Tibetan Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism is a special kind of Buddhism that people practice mainly in Tibet, Bhutan, and Mongolia. You can also find followers in places near the Himalayas, like parts of India such as Ladakh, Darjeeling, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh, as well as in Nepal. Smaller groups live in Central Asia and some parts of China and Russia.

This form of Buddhism grew from a bigger branch called Mahayana Buddhism and includes many special practices from ancient Indian Buddhism, along with some unique Tibetan ideas. It became well-known around the world partly because of leaders like the Dalai Lama, who moved to India in 1959.

Tibetan Buddhism has four main groups or schools: Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelug. Each has its own traditions but works together in many ways. The main aim in this Buddhism is to reach a state called Buddhahood. People study special books written in the old classical Tibetan language.

Nomenclature

In Tibet, people call their form of Buddhism "The Dharma of the insiders" or "The Buddha Dharma of the insiders." This means that followers look for truth inside their own minds, not outside. This is different from other religions, which are called "dharma systems." For example, Christianity is called the "Jesus dharma system."

When people in the West first learned about Tibetan Buddhism, they often used the Chinese term "Lamaism," meaning "doctrine of the lamas." This term was used by scholars long ago but is now seen as not fully accurate.

Sometimes, the word "Vajrayāna" is used for Tibetan Buddhism, but it really refers to certain special practices found not just in Tibetan Buddhism but also in other Buddhist traditions, like in China and Japan.

In recent times, people in the West have started using the term "Indo-Tibetan Buddhism" to show that it comes from the later stages of Buddhist development in northern India. It is also sometimes called "Northern Buddhism."

The term "Himalayan" Buddhism is used to show that this form of Buddhism is practiced not only in Tibet but also throughout the Himalayan Regions.

History

Main article: History of Tibetan Buddhism

Pre–6th century

After Buddhism began in India, a form called Mahayana Buddhism reached China through Tibet in the first century CE. By the third century CE, Buddhism started to grow in Tibet, influencing an older religion called Bon.

First dissemination (7th–9th centuries)

Main article: Tibetan Empire

Buddhism was officially brought to Tibet during the time of the Tibetan Empire, between the 7th and 9th centuries. Important Buddhist texts from India were translated into Tibetan, and the Tibetan writing system was created. In the 8th century, a king made Buddhism the official religion and built the first monastery, Samye.

Era of fragmentation (9th–10th centuries)

After a king opposed Buddhism, the country split into smaller pieces. Even so, Buddhism continued because it helped Tibetans connect with spirits and solve everyday problems.

Second dissemination (10th–12th centuries)

Buddhism returned stronger in the late 10th and 11th centuries. A famous teacher named Atiśa helped spread Buddhist ideas and translate important texts. New Buddhist schools formed, like the Kadampa and Sakya.

Mongol dominance (13th–14th centuries)

Main article: Tibet under Yuan rule

The Mongols took control of Tibet and supported Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhism became very important to the Mongol leaders, and many Buddhist texts were collected and carved into wood for printing.

From family rule to Ganden Phodrang government (14th–18th centuries

With the end of Mongol rule, local families governed Tibet. A new Buddhist school, the Gelug, formed and became very important. Later, a united government was created with the help of Mongol leaders.

Qing rule (18th–20th centuries

The Qing Dynasty from China ruled Tibet and supported Buddhism, especially the Gelug school. Many beautiful temples were built, and Buddhism stayed strong among the Mongols too.

20th century

After the Qing Dynasty fell, Tibet became independent for a time. Later, Tibet was taken over by China. Many monasteries were destroyed, and Buddhist leaders fled to other countries. Since the 1980s, some temples have been rebuilt, and interest in Buddhism has grown again, both in Tibet and around the world.

21st century

Today, Tibetan Buddhism is practiced in many places, including Tibet, Mongolia, parts of India, and even in Western countries. The Dalai Lama leads a government in exile, working for peace with China. Buddhist centers can now be found in Europe and North America, attracting many followers.

Teachings

Tibetan Buddhism includes classic Buddhist teachings such as the four noble truths, karma, and rebirth. It also follows ideas from Mahāyāna Buddhism and the Vajrayāna tradition.

