Tibetan Buddhism evolved as a form ofMahayana Buddhism stemming from the latest stages of Buddhism (which included manyVajrayana elements). It thus preserves many Indian Buddhisttantric practices of the post-Guptaearly medieval period (500–1200 CE), along with numerous native Tibetan developments.[1][2] In the pre-modern era, Tibetan Buddhism spread outside of Tibet primarily due to the influence of theMongol-ledYuan dynasty, founded byKublai Khan, who ruled China, Mongolia, and parts of Siberia. In the Modern era, Tibetan Buddhism has spread outside of Asia because of the efforts of theTibetan diaspora (1959 onwards). As theDalai Lama escaped to India, the Indian subcontinent is also known for its renaissance of Tibetan Buddhism monasteries, including the rebuilding of the three major monasteries of theGelug tradition.
Apart from classical Mahāyāna Buddhist practices like theten perfections, Tibetan Buddhism also includes tantric practices, such asdeity yoga and theSix Dharmas of Naropa, as well as methods that are seen as transcending tantra, likeDzogchen. Its main goal isBuddhahood.[3][4] The primary language of scriptural study in this tradition isclassical Tibetan.
Tibetan Buddhism has four major schools, namelyNyingma (8th century),Kagyu (11th century),Sakya (1073), andGelug (1409). TheJonang is a smaller school that exists, and theRimé movement (19th century), meaning "no sides",[5] is a more recent non-sectarian movement that attempts to preserve and understand all the different traditions. The predominantspiritual tradition in Tibet before the introduction of Buddhism wasBon, which has been strongly influenced by Tibetan Buddhism (particularly the Nyingma school). While each of the four major schools is independent and has its own monastic institutions and leaders, they are closely related and intersect with common contact and dialogue.
The native Tibetan term for Buddhism is "TheDharma of the insiders" (nang chos) or "The Buddha Dharma of the insiders" (nang pa sangs rgyas pa'i chos).[6][7] "Insider" means someone who seeks the truth not outside but within the nature of mind. This is contrasted with other forms of organized religion, which are termedchos lugs (dharma system). For example,Christianity is termedYi shu'i chos lugs (Jesus dharma system).[7]
Westerners unfamiliar with Tibetan Buddhism initially turned to China for understanding. In Chinese, the term used isLamaism (literally, "doctrine of the lamas":喇嘛教lama jiao) to distinguish it from a then-traditionalChinese Buddhism (佛教fo jiao). The term was taken up by western scholars, includingHegel, as early as 1822.[8][9] Insofar as it implies a discontinuity between Indian and Tibetan Buddhism, the term has been discredited.[10]
Another term, "Vajrayāna" (Tibetan:dorje tegpa) is occasionally misused for Tibetan Buddhism. More accurately,Vajrayāna signifies a certain subset of practices and traditions that are not only part of Tibetan Buddhism but also prominent in other Buddhist traditions such asChinese Esoteric Buddhism[11] andShingon inJapan.[12][13]
In the west, the term "Indo-Tibetan Buddhism" has become current in acknowledgement of its derivation from the latest stages of Buddhist development in northern India.[14] "Northern Buddhism" is sometimes used to refer to Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, for example, in the BrillDictionary of Religion.
Another term, "Himalayan" Buddhism is sometimes used to indicate how this form of Buddhism is practiced not just in Tibet but throughout theHimalayan Regions.[15][16]
The Provisional Government of Russia, by a decree of 7 July 1917, prohibited the appellation of Buryat and Kalmyk Buddhists as "Lamaists" in official papers. After the October revolution the term "Buddho-Lamaism" was used for some time by the Bolsheviks with reference to Tibetan Buddhism, before they finally reverted, in the early 1920s, to a more familiar term "Lamaism", which remains in official and scholarly usage in Russia to this day.[17]
During the 3rd century CE, Buddhism began to spread into the Tibetan region, and its teachings affected the Bon religion in theKingdom of Zhangzhung.[19]
In the 8th century, KingTrisong Detsen (755–797 CE) established it as the official religion of the state[23] and commanded his army to wear robes and study Buddhism. Trisong Detsen invited Indian Buddhist scholars to his court, includingPadmasambhāva (8th century CE) andŚāntarakṣita (725–788), who are considered the founders ofNyingma (The Ancient Ones), the oldest tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.[24] Padmasambhava, who is considered by the Tibetans as Guru Rinpoche ("Precious Master"), is also credited with building the first monastery building named "Samye" around the late 8th century. According to some legend, it is noted that he pacified the Bon demons and made them the core protectors of Dharma.[25] Modern historians also argue that Trisong Detsen and his followers adopted Buddhism as an act of international diplomacy, especially with the major power of those times such as China, India, and states in Central Asia that had strong Buddhist influence in their culture.[26]
Yeshe Tsogyal, the most important female in the Nyingma Vajrayana lineage, was a member of Trisong Detsen's court and became Padmasambhava's student before gaining enlightenment. Trisong Detsen also invited theChan masterMoheyan[b] to transmit the Dharma atSamye Monastery. Some sources state that a debate ensued between Moheyan and the Indian masterKamalaśīla, without consensus on the victor, and some scholars consider the event to be fictitious.[27][28][c][d]
A reversal in Buddhist influence began under KingLangdarma (r. 836–842), and his death was followed by the so-calledEra of Fragmentation, a period of disunity during the 9th and 10th centuries. During this era, the political centralization of the earlier Tibetan Empire collapsed and civil wars ensued.[31]
In spite of this loss of state power and patronage however, Buddhism survived and thrived in Tibet. According toGeoffrey Samuel this was because "Tantric (Vajrayana) Buddhism came to provide the principal set of techniques by which Tibetans dealt with the dangerous powers of the spirit world [...] Buddhism, in the form of Vajrayana ritual, provided a critical set of techniques for dealing with everyday life. Tibetans came to see these techniques as vital for their survival and prosperity in this life."[32] This includes dealing with the local gods and spirits (sadak andshipdak), which became a specialty of some Tibetan Buddhist lamas andngagpas (mantrikas, mantra specialists).[33]
The Tibetan householder and translatorMarpa (1012–1097)
The late 10th and 11th centuries saw a revival of Buddhism in Tibet with the founding of "New Translation" (Sarma) lineages as well as the appearance of "hidden treasures" (terma) literature which reshaped theNyingma tradition.[34][35]In 1042 the Bengali saint,Atiśa (982–1054) arrived in Tibet at the invitation of a west Tibetan king and further aided dissemination of Buddhist values in Tibetan culture and in consequential affairs of state.
His erudition supported the translation of major Buddhist texts, which evolved into the canons of Bka'-'gyur (Translation of the Buddha Word) and Bstan-'gyur (Translation of Teachings). TheBka'-'gyur has six main categories: (1)Tantra, (2)Prajñāpāramitā, (3)Ratnakūṭa Sūtra, (4)Avataṃsaka Sūtra, (5) Other sutras, and (6)Vinaya. TheBstan-'gyur comprises 3,626 texts and 224 volumes on such things as hymns, commentaries and supplementary tantric material.
