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Tibetan Buddhism^[2] is the body of religious Buddhist doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and the Himalayan regions, which include northern Nepal, Bhutan, India (Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh and Sikkim), Mongolia, Russia (Kalmykia, Buryatia and Tuva) and northeastern China (Manchuria: Heilongjiang, Jilin). Padmasambhava () The Lotus Born, is said to have transmitted Tantric Buddhism to Bhutan and Tibet in the 8th century. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices The History of Buddhism spans the 6th century BCE to the present starting with the birth of the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama. Foundation to the Common Era Some sources give the date of the Buddha's birth as 563 BCE and others as 624 BCE Theravada Buddhist countries tend to use the latter figure Lists and numbering of Buddhist councils vary between and even within schools Several Buddhist terms and concepts lack direct translations into English that cover the breadth of the original term Background Why the Buddha is said to have taught in this way is illuminated by the social context of the time in which he lived In sramanic philosophy Nirvana (निर्वाण| Nirvāṇa; निब्बान Nibbāna; Prakrit: णिव्वाण The Three Jewels, also called the Three Treasures, the Three Refuges, or the Triple Gem, are the three things that Buddhists take refuge Several Buddhist terms and concepts lack direct translations into English that cover the breadth of the original term According to the Buddhist tradition all phenomena other than Nirvana, ( sankhara) are marked by three characteristics sometimes referred to as the Dharma seals In Buddhist phenomenology and Soteriology, the five skandhas ( Sanskrit) or khandhas ( Pāli) are five "aggregates" Buddhist cosmology is the description of the shape and evolution of the universe according to the canonical Buddhist scriptures and commentaries Rebirth in Buddhism is the doctrine that the consciousness of a person (as conventionally regarded upon the death or dissolution of the aggregates ( Skandhas Dhamma ( Pāli: धम्म or Dharma (धर्म in Buddhism has two primary meanings the teachings of the Buddha which lead to enlightenment The doctrine of pratītyasamutpāda (Sanskrit paticcasamuppāda; rten Karma ( Sanskrit: कर्मन karman, Pāli: कमा Kamma) means "action" or "doing" whatever A number of noted individuals have been Buddhists. Historical Buddhist thinkers and founders of schools Individuals are grouped by nationality except in cases where the Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder A number of noted individuals have been Buddhists. Historical Buddhist thinkers and founders of schools Individuals are grouped by nationality except in cases where the In Buddhism, buddhahood ( Sanskrit: buddhatva. Pali: buddhatta. In the Buddhist context a bodhisattva (बोधिसत्त्व bodhisattva;; Vietnamese Bồ Tát; बोधिसत्त bodhisatta The four stages of Enlightenment in Buddhism are the four degrees of approach to full enlightenment as an Arahant which a person can attain in this life Theravada Buddhism Theravada Buddhism 's teachings on the paramitas can be found in late canonical books and post-canonical commentaries Buddhist meditation encompasses a variety of Meditation techniques that develop Mindfulness, concentration, tranquility and insight In English translations of Buddhist literature, householder denotes a variety of terms Obtaining exact numbers of practicing Buddhists can be difficult and may be reliant on the definition used Buddhist beliefs and practices vary according to region There are distinctions between and within the Buddhism practised in various regions including In South Asia Mahayana Buddhism is the State religion of Bhutan, and Buddhists comprise 98% of its population. History See also History of Buddhism in Cambodia Unconfirmed Singhalese sources assert that missionaries of King Asohka introduced Buddhism into Chinese Buddhism ( Pinyin fójiào refers collectively to the various schools of Buddhism that have flourished in China proper since ancient times Buddhism is a world religion which arose in Bihar, India and is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, who is known as the Buddha (literally Among the five official religions of Indonesia, according to the state ideology of Pancasila According to Suharto, Buddhism and Hinduism were Indonesia's classical The history of Buddhism in Japan can be roughly divided into three periods namely the Nara period (up to 784 the Heian period (794–1185 and the post-Heian period Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what it sees as inconsistencies in Mahayana Buddhism Buddhism is the primary religion of Laos. The Buddhism practiced in Laos is of the Theravada tradition Buddhism is the second largest religion in Malaysia after Islam, with 19 Buddhism in Mongolia is essentially Tibetan Buddhism of the Gelugpa school History The history of Buddhism in Burmaextends nearly a millennium Buddha was born in Shakya kingdom which lies in Rupandehi district Lumbini zone of Nepal As of 2000 425% of the Singaporeans register themselves as Buddhist by religion General Buddhism in Sri Lanka is primarily of the Theravada school and constitutes the religious faith of about 70% of the populationAccording to traditional Buddhism in Thailand is largely of the Theravada school Nearly 95% of Thailand 's population is Buddhist of the Theravada school though Buddhism Buddhism came to Vietnam in the first century CE By the end of the second century Vietnam developed a major Buddhist centre in the region commonly known as the Luy Lâu Buddhism in the West broadly encompasses the knowledge and practice of Buddhism outside of Asia. The Schools of Buddhism. Buddhism is classified in various ways History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for Vajrayana Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayana, Mantranaya, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and The Early Buddhist schools are those schools into which according to most scholars the Buddhist monastic Sangha initially split due originally to differences in The term pre-sectarian Buddhism is used by some scholars to refer to the Buddhism that existed before the various subsects of Buddhism came into being Buddhist texts can be categorized in a number of ways The Western terms "scripture" and "canonical" are applied to Buddhism in inconsistent ways by Western scholars Historicity and Background Place in the Canon Various Mahayana Sutras have been included in the Tibetan Canon and the Chinese Canon. The Tibetan Buddhist canon is a loosely defined list of Sacred texts recognized by various sects of Tibetan Buddhism. The cultural elements of Buddhism vary by region and include Buddhist Festivals and Observances Vesak The following is a List of Buddhist topics: A Abhidharma Aggañña Sutta Ahimsa Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. The Kingdom of Bhutan (buːˈtɑːn is a Landlocked nation in South Asia. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Arunachal Pradesh (अरुणाचल प्रदेश   Aruṇācal Pradeś is the easternmost state of India Ladakh ( Ladakhi lad̪ɑks लदाख لدّاخ "land of high passes" is a region in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir between Sikkim ( Nepali:, also Sikhim) is a Landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayas It is the least populous state in India Mongolia (mɒŋˈɡoʊliə, literally Mongol country/nation,) is a Landlocked Country in East Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The Republic of Kalmykia (Респу́блика Калмы́кия Kalmyk: Хальмг Таңһч is a federal subject of the Russian Federation (a Buryat Republic (Респу́блика Буря́тия Буряад Республика is a federal subject of Russia (a Republic) Tyva Republic (Респу́блика Тыва́ Respublika Tyva, rʲɪˈspublʲɪkə tɨˈva Тыва Республика Tyva Respublika) or Tuva China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Manchuria ( Romanized Manchu: Manju,, Маньчжурия Mongolian: Манж is a historical name given to a vast geographic region in northeast ( Postal map spelling: Heilungkiang Manchu: Sahaliyan ula is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the northeastern ( Postal map spelling: Kirin; Manchu: Girin ula is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the northeastern It includes the teachings of the three vehicles^[3] of Buddhism: the Foundational Vehicle, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Yāna ( Sanskrit and Pāli: "vehicle" refers to a mode or method of spiritual practice in Buddhism, and in particular to divisions of various Hīnayāna ( Chinese: 小乘 Xiǎochèng; Korean: 소승 Soseung; Japanese: Shōjō; Vietnamese: Tiểu Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for Vajrayana Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayana, Mantranaya, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and

