嘎布拉法鼓

Kapala Drum

六世班禅额尔德尼·罗桑贝丹益西是西藏历史上一位杰出的藏传佛教领袖和政治家。清乾隆六年（公元1741年）入扎什伦布寺出家，乾隆三十年（公元1765年）受赐金册金印，乾隆四十五年（公元1780年）七月，他不远万里从后藏到热河避暑山庄庆贺乾隆皇帝七十寿辰，为第一个到祖国内地的班禅喇嘛。同年八月，他带着大量礼品进京敬献给乾隆皇帝，其中几件嘎布拉鼓和嘎布拉碗显得璀璨华丽，十分珍贵。嘎布拉鼓，是藏传佛教密宗的一种称赞法器。这几件嘎布拉鼓鼓腰箍镶宝石镂金片，缀飘带，两面蒙猴皮或人皮，鼓体有象牙和人头顶骨两种。嘎布拉碗是藏传佛教密宗的一种法器。“嘎布拉”亦称“尕巴拉”，藏语音译，为人头骨之意。在修密宗的最高密法无上瑜伽密，举行灌顶仪式时，用于盛酒等。六世班禅额尔德尼·罗桑贝丹益西敬献给乾隆皇帝的嘎布拉碗造型生动精美，做工精细，为清代珍贵贡品。

The 6th Panchen Erdeni Lobsang Palden Yeshe was an outstanding leader of Tibetan Buddhism in history.He became a monk in the Tashilhungpo Monastery in 1741 or the sixth year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign;.24 years later, a golden sheet of appointment and a golden seal of authority were bestowed upon him. In July 1780 or the 45th year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign, he traveled from the Xigaze area to the Rehe Summer Rresort in today’s Hebei Province to celebrate the 70th birthday of Emperor Qianlong, becoming the first Panchen Lama to visit the hinterland. In August the same year, he brought a great number of gifts to Beijing for presentation to Emperor Qianlong, some of which were dazzling and precious Kapala drums and bowls. As a religious object for praise in Tibetan Tantric Buddhism, the drums were decorated with gems, gold chips, and ribbons. The drumheads were made of monkey or human skin, and the drum body was made of ivory or human skull. The Kapala bowl is a religious object in the Tibetan Tantric Buddhism,with Kapala meaning the human skull. It was used for holding wine in the empowerment ceremony for the Anuttara-Yoga, the highest Tantra of Tantric Buddhism. The Kapala bowl the 6th Panchen Erdeni Palden Yeshe presented to Emperor Qianlong features a vivid and exquisite appearance and refined workmanship, and thus was regarded as the precious article of tribute in the Qing Dynasty.