Other influential Indian teachers includeTilopa (988–1069) and his studentNāropā (probably died ca. 1040). Their teachings, via their studentMarpa, are the foundations of theKagyu (Oral lineage) tradition, which focuses on the practices ofMahāmudrā and theSix Dharmas of Nāropā. One of the most famous Kagyu figures was the hermitMilarepa, an 11th-century mystic. TheDagpo Kagyu was founded by the monkGampopa who merged Marpa's lineage teachings with the monastic Kadam tradition.[24]
All the sub-schools of the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism surviving today, including the Drikung Kagyu, the Drukpa Kagyu and the Karma Kagyu, are branches of the Dagpo Kagyu. The Karma Kagyu school is the largest of the Kagyu sub-schools and is headed by theKarmapa.[37]
In this way, Tibet was incorporated into theMongol Empire, with the Sakya hierarchy retaining nominal power over religious and regional political affairs, while the Mongols retained structural and administrative[46] rule over the region, reinforced by the rare military intervention. Tibetan Buddhism was adopted as thede factostate religion by the MongolYuan dynasty (1271–1368) ofKublai Khan.[47]
With the decline and end of the Mongol Yuan dynasty, Tibet regained independence and was ruled by successive local families from the 14th to the 17th century.[50]
Jangchub Gyaltsän (1302–1364) became the strongest political family in the mid 14th century.[51] During this period the reformist scholarJe Tsongkhapa (1357–1419) founded theGelug school which would have a decisive influence on Tibet's history. TheGanden Tripa is the nominal head of the Gelug school, though its most influential figure is the Dalai Lama. The Ganden Tripa is an appointed office and not a reincarnation lineage. The position can be held by an individual for seven years and this has led to more Ganden Tripas than Dalai Lamas.[52]
Internal strife within thePhagmodrupa dynasty, and the strong localism of the various fiefs and political-religious factions, led to a long series of internal conflicts. The minister familyRinpungpa, based inTsang (West Central Tibet), dominated politics after 1435.[53]
In 1565, the Rinpungpa family was overthrown by theTsangpa Dynasty ofShigatse, which expanded its power in different directions of Tibet in the following decades and favoured theKarma Kagyu sect. They would play a pivotal role in the events which led to the rise of power of the Dalai Lama's in the 1640s.[citation needed]
In China, Tibetan Buddhism continued to be patronized by the elites of the Ming Dynasty. According toDavid M. Robinson, during this era, Tibetan Buddhist monks "conducted court rituals, enjoyed privileged status and gained access to the jealously guarded, private world of the emperors".[54] The MingYongle Emperor (r. 1402–1424) promoted the carving of printing blocks for theKangyur, now known as "the Yongle Kanjur", and seen as an important edition of the collection.[55]
The Ming Dynasty also supported the propagation of Tibetan Buddhism in Mongolia during this period. Tibetan Buddhist missionaries also helped spread the religion in Mongolia. It was during this era thatAltan Khan the leader of theTümed Mongols, converted to Buddhism, and allied with the Gelug school, conferring the title of Dalai Lama toSonam Gyatso in 1578.[56]
During a Tibetan civil war in the 17th century,Sonam Choephel (1595–1657 CE), the chief regent of the5th Dalai Lama, conquered and unified Tibet to establish theGanden Phodrang government with the help of theGüshi Khan of theKhoshut Mongols. TheGanden Phodrang and the successive Gelugtulku lineages of the Dalai Lamas andPanchen Lamas maintained regional control ofTibet from the mid-17th to mid-20th centuries.[57]
Yonghe Temple, a temple of the Gelug tradition inBeijing established in the Qing Dynasty.
TheQing dynasty (1644–1912) established a Chinese rule over Tibet after aQing expeditionary force defeated theDzungars (who controlled Tibet) in 1720, and lasted until the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1912.[58] TheManchu rulers of the Qing dynasty supported Tibetan Buddhism, especially theGelug sect, during most of their rule.[47] The reign of theQianlong Emperor (respected as theEmperor Manjushri) was the high mark for this promotion of Tibetan Buddhism in China, with the visit of the6th Panchen Lama to Beijing, and the building of temples in the Tibetan style, such asXumi Fushou Temple, thePuning Temple andPutuo Zongcheng Temple (modeled after the potala palace).[59]
This period also saw the rise of theRimé movement, a 19th-century nonsectarian movement involving theSakya,Kagyu andNyingma schools of Tibetan Buddhism, along with someBon scholars.[60] Having seen how theGelug institutions pushed the other traditions into the corners of Tibet's cultural life, scholars such asJamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820–1892) andJamgön Kongtrül (1813–1899) compiled together the teachings of theSakya,Kagyu andNyingma, including many near-extinct teachings.[61] Without Khyentse and Kongtrul's collecting and printing of rare works, the suppression of Buddhism by the Communists would have been much more final.[62] The Rimé movement is responsible for a number of scriptural compilations, such as theRinchen Terdzod and theSheja Dzö.[63]
In 1912, following the fall of the Qing Dynasty, Tibet became de facto independent under the 13thDalai Lama government based inLhasa, maintaining the current territory of what is now called theTibetan Autonomous Region.[64]
During theRepublic of China (1912–1949), the "Chinese Tantric Buddhist Revival Movement" (Chinese:密教復興運動) took place, and important figures such asNenghai (能海喇嘛, 1886–1967) and Master Fazun (法尊, 1902–1980) promoted Tibetan Buddhism and translated Tibetan works into Chinese.[65] This movement was severely damaged during theCultural Revolution, however.[citation needed]
After theBattle of Chamdo, Tibet was annexed byChina in 1950. In 1959 the14th Dalai Lama and a great number of clergy and citizenry fled the country, to settle in India and other neighbouring countries. The events of theCultural Revolution (1966–76) saw religion as one of the main political targets of theChinese Communist Party, and most of the several thousand temples and monasteries in Tibet were destroyed, with many monks and lamas imprisoned.[66] During this time, private religious expression, as well as Tibetan cultural traditions, were suppressed. Much of the Tibetan textual heritage and institutions were destroyed, and monks and nuns were forced to disrobe.[67]
Outside of Tibet, however, there has been a renewed interest in Tibetan Buddhism in places such as Nepal and Bhutan.[68][69][70][71][72]
Meanwhile, the spread of Tibetan Buddhism in the Western world was accomplished by many of the refugee Tibetan Lamas who escaped Tibet,[66] such asAkong Rinpoche andChögyam Trungpa who in 1967 were founders ofKagyu Samye Ling the first Tibetan Buddhist Centre to be established in the West.[73]
After the liberalization policies in China during the 1980s, the religion began to recover with some temples and monasteries being reconstructed.[74] Tibetan Buddhism is now an influential religion in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and overseas Chinese communities.[74] However, the Chinese government retains strict control over Tibetan Buddhist Institutions in thePRC. Quotas on the number of monks and nuns are maintained, and their activities are closely supervised.[75]
Within the Tibetan Autonomous Region, violence against Buddhists has been escalating since 2008.[76][77] Widespread reports document the arrests and disappearances[78] of nuns and monks, while the Chinese government classifies religious practices as "gang crime".[79] Reports include the demolition of monasteries, forced disrobing, forced reeducation, and detentions of nuns and monks, especially those residing atYarchen Gar's center, the most highly publicized.[80][81]
The14th Dalai Lama meeting with U.S. PresidentBarack Obama in 2016. Due to his widespread popularity, the Dalai Lama has become the modern international face of Tibetan Buddhism.[82]
The 14th Dalai Lama is the leader of theTibetan government in exile which was initially dominated by the Gelug school, however, according to Geoffrey Samuel:
The Dharamsala administration under the Dalai Lama has nevertheless managed, over time, to create a relatively inclusive and democratic structure that has received broad support across the Tibetan communities in exile. Senior figures from the three non-Gelukpa Buddhist schools and from the Bonpo have been included in the religious administration, and relations between the different lamas and schools are now on the whole very positive. This is a considerable achievement, since the relations between these groups were often competitive and conflict-ridden in Tibet before 1959, and mutual distrust was initially widespread. The Dalai Lama's government at Dharamsala has also continued under difficult circumstances to argue for a negotiated settlement rather than armed struggle with China.[84]
In the wake of theTibetan diaspora, Tibetan Buddhism has also gained adherents inthe West and throughout the world. Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and centers were first established inEurope andNorth America in the 1960s, and most are now supported by non-Tibetan followers of Tibetan lamas. Some of these westerners went on to learn Tibetan, undertake extensive training in the traditional practices and have been recognized as lamas.[85] Fully ordained Tibetan Buddhist Monks have also entered Western societies in other ways, such as working academia.[86]
Samuel sees the character of Tibetan Buddhism in the West as
...that of a national or international network, generally centred around the teachings of a single individual lama. Among the larger ones are the FPMT, which I have already mentioned, now headed byLama Zopa and the child-reincarnation ofLama Yeshe; the New Kadampa, in origin a break-away from theFPMT; theShambhala Buddhist network, deriving fromChögyam Trungpa's organization and now headed by his son; and the networks associated withNamkhai Norbu Rinpoche (the Dzogchen Community) andSogyal Rinpoche (Rigpa).[87]
Tibetan Buddhism upholds classic Buddhist teachings such as thefour noble truths (Tib.pakpé denpa shyi),anatman (not-self,bdag med), thefive aggregates (phung po)karma andrebirth, anddependent arising (rten cing ’brel bar ’byung ba).[88] They also uphold various other Buddhist doctrines associated withMahāyāna Buddhism (theg pa chen po) as well as the tantricVajrayāna tradition.[89]
The eleven faced and thousand armed form of the bodhisattvaAvalokiteshvara.