The occupation of Tibet by People's Republic of China began in 1950 and led to armed conflicts in late 1950's. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES The failed rebellion resulted in the Tibetan diaspora, which in turn eventually led to the spread of Tibetan Buddhism to many Western countries, where the tradition has gained great popularity.

Contents 1 Introduction 2 The Tibetan Buddha Ideal 3 Tibetan definitions of “Buddhist” 4 General methods of practice 5 Native Tibetan developments 6 Schools of Tibetan Buddhism 6.1 Red Hat and Yellow Hat Sects, Ka'ma and Sarma traditions 6.2 Minor schools 7 Study of tenet systems in Tibetan Buddhism 8 Monasticism 8.1 Nyingma 8.2 Kagyu 8.3 Sakya 8.4 Gelug 9 History of Tibetan Buddhism 10 Transmission of Ch'an to the Nyingmapa 11 Tibetan Buddhism in the contemporary world 12 See also 13 Notes 14 References 15 Further reading 16 External links

Introduction

Atisha's calendar innovation only some two centuries after the introduction of Buddhism to Tibet enabled the Tibetans to keep unusually detailed accounts of lineages from that time^[4]. (Improve ref!)

The Tibetan Buddha Ideal

The ideal goal of spiritual development in Tibetan Buddhism, a Mahayana tradition, is to achieve the enlightenment of Buddhahood in order to most efficiently help all other sentient beings attain this state. Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for In Buddhism, buddhahood ( Sanskrit: buddhatva. Pali: buddhatta. ^[5]

Buddhahood is sometimes partially defined as a state of omniscience. ^[6] "Omniscience" relates to the Buddhist principle that all things derive from mind. ^[7]

When, in Buddhahood, one is freed from all mental obscurations,^[8] one is said to attain a state of continuous bliss, mixed with a simultaneous cognition of emptiness,^[9] the true nature of reality^[10]. In this state, all limitations on one's ability to help other living beings are removed. ^[11]

There are said to be countless beings who have attained Buddhahood. ^[12] Buddhas spontaneously, naturally and continuously perform activities to benefit all sentient beings. ^[13] However it is believed that sentient beings' karmas limit the ability of the Buddhas to help them. Karma ( Sanskrit: कर्म, kárman - "act action performance" Pali: kamma) is the concept of "action" 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. ^[14]

Tibetan definitions of “Buddhist”

Introspection as the mark of a Buddhist is embodied in the Tibetan term for Buddhist:^[15] literally, "internalist". In this connection a story is told about the Indian Buddhist Aryadeva. Aryadeva (3rd Century CE was a disciple of Nagarjuna and author of several important Mahayana Madhyamaka Buddhist texts In preparation for debate with a non-Buddhist, he made a public display of cleaning the outside of a cess-pot. When asked why he was ignoring the inside, he explained that was what non-Buddhists did by obsession with external things like ritual. ^[16]

More precisely, Tibetans specify two alternative criteria for being Buddhist: a) formal: having taken refuge^[17] and b) in belief: acceptance of the four seals of Dharma.

General methods of practice

preliminary practices^[18]

The transmission-realisation^[19] dichotomy

the analytic^[20] vs focussed/ fixation meditation^[21]dichotomy^[22]

Tibetan approach to Vajrayana; It is said that Vajrayana practice is the fastest method for attaining Buddhahood, however this is only the case for advanced practitioners who have a solid and reliable grounding in the preliminary practices (which may be categorized as renunciation, Bodhicitta and Wisdom, specifically, the wisdom realizing emptiness). For practitioners who are not qualified, Vajrayana practice can be very dangerous, and will only lead to increased ego problems and more suffering if it is not practiced with the pure motivation of Bodhicitta.

