The blessing touch is usually called tashi delek or empowerment,which is an important ritual in Tibetan society.The most common form of the blessing touch is that some prestigious Rinpoche or eminent Lama touch the head of believers or ordinary monks in monasteries, but it can also be seen that some descendants of traditional nobles, such as Tusi give the blessing touch for people. Whether the person who gives the blessing touch is a Lama or a layman, the person always has more authority or is in a higher rank than the one who accept the blessing.This paper first reviews the records of the blessing touch in the Buddhist scriptures and their implications.Secondly, it reviews the situation and connotation ofthe blessing touch in the classics and biographies of Tibetan Buddhism in different historical periods.Thirdly, it analyzes the touching scenes in different rituals of Kumbum Monastery of Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, as well as the touching scenes of secular nobles in different regions.Based on the above discussion, this paper holds that the different forms of touching in Tibetan society reflect the hierarchical order of the society.For the Gelug Sect, the blessing touch is not only an important way to show its hierarchical order, but also an important practice to promote the connection between the church and the common people.