The Mahāyāna goal of spiritual development is to achieve the enlightenment ofBuddhahood in order to help all othersentient beings attain this state.[90] This motivation is calledbodhicitta (mind of awakening)—an altruistic intention to become enlightened for the sake of all sentient beings.[91]Bodhisattvas (Tib.jangchup semba, literally "awakening hero") are revered beings who have conceived thewill and vow to dedicate their lives withbodhicitta for the sake of all beings.[citation needed]
Buddhahood is defined as a state free of the obstructions to liberation as well as those to omniscience (sarvajñana).[93] When one is freed from all mental obscurations,[94] one is said to attain a state of continuous bliss mixed with a simultaneous cognition ofemptiness,[95] thetrue nature of reality.[96] In this state, all limitations on one's ability to help other living beings are removed.[97] Tibetan Buddhism teaches methods for achieving Buddhahood more quickly (known as theVajrayāna path).[98]
It is said that there are countless beings who have attained Buddhahood.[99] Buddhas spontaneously, naturally and continuously perform activities to benefit all sentient beings.[100] However it is believed that one'skarma could limit the ability of the Buddhas to help them. Thus, although Buddhas possess no limitation from their side on their ability to help others, sentient beings continue to experience suffering as a result of the limitations of their own former negative actions.[101]
An important schema which is used in understanding the nature of Buddhahood in Tibetan Buddhism is theTrikaya (Three bodies) doctrine.[102]
The path of preparation – Is attained when one reaches the union of calm abiding and higher insight meditations (see below) and one becomes familiar withemptiness.
The path of seeing – one perceives emptiness directly, all thoughts of subject and object are overcome, one becomes anarya.
The path of meditation – one removes subtler traces from one's mind and perfects one's understanding.
The path of no more learning – which culminates in Buddhahood.
The schema of the five paths is often elaborated and merged with the concept of thebhumis or the bodhisattva levels.[citation needed]
Lamrim ("stages of the path") is a Tibetan Buddhist schema for presenting the stages of spiritual practice leading toliberation. In Tibetan Buddhist history there have been many different versions oflamrim, presented by different teachers of the Nyingma, Kagyu and Gelug schools (the Sakya school uses a different system namedLamdre).[104] However, all versions of thelamrim are elaborations ofAtiśa's 11th-century root textA Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment (Bodhipathapradīpa).[105]
Atisha'slamrim system generally divides practitioners into those oflesser,middling andsuperior scopes or attitudes:
The lesser person is to focus on the preciousness of human birth as well as contemplation of death and impermanence.
The middling person is taught to contemplatekarma,dukkha (suffering) and the benefits of liberation and refuge.
Althoughlamrim texts cover much the same subject areas, subjects within them may be arranged in different ways and with different emphasis depending on the school and tradition it belongs to.Gampopa andTsongkhapa expanded the short root-text of Atiśa into an extensive system to understand the entire Buddhist philosophy. In this way, subjects likekarma,rebirth,Buddhist cosmology and the practice ofmeditation are gradually explained in logical order.[citation needed]
A depiction of the tantric figuresHevajra andNairātmyā, Tibet, 18th century
Tibetan Buddhism incorporatesVajrayāna (Vajra vehicle), "Secret Mantra" (Skt.Guhyamantra) or BuddhistTantra, which is espoused in the texts known as theBuddhist Tantras (dating from around the 7th century CE onwards).[107]
Tantra (Tib.rgyud, "continuum") generally refers to forms of religious practice which emphasize the use of unique ideas, visualizations, mantras, and other practices for inner transformation.[107] The Vajrayana is seen by most Tibetan adherents as the fastest and most powerful vehicle for enlightenment because it contains many skillful means (upaya) and because it takes the effect (Buddhahood itself, orBuddha nature) as the path (and hence is sometimes known as the "effect vehicle",phalayana).[107]
An important element of Tantric practice are tantric deities and theirmandalas. These deities come in peaceful (shiwa) andfierce (trowo) forms.[108]
Tantric texts also generally affirm the use of sense pleasures and otherdefilements in Tantric ritual as a path to enlightenment, as opposed to non-Tantric Buddhism which affirms that one must renounce all sense pleasures.[109] These practices are based on the theory of transformation which states that negative or sensual mental factors and physical actions can be cultivated and transformed in a ritual setting. As theHevajra Tantra states:
Those things by which evil men are bound, others turn into means and gain thereby release from the bonds of existence. By passion the world is bound, by passion too it is released, but by heretical Buddhists this practice of reversals is not known.[110]
Another element of the Tantras is their use of transgressive practices, such as drinkingtaboo substances such as alcohol orsexual yoga. While in many cases these transgressions were interpreted only symbolically, in other cases they are practiced literally.[111]
A statue of one of the most important Buddhist philosophers for Tibetan Buddhist thought,Nagarjuna, atSamye Ling (Scotland)
The Indian BuddhistMadhyamaka ("Middle Way" or "Centrism") philosophy, also calledŚūnyavāda (the emptiness doctrine) is the dominantBuddhist philosophy in Tibetan Buddhism. In Madhyamaka, the true nature of reality is referred to asŚūnyatā, which is the fact that all phenomena are empty ofinherent existence or essence (svabhava). Madhyamaka is generally seen as the highest philosophical view by most Tibetan philosophers, but it is interpreted in numerous different ways.[citation needed]
The other main Mahayana philosophical school,Yogācāra has also been very influential in Tibetan Buddhism, but there is more disagreement among the various schools and philosophers regarding its status. While the Gelug school generally sees Yogācāra views as either false or provisional (i.e. only pertaining to conventional truth), philosophers in the other three main schools, such asJu Mipham andSakya Chokden, hold that Yogācāra ideas are as important as Madhyamaka views.[112]
In Tibetan Buddhist scholasticism, Buddhist philosophy is traditionally propounded according to ahierarchical classification of four classical Indian philosophical schools, known as the "four tenets" (Tib.drubta shyi, Sanskrit:siddhānta).[113] While the classical tenets-system is limited to four tenets (Vaibhāṣika, Sautrāntika, Yogācāra, and Madhyamaka), there are further sub-classifications within these different tenets (see below).[114] This classification does not includeTheravada, the only surviving of the 18 classicalschools of Buddhism. It also does not include other Indian Buddhist schools, such asMahasamghika andPudgalavada.[citation needed]
Two tenets belong to the path referred to as theHinayana ("lesser vehicle") orSravakayana ("the disciples' vehicle"), and are both related to the north IndianSarvastivada tradition:[115]
Vaibhāṣika (Wylie:bye brag smra ba). The primary source for the Vaibhāṣika in Tibetan Buddhism is theAbhidharma-kośa ofVasubandhu and its commentaries. ThisAbhidharma system affirms an atomistic view of reality which states ultimate reality is made up of a series of impermanent phenomena calleddharmas. It also defendseternalism regarding thephilosophy of time, as well the view that perception directly experiences external objects.[116]
Sautrāntika (Wylie:mdo sde pa). The main sources for this view is theAbhidharmakośa, as well as the work ofDignāga andDharmakīrti. As opposed to Vaibhāṣika, this view holds that only the present moment exists (presentism), as well as the view that we do not directly perceive the external world only the mental images caused by objects and our sense faculties.[116]
The other two tenets are the two major IndianMahayana philosophies:
Yogācāra, also calledVijñānavāda (the doctrine of consciousness) andCittamātra ("Mind-Only",Wylie:sems-tsam-pa). Yogacārins base their views on texts fromMaitreya,Asaṅga andVasubandhu. Yogacara is often interpreted as a form ofIdealism due to its main doctrine, the view that only ideas or mental images exist (vijñapti-mātra).[116] Some Tibetan philosophers interpret Yogācāra as the view that the mind (citta) exists in an ultimate sense, because of this, it is often seen as inferior to Madhyamaka. However, other Tibetan thinkers deny that the Indian Yogacāra masters held the view of the ultimate existence of the mind, and thus, they place Yogācāra on a level comparable to Madhyamaka. This perspective is common in the Nyingma school, as well as in the work of theThird Karmapa, theSeventh Karmapa andJamgon Kongtrul.[117][118]
Madhyamaka (Wylie:dbu-ma-pa) – The philosophy ofNāgārjuna andĀryadeva, which affirms that everything is empty of essence (svabhava) and is ultimately beyond concepts.[116] There are various further classifications, sub-schools and interpretations of Madhymaka in Tibetan Buddhism and numerous debates about various key disagreements remain a part of Tibetan Buddhist scholasticism today. One of the key debates is that between therangtong (self-empty) interpretation and the shentong (other empty) interpretation.[119] Another major disagreement is the debate on theSvātantrika Madhyamaka method and thePrasaṅgika method.[120] There are further disagreements regarding just how useful an intellectual understanding of emptiness can be and whether emptiness should only be described as an absolute negation (the view ofTsongkhapa).[121]Monks debating atSera monastery, Tibet, 2013. Debate is seen as an important practice in Tibetan Buddhist education.