Even for the qualified advanced practitioner, a specific Vajrayana practice should only ever be followed on the basis of receiving the appropriate initiation (also known as an empowerment) from a lama who is fully qualified to give that initiation.

Native Tibetan developments

Some have emphasised minor Tibetan innovations such as the system of incarnate lamas^[23] dating from the last two centuries, but such genuine innovations have been few. ^[24] True to its roots in the Pala system of North India, however, Tibetan Buddhism carried on a tradition of eclectic accumulation and systematisation of diverse Buddhist elements and evolved their synthesis into an artform. Prominent among these achievements are the Stages of the Path (lamrim, lam-rim) and motivational training (lojong, blo-sbyong). Lam Rim (Tibetan lam "path" rim "stages" is a Tibetan Buddhist textual form for presenting the complete path to enlightenment Lojong (often translated into English as Mind Training) is a practice in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition based on a set of proverbs formulated in Tibet (more references)

Schools of Tibetan Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism has four main traditions (the suffix pa is comparable to "er" in English):

• Nyingma(pa), The Ancient Ones. The Nyingma tradition is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism (the other three being the Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug) This is the oldest, the original order founded by Padmasambhava. Padmasambhava () The Lotus Born, is said to have transmitted Tantric Buddhism to Bhutan and Tibet in the 8th century.

• Kagyu(pa), Oral Lineage. The Kagyu or Kagyupa school also known as the " Oral Lineage " or Whispered Transmission school is one of four main schools of Himalayan This contains one major subsect and one minor subsect. The first, the Dagpo Kagyu, encompasses those Kagyu schools that trace back to Gampopa. Gampopa ( (1079-1153 "the man from Gampo" — who was equally well known in Tibet as Sonam Rinchen ( Dagpo Lhaje ( ("the Physician from Dagpo" In turn, the Dagpo Kagyu consists of four major sub-sects: the Karma Kagyu, headed by a Karmapa, the Tsalpa Kagyu, the Barom Kagyu, and Pagtru Kagyu. Karma Kagyu ( or Kamtsang, is the largest lineage within the Kagyu school one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The Karmapa (officially His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa) is the head of the Karma Kagyu, the largest sub-school of the Kagyupa ( Tibetan There are further eight minor sub-sects, all of which trace their root to Pagtru Kagyu. Among the eight sub-sects the most notable of are the Drikung Kagyu and the Drukpa Kagyu. Drikung Kagyu or Drigung Kagyu ( Wylie: 'bri-kung bka'-brgyud is one of the eight "minor" lineages of the Kagyu school of Drukpa (disambiguation The Drukpa ( Tib. འབྲུག་པ / ’brug pa) Druk ~ "dragon" pa ~ "person" — or Drukpa Kagyu The once-obscure Shangpa Kagyu, which was famously represented by the 20th century teacher Kalu Rinpoche, traces its history back to the Indian master Niguma, sister of Kagyu lineage holder Naropa. The Shangpa Kagyu is known as the "secret" lineage and different origins than the better known Dagpo Kagyu schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche ( 1905 - May 10, 1989) was a Buddhist Meditation master Scholar and Teacher. Nāropā ( Tibetan; Sanskrit: Nādapradā, 956-1041 was an Indian Buddhist mystic and Monk, the disciple of This is an oral tradition which is very much concerned with the experiential dimension of meditation. Its most famous exponent was Milarepa, an eleventh century mystic.

• Sakya(pa), Grey Earth, headed by the Sakya Trizin, founded by Khon Konchog Gyalpo, a disciple of the great translator Drokmi Lotsawa. This articles concerns the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism For information on the ancient Śākya tribe see Shakya. The Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism refers to its head as the Sakya Trizin. Sakya Pandita 1182–1251CE was the great grandson of Khon Konchog Gyalpo. Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyeltsen or Kunga Gylatshan Pal Zangpo (1182&ndash1251 was a Tibetan spiritual leader and Buddhist scholar and the fourth of the Five This school very much represents the scholarly tradition.

• Gelug(pa), Way of Virtue, also known casually as Yellow Hat, whose spiritual head is the Ganden Tripa and whose temporal, the Dalai Lama. The Gelug or Gelug-pa, also known as the Yellow Hat sect, is a school of Buddhism founded by Tsongkhapa (1357–1419 a Philosopher The Ganden Tripa or Gaden Tripa ("Holder of the Ganden Throne" is the title of the spiritual leader of the Gelug (Dge-lugs school of Tibetan Buddhism The Dalai Lama is the spiritual and political leader of the Tibetan people according to Tibetan Buddhism. Successive Dalai Lamas ruled Tibet from the mid-17th to mid-20th centuries. Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European This order was founded in the 14th to 15th century by Je Tsongkhapa, based on the foundations of the Kadampa tradition. Tsongkhapa ( (1357 &ndash 1419 whose name means "The Man from Onion Valley" was a famous teacher of Tibetan Buddhism whose activities led later to the formation The Kadam ( tradition was a Tibetan Mahayana Buddhist school Dromtönpa a Tibetan lay master and the foremost disciple of the great Indian Buddhist Tsongkhapa was renowned for both his scholasticism and his virtue. The Dalai Lama belongs to the Gelugpa school, and is regarded as the embodiment of the Bodhisattva of Compassion^[25].

See Tibetan Buddhist canon for texts recognized as scripture and commentary. The Tibetan Buddhist canon is a loosely defined list of Sacred texts recognized by various sects of Tibetan Buddhism.