Buddhahood and Bodhisattvas

The goal in Mahāyāna Buddhism is to achieve Buddhahood to help all beings. This motivation is called bodhicitta. Bodhisattvas are beings who work to help others reach enlightenment. Important Bodhisattvas include Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri, and Tara.

The Bodhisattva path

Tibetan Buddhism uses the idea of the five paths to describe how someone grows spiritually. These paths are steps toward enlightenment, including learning, preparing, seeing the truth, deepening understanding, and finally reaching enlightenment.

Lamrim

Lamrim is a way of organizing Buddhist teachings into steps for spiritual growth. It comes from an old text by Atiśa and has been expanded by different teachers.

Vajrayāna

Tibetan Buddhism also includes Vajrayāna, which uses special ideas, visualizations, and practices to reach enlightenment more quickly. It includes working with peaceful and fierce deities and their mandalas.

Philosophy

Tibetan Buddhism mostly follows the Madhyamaka philosophy, which teaches that everything is empty of true, lasting existence. Another important philosophy is Yogācāra, which looks at how our minds shape our world. These ideas help monks and students study and understand Buddhism deeply.

Texts and study

Main article: Tibetan Buddhist canon

Studying important Buddhist texts from India is a big part of learning in Tibetan Buddhism schools. Students often memorize classic books and other special texts as part of their training. They also practice debating as a way to understand these teachings better.

The main collection of Buddhist books, called the canon, was mostly finished in the 13th century. It has two parts: the Kangyur with stories and special teachings, and the Tengyur with explanations and comments. The Nyingma school also has its own group of books called the Nyingma Gyubum, put together in the 15th century.

Tibetan is the main language used for studying these books, but they have also been translated into other languages like Mongolian and Manchu. During different Chinese dynasties, many of these books were also translated into Chinese.

Recently, many of these books have been translated into languages spoken in the West by scholars and people who practice Buddhism.

Sutras

Some of the most studied books in Tibetan Buddhism are called Mahāyāna sutras, such as the Perfection of Wisdom or Prajñāpāramitā sutras. Others include the Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra, and the Samādhirāja Sūtra.

Treatises of the Indian masters

Studying books written by Indian Buddhist teachers is very important in Tibetan Buddhism. Some of the most important books are by six great teachers, known as the Six Ornaments and Two Supreme Ones. These teachers are Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Asanga, Vasubandhu, Dignaga, and Dharmakirti, along with Gunaprabha and Shakyaprabha.

Since the late 11th century, Tibetan schools often study Buddhism using five main groups of books:

1. Abhidharma
   • Asanga's Abhidharma-samuccaya
   • Vasubandhu's Abhidharma-kośa
2. Prajnaparamita
   • Abhisamayalankara
   • Shantideva's Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra
3. Madhyamaka
   • Nagarjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā
   • Aryadeva's Four Hundred Verses (Catuhsataka)
   • Candrakīrti's Madhyamakāvatāra
   • Śāntarakṣita's Madhyamākalaṃkāra
   • Shantideva's Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra
4. Pramana
   • Dharmakirti's Pramāṇavarttika
   • Dignāga's Pramāṇa-samuccaya
5. Vinaya
   • Gunaprabha's Vinayamula Sutra

Other important texts

Other important books include the "Five Treatises of Maitreya", such as the Ratnagotravibhāga, which talks about special ideas, and the Mahayanasutralankara, which explains the path of Mahayana from a certain view. Books for meditation practices, like the Yogācārabhūmi-Śāstra and Kamalaśīla's Bhāvanākrama, are also very useful.

While many books come from India, Tibetan teachers have also written their own important works. These are collected into books called sungbum. Different schools use different commentaries and explanations. For example, the Gelug school uses books by Tsongkhapa, while other schools might use newer works by teachers from the Rimé movement like Jamgon Kongtrul and Jamgon Ju Mipham Gyatso.

There is also a special group of hidden teachings called terma, known mostly by Nyingma practitioners. Most of the main books were translated from Indian sources, but Tibetan Buddhism also includes many different ideas and practices from India.

