When a Tibetan person dies, the family lights butter lamps beside the deceased while monks pray and give blessings over the body for three to five days. During this time the body is not touched. The funeral day is determined by divination. Family members and relatives do not attend the funeral. Instead, they stay home and pray. Villagers take the body to the sky burial site by horse or car. The master of the sky burial ceremony performs rituals over the body. He then burns incense and tsampa to summon the vultures. In no time, birds begin to circle over the site. The master then proceeds to chop the body into small pieces.
And makes way for the feasting to happen.
If the vultures consume the entire body, it’s a good sign. Tibetan folk custom believes that even vultures will not want to consume a human’s body if he or she has done evil deeds in life.
Due to the fact that vultures consume the remains of the human body, sky burial (དུར་ཁྲོད།) is also called “bird burial.” In Tibet, there are other ways to bury bodies after death, including water burial, cremation, and burial in the ground. Sky burial is the most common, though people who have died from leprosy or infectious diseases are not given a sky burial for fear of harming the vultures. Instead, they are buried in the ground or cremated. Sky burial sites are found all over Tibet.
THE VALUES OF SKY BURIAL
Tibetan Buddhists believe that the corpse is nothing but a discarded shell. The spirit of the deceased has already moved on, through death and toward a new incarnation. For Buddhists in Tibet or Mongolia, offering their bodies to vultures or birds is the last great and honorable thing to do. It is an offering of generosity back to the earth that gave them life. With sky burial, there is no need to disturb the land to bury the body. This also expresses a value for environmental protection.
Sky burial is a private matter, so we don’t encourage or recommend people to go to sky burial sites to take pictures unless you are invited by friends or family. Please remember that the greatest of respect needs to be shown during a sky burial. The most famous places for sky burials are the monasteries of Drigung and Ganden in central Tibet and Larung Gar Buddhist Institute near Sertar in Kham.
It is a Tibetan custom to offer a khata (ཁ་བཏགས།) or greeting scarf to friends, relatives or guests as a way of indicating your honorable intentions, and wishes of happiness. When given as a farewell gesture it symbolizes a safe journey. When given to arriving guests it symbolizes welcome.
Why Do Tibetans Have the Custom of Offering Khata?
Because there was no silk in Tibet, Tibetan people used to offer animal skins as gifts. According to Bon historical record, during the time of the ninth king Degong Jayshi, people would place sheep wool around the neck and head for some religious rituals. This custom has been handed down from that time. Over time, people started making scarves and using silk. So, the scarf replaced the plain sheep’s wool and people put scarves on the neck and head. This is how the custom of khata came into being.
Offering Khata
The Meaning of Offering Khata
The khata symbolizes purity and compassion. Its main colour is white, symbolizing the pure heart of the giver, though it is also quite common to find yellow-gold, blue and red khata as well in Tibet. They are often placed around the necks of statues and hung on the top of Thangka paintings. It is an ancient custom to bring a Khata when visiting a temple, shrine, guru, or teacher. This is a way of showing gratitude for the kindness of your teacher and the gems of their teachings.
Khatas at a Monastery
How Do Tibetan People Present Khata?
Tibetan people see khata as a very important gift, so offering Khata has its own ordination. People usually fold the khata into a double layer and hold it with two hands to offer. They usually bend 90 degrees and put their hands above their head when they offer to respected and honored people, such as the Buddha, a parent, teachers and elders. You can put the khata in their hands if giving it to a parent or elder. You can put it in front of the throne if it’s Buddha. If elders present Khata to young people, elders can put the Khata around the neck or on the hand of the young people.
Mani stones (མ་ཎི་རྡོ་འབུམ།)are stone plates or rocks that are carved with the Tibetan Buddhism six-word mantra Om Mani Padme Hum. But nowadays people not only carve the six words, but also carve other texts from Buddhism.
The Meaning of Om Mani Padme Hum
The first word, Om, symbolizes the practitioner’s impure body, speech, and mind; it also symbolizes the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha. Mani, meaning jewel, symbolizes the factors of method: altruistic intention to practice compassion and love.
Padme, meaning lotus, symbolizes wisdom. Purity must be achieved by an indivisible unity of method and wisdom, symbolized by the final syllable hum, which indicates indivisibility.