Red Hat and Yellow Hat Sects, Ka'ma and Sarma traditions

The schools are sometimes divided into the "Old Translation", or Nyingma, and "New Translation" (Sarma) traditions, with the Kagyu, Sakya and Kadam/Gelug among the latter. The Nyingma tradition is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism (the other three being the Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug) Sarma ( In Tibetan Buddhism, the Sarma (new translation schools include the three newest of the four main schools comprising Kagyu They are also sometimes classified as "Red Hat" and "Yellow Hat" schools, with the Nyingma, Kagyu and Sakya among the former and the Gelug comprising the latter. The Gelug or Gelug-pa, also known as the Yellow Hat sect, is a school of Buddhism founded by Tsongkhapa (1357–1419 a Philosopher The terms "Old Translation" and "New Translation" particularly relate to translations and lineages of various Tantric texts.

Minor schools

Besides the above main schools, there are a number of minor ones like Jonang. The Jonang ( Chinese 觉囊 school of Tibetan Buddhism became widely known at the end of the 13th century The Jonangpa were suppressed by the rival Gelugpa in the 1600s and were once thought extinct, but are now known to survive in Eastern Tibet. The Jonang ( Chinese 觉囊 school of Tibetan Buddhism became widely known at the end of the 13th century The Gelug or Gelug-pa, also known as the Yellow Hat sect, is a school of Buddhism founded by Tsongkhapa (1357–1419 a Philosopher For other meanings see Kham (disambiguation. KHAM (995 FM) is a commercial Radio station that is licensed to serve the

There is also an ecumenical movement known as Rimé. Ecumenism (also oecumenism, œcumenism) refers to initiatives aimed at greater Religious unity or cooperation Rimé is a Buddhist Ecumenical movement founded in Eastern Tibet during the late 19th century largely by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and ^[26]

Study of tenet systems in Tibetan Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhists practise one or more understandings of the true nature of reality, the emptiness of all things. Emptiness is propounded according to four classical Indian schools of philosophical tenets.

Two belong to the older Hinayana path (Skt. Hīnayāna ( Chinese: 小乘 Xiǎochèng; Korean: 소승 Soseung; Japanese: Shōjō; Vietnamese: Tiểu for Lesser Vehicle, Tib. theg dman). (Hinayana is sometimes referred to as Śravakayāna (Skt. Hīnayāna ( Chinese: 小乘 Xiǎochèng; Korean: 소승 Soseung; Japanese: Shōjō; Vietnamese: Tiểu Śrāvakayāna is one of the three yānas known to Mahāyāna Buddhism. Vehicle of Hearers) because "lesser" may be considered derogatory):

• Vaibhasika (Tib. bye-brag smra-ba)
• Sautrantika (Tib. The Sautrāntika were an early school of Buddhist philosophy. mdo-sde-pa)

The primary source for the former is the Abhidharmakosha by Vasubandhu and commentaries. Abhidharma-kośa (the compendium of Abhidharma) is a key text in verse written in Sanskrit by Vasubandhu. Vasubandhu ( fl 4th c was according to Mahayana Buddhist tradition an Indian Buddhist scholar-monk and along with his half-brother Asanga The Abhidharmakosha is also an important source for the Sautrantikas. Abhidharma-kośa (the compendium of Abhidharma) is a key text in verse written in Sanskrit by Vasubandhu. Dignaga and Dharmakirti are the most prominent exponents. Dignāga ( fl 5th century) was an Indian scholar and one of the Buddhist founders of Indian logic. Dharmakirti ( ca 7th century was an Indian scholar and one of the Buddhist founders of Indian philosophical logic.

The other two are Mahayana (Skt. Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for Greater Vehicle) (Tib. theg-chen):

• Yogacara, also called Cittamatra (Tib. Yogācāra (Sanskrit "yoga practice" "one whose practice is yoga" Chinese Yüjiazong "Yoga School" 瑜珈宗 is an influential school of Eastern Philosophy In Buddhism, consciousness-only or mind-only ( Sanskrit: vijñapti-mātratā, vijñapti-mātra, citta-mātra; Chinese sems-tsam-pa), Mind-Only
• Madhyamaka (Tib. Madhyamaka ( Sanskrit: मध्यमक Madhyamaka,, Pinyin: Zhōngguānzōng; also known as Śunyavada) is a Buddhist dbu-ma-pa)

Yogacarin base their views on texts from Maitreya, Asanga and Vasubandhu, Madhyamikas on Nagarjuna and Aryadeva. Maitreya ( Sanskrit) or Metteyya ( Pāli) is a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. Asanga (also called Aryasanga born around 300 CE was an exponent of the Yogācāra school of Buddhist philosophy Vasubandhu ( fl 4th c was according to Mahayana Buddhist tradition an Indian Buddhist scholar-monk and along with his half-brother Asanga Acharya Nāgārjuna ( Telugu: నాగార్జున (c 150 - 250 CE) was an Indian philosopher the founder of the Madhyamaka Aryadeva (3rd Century CE was a disciple of Nagarjuna and author of several important Mahayana Madhyamaka Buddhist texts There is a further classification of Madhyamaka into Svatantrika-Madhyamaka and Prasangika-Madhyamaka. The former stems from Bhavaviveka, Santaraksita and Kamalashila, and the latter from Buddhapalita and Chandrakirti. Bhavaviveka or Bhavya (Tib slob-dpon bha-vya or skal-ldan/legs-ldan) c Śāntarakṣita ( Devanagari: शान्तरक्षित was a renowned 8th Century Indian Buddhist Pandit and abbot of Nalanda University Buddhapalita (470&ndash550 was a commentator on the works of Nagarjuna and Aryadeva. Candrakīrti (600&ndashc 650 ( Devanagari: चन्द्रकीर्ति Tib