Tantric literature

Main articles: Tantras (Buddhism) and Classes of Tantra in Tibetan Buddhism

In Tibetan Buddhism, special teachings called Tantras are divided into different groups. For the Nyingma school, these groups are Outer Tantras and Inner Tantras. Important books for Nyingma include the Guhyagarbha Tantra, the Guhyasamaja Tantra, the Kulayarāja Tantra and the 17 Dzogchen Tantras.

In other schools, the groups are:

• Kriya-yoga – focused on cleaning and special actions, with books like the Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa.
• Charya-yoga – a mix of outside actions and inside practices, mainly the Mahāvairocana Abhisaṃbodhi Tantra.
• Yoga-tantra – mainly about inside practices, with the Tattvasaṃgraha Tantra.
• Anuttarayoga-tantra, which has more advanced practices and is split into:
  • Father tantras, focusing on special body practices, like the Guhyasamaja Tantra and Yamantaka Tantra.
  • Mother tantras, focusing on building up special mind power, like the Hevajra Tantra and Cakrasamvara Tantra.
  • Non-dual tantras, balancing these ideas, mainly the Kalacakra Tantra

The basic Tantra books are hard to understand without extra explanations, so they are always studied with comments from Indian and Tibetan teachers.

Transmission and realization

Tibetan Buddhism has a long history of passing on teachings by speaking them out loud. These talks can be very short, like saying a special phrase, or very long, lasting months. Sometimes, the teaching can happen even without the person hearing it, like in Asanga's dreams.

Passing teachings by talking is important because it keeps the teaching safe and ready for someone to understand it deeply. The person sharing the teaching must have heard it from someone else who also heard it, going back to the original teacher, like the Buddha. This chain of sharing is called a lineage, and it is very important for the teaching to be real and powerful.

Practices

See also: Tantra techniques (Vajrayana)

In Tibetan Buddhism, practices are split into two main groups: Sutra (or Pāramitāyāna) and Tantra (Vajrayāna). What counts as each group can vary between different traditions. One key difference is the practice of Deity yoga, which separates Tantra from Sutra. Some traditions also see Dzogchen as a separate path that goes beyond both Sutra and Tantra.

While Sutra practices are part of Tantra, Tantra is seen as a stronger but more challenging path. It is usually for those who have a strong base in other practices.

Pāramitā

Main article: Pāramitā

The pāramitās are important virtues for a bodhisattva in non-tantric Mahayana Buddhism. They include:

1. Dāna pāramitā: giving
2. Śīla pāramitā: proper conduct
3. Kṣānti pāramitā: patience
4. Vīrya pāramitā: effort
5. Dhyāna pāramitā: meditation
6. Prajñā pāramitā: wisdom

Giving can mean offering food, or ritual items like water, incense, lights, and flowers to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Compassion is very important, with texts like the Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra guiding this practice. A common meditation is tonglen, which focuses on compassion.

Samatha and Vipaśyanā

The 14th Dalai Lama describes meditation as helping the mind become familiar with an object. Tibetan Buddhism uses two main types of meditation: śamatha (calm abiding) and vipaśyanā (clear seeing).

Śamatha focuses the mind on one object, like a Buddha figure or the breath, to make it calm and stable. Vipaśyanā, practiced after śamatha, helps see deeper truths. It can be analytic, thinking about ideas, or non-analytic, a simple yogic style.

Preliminary practices

See also: Ngöndro

Vajrayāna is seen as the fastest way to reach Buddhahood but can be risky for those not ready. It requires an initiation from a qualified lama. Preliminary practices help prepare for this, including Sutra activities like hearing teachings, kindness, and meditation on key ideas like renunciation and compassion. Without these, practicing Vajrayāna can be challenging.

Common preliminary practices include taking refuge, prostrations, Vajrasattva meditation, and guru yoga. These build merit and readiness for Vajrayāna.

Guru yoga

Main article: Guru yoga

See also: Guru § In Buddhism

Respect for the teacher, or guru, is very important. At the start of a teaching, a lama may bow to a throne or Buddha image, and students bow to the lama. This builds merit and helps with practice. Every Tibetan Buddhist may respect many teachers, but usually has one special root guru.

Esotericism and vows

Tantric practices have special vows called Samaya. Keeping these vows is very important, and breaking them is thought to cause harm.