The tenet systems are used in monasteries and colleges to teach Buddhist philosophy in a systematic and progressive fashion, each philosophical view being seen as more subtle than its predecessor. Therefore, the four tenets can be seen as a gradual path from a rather easy-to-grasp, "realistic" philosophical point of view, to more and more complex and subtle views on the ultimate nature of reality, culminating in the philosophy of the Mādhyamikas, which is widely believed to present the most sophisticated point of view.[122] Non-Tibetan scholars point out that historically, Madhyamaka predates Yogacara, however.[123]
A leaf from aPrajñāpāramitā (Perfection of Wisdom) manuscript.
Study of major Buddhist Indian texts is central to the monastic curriculum in all four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism.Memorization of classic texts as well as other ritual texts is expected as part of traditional monastic education. Another important part of higher religious education is the practice of formalized debate.[124]
The canon was mostly finalized in the 13th century, and divided into two parts, theKangyur (containing sutras and tantras) and theTengyur (containingshastras and commentaries). TheNyingma school also maintains a separate collection of texts called theNyingma Gyubum, assembled by Ratna Lingpa in the 15th century and revised byJigme Lingpa.[125]
Among Tibetans, the main language of study isclassical Tibetan, however, the Tibetan Buddhist canon was also translated into other languages, such asMongolian andManchu.[126]
During the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, many texts from the Tibetan canon were also translated into Chinese.[127]
Numerous texts have also recently been translated into Western languages by Western academics and Buddhist practitioners.[128]
Buddhist monk Geshe Konchog Wangdu readsMahayana sutras from an old woodblock copy of the TibetanKangyur. He is seated at a special sutra stool, wearing the traditional woolen Ladakhi hat and robe, allowed by Vinaya for extremely cold conditions.
According toTsongkhapa, the two authoritative systems of Mahayana Philosophy (viz. that of Asaṅga – Yogacara and that of Nāgārjuna – Madhyamaka) are based on specific Mahāyāna sūtras: theSaṃdhinirmocana Sūtra and theQuestions of Akṣayamati (Akṣayamatinirdeśa Sūtra) respectively. Furthermore, according toThupten Jinpa, for Tsongkhapa, "at the heart of these two hermeneutical systems lies their interpretations of the Perfection of Wisdom sūtras, the archetypal example being thePerfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines."[131]
The study of Indian Buddhist treatises calledshastras is central to Tibetan Buddhistscholasticism. Some of the most important works are those by the six great Indian Mahayana authors which are known as the Six Ornaments and Two Supreme Ones (Tib.gyen druk chok nyi, Wyl.rgyan drug mchog gnyis), the six being: Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Asanga, Vasubandhu, Dignaga, and Dharmakirti and the two being: Gunaprabha and Shakyaprabha (or Nagarjuna and Asanga depending on the tradition).[132]
Since the late 11th century, traditional Tibetan monastic colleges generally organized the exoteric study of Buddhism into "five great textual traditions" (zhungchen-nga).[133]
While the Indian texts are often central, original material by key Tibetan scholars is also widely studied and collected into editions calledsungbum.[134] The commentaries and interpretations that are used to shed light on these texts differ according to tradition. The Gelug school for example, use the works ofTsongkhapa, while other schools may use the more recent work ofRimé movement scholars likeJamgon Kongtrul andJamgon Ju Mipham Gyatso.[citation needed]
A corpus of extra-canonical scripture, thetreasure texts (terma) literature is acknowledged byNyingma practitioners, but the bulk of the canon that is not commentary was translated from Indian sources. True to its roots in thePāla system of North India, however, Tibetan Buddhism carries on a tradition of eclectic accumulation and systematisation of diverse Buddhist elements, and pursues their synthesis. Prominent among these achievements have been theStages of the Path andmind training literature, both stemming from teachings by the Indian scholarAtiśa.[citation needed]
Non-dual tantras, which balance the above elements, and mainly refers to theKalacakra Tantra
The root tantras themselves are almost unintelligible without the various Indian and Tibetan commentaries, therefore, they are never studied without the use of the tantric commentarial apparatus.[citation needed]
There is a long history oforal transmission of teachings in Tibetan Buddhism. Oral transmissions bylineage holders traditionally can take place in small groups or mass gatherings of listeners and may last for seconds (in the case of amantra, for example) or months (as in the case of a section of theTibetan Buddhist canon). It is held that a transmission can even occur without actually hearing, as inAsanga's visions ofMaitreya.[citation needed]
An emphasis on oral transmission as more important than the printed word derives from the earliest period of Indian Buddhism, when it allowed teachings to be kept from those who should not hear them.[138] Hearing a teaching (transmission) readies the hearer for realization based on it. The person from whom one hears the teaching should have heard it as one link in a succession of listeners going back to the original speaker: the Buddha in the case of asutra or the author in the case of a book. Then the hearing constitutes an authentic lineage of transmission. Authenticity of the oral lineage is a prerequisite for realization, hence the importance of lineages.[citation needed]
In Tibetan Buddhism, practices are generally classified as either Sutra (orPāramitāyāna) or Tantra (Vajrayāna or Mantrayāna), though exactly what constitutes each category and what is included and excluded in each is a matter of debate and differs among the various lineages. According to Tsongkhapa for example, what separates Tantra from Sutra is the practice of Deity yoga.[139] Furthermore, the adherents of the Nyingma school consider Dzogchen to be a separate and independent vehicle, which transcends both sutra and tantra.[140]
While it is generally held that the practices of Vajrayāna are not included in Sutrayāna, all Sutrayāna practices are common to Vajrayāna practice. Traditionally, Vajrayāna is held to be a more powerful and effective path, but potentially more difficult and dangerous and thus they should only be undertaken by the advanced who have established a solid basis in other practices.[141]
Thepāramitās (perfections, transcendent virtues) is a key set of virtues which constitute the major practices of a bodhisattva in non-tantric Mahayana. They are:
The practice ofdāna (giving) while traditionally referring to offerings of food to the monastics can also refer to the ritual offering of bowls of water, incense, butter lamps and flowers to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas on a shrine or household altar.[142] Similar offerings are also given to other beings such as hungry ghosts,dakinis, protector deities, and local divinities.
Like other forms of Mahayana Buddhism, the practice of thefive precepts andbodhisattva vows is part of Tibetan Buddhist moral (sila) practice. In addition to these, there are also numerous sets of Tantric vows, termedsamaya, which are given as part of Tantric initiations.
Compassion (karuṇā) practices are also particularly important in Tibetan Buddhism. One of the foremost authoritative texts on the Bodhisattva path is theBodhisattvacaryāvatāra byShantideva. In the eighth section entitledMeditative Concentration, Shantideva describes meditation on Karunā as thus:
Strive at first to meditate upon the sameness of yourself and others. In joy and sorrow all are equal; Thus be guardian of all, as of yourself. The hand and other limbs are many and distinct, But all are one—the body to kept and guarded. Likewise, different beings, in their joys and sorrows, are, like me, all one in wanting happiness. This pain of mine does not afflict or cause discomfort to another's body, and yet this pain is hard for me to bear because I cling and take it for my own. And other beings' pain I do not feel, and yet, because I take them for myself, their suffering is mine and therefore hard to bear. And therefore I'll dispel the pain of others, for it is simply pain, just like my own. And others I will aid and benefit, for they are living beings, like my body. Since I and other beings both, in wanting happiness, are equal and alike, what difference is there to distinguish us, that I should strive to have my bliss alone?"[143]
A popular compassion meditation in Tibetan Buddhism istonglen (sending and taking love and suffering respectively). Practices associated withChenrezig (Avalokiteshvara), also tend to focus on compassion.
A Tibetan Buddhist Monk meditating using chanting and drumming.
The14th Dalai Lama defines meditation (bsgom pa) as "familiarization of the mind with an object of meditation."[144] Traditionally, Tibetan Buddhism follows the two main approaches tomeditation or mental cultivation (bhavana) taught in all forms of Buddhism,śamatha (Tib.Shine) andvipaśyanā (lhaktong).