The tenet system is used in the monasteries and colleges to teach Buddhist philosophy in a systematic and progressive fashion, each philosophical view being more subtle than its predecessor. Therefore the four schools 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, that is on emptiness and dependent arising, culminating in the philosophy of the Madhyamikas, which is widely believed to present the most sophisticated point of view. Emptiness as a Human condition of generalized Boredom, Social alienation and Apathy. The doctrine of pratītyasamutpāda (Sanskrit paticcasamuppāda; rten ^[27]

Monasticism

Verhaegen (2002: p. 28) frames the political and economical dynamic within the evolving context of Tibetan Buddhism:

Being politically involved from its very beginning in Tibet, Tibetan Buddhism's various schools and sub-sects, in order to further their own interests, had become allied with the hereditary nobility. The aristocratic families, seeking power, influence, and support, increasingly became the secular arms of the monasteries and sects they supported. In time, as the monasteries became increasingly economic and political entities, their power often eclipsed that of their patrons. ^[28][29]

Although there were many householder-yogis in Tibet, monasticism was the foundation of Buddhism in Tibet. In English translations of Buddhist literature, householder denotes a variety of terms A yogi ( Sanskrit, feminine root Yogini) is a term for a male practitioner of various forms of the path of Yoga, maintaining There were thousands of monasteries in Tibet, and nearly all were ransacked and destroyed by the Chinese communists, mainly during the Cultural Revolution. This article concerns the buildings occupied by monastics. For the life inside monasteries and its historical roots see Monasticism. The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution in the People’s Republic of China was a struggle for power within the Communist Party of China that manifested into Most of the major ones have been at least partially re-established.

In Mongolia during the 1920s, approximately one third of the male population were monks, though many lived outside monasteries. These monasteries were largely dismantled during Communist rule, but many have been reestablished during the Buddhist revival in Mongolia which followed the fall of Communism.

Monasteries generally adhere to one particular school. Some of the major centers in each tradition are as follows:

Nyingma

The Nyingma lineage is said to have "six mother monasteries," although the composition of the six has changed over time:

• Dorje Drak
• Dzogchen Monastery
• Kathok
• Mindroling
• Palyul
• Shechen

Also of note is

• Samye — the first monastery in Tibet, established by Padmasambhava and Shantarakshita

Kagyu

Many Kagyu monasteries are in Kham, eastern Tibet. Dorje Drak (English Indestructible Rock monastery was one of the primary Nyingma monasteries in Tibet. Dzogchen Monastery (Tib rdzogs chen dgon pa) is one of the six great monasteries of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Mindroling Monastery (pronounced MINH-droh-lyng, not Mind-Rolling) is one of the six major monasteries of the Nyingma school in Tibet Palyul is one of the six mother monasteries of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. The Shechen Monastery ( is one of the primary Nyingma monasteries in Tibet. The Samye Monastery or Samye Gompa ( is the first Buddhist Monastery built in Tibet, constructed in approximately 775 AD under Padmasambhava () The Lotus Born, is said to have transmitted Tantric Buddhism to Bhutan and Tibet in the 8th century. Śāntarakṣita ( Devanagari: शान्तरक्षित was a renowned 8th Century Indian Buddhist Pandit and abbot of Nalanda University A Bhikkhu ( Pāli) or Bhiksu ( Sanskrit) is a fully ordained male Buddhist Monastic. Rumtek ( also called the Dharmachakra Centre, is a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery located in the Indian state of Sikkim near the capital Sikkim ( Nepali:, also Sikhim) is a Landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayas It is the least populous state in India Tsurphu, one of the most important, is in central Tibet, as is Ralung.

• Palpung Monastery — the seat of the Tai Situpa and Jamgon Kongtrul
• Ralung Monastery -- the seat of the Gyalwang Drukpa
• Surmang Monastery — the seat of the Trungpa tülkus
• Tsurphu Monastery — the seat of H. Palpung Monastery ( is a Buddhist temple in Tibet in the vicinity of Dergé. In Tibetan Buddhism the Tai Situpa is one of the oldest lineages of Tulkus (reincarnated Lamas in the Kagyu school Jamgon Kongtrul was a prominent Tibetan Buddhist teacher ( Lama) and is also the name shared by members of a lineage held by tradition to be his subsequent reincarnations Ralung Monastery, located in the Tsang region of western Tibet, is the traditional seat of the Drukpa Kagyu order of Tibetan Buddhism. The Gyalwang Drukpa or Drukchen ("Druk" means "Dragon" and "Chen" means "Chenpo" or "Great" in Tibetan an unofficial address Surmang refers to a vast alpine nomadic and farming region historically a duchy under the King of Nangchen, with vast land holdings spreading over what is today the Tibet The Trungpa Tülkus are a line of incarnate Tibetan Lamas who traditionally head Surmang monastery (complex in Kham (Eastern Tibet Tsurphu Monastery (also Tolung Tsurpu / sTod lung mTshur phu is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery which served as the traditional seat of the Karmapa. H. the Gyalwa Karmapa

Sakya

• Sakya Monastery — the seat of H. The Karmapa (officially His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa) is the head of the Karma Kagyu, the largest sub-school of the Kagyupa ( Tibetan Sakya Monastery, also known as dPal Sa skya or Pel Sakya ("White Earth" or "Pale Earth" is a Buddhist Monastery situated 25 km southeast H. the Sakya Trizin

Gelug

The three most important centers of the Gelugpa lineage are Ganden, Sera and Drepung Monasteries. The Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism refers to its head as the Sakya Trizin.

