HistoryMerchants including salt-traders have been using the high mountain passes from India to Tibet and back again for more than three thousand years, so it is fairly certain that, not long after the time of Buddha Shakyamuni (ca. 560 BCE) some of the Dharma went home with them. However, ancient accounts mention that the Tibetans were a wild and combative people at that time, so until Buddhism was re-introduced in the 8th century of our era it did not have a wide-spread, enduring success in the Tibetan region.Though a number of notable translators were responsible for importing Buddhist scriptures and commentaries into Tibet, it is not until the arrival of Padmasambhava, who is considered a culture hero, that we can say Buddhism was established there. Cycles of legends arose concerning the deeds he performed to subdue primeval spirits and pacify local deities. And his exploits in the interest of converting the "untamed" Tibetans to firmly establish Mahayana Buddhism on the High Plateau are often told. In the language of that land, he is called Guru Rinpoche that is, "Precious Teacher." Buddhism did not enter a cultural void. The people, who in one myth trace their descent from the marriage of a monkey and a demoness, practiced a form of animism. Traces of the belief in many spirits remain in the religion called Bon [beun] but the Bon of today also contains many elements of Buddhism.
Lamas, Monks, Rinpoches and YogisThe Sanskrit word for teacher is guru. It can be used in an everyday sense, but for someone learning methods to tame the mind, it has added significance. In that context, a guru is a mentor who shoulders some responsibility. The Tibetan translation of this is lama which has the meaning "nurturer of the spirit."
Lamas act in the capacity of spiritual mentors, pastors, doctors, astrologers, artists, musicians and of course, teachers of many different subjects. Also, not all esteemed lamas are members of a monastic order. Many are householders, itinerant yogis or hermits. There are lamas of every type who happen to be female. Lamaism is not an appropriate name for Tibetan Buddhism, since it can be misunderstood as if the worship of lamas were the whole objective. However one can understand why the term became popular, since Tibetan Buddhism is not confined to Tibet. It is practiced in other Himalayan lands and now, all over the globe. Not all lamas are monks or nuns, and celibacy is not a requirement for teaching in most Tibetan Buddhist denominations. However, in the denomination to which His Holiness Dalai Lama belongs, celibacy is the rule.
A sample Tibetan Buddhist teaching
When we go to teachings, our motivation must be pure. In other words, one must have the bodhicitta mind -- listening to teachings so that one can one day attain enlightenment based on those teachings, and then liberate other sentient beings.~ first part of a discourse by Lama Sonam Jorphel Rinpoche of the Drikung Kagyu given in the context of introducing Preliminary Practices (Tib. ngondro.) It was edited for inclusion in the context of this site. Kinds of Teachings: TheYanasThe Buddha turned the Dharma Wheel for the first time at Varanasi, India when he taught the Four Noble Truths. There he taught the Hinayana teachings of renunciation and self-control.Later, the Buddha again turned the Dharma Wheel for the second time on Vulture Peak. There, he taught the Prajnaparamita teachings of Emptiness (shunyata,) an important aspect of Mahayana. Then, the Buddha turned the Dharma Wheel for a third time. This time he gave the tathagatha-garbha* (Buddha-nature) teachings. These teachings were given so that sentient beings would not fall into nihilism. The Mahayana comprises various different methods, so it could be further classified as Sutrayana and Tantrayana (or, Vajrayana.) These three yanas (vehicles) -- Hinayana, Sutrayana Mahayana and Tantrayana Mahayana were taught to suit the various capacities of beings. They are all useful and they are inseparable. [For instance] a baby without teeth will choke when given solid food. Therefore, a good parent slowly introduces different foods according to its capacity to digest them. Mantrayana is also a Mahayana approach that is usually included under Tantrayana, but it can exist apart. It emphasizes the chanting of mantras as an essential tool for liberation of the self and others. The Vajrayana or vajra path, can be divided into kriya-tantra, charya-tantra, yoga-tantra and anuttarayoga-tantra. In the last class, there are three further sub-divisions. They are the father-tantra, mother-tantra and non-dual tantra. The four tantric methods (kriya, charya, yoga and anuttarayoga) are often compared to: gazing at the desired one, smiling, touching and embracing in union, respectively. These four may be thought of as a set of antidotes. Each one is a particular type of "medicine" that works at a different level. The empowerment (wang) and the practice of sadhana or ritual are both important in Vajrayana. Traditionally, one cannot practice without first receiving the proper empowerments. Practical Distinctions, according to Lama Sonam Jorphel: "The difference between Buddha Dharma and non-Buddha Dharma is that there is Refuge in Buddha Dharma but there is no Refuge in non-Buddha Dharma. Denominations or SchoolsIt is crucial to understand that the term Vajrayana does not equate with Tibetan Buddhism It is a most important feature of it, though. Also, Tibetan Buddhism is not homogeneous. There once were eight different Buddhist schools in Tibet but only four main ones are left today. They are the Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug. Besides teaching Vajrayana, all denominations have systems that offer a graduated path to enlightenment (Tib. lam-rim.)Lineages Taking the Kagyu denomination as the example, we will see one way lineages develop. The Kagyu