The practice ofśamatha (calm abiding) is one of focusing one's mind on a single object such as a Buddha figure or the breath. Through repeated practice one's mind gradually becomes more stable, calm and happy. It is defined byTakpo Tashi Namgyal as "fixing the mind upon any object so as to maintain it without distraction...focusing the mind on an object and maintaining it in that state until finally it is channeled into one stream of attention and evenness."[145] Thenine mental abidings is the main progressive framework used for śamatha in Tibetan Buddhism.[146]
Once a meditator has reached the ninth level of this schema they achieve what is termed "pliancy" (Tib.shin tu sbyangs pa, Skt.prasrabdhi), defined as "a serviceability of mind and body such that the mind can be set on a virtuous object of observation as long as one likes; it has the function of removing all obstructions." This is also said to be very joyful and blissful for the body and the mind.[147]
The other form of Buddhist meditation isvipaśyanā (clear seeing, higher insight), which in Tibetan Buddhism is generally practiced after having attained proficiency inśamatha.[148] This is generally seen as having two aspects, one of which isanalytic meditation, which is based on contemplating and thinking rationally about ideas and concepts. As part of this process, entertaining doubts and engaging in internal debate over them is encouraged in some traditions.[149] The other type ofvipaśyanā is a non-analytical, "simple" yogic style calledtrömeh in Tibetan, which means "without complication".[150]
A meditation routine may involve alternating sessions of vipaśyanā to achieve deeper levels of realization, and samatha to consolidate them.[96]
Vajrayāna is believed by Tibetan Buddhists to be the fastest method for attaining Buddhahood but for unqualified practitioners it can be dangerous.[151] To engage in it one must receive an appropriate initiation (also known as an "empowerment") from a lama who is fully qualified to give it. The aim ofpreliminary practices (ngöndro) is to start the student on the correct path for such higher teachings.[152] Just as Sutrayāna preceded Vajrayāna historically in India, so sutra practices constitute those that are preliminary to tantric ones.
Preliminary practices include allSutrayāna activities that yield merit like hearing teachings, prostrations, offerings, prayers and acts of kindness and compassion, but chief among the preliminary practices are realizations through meditation on the three principal stages of the path: renunciation, the altruisticbodhicitta wish to attain enlightenment and the wisdom realizing emptiness. For a person without the basis of these three in particular to practice Vajrayāna can be like a small child trying to ride an unbroken horse.[153]
The most widespread preliminary practices include: takingrefuge,prostration,Vajrasattva meditation, mandala offerings andguru yoga.[154] The merit acquired in the preliminary practices facilitates progress in Vajrayāna. While many Buddhists may spend a lifetime exclusively on sutra practices, an amalgam of the two to some degree is common. For example, in order to train incalm abiding, one might visualize a tantric deity.
As in other Buddhist traditions, an attitude of reverence for the teacher, or guru, is also highly prized.[155] At the beginning of a public teaching, alama will doprostrations to the throne on which he will teach due to its symbolism, or to an image of the Buddha behind that throne, then students will do prostrations to the lama after he is seated. Merit accrues when one's interactions with the teacher are imbued with such reverence in the form of guru devotion, a code of practices governing them that derives from Indian sources.[156] By such things as avoiding disturbance to the peace of mind of one's teacher, and wholeheartedly following his prescriptions, much merit accrues and this can significantly help improve one's practice.
There is a general sense in which any Tibetan Buddhist teacher is called alama. A student may have taken teachings from many authorities and revere them all aslamas in this general sense. However, he will typically have one held in special esteem as his own root guru and is encouraged to view the other teachers who are less dear to him, however more exalted their status, as embodied in and subsumed by the root guru.[157]
One particular feature of the Tantric view of teacher student relationship is that in Tibetan Buddhist Tantra, one is instructed to regard one's guru as an awakened Buddha.[158]
The 14th Dalai Lama praying in the pavilion, closing the Kālacakra mandala and offering flowers, during a Kālacakra initiation inWashington, D.C., 2011.
In Vajrayāna particularly, Tibetan Buddhists subscribe to a voluntary code of self-censorship, whereby the uninitiated do not seek and are not provided with information about it. This self-censorship may be applied more or less strictly depending on circumstances such as the material involved. A depiction of amandala may be less public than that of a deity. That of a higher tantric deity may be less public than that of a lower. The degree to which information on Vajrayāna is now public in western languages is controversial among Tibetan Buddhists.
Buddhism has always had a taste foresotericism since its earliest period in India.[159] Tibetans today maintain greater or lesser degrees of confidentiality also with information on thevinaya andemptiness specifically. In Buddhist teachings generally, too, there is caution about revealing information to people who may be unready for it.
Practicing tantra also includes the maintaining of a separate set of vows, which are calledSamaya (dam tshig). There are various lists of these and they may differ depending on the practice and one's lineage or individual guru. Upholding these vows is said to be essential for tantric practice and breaking them is said to cause great harm.[160]
There has been a "close association" between the religious and the secular, the spiritual and the temporal[161] in Tibet. The term for this relationship ischos srid zung 'brel. Traditionally Tibetan lamas have tended to the lay populace by helping them with issues such as protection and prosperity. Common traditions have been the various rites and rituals for mundane ends, such as purifying one's karma, avoiding harm from demonic forces and enemies, and promoting a successful harvest.[162]Divination andexorcism are examples of practices a lama might use for this.[163]
Ritual musical instruments from Tibet; MIM Brussels.
Ritual is generally more elaborate than in other forms of Buddhism, with complex altar arrangements andworks of art (such asmandalas andthangkas), many ritual objects, hand gestures (mudra), chants, and musical instruments.[109]
The reading of the text – the 'lung' – during an empowerment forChenrezig.
A special kind of ritual calledan initiation or empowerment (Sanskrit:Abhiseka, Tibetan:Wangkur) is central to Tantric practice. These rituals consecrate a practitioner into a particular Tantric practice associated with individual mandalas of deities and mantras. Without having gone through initiation, one is generally not allowed to practice the higher Tantras.[164]
Another important ritual occasion in Tibetan Buddhism is that ofmortuary rituals which are supposed to assure that one has a positive rebirth and a good spiritual path in the future.[165] Of central importance to Tibetan BuddhistArs moriendi is the idea of thebardo (Sanskrit:antarābhava), the intermediate or liminal state between life and death.[165] Rituals and the readings of texts such as theBardo Thodol are done to ensure that the dying person can navigate this intermediate state skillfully.Cremation andsky burial are traditionally the mainfuneral rites used to dispose of the body.[64]
Visualizing mantric syllables is a common form of meditation in Tibetan Buddhism.
The use of (mainlySanskrit) prayer formulas, incantations or phrases calledmantras (Tibetan:sngags) is another widespread feature of Tibetan Buddhist practice.[158] So common is the use of mantras thatVajrayana is also sometimes called "Mantrayāna" (the mantra vehicle). Mantras are widely recited, chanted, written or inscribed, and visualized as part of different forms of meditation. Each mantra has symbolic meaning and will often have a connection to a particular Buddha or Bodhisattva.[166] Each deity's mantra is seen as symbolizing the function, speech and power of the deity.[167]
Tibetan Buddhist practitioners repeat mantras likeOm Mani Padme Hum in order to train the mind, and transform their thoughts in line with the divine qualities of the mantra's deity and special power.[168] Tibetan Buddhists see the etymology of the term mantra as meaning "mind protector", and mantras is seen as a way to guard the mind against negativity.[169]
Mantras are effective because they help keep your mind quiet and peaceful, automatically integrating it into one-pointedness. They make your mind receptive to very subtle vibrations and thereby heighten your perception. Their recitation eradicates gross negativities and the true nature of things can then be reflected in your mind's resulting clarity. By practising a transcendental mantra, you can in fact purify all the defiled energy of your body, speech, and mind.[170]
Mantras also serve to focus the mind as asamatha (calming) practice as well as a way to transform the mind through the symbolic meaning of the mantra. In Buddhism, it is important to have the proper intention, focus and faith when practicing mantras, if one does not, they will not work. Unlike in Hinduism, mantras are not believed to have inherent power of their own, and thus without the proper faith, intention and mental focus, they are just mere sounds.[171] Thus according to the Tibetan philosopherJamgon Ju Mipham:
if a mantra is thought to be something ordinary and not seen for what it is, it will not be able to perform its intended function. Mantras are like non-conceptual wish-fulfilling jewels. Infusing one's being with the blessings of mantra, like the form of a moon reflected on a body of water, necessitates the presence of faith and other conditions that set the stage for the spiritual attainments of mantra. Just as the moon's reflection cannot appear without water, mantras cannot function without the presence of faith and other such factors in one's being.[172]
Mantras are part of the highest tantric practices in Tibetan Buddhism, such asDeity Yoga and are recited and visualized during tantricsadhanas. Thus,Tsongkhapa says that mantra "protects the mind from ordinary appearances and conceptions".[173] This is because in Tibetan Buddhist Tantric praxis, one must develop a sense that everything is divine.