• Ganden Monastery — the seat of the Ganden Tripa
• Drepung Monastery — the home monastery of the Dalai Lama
• Sera Monastery — the largest monastery in Tibet, containing numerous colleges
• Tashi Lhunpo Monastery — the seat of the Panchen Lama
• Jokhang Temple/Monastery — said to have been built by King Songtsen Gampo in 647 AD, a major pilgrimage site

History of Tibetan Buddhism

According to a Tibetan legendary tradition, Buddhist scriptures (among them the Karandavyuha Sutra) and relics (among them the Cintamani) arrived in southern Tibet during the reign of Lha Thothori Nyantsen, the 28th "king of Tibet" (fifth century), who was probably just a local chief in the Yarlung valley. Ganden Monastery (also Gaden or Gandain) or Ganden Namgyeling is one of the 'great three' Gelukpa university monasteries of Tibet The Ganden Tripa or Gaden Tripa ("Holder of the Ganden Throne" is the title of the spiritual leader of the Gelug (Dge-lugs school of Tibetan Buddhism Drepung Monastery (literally “Rice Heap” monastery) located at the foot of Mount Gephel, is one of the "great three" Gelukpa university monasteries The Dalai Lama is the spiritual and political leader of the Tibetan people according to Tibetan Buddhism. Sera Monastery ( (Se ra Theng chen gling is one of the 'great three' Gelukpa university monasteries of Tibet. Tashilhunpo Monastery ( founded in 1447 by Gendun Drup, the First Dalai Lama, is a historic and culturally important Monastery next to The Panchen Lama ( Tibetan: པན་ཆེན་བླ་མ་ Chinese: 班禪喇嘛 is the second highest ranking Lama after the Dalai Lama The Jokhang, () also called the Qokang, Jokang, Jokhang Temple, Jokhang Monastery or Tsuklakang (gTsug lag khang, is the first Songtsän Gampo ( Tibetan: སྲོང་བཙན་སྒམ་པོ་ Wylie: Srong-btsan For Hindu Chintamani Ganesha shrine in Ashtavinayak temples go to Ashtavinayak#Shri Chintamani Cintamani (also spelled as Chintamani Lha Thothori Nyantsen (also spelled Lha Tho tho ri Nyentsen or lHa-tho-tho-ri gNyan-btsan was the 28th King of Tibet according to the Tibetan legendary tradition The tale is miraculous (the objects fell from the sky on the roof of the king's palace), but it may have an historical background (arrival of Buddhist missionaries). ^[30]

The earliest well-documented influence of Buddhism in Tibet dates from the reign of king Songtsän Gampo, who died in 650. Songtsän Gampo ( Tibetan: སྲོང་བཙན་སྒམ་པོ་ Wylie: Srong-btsan He married a Chinese Buddhist princess, Wencheng. Princess Wencheng ( Tibetan: Mung-chang Kungco Chinese: 文成公主 Pinyin: Wénchéng Gōngzhǔ (d According to a Tibetan legendary tradition, he also married a Nepalese Buddhist princess, Bhrikuti; but Bhrikuti, who bears the name of a goddess, is not mentioned in reliable sources. The Nepali Princess Bhrikuti Devi, known to Tibetans as Bal-mo-bza' Khri-btsun, Bhelsa Tritsun ('Nepali consort' or simply Khri bTsun ("Royal Songtsän Gampo founded the first Buddhist temples. By the second half of the 8th century he was already regarded as an embodiment of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. ^[31]

The successors of Songtsän Gampo seem to have been less enthusiastic about the propagation of Buddhism. But in the 8th century, emperor Trisong Detsen (755-797) established Buddhism as the official religion of the state. Trisong Detsän or Trisong Detsen ཁྲི་སྲོང་ལྡེ་བཙན (Tibetan Wylie Khri-srong-lde-btsan; ipa ʈʂʰisoŋ tetsɛ̃; PRC ^[32] He invited Indian Buddhist scholars to his court. In his age the famous tantric mystic Padmasambhava arrived in Tibet according to the Tibetan tradition. Padmasambhava () The Lotus Born, is said to have transmitted Tantric Buddhism to Bhutan and Tibet in the 8th century. In addition to writing a number of important scriptures (some of which he hid for future tertons to find), Padmasambhava established the Nyingma school from which all schools of Tibetan Buddhism are derived. Terma are key Tibetan Buddhist and Bön teachings originally Esoterically secreted hidden by various adepts such as Padmasambhava and his The Nyingma tradition is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism (the other three being the Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug)

Tibetan Buddhism exerted a strong influence from the 11th century AD among the peoples of Central Asia, especially in Mongolia and Manchuria. Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south Mongolia (mɒŋˈɡoʊliə, literally Mongol country/nation,) is a Landlocked Country in East Manchuria ( Romanized Manchu: Manju,, Маньчжурия Mongolian: Манж is a historical name given to a vast geographic region in northeast It was adopted as an official state religion by the Mongol Yuan dynasty and the Manchu Qing dynasty that ruled China. The Yuan Dynasty ( Pinyin: Yuáncháo Dai Ön Ulus (Дай Юан Улс was a ruling Dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai The Manchu people ( Manchu: Manju;, Mongolian: Манж Russian: Маньчжуры are a Tungusic people who originated in Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National

