Tibetan Buddhism

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Buddha statue

Tibetan Buddhism is one of the most esoteric, psychological, and philosophical forms of the Buddhist religion. It was of course developed in the Himalayan regions of Tibet, between India and China. Buddhism is divided into two main divisions; Mahayana (the large boat) and Hinayana(the small boat). The rationale being that Mahayana is for the masses,while Hinayana is for a comparatively smaller audience.

Tibetan Buddhism is a form called Vajrayana(sometimes called the Thunderbolt path). It is considered a "Tantric" form, because enlightenment is achieved through the medium of the physical body.

Contents 1 Overview 2 Divisions 2.1 Black hats (Nyingmapa) 2.2 Red hats (Kagyu) 2.3 Yellow hats (Sakya) 2.4 Gelupa 3 Legendary figures 3.1 Avalokitesvara 3.2 Padma Sambhava 3.3 Milerapa 1052-1135 A.D. (aprox.) 4 Practices 4.1 Pranja Paramitra Hydra Sutra 4.2 Madhyamika 4.3 Trikaya doctrine 5 Observations 5.1 Consciousness transference 5.2 Visual meditation 5.3 Dream yoga 5.4 Tibetan Book of the Dead 6 In the West (modern) 7 See also 8 External links 9 Relevant discussion threads

Overview

Many people know of the Dalai Lama, who has been in exile since the mid 1950's, when China annexed the Tibetan region. But the Dalai Lama is traditionally, only the secular leader of Tibet. The religious or spiritual leader is suspossed to be the Tashi Lama. The transmission of leadership from Lama to Lama has always been traditionally by reincarnation. The new Lama is known as a Tulku.

Some of the most scholarly, philosophical, and metaphysical developments of Buddhism occured within the Tibetan forms. Generally, Tibetan Buddhism is divided into three or four sects; The Black hats, The Red hats, and The Yellow hats. There are also the pre-Buddhist, Bonpa who practice animistic rituals. These rituals often involve human remains or relics, and the Bonpa are sometimes associated with the practices of Black magic.

Divisions

Black hats (Nyingmapa)

The Nyinmapa were the earliest Buddhist in Tibet. They continued many of the practices of the Bonpa.

Red hats (Kagyu)

A reformed order of Buddhism, the Kagyu or Kargyupa developed in Tibet. Marpa a translator and teacher, and his more famous student Milerepa were two early proponents.

Yellow hats (Sakya)

Buddhism was further reformed due to the "contamination" of the Kagyu, by Bonpa practices. While esoteric, the yellow hat followed few of the Bonpa practices.

Gelupa

The Gelupa combined practices of the Nyingmapa, the Kagyu, and the Sakya. They were also strongly influenced by the Madhyamika (middle way) of Nagarjuna. This is the school (sect) associated with the Dalai Lama.

Legendary figures

In Tibetan Buddhism, there are a number of great figures of legend. Avalokitesvara, Padma Sambhava, and Milerepa are three of the most famous.

Avalokitesvara

Avalokitesvara is known as a legendary ancestor of the Tibetan people. He is remembered as a Bodhisatta who peformed many miraculous deeds. He is identified with the Budda of the Western Paradise, Amitaba. He is also identified with Kwan Yin (China) and Kannon (Japan). He is also identified with the incarnations of the Dalai Lama.

Padma Sambhava

Padma Sambhava (Guru Rimpoche) was the greatest Buddhist "saint" of Tibet. He was said to possess many great powers (siddhas) and said to have hidden many spiritual(treasures) writings around Tibet. They would later be found by spiritual treasure finders (Tertons).

Milerapa 1052-1135 A.D. (aprox.)

One of Tibet's most famous yogis. He studied under the great Buddhist teacher and translator, Marpa. Milerepa was said to have acheived Vajradhara (complete enlightenment). He was very rare, and said to have been the first to reach this state in one lifetime.