Chöd sadhana, showing the use ofDamaru drum and hand-bell, as well as theKangling (thighbone trumpet)A section of the Northern wall mural at theLukhang Temple depicting completion stage practice
In what is calledhigher yoga tantra the emphasis is on various spiritual practices, calledyogas (naljor) andsadhanas (druptap) which allow the practitioner to realize the true nature of reality.[111]
If Buddhahood is a source of infinite potentiality accessible at any time, then the Tantric deities are in a sense partial aspects, refractions of that total potentiality. Visualizing one of these deities, or oneself identifying with one of them, is not, in Tibetan Tantric thought, a technique to worship an external entity. Rather, it is a way of accessing or tuning into something that is an intrinsic part of the structure of the universe—as of course is the practitioner him or herself.[174]
Deity yoga involves two stages, the generation stage (utpattikrama) and the completion stage (nispannakrama). In the generation stage, one dissolves the mundane world and visualizes one's chosen deity (yidam), itsmandala and companion deities, resulting in identification with this divine reality.[175]
In the completion stage, one dissolves the visualization of and identification with the yidam in the realization ultimate reality. Completion stage practices can also includesubtle body energy practices,[176] such astummo (lit. "Fierce Woman", Skt.caṇḍālī, inner fire), as well as other practices that can be found in systems such as theSix Yogas of Naropa (likeDream Yoga,Bardo Yoga andPhowa) and the Six Vajra-yogas ofKalacakra.
Another form of high level Tibetan Buddhist practice are the meditations associated with the traditions ofMahāmudrā ("Great Seal") andDzogchen ("Great Perfection"). These traditions focus on direct experience of the very nature of reality, which is variously termeddharmakaya,buddha nature, or the"basis' (gzhi). These techniques do not rely on deity yoga methods but on directpointing-out instruction from a master and are often seen as the most advanced form of Buddhist practice.[177] The instructions associated with these approaches to meditation and realization are collectively referred to asmind teachings since both provide practical guidance on the "recognition of the nature of mind."[178]
The views and practices associated with Dzogchen and Mahāmudrā are also often seen as the culmination of the Buddhist path.[179] In some traditions, they are seen as a separate vehicle to liberation. In the Nyingma school (as well as in Bon), Dzogchen is considered to be a separate and independent vehicle (also called Atiyoga), as well as the highest of all vehicles.[180] Similarly, in Kagyu, Mahāmudrā is sometimes seen as a separate vehicle, the "Sahajayana" (Tibetan:lhen chig kye pa), also known as the vehicle of self-liberation.[181]
Buddhist monasticism is an important part of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, all the major and minor schools maintain large monastic institutions based on theMulasarvastivadaVinaya (monastic rule) and many religious leaders come from the monastic community. That being said, there are also many religious leaders or teachers (calledLamas andGurus) which are notcelibatemonastics. According to Geoffrey Samuel this is where "religious leadership in Tibetan Buddhism contrasts most strongly with much of the rest of the Buddhist world."[182]
According to Namkhai Norbu, in Tibet, Tibetan lamas had four main types of lifestyles:
those who were monks, living in monasteries; those who lived a lay life, with their homes in villages; lay masters who lived as tent-dwelling nomads, travelling with their disciples, in some cases following their herds; and those who were yogis, often living in caves.[183]
Lamas are generally skilled and experienced tantric practitioners and ritual specialists in a specific initiation lineage and may be laypersons or monastics. They act not just as teachers, but as spiritual guides and guardians of the lineage teachings that they have received through a long and intimate process of apprenticeship with their Lamas.[184]
Tibetan Buddhism also includes a number oflay clergy and lay tantric specialists, such asNgagpas (Skt.mantrī),Gomchens,Serkyims, andChödpas (practitioners ofChöd). According to Samuel, in the more remote parts of the Himalayas, communities were often led by lay religious specialists.[185] Thus, while the large monastic institutions were present in the regions of theTibetan plateau which were more centralized politically, in other regions they were absent and instead smallergompas and more lay oriented communities prevailed.[186]
Samuel outlines four main types of religious communities in Tibet:[187]
Small communities of lay practitioners attached to a temple and a lama. Lay practitioners might stay in thegompa for periodic retreats.
Small communities of celibate monastics attached to a temple and a lama, often part of a village.
Medium to large communities of celibate monastics. These could maintain several hundred monks and might have extensive land holdings, be financially independent, and sometimes also act as trading centers.
Large teaching monasteries with thousands of monks, such as the big Gelug establishments ofSera (with over 6000 monks in the first half of the 20th century) andDrepung (over 7000).[188]
In some cases a lama is the leader of a spiritual community. Some lamas gain their title through being part of particular family which maintains a lineage of hereditary lamas (and are thus often laypersons). One example is the Sakya family of Kon, who founded theSakya school and another is the hereditary lamas ofMindrolling monastery.[189]
In other cases, lamas may be seen astülkus ("incarnations"). Tülkus are figures which are recognized as reincarnations of a particular bodhisattva or a previous religious figure. They are often recognized from a young age through the use ofdivination and the use of the possessions of the deceased lama, and therefore are able to receive extensive training. They are sometimes groomed to become leaders of monastic institutions.[190] Examples include theDalai Lamas and theKarmapas, each of which are seen as key leaders in their respective traditions.
The system ofincarnate lamas is popularly held to be a Tibetan alteration to Indian Buddhism.
Another title unique to Tibetan Buddhism is that ofTertön (treasure discoverer), who are considered capable of revealing or discovering special revelations or texts calledTermas (lit.'hidden treasure'). They are also associated with the idea ofbeyul ("hidden valleys"), which are power places associated with deities and hidden religious treasures.[191]
Tibetan teachers, including theDalai Lamas, occasionally consultoracles for advice.
Machig Labdrön, a famous female tantrika, teacher and founder of theChöd lineagePainting of Ayu Khandro at Merigar West. The seat of Chogyal Namkhai Norbu and The Dzogchen Community in Italy
Women in Tibetan society, though still unequal, tended to have a relatively greater autonomy and power than in surrounding societies. This might be because of the smaller household sizes and low population density in Tibet.[192] Women traditionally took many roles in Tibetan Buddhism, from lay supporters, to monastics, lamas and tantric practitioners.
There is evidence for the importance of female practitioners in Indian Tantric Buddhism and pre-modern Tibetan Buddhism. At least one major lineage of tantric teachings, theShangpa Kagyu, traces itself to Indian female teachers and there have been a series of important female Tibetan teachers, such asYeshe Tsogyal andMachig Labdrön.[193] It seems that even though it might have been more difficult for women to become serious tantric yoginis, it was still possible for them to find lamas that would teach them high tantric practices.
Some Tibetan women become lamas by being born in one of the hereditary lama families such asMindrolling Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche and Sakya Jetsün Kushok Chimey Luding.[194] There have also been cases of influential female lamas who were also tertöns, such asSera Khandro,Tare Lhamo andAyu Khandro.