Transmission of Ch'an to the Nyingmapa

Chinese Ch'an Buddhism was introduced to the Nyingmapa in three principal streams: the teachings of Master Kim, Kim Ho-shang, (Chin ho shang) 金和尚 transmitted by Sang Shi^[33] in c750 CE; the lineage of Master Wu Chu, 無住 of the Pao T'ang School was transmitted within Tibet by Ye shes dbang po; and the teaching from Mo Ho Yen, 和尚摩訶衍 (Tibetan: Hwa shang Mahayana) that were a synthesis of the Northern School of Ch'an and the Pao T'ang School. Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, referred to in Chinese as Chan. The Nyingma tradition is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism (the other three being the Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug) Musang Wu-hsiang Master Kim Kim Ho-shang Chin ho shang 金和尚 (684-762 was a Ch'an master whose teachings were amongst the first streams of Ch'an Buddhist transmitted to Tibet Pao-t'ang Wu-chu or 'Bao-tang Wu-zhu' (保唐无住 (Chinese 無住 Wu-chu 714-774CE head and founder of Pao-t'ang Monastery (Chinese 保唐寺 at Chengtu, Heshang Moheyan (和尚摩訶衍 Wade-Giles: Ho-shang Mo-ho-yen; Héshang Móhēyǎn or Hvashang Moheyan in Tibetan sources was a late eighth ^[34]

Tibetan king Khri srong lde btsan (742–797) invited the Ch’an master Mo-ho-yen (whose name consists of the same Chinese characters used to transliterate “Mahayana”) to transmit the Dharma at Samye Monastery. Trisong Detsän or Trisong Detsen ཁྲི་སྲོང་ལྡེ་བཙན (Tibetan Wylie Khri-srong-lde-btsan; ipa ʈʂʰisoŋ tetsɛ̃; PRC Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for Mo-ho-yen had been disseminating Dharma in the Tun-huang locale, but, according to Tibetan sources, lost an important philosophical debate on the nature of emptiness from the Indian master Kamalashila, and the king declared Kamalashila's philosophy should form the basis for Tibetan Buddhism. ^[35] However, a Chinese source says their side won, and some scholars conclude that the entire episode is fictitious. ^[36]

Tibetan Buddhism in the contemporary world

Today, Tibetan Buddhism is adhered to widely in the Tibetan Plateau, Nepal, Bhutan, Mongolia, Kalmykia (on the north-west shore of the Caspian), Siberia (central Russia, specifically Buryatia and Chita Oblast), and the Russian Far East (concentrated in Tyva). Ulan Bator, or Ulaanbaatar (Улаанбаатар is the Capital and largest city of Mongolia. Mongolia (mɒŋˈɡoʊliə, literally Mongol country/nation,) is a Landlocked Country in East The Tibetan Plateau, also known as the Qinghai-Tibetan (Qingzang Plateau is a vast elevated Plateau in Central Asia covering most of the Tibet Autonomous Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. The Kingdom of Bhutan (buːˈtɑːn is a Landlocked nation in South Asia. Mongolia (mɒŋˈɡoʊliə, literally Mongol country/nation,) is a Landlocked Country in East The Republic of Kalmykia (Респу́блика Калмы́кия Kalmyk: Хальмг Таңһч is a federal subject of the Russian Federation (a Siberia (Сиби́рь Sibir) is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving Buryat Republic (Респу́блика Буря́тия Буряад Республика is a federal subject of Russia (a Republic) Chita Oblast (Чити́нская о́бласть Chitinskaya oblast) was a federal subject of Russia (an Oblast) in south-east Siberia Russian Far East (Да́льний Восто́к Росси́и ˈdalʲnʲɪj vʌˈstok rʌˈsʲiɪ is a term that refers to the Russian part of the Far East, i Tyva Republic (Респу́блика Тыва́ Respublika Tyva, rʲɪˈspublʲɪkə tɨˈva Тыва Республика Tyva Respublika) or Tuva The Indian regions of Sikkim and Ladakh, both formerly independent kingdoms, are also home to significant Tibetan Buddhist populations. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Sikkim ( Nepali:, also Sikhim) is a Landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayas It is the least populous state in India Ladakh ( Ladakhi lad̪ɑks लदाख لدّاخ "land of high passes" is a region in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir between In the wake of the Tibetan diaspora, Tibetan Buddhism has gained adherents in the West and throughout the world; there are estimated to be tens of thousands of practitioners in Europe and the Americas. Celebrity Tibetan Buddhism practitioners include Richard Gere, Adam Yauch, Jet Li, Allen Ginsberg; Philip Glass, and Steven Seagal (who has been proclaimed a tulku). Richard Tiffany Gere (born August 31, 1949) is a Golden Globe - and Screen Actors Guild Award -winning American Actor. Adam Nathaniel Yauch (pronounced IPA /jaʊk/ also known as MCA and Nathaniel Hörnblowér, (born August 5, 1964) is a founding Li Lianjie (born April 26 1963 better known by his stage name Jet Li, is a Chinese martial artist (Kung fu Actor, Wushu champion Irwin Allen Ginsberg (ˈgɪnzbɝg (June 3 1926 &ndash April 5 1997 was an American Poet. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> Philip Glass (born January 31 Steven F Seagal (born April 10 1951 is an American Action movie Actor, producer, writer director, Martial artist A tulku ( also tülku, trulku) is a Tibetan Buddhist Lama who has through Phowa and Siddhi, consciously ^[37]

See also

• Dzogchen
• Mahamudra
• Tibetan Buddhist teachers
• Traditional Tibetan medicine

Notes

References

• Coleman, Graham, ed. (1993). A Handbook of Tibetan Culture. Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc. . ISBN 1-57062-002-4.
• Conze, Edward (1993). Eberhart (Edward Julius Dietrich Conze (1904 - 1979 was an Anglo - German scholar probably best known for his pioneering translations of Buddhist A Short History of Buddhism. Oneworld. ISBN 1851680667.  