Ritual

There is a strong link between religious and everyday life in Tibet. Lamas help with protection, prosperity, and rituals for good fortune, health, and successful harvests. Rituals include complex setups, art like mandalas and thangkas, hand gestures, chants, and music.

A special ritual called initiation consecrates someone into a Tantric practice. Another important ritual is for death, to help ensure a good rebirth. This includes readings from texts like the Bardo Thodol to guide the dying person through the time between life and death.

Mantra

An elderly Tibetan woman with a prayer wheel inscribed with mantras

Mantras are special phrases, often in Sanskrit, used in meditation. They help calm the mind and focus it. Repeating mantras like Om Mani Padme Hum is common. Mantras connect to Buddhas or Bodhisattvas and are believed to protect the mind from negativity.

Tantric sadhana and yoga

See also: Deity yoga

Advanced practices include yogas and sadhanas that help understand reality. Deity Yoga involves visualizing deities and repeating mantras. It has two stages: creating the visualization and then letting go into the true nature of reality. This can include energy practices and other techniques like Dream Yoga.

Dzogchen and Mahamudra

Meditations in Mahāmudrā and Dzogchen focus on directly experiencing reality's nature. These are seen as very advanced practices, sometimes as separate paths to liberation. They rely on guidance from a master rather than visualization.

Institutions and clergy

Buddhist monasticism is a key part of Tibetan Buddhism. Major and minor schools all have big monastic institutions based on special monastic rules. Many religious leaders, called Lamas or Gurus, come from these monastic communities. However, there are also Lamas who are not monks and live as regular people in villages or as nomads with their disciples.

Lamas are skilled in special practices and rituals. They guide people on their spiritual paths. There are also lay clergy members, such as Ngagpas, Gomchens, Serkyims, and Chödpas, who help in religious duties. In some remote Himalayan areas, smaller communities led by these lay specialists were more common than big monasteries.

Tibetan Buddhism has different types of religious groups, from small village communities to very large teaching monasteries with thousands of monks. Some Lamas lead spiritual communities, and some are recognized as special reincarnations called tülkus, like the Dalai Lamas and Karmapas. There are also special teachers called Tertöns who discover hidden teachings.

Women in Tibetan Buddhism

Women in Tibetan society had more freedom than in nearby areas. They took many roles in Tibetan Buddhism, from supporters to monks, Lamas, and special practitioners. Some important female teachers existed, like Yeshe Tsogyal and Machig Labdrön.

Though it was harder for women to become fully ordained monks, some did. In modern times, more women are becoming ordained. The first Western woman to be ordained in Tibetan Buddhism was Freda Bedi in 1966, and Pema Chödrön was the first American woman to be ordained as a Buddhist nun in this tradition. In 2010, the first Tibetan Buddhist nunnery in America was consecrated. In 2022, the official lineage of fully ordained Tibetan Buddhist nuns restarted in Bhutan.

Major lineages

The Tibetan Rime scholar Jamgon Kongtrul wrote about eight important ways of practicing meditation in Tibet. He did not focus on different groups but on sharing important teachings.

These eight ways include the Nyingma traditions, linked to early teachers like Shantarakshita, Padmasambhava, and King Trisong Deutsen, as well as Dzogchen teachings. There is also the Kadam Lineage, started by Atisha and his student Dromtön. The Lamdré tradition comes from the Indian teacher Virupa and is kept alive in the Sakya school today.

The Marpa Kagyu lineage begins with Marpa, Milarepa, and Gampopa. It teaches Mahamudra and the Six Dharmas of Naropa, and includes four big and eight smaller Kagyu lineages. The Shangpa Kagyu comes from Niguma. Other practices include Shyijé and Chöd from Padampa Sangyé and Machig Labdrön, the Dorje Naljor Druk from the Kalachakra lineage, and Dorje sumgyi nyendrup from the teacher Orgyenpa Rinchen Pal.

Tibetan Buddhist schools

Tibetan Buddhism has many schools or traditions, but they share most of their practices and ideas. There are four main schools, and they often agree on most topics, even though they sometimes have different ways of explaining things. One important movement in the 19th century tried to show that these schools were not very different from each other.

Each school has its own special focus and history, and they all trace their teachings back to India and important Tibetan teachers. Even though they have some differences, they all work toward similar goals in their spiritual practices.

Glossary of terms used