Some of these figures were also tantric consorts (sangyum, kandroma) with male lamas, and thus took part in the sexual practices associated with the highest levels of tantric practice.[195]
While monasticism is practiced there by women, it is much less common (2 percent of the population in the 20th century compared to 12 percent of men). Nuns were also much less respected by Tibetan society than monks and may receive less lay support than male monastics.[196]
Traditionally, Tibetan Buddhist nuns were also not "fully ordained" asbhikṣuṇīs (who take the full set of monastic vows in theVinaya). When Buddhism traveled from India to Tibet, apparently the quorum of bhikṣuṇīs required for bestowing full ordination never reached Tibet.[197][e] Despite an absence of ordination there, bhikṣuṇīs did travel to Tibet. A notable example was the Sri Lankan nunCandramālī, whose work with Śrījñāna (Wylie:dpal ye shes) resulted in the tantric textŚrīcandramāla Tantrarāja.[f][198]
There are accounts of fully ordained Tibetan women, such as theSamding Dorje Phagmo (1422–1455), who was once ranked the highest female master andtulku in Tibet, but very little is known about the exact circumstances of their ordination.[199]
In the modern era, Tibetan Buddhist nuns have taken full ordinations through East Asian Vinaya lineages.[200] The Dalai Lama has authorized followers of the Tibetan tradition to be ordained as nuns in traditions that have such ordination.[g] The official lineage of Tibetan Buddhist bhikṣuṇīs recommenced on 23 June 2022 in Bhutan when 144 nuns, most of them Butanese, were fully ordained.[203][204]
Buddhist author Michaela Haas notes that Tibetan Buddhism is undergoing a sea change in the West, with women playing a much more central role.[205]
Freda Bedi[h] was a British woman who was the first Western woman to take ordination in Tibetan Buddhism, which occurred in 1966.[206]Pema Chödrön was the first American woman to be ordained as a Buddhist nun in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.[207][208]
In 2010 the first Tibetan Buddhist nunnery in America, Vajra Dakini Nunnery in Vermont, was officially consecrated. It offers novice ordination and follows theDrikung Kagyu lineage of Buddhism. The abbot of the Vajra Dakini nunnery isKhenmo Drolma, an American woman, who is the first bhikṣuṇī in the Drikung lineage of Buddhism, having been ordained in Taiwan in 2002.[209][210] She is also the first westerner, male or female, to be installed as an abbot in theDrikung Kagyu lineage of Buddhism, having been installed as the abbot of the Vajra Dakini Nunnery in 2004.[209] The Vajra Dakini Nunnery does not followThe Eight Garudhammas.[211]
In April 2011, theInstitute for Buddhist Dialectical Studies (IBD) in Dharamsala, India, conferred the degree ofgeshe, a Tibetan Buddhist academic degree for monastics, onKelsang Wangmo, a German nun, thus making her the world's first female geshe.[212][213] In 2013 Tibetan women were able to take the geshe exams for the first time.[214] In 2016 twenty Tibetan Buddhist nuns became the first Tibetan women to earngeshe degrees.[215][216]
The TibetanRime (non-sectarian) scholarJamgon Kongtrul, in hisTreasury of Knowledge, outlines the "Eight Great Practice Lineages" which were transmitted to Tibet. His approach is not concerned with "schools" or sects, but rather focuses on the transmission of crucial meditation teachings. They are:[218]
There are various schools or traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. The four main traditions overlap markedly, such that "about eighty percent or more of the features of the Tibetan schools are the same".[219] Differences include the use of apparently, but not actually, contradictory terminology, opening dedications of texts to different deities and whether phenomena are described from the viewpoint of an unenlightened practitioner or of a Buddha.[219] On questions of philosophy, there has historically been disagreement regarding the nature ofYogacara andBuddha-nature teachings (and whether these are of expedient meaning or ultimate meaning), which still colours the current presentations ofsunyata (emptiness) andultimate reality.[220][221][222]
The 19th centuryRimé movement downplayed these differences, as still reflected in the stance of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, who states that there are no fundamental differences between these schools.[223] However, there are still philosophical disagreements between the different traditions, such as the debate regardingrangtong and shentong interpretations ofMadhyamaka philosophy.[224]
The four major schools are sometimes divided into theNyingma (or "Old Translation") andSarma (or "New Translation") traditions, which follow different canons of scripture (theNyingma Gyubum along withTermas and theTengyur-Kangyur respectively).[225]
Each school also traces itself to a certain lineage going back to India as well as certain important Tibetan founders. While all the schools share most practices and methods, each school tends to have a certain preferred focus (see table below). Another common but trivial differentiation is into the Yellow Hat (Gelug) andRed Hat (non-Gelug) sects.
The features of each major school (along with one influential minor school, Jonang) is as follows:[226]
In his work,The Four Dharma Traditions of the Land of Tibet,Mipham Rinpoche described the four main schools as follows:
Nyingma followers of Secret Mantra emphasize the actual tantra. They pursue the highest view and delight in conduct that is stable. Many reach the vidyādhara levels and attain accomplishment, And many are mantrins, whose power is greater than others.
Kagyü followers, the protectors of beings, emphasize devotion. Many find that receiving the lineage's blessings is sufficient. And many gain accomplishment through perseverance in the practice They are similar to, and mix together with, the Nyingmapas.
The Riwo Gendenpas (i.e. Gelugpas) emphasize the ways of the learned. They are fond of analytical meditation and delight in debate. And they impress all with their elegant, exemplary conduct. They are popular, prosperous, and put effort into learning.
The glorious Sakyapas emphasize approach and accomplishment. Many are blessed through the power of recitation and visualisation, They value their own ways and their regular practice is excellent. When compared to any other school, they have something of them all.
Ema! All four dharma traditions of this land of Tibet Have but one real source, even if they arose individually. Whichever one you follow, if you practise it properly It can bring the qualities of learning and accomplishment.
There is another minor sect, theBodong school. This tradition was founded in 1049 by the Kadam teacher Mudra Chenpo, who also established the Bodong E Monastery. Its most famous teacher was Bodong Penchen Lénam Gyelchok (1376–1451) who authored over one hundred and thirty-five volumes. This tradition is also known for maintaining a female tulku lineage of incarnated lamas called theSamding Dorje Phagmo.
WhileYungdrung Bon considers itself a separate religion with pre-Buddhist origins, and it is considered as non-Buddhist by the main Tibetan traditions, it shares so many similarities and practices with mainstream Tibetan Buddhism that some scholars such asGeoffrey Samuel see it as "essentially a variant of Tibetan Buddhism".[227] Yungdrung Bon is closely related to Nyingma Buddhism, and includesDzogchen teachings, similar deities, rituals and forms of monasticism.
^Also known asTibeto-Mongol Buddhism,Indo-Tibetan Buddhism,Lamaism,Lamaistic Buddhism,Himalayan Buddhism, andNorthern Buddhism
^和尚摩訶衍; his name consists of the same Chinese characters used to transliterate "Mahayana" (Tibetan:Hwa shang Mahayana)
^Kamalaśīla wrote the threeBhāvanākrama texts (修習次第三篇) after that.
^However, a Chinese source found inDunhuang written by Mo-ho-yen says their side won, and some scholars conclude that the entire episode is fictitious.[29][30]
^Under the Mulasarvastivadin Vinaya, as with the two other extant Vinaya lineages today (Theravada andDharmaguptaka), in order to ordain bhikṣuṇīs, there must be quorums of both bhikṣuṇīsand bhikṣus; without both, a woman cannot be ordained as a nun (Tibetan:དགེ་སློང་མ་,THL:gélongma).
In 2005, the Dalai Lama repeatedly spoke about the bhikṣuṇī ordination in public gatherings. In Dharamsala, he encouraged, "We need to bring this to a conclusion. We Tibetans alone can't decide this. Rather, it should be decided in collaboration with Buddhists from all over the world. Speaking in general terms, were the Buddha to come to this 21st century world, I feel that most likely, seeing the actual situation in the world now, he might change the rules somewhat...."
Later, inZürich during a 2005 conference of Tibetan Buddhist Centers, he said, "Now I think the time has come; we should start a working group or committee" to meet with monks from other Buddhist traditions. Looking at the German bhikṣuṇīJampa Tsedroen, he instructed, "I prefer that Western Buddhist nuns carry out this work… Go to different places for further research and discuss with senior monks (from various Buddhist countries). I think, first, senior bhikshunis need to correct the monks' way of thinking.
"This is the 21st century. Everywhere we are talking about equality….Basically Buddhism needs equality. There are some really minor things to remember as a Buddhist—a bhikshu always goes first, then a bhikshuni….The key thing is the restoration of the bhikshuni vow."
Alexander Berzin referred to the Dalai Lama having said on occasion of the 2007 Hamburg congress:
Sometimes in religion there has been an emphasis on male importance. In Buddhism, however, the highest vows, namely the bhikshu and bhikshuni ones, are equal and entail the same rights. This is the case despite the fact that in some ritual areas, due to social custom, bhikshus go first. But Buddha gave the basic rights equally to both sangha groups. There is no point in discussing whether or not to revive the bhikshuni ordination; the question is merely how to do so properly within the context of the Vinaya.[202]
^Sometimes spelled Frida Bedi, also named Sister Palmo, or Gelongma Karma Kechog Palmo
^Compare:Tiso, Francis V. (2016). "Later Developments in Dzogchen History".Rainbow Body and Resurrection: Spiritual Attainment, the Dissolution of the Material Body, and the Case of Khenpo A Chö. Berkeley, California: North Atlantic Books.ISBN9781583947968. Retrieved11 September 2020.The attainment of the rainbow body ('ja' lus) as understood by the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism is always connected to the practice of the great perfection [...]. The Nyingma tradition describes a set of nine vehicles, the highest of which is that of the great perfection, considered the swiftest of the tantric methods for attaining supreme realization, identified with buddhahood.
^Damien Keown, ed., "Lamaism",A Dictionary of Buddhism (Oxford, 2004): "an obsolete term formerly used by Western scholars to denote the specifically Tibetan form of Buddhism due to the prominence of the lamas in the religious culture. . . should be avoided as it is misleading as well as disliked by Tibetans." Robert E. Buswell Jr. and David S. Lopez Jr., eds., "Lamaism",The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism (Princeton, 2017): "an obsolete English term that has no correlate in Tibetan. . . Probably derived from the Chinese termlama jiao, or "teachings of the lamas", the term is considered pejorative by Tibetans, as it carries the negative connotation that the Tibetan tradition is something distinct from the mainstream of Buddhism." John Bowker, ed., "Lamaism",The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (Oxford, 2000): "a now antiquated term used by early W[estern] commentators (as L. A. Waddell,The Buddhism of Tibet, or Lamaism, 1895) to describe Tibetan Buddhism. Although the term is not accurate [it] does at least convey the great emphasis placed on the role of the spiritual teacher by this religion."