• Dhargyey, Geshe Ngawang; ed. Alexander Berzin, based on oral trans. by Sharpa Tulku (3rd edn, 1978). Tibetan Tradition of Mental Development. Dharmsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives.   [A pithy lam-rim by a geshe appointed in 1973 by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as head of the translation team at the Tibetan Library. ]

• Dhargyey, Geshe Ngawang; ed. Alexander Berzin, based on oral trans. by Sharpa Tulku (1982). An Anthology of Well-Spoken Advice on the Graded Paths of the Mind, Vol. I. Dharmsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. ISBN 8186470298.   [The first part of a more extensive lam-rim by a geshe appointed in 1973 by His Holiness 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. ]

• Hopkins, Jeffrey (1996). Meditation on Emptiness. Boston: Wisdom. ISBN 0861711106.   [Definitive treatment of emptiness according to the Prasangika-Madhyamika school. ]

• Lati Rinpoche; trans. & ed. : Elizabeth Napper (1980). Mind in Tibetan Buddhism: Oral Commentary on Ge-shay Jam-bel-sam-pel’s “Presentation of Awareness and Knowledge Composite of All the Important Points Opener of the Eye of New Intelligence. Valois, NY: Snow Lion. ISBN 0937938025.  

• Nyanaponika Thera (1965). Nyanaponika Thera or Nyaniponika Mahathera ( July 21, 1901, Hanau &ndash 19 October, 1994, Forest Hermitage Kandy The Heart of Buddhist Meditation. Boston: Weiser. ISBN 0877280738.  

• Pabongka Rinpoche; Ed. Pabongka Rinpoche ( also spelt Phabongkha Jampa Tenzin Trinlay Gyatso (1878-1941 was one of the great Gelug lamas of the modern era of Tibetan Buddhism. Trijang Rinpoche, transl. Michael Richards (3rd edn. 2006). Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand, A Concise Discourse on the Path to Enlightenment. Somerville, MA: Wisdom. ISBN 0861715004.   [This famous lam-rim text was written from notes on an extended discourse by the Gelugpa geshe, Pabongka Rinpoche in 1921 and translated through extensive consultation with Achok Rinpoche (Library of Tibetan Works and Archives). ]

• Ringu Tulku. The Ri-Me Philosophy of Jamgon Kongtrul the Great: A Study of the Buddhist Lineages of Tibet. Shambhala. ISBN 1-59030-286-9.  

• Smith, E. Gene (2001). Among Tibetan Texts: History and Literature of the Himalayan Plateau. Boston: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-179-3

• Sopa, Geshe Lhundup; Jeffrey Hopkins (1977). Practice and Theory of Tibetan Buddhism. New Delhi: B. I. Publications. ISBN 0091256216.   [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). ]

• Tsong-kha-pa; the Lamrim Chenmo Translation Committee; Joshua Cutler, ed. in chief; Guy Newland, ed. (2000). The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, Volume I. Canada: Snow Lion. ISBN 1559391529.  

• Tsong-kha-pa; the Lamrim Chenmo Translation Committee; Joshua Cutler, ed. in chief; Guy Newland, ed. (2002). The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, Volume II. Canada: Snow Lion. ISBN 1559391685.  

• Tsong-kha-pa; the Lamrim Chenmo Translation Committee; Joshua Cutler, ed. in chief; Guy Newland, ed. (2004). The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, Volume III. Canada: Snow Lion. ISBN 1559391669.  

• Wallace, B. Alan (1999), "The Buddhist Tradition of Samatha: Methods for Refining and Examining Consciousness", Journal of Consciousness Studies 6 (2-3): 175-187 .

Further reading

Introductory books

• Wallace, B. Alan (October 25, 1993). Tibetan Buddhism From the Ground Up: A Practical Approach for Modern Life. Wisdom Publications. ISBN-10: 0861710754, ISBN-13: 978-0861710751
• Yeshe, Lama Thubten (2001). "The Essence of Tibetan Buddhism". Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive. ISBN 1-891868-08-X

Other books

• Coleman, Graham, ed. (1993). A Handbook of Tibetan Culture. Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc. . ISBN 1-57062-002-4.

• Lati Rinpoche; trans. & ed. : Elizabeth Napper (1980). Mind in Tibetan Buddhism: Oral Commentary on Ge-shay Jam-bel-sam-pel’s “Presentation of Awareness and Knowledge Composite of All the Important Points Opener of the Eye of New Intelligence. Valois, NY: Snow Lion. ISBN 0937938025.  

• Ringu Tulku. The Ri-Me Philosophy of Jamgon Kongtrul the Great: A Study of the Buddhist Lineages of Tibet. Shambhala. ISBN 1-59030-286-9.  

• Smith, E. Gene (2001). Among Tibetan Texts: History and Literature of the Himalayan Plateau. Boston: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-179-3

External links

• Tibetan Buddhism at the Open Directory Project
• LamRim.com - Tibetan Buddhist Internet Radio
• The Tibetan and Himalayan Digital Library
• The Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center
• Tibetan Buddhist Practice eCalendar
• Famous Monasteries of Tibet
• Tibetan Buddhism: History and the Four Traditions
• The extensive archives of teachings from Alexander Berzin
• Lotsawa House | Tibetan Buddhist Texts | Translations
• Tibetan Buddhism in the West by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
• Shambhala Sun - Tibetan Buddhism
• Documentary feature film about how to follow a Vajrayana Buddhist teacher

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