’S 蘇富比