明憲宗以對佛教、道教「俱極崇信」而著名。其極度崇奉的佛教，主要是藏傳佛教。憲宗極度崇奉藏傳佛教的表現有：在京大量封授、供養藏僧；頻繁舉行藏傳佛教法事，尤其迷戀藏傳佛教中的「秘密教」即房中術；為藏僧建寺造塔，違制賞賜印信、誥敕等；大量開度藏僧行童，縱容內地漢人習學藏傳佛教。明憲宗為什麼崇奉藏傳佛教？我們分析，藏傳佛教宣揚「即身成佛」是重要原因；藏傳佛教重視儀式巫術，強調男女「雙修」的修行方法，是另一重要原因；藏傳佛教提倡喇嘛崇拜、皈依四寶，是憲宗大量封授和供養藏僧、為其建寺造塔等的根本原因；宮廷中濃厚的藏傳佛教信仰之風有一定影響；憲宗沉溺方術、喜好房中術的個人性格不可忽視；成化年間朝政日趨黑暗腐朽、大臣們對憲宗崇奉藏傳佛教的行為漸失諫諍和約束也有很大關係。明憲宗極度崇奉藏傳佛教，給當時的政治、經濟、文化等帶來了很大影響。他在京師大量封授藏僧，頻繁舉行藏傳佛教法事，使明朝政治日趨黑暗腐朽。但他以在京藏僧出使藏區，對加強民族團結、維護國家統一也有一定的積極作用；憲宗大量封授、供養藏僧，頻繁舉行藏傳佛教法會，為崇信藏僧建寺造塔，浪費了大量的人力財力，加劇了明代中期以後的財政危機；憲宗崇奉藏傳佛教，促進了藏傳佛教在北京等內地的傳播，加強了漢藏文化交流；憲宗極度崇奉藏傳佛教及宮中濃厚的藏傳佛教信仰之風影響及於後朝，孝宗崇奉藏傳佛教與此有一定關係。

Emperor Ming Xianzong was one of emperors who extremely believed in the Tibetan Buddhism during Ming Dynasty. He granted and supported the Tibetan Buddhists in Beijing, frequently held the Tibetan Buddhism ceremony. He especially was addicted to the so-called 「 Mi Mi Jiao」. His exceeding worship of the Tibetan Buddhism was related to the creed and cultivation of the Tibetan Buddhism, also had something to do with the tradition of the Tibetan Buddhism conviction in the Palace and his personal characters as well as the political situation during that time. His worship of the Tibetan Buddhism greatly influenced the political situation, economy and culture during that period and promoted the spread of the Tibetan Buddhism into Beijing and internal areas.