originates from Dorje-chang (Vajradhara Buddha) and was first transmitted to the Indian, Tilopa. Tilopa taught Naropa, who was the teacher of the Tibetan translator, Marpa. Marpa's most famous disciple was the ascetic, Milarepa. Milarepa transmitted the Kagyu view and method to the monk, Gampopa. Gampopa had many students and his immediate disciples started the different major Kagyu lineages. One student was Phagmo Drukpa whose own disciple, Jigten Sumgon (known to his devotees as Ratna Shri) founded the Drikung Kagyu lineage. Only four Kagyu lineages are still actively intact: Drikung, Karma, Talung and Drukpa. A fifth tradition, the Shangpa continues in association with the others and is being revived under Kalu Rinpoche, who succeeded the esteemed master who died in 1989. What is Vajrayana?Vajrayana is actually another name for tantric Buddhism. Many scholars think that it derives from the schools of esoteric Hinduism that developed in Bengal and South India. Some say, however, that it is the other way around. In it, various skilful techniques are used which operate to refashion the psyche. Since one of the widespread tools in this process is the saying of mantras, this form of Buddhism is sometimes referred to as mantrayana.It is important to know that a special preparation and transmission called initiation or empowerment is required for the practice of tantric rituals. There is one that is considered beneficial for anyone at any time and that is the ritual of Chenrezi, bodhisattva of compassion. The associated mantra, using the Sanskrit pronunciation, is Om mani padme hum. In Tibetan, it is pronounced Om Mani Pehmeh Hoong! Tibetan Buddhism and the WestWesterners have always been fascinated by rumours of a place high in the mountains of Asia where enlightened masters with super-human abilities live unusually lengthy lives. However, it was not until the 19th century that credible eye-witness reports began to circulate. A few Russians who had received monastic training wrote of their experiences. Later, the French woman, Alexandra David-Neel [pron. Dahveed-Nail] managed to study Buddhism in Lhasa, Tibet’s capital, in the first part of the 1900s. She wrote of her experiences in several books, still popular and available, such as Magic and Mystery in Tibet. Later, works of fantasy/fiction appeared, including the 1933 political thriller Lost Horizon by James Hilton that was made into a film by Frank Capra in 1937. It awakened in the general public curiosity about the culture of Tibet as depicted in the mysterious Blue Moon valley of Shambala. In the 1950's, a series of novels by the pseudonymous British writer, "T. Lobsang Rampa" appeared. Ironically, in response to what many view as a series of fraudulent depictions, genuine interest was stimulated as readers sought to uncover the truth about mystical practices in the Himalayan region. When political events in 1959 necessitated the emigration of many authentic teachers, it became possible for people outside south Asia to have contact with genuine Tibetan lamas and to study Buddhism under their guidance. Now there are Tibetan Buddhist centres on all continents (not yet Antarctica,) and in all countries where there is freedom of religion. There are undoubtedly practitioners in all countries.
Some Pioneers:The first authentic Tibetan Buddhist monastery established in the West was founded in 1967 in Eskdalemuir, Scotland and is now called Kagyu Samye-ling.At the behest of the 16th Karmapa, and among the first lamas to establish centres in North America, was Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, founder of the Shambhala organization. These centres, many now known also as Dharmadhatu, are now in many countries and they offer courses in the local languages. They have incorporated several techniques developed in the 1960's and 70's by the founder, whose successor is known as the Vidyadhara, Sanskrit for "wisdom-holder." Another beloved teacher was the late Kalu Rinpoche, mentioned above in connection with the Shangpa Kagyu. He founded many centres in the United States, Canada and other countries such as France, and was the first to set up a traditional 3-year retreat program in the western world. Pema Chodron is the well-known North American woman teacher, who is abbess of Gampo Abbey in Nova Scotia, Canada. She is admired for her ability to convey the teachings of Buddhism in a down-to-earth fashion. She was one of the first to bring conversations about the dharma to the Internet. Clearing Up a Few MisconceptionsKarma is not Punishment According to Buddhism, neither punishment nor reward is meted out by some "Higher Power." However, we are subject to the consequences of our actions, a situation called karma. Because our constant wants and needs are ever-changing, that fact initiates yet more activity with consequences. Therefore, we should try to act judiciously or, mindfully. The impermanent nature of reality complicates the situation, as it is influenced by the sum total of all the consequences of the ever-changing inter-activity of all beings. To help the situation, we should avoid actions that are un-virtuous (or perhaps a better expression is unskilful) such as those that are motivated through anger, lust, greed, confusion or ignorance To untangle the web of consequences, we ought to perfect the three forms of action -- mental, verbal, and physical by:
These 5 are known as the lay precepts, ie. vows anyone may undertake. Anyone who is qualified (primarily by their example) to witness our vows is known as a Preceptor. Please note: This long page is intended merely as an introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, a form of Buddhism that is not only practiced by Tibetans.
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Saturday 28 January 2012
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