本篇論文以雲南藏區的民族誌討論喇嘛出家的課題。相較於過去的研究常以宗教的面向解釋藏族出家的現象，雲南藏區的民族誌研究顯示，在宗教氣息非常濃厚的金沙江峽谷山上，出家的現象反而不能單純地以宗教因素來解釋，而需要綜合世俗的面向方能深入瞭解出家當喇嘛背後複雜之社會文化過程。筆者強調，藏人的家戶經濟與親屬實踐——尤其是「家屋社會」的概念——能夠更顯著地說明藏族青年及他們的家庭對於出家與在家的考量。

This paper uses the ethnography of a Tibetan community on the hillside along Jinsha River in Yunnan, China, to discuss the issue of becoming lamas in Tibetan society. It argues that entering priesthood should not be understood solely from religious perspective; household economy and Tibetan local kinship practices, especially Levi-Strauss’s concept of house society, provide a better perspective to comprehend how village youth and their families consider the issue of becoming lamas.