^Beckwith, C. I. (2003). "The revolt of 755 in Tibet". In McKay, Alex (ed.).The History of Tibet. Vol. 1. London: RoutledgeCurzon. pp. 273–285.ISBN9780700715084.OCLC50494840. (discusses the political background and the motives of the ruler).
^Silk, Jonathan.Notes on the history of the Yongle Kanjur. Indica et Tibetica 28, Suhrllekhah. Festgabe für Helmut Eimer, 1998.
^Taveirne, Patrick (2004).Han-Mongol Encounters and Missionary Endeavors: A History of Scheut in Ordos (Hetao) 1874–1911. Leuven University Press. pp. 67ff.ISBN978-90-5867-365-7.
^Dudeja, Jai Paul (2023).Profound Meditation Practices in Tibetan Buddhism. Bluerose Publisher Pvt. Ltd. p. 5.ISBN978-93-5741-206-3.
^Vollmer, John E.; Simcox, Jacqueline.Emblems of Empire: Selections from the Mactaggart Art Collection. p. 154.
^Weidner, Marsha Smith.Cultural Intersections in Later Chinese Buddhism. p. 173.[full citation needed]
^Lopez, Donald S. (1998).Prisoners of Shangri-La: Tibetan Buddhism and the West. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 190.
^Buswell, R.E.; Lopez, D.S.; Ahn, J.; et al. (et al.) (2014).The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism. Princeton University Press. pp. 379,714–715, 802.ISBN9780691157863.
^The 2007 U.S. State Department report on religious freedom in Bhutan notes that "Mahayana Buddhism is the state religion..." and that the Bhutanese government supports both the Kagyu and Nyingma sects.State.gov
^Asanga; Brunnhölzl, Karl (2019). "Preface".A Compendium of the Mahayana: Asanga's Mahayanasamgraha and Its Indian and Tibetan Commentaries. Vol. I. Shambhala Publications.
^Gomez, Luis O.; Silk, Jonathan A. (1989).Studies in the Literature of the Great Vehicle: Three Mahayana Buddhist Texts. Michigan studies in Buddhist literature. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan. p. viii.ISBN9780891480549.OCLC20159406.
^Thupten Jinpa (2019).Tsongkhapa A Buddha in the Land of Snows. Lives of the Masters. Shambhala. pp. 219–220.
^"Yoginitantras are in the secondary literature often called Anuttarayoga. But this is based on a mistaken back translation of the Tibetan translation (rnal byor bla med kyi rgyud) of what appears in Sanskrit texts only as Yogānuttara or Yoganiruttara (cf. SANDERSON 1994: 97–98, fn.1)."Isabelle Onians, "Tantric Buddhist Apologetics, or Antinomianism as a Norm," D.Phil. dissertation, Oxford, Trinity Term 2001. pg 70
^Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche (1994).The Practice of Tranquillity & Insight: A Guide to Tibetan Buddhist Meditation. Shambhala Publications. pp. 91–93.ISBN0-87773-943-9.
^Ray, Reginald A.Secret of the Vajra World, The Tantric Buddhism of Tibet. Shambhala. pp. 112–113.
^Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche (2003).Pointing Out the Dharmakaya: Teachings on the Ninth Karmapa's Text. Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion Publications. p. 5.ISBN978-1-59030-055-8.
^Haas, Michaela (2013).Dakini Power: Twelve Extraordinary Women Shaping the Transmission of Tibetan Buddhism in the West. Shambhala Publications. p. 6.ISBN978-1559394079.
^DAMCHÖ DIANA FINNEGAN and CAROLA ROLOFF (BHIKṢUṆĪ JAMPA TSEDROEN). "Women Receive Full Ordination in Bhutan For First Time in Modern History",Lion's Roar, JUNE 27, 2022.
Brunnhölzl, Karl (2004).The Center of the Sunlit Sky: Madhyamaka in the Kagyu Tradition. Shambhala.ISBN1-55939-218-5.
Buell, Paul D. (2011). "Tibetans, Mongols and the Fusion of Eurasian Cultures". In Akasoy, Anna; Burnett, Charles; Yoeli-Tlalim, Ronit (eds.).Islam and Tibet: Interactions Along the Musk Routes. Ashgate Publishing. pp. 188–208.
Cornu, Philippe (2001). "Nawoord".Schijn en werkelijkheid. De twee waarheden in de vier boeddhistische leerstelsels. KunchabPublicaties.
Dhargyey, Geshe Ngawang (1978). Alexander Berzin (ed.).Tibetan Tradition of Mental Development. Translated by Sharpa Tulku (3rd ed.). Dharmsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. [A pithy lam-rim by a geshe appointed in 1973 by the Dalai Lama as head of the translation team at the Tibetan Library.]
Dhargyey, Geshe Ngawang (1982). Alexander Berzin (ed.).An Anthology of Well-Spoken Advice on the Graded Paths of the Mind, Vol. I. Translated by Sharpa Tulku. Dharmsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives.ISBN81-86470-29-8. [The first part of a more extensive lam-rim by a geshe appointed in 1973 by the Dalai Lama as head of the translation team at the Tibetan Library. The language of this publication is very different from that of the 1978 work by the same lama due to widespread changes in choice of English terminology by the translators.]
Garson, Nathaniel DeWitt (1 May 2004).Penetrating the Secret Essence Tantra: Context and Philosophy in the Mahayoga System of rNying-ma Tantra (PhD dissertation). University of Virginia.doi:10.18130/V3V80T.
Hookham, S.K. (1991).The Buddha within : Tathagatagarbha doctrine according to the Shentong interpretation of the Ratnagotravibhaga. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.ISBN978-0791403587.
Hopkins, Jeffrey (1996).Meditation on Emptiness. Boston: Wisdom.ISBN0-86171-110-6. [Definitive treatment of emptiness according to the Prasaṅgika-Madhyamaka school.]
Kapstein, Matthew T. (2014).Tibetan Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0-19-973512-9.LCCN2013006676.
Ringu Tulku (2006).The Ri-Me Philosophy of Jamgon Kongtrul the Great: A Study of the Buddhist Lineages of Tibet. Shambhala.ISBN978-1-59030-286-6.
Rossabi, Morris (1983).China Among Equals: The Middle Kingdom and Its Neighbors, 10th-14th Centuries. University of California Press.ISBN0-520-04383-9.
Shantarakshita; Mipham, Ju (2005).The Adornment of the Middle Way Shantarakshita's Madhyamakalankara with Commentary by Jamgon Mipham. Translated by Padmakara Translation Group. Shambala.
Shakabpa, Tsepon W. D. (1967).Tibet: A Political History. Yale University Press.
Sopa, Geshe Lhundup; Hopkins, Jeffrey (1977).Practice and Theory of Tibetan Buddhism. New Delhi: B.I. Publications.ISBN0-09-125621-6. [Part Two of this book, ‘’Theory: Systems of Tenets’’ is an annotated translation of ‘’Precious Garland of Tenets (Grub-mtha’ rin-chhen phreng-ba)’’ by Kön-chok-jik-may-wang-po (1728-1791).]
Thurman, Robert (1997).Essential Tibetan Buddhism. Castle Books.
Tsomo, Karma Lekshe (1999).Buddhist Women Across Cultures: Realizations. State University of New York Press.ISBN978-0-7914-4138-1.
Tsong-kha-pa (2000). Cutler, Joshua; Newland, Guy (eds.).The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment. Vol. I. Snow Lion.ISBN1-55939-152-9.
Tsong-kha-pa (2002). Cutler, Joshua; Newland, Guy (eds.).The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment. Vol. II. Snow Lion.ISBN1-55939-168-5.
Van Schaik, Sam (2011).Tibet: A History. Yale University Press.ISBN978-0-300-15404-7.
Wylie, Turnell (1990). "The First Mongol Conquest of Tibet Reinterpreted".Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies.37 (1). Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Yenching Institute:103–133.doi:10.2307/2718667.ISSN0073-0548.JSTOR2718667.OCLC6015211726.
.svg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
_at_Rumtek_Monastery%2c_Sikkim_in_1971.jpg)
.jpg)