Practices

The Grand Lamas are thought to be reincarnated, again and again. When the old Lama dies a search is begun to find his new incarnation, (called a Tulku) A young child is found bearing marks that "prove" that he is the reincarnated Lama.

Lamas are thought to be Bodhisattvas. A Bodhisattva is a Buddha that has postponed his enlightenment until all other sentient beings can also acheive enlightenment.

Tibetan Buddhism teaches the doctrine of "Consciousness transference". A single consciousness (mind) is able to "move" from one place or "being" to another. (hand in hand with reincarnation).

Many Lamas and adepts are thought to have developed great psychic(magical) powers, through the metaphysical practices of Tibetan Buddhism. These powers are know as "Siddhas".

A Lama or Adept can create an autonomus "being" by thought alone. In Tibetan lore, these beings often take on a life of their own. It is said to be much harder to banish them than to create them.

Pranja Paramitra Hydra Sutra

The Pranja Paramitra Hydra Sutra is one of the highest teachings of some schools of Tibetan Buddhism. This is a scripture attributed to the historical Buddah, Sakaymuni of India. This sutra teaches that "reality" does not truly exist. Reality is said to be a creation of the five senses. When its causes are subtly investigated, they are seen to be in essence non-existant.

Madhyamika

The Madhyamika, (of Nagarjuna) called "the Middle way", between reality and non-existance is highly reguarded. It reiterates the teachings of thr Pranja paramitra Sutra. A quote attributed to Nagarjuna is, "Phenonemon is real; nothing exists". Nagarjuna is reputed to be the founder of two dimetrically opposed schools of Buddhism; The Madhyamika ,(metaphysical) and the Yogachara (tantric). The Madhyamika is known in japan as Mikkyo, somtimes observed to be a divison of the Buddhist Shingon school. Mikkyo was by tradition, the religion of the Ninja clans.

Trikaya doctrine

The Trikaya doctrine (Three Bodies/Three worlds).

1. Dharmakaya : Body of Truth (enligentenment/Heaven).
2. Sambhogakaya : Body of Reflection (unconscious/archetypes).
3. Nirmanakaya : Body of Creation (physical body/world).

Observations

Consciousness transference

If this doctrine is true it may provide an explanation for Telepathy, Astral projection, Biolocution, (being two places at once) and Reincarnation.

Visual meditation

Practices and meditation in Tibetan Buddhism often employ visual exercise similar in technique to moderm Silva Mind Control.

Dream yoga

There are doctrine and practices taught that produce effects virtually identical to the modern psychological practice of Lucid dreaming. The theory is, if you learn to control your dreams, you can also learn to control your waking life.

Tibetan Book of the Dead

This "manual" to the stages of the afterlife offer descriptions and accounts of great similarity to the modern phenomenon of Near death experiences, that is, "the tunnel the lights", out of body experiences (OBE), and so on.

In the West (modern)

Almost all of the transalators of Tibetan Buddhism into English were Christian theologians. Evans, Wentz of Cambridge Press is just the foremost example.

The Dalai Lama travels frequently in the West, especially in the United States. He has won a Nobel Peace Prize, and is something of a cause celebre among Hollywood elite.

Chogyam Trungpa Rimpoche (a Tulku of the Kagyu tradition) founded The Naropa Institute, a Buddhist university,in Bolder Colorado in 1974. Interestingly, the mountains around Bolder Co. were where the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) choose to train Tibetan Kamba tribesmen insurgents during the 1960's. (They were never deployed). There is a small reference to them in the after "Watergate" best seller, The Pentagon Papers.

See also

• Ancient Indian Civilization
• Islam
• Theosophy

External links

• Archive.org

• Lion city

• Churchward

• Songtsen library

• Why do statues of Buddha have long earlobes? What's the difference between fat Buddha and regular Buddha?

Relevant discussion threads

• what you should know about the 14th Dalai Lama

• Tibetan monks say world will not end in 2012

• Monks Remote View the Aliens Coming

• Who Do You Think He Is?