Thus the six syllables, om mani padme hum, mean that in dependence on the practice of a path which is an indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech, and mind into the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha.
Different Type of Mani Stone
The Mani stone is the one of the most popular forms of prayer and ritual in Tibetan culture. It’s originally from Bon’s stone worship. When you are traveling to Tibet, you will find a lot of Mani stones. They are intentionally placed along the roadsides and rivers or placed together to form a big stupa, temple and mountain shapes. People also place the Mani stones along walls, as an offering to spirits of a place.
Stupa shape of Mani Stones
The Largest Mani Stone Mound In The World
Yushu Jiana Mani stone mound is the largest Mani stone mound in the world. It’s located in Xinzhai village of Yushu Tibetan autonomous prefecture. It’s said that the local Tibetan Buddhist Master Jiana built a small Mani stone mound 300 years ago. This is the reason why the Mani stone mound was given the name of the master. Since then, people kept putting more Mani stones on the mound to pray and collect merit. Now it has around 200 million stones, is 300 meters long, 3 meters high, and 80 meters wide.
The largest mani stone mound in the world
Colorful Mani stones
In Tibet, you will also commonly find Mani stones in different colors and shapes, with different images and texts engraved in them. They showcase the artistic charm of Tibetan culture. Mani Stone carvers usually live near monasteries. You can visit them and watch the process of carving text on the stone, and even buy a small Mani stone as a souvenir.
Introduction: Kora (བསྐོར་བ།) is a form of pilgrimage and meditation that is shared by both Tibetan Buddhist and Bon traditions. The foundation of Kora is that, because of the trials of the pilgrimage, religious merit will be generated and obtained. Bodhicitta, or “an enlightened mind”, will result from purifying negative karma through the taxation of the body.
Tibetan people are doing Kora in monastery
Definitions:
Kora – A transliteration of the Tibetan term for “circumambulation”or “revolution”. The word is routinely associated with the entirety of ceremonies, celebrations and rituals that constitute a pilgrimage.
Circumambulation – Simply, to walk all the way around something. The word derives from the Latin circum (around) and ambulare (to walk).
Nékor – Directly translating to “circling around an abode”, nékor is another comprehensive word to describe the pilgrimage experience.
Né – The prefix to nékor, in correlation with the practice of kora, né is rendered as “holy”, “sacred”, or “consecrated”.
Né Korwa – A pilgrim, or “one who circles a né”.
Tradition:
Kora is fundamentally simple. The practitioner is required to walk in a circle around a né. A pilgrim may chant mantra and hum prayers, count rosary beads and spin prayer wheels. It its common to repeatedly prostate oneself along the circumambulation path in hopes of achieving extra merit or blessing. The pathways of Kora are usually lined with windhorses, prayer wheels, cairns, and and strings of prayer flags. Bon pilgrims traditionally orbit in a counterclockwise direction, while Buddhists circumambulate the opposite way to emulate the sun. Kora can be preformed at any given time, but the Tibetan lunar calendar marks certain days as especially advantageous. These are the 8th, 10th, 15th, 25th and 30th days of each month. During Saka Dawa almost all believers go out of their way to commemorate Kora.
Paryer -wheel in a Tibetan Monastery
Variations of Né
Né can be anywhere, anything or even anyone believed to be endowed with a transformative blessing. Throughout the Tibetan region there are an abundance of recognized né, however these Kora pilgrimage sites can be grouped into four categories.
A majority of prominent né are the spectacular and imposing facets of Tibet’s natural landscape. Throughout this breathtaking region, numerous lakes and mountains are revered as pilgrimage destinations. This may be due to the belief that they are inhabited by spirits, or perhaps a historical landmark associated with one of the ancient stories. From jutting peaks to crystalline confluences, gloomy caves to boulders, literally anywhere has the potential to be imbued with né. Practicing Kora in these wild locations routinely requires traversing formidable distances and navigating treacherous terrain. Traditional beliefs is that the arduous nature of the ritual escalates the blessings received during the pilgrimage. Two of the most notable Kora sites are Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar, both of which are considered holy by Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Bon devotees.
Over centuries of Tibet’s history, numerous sacred sites have been erected and now the destinations of Kora. Despite primarily consisting of monasteries and temples, man-made né fluctuate in size from entire cities to a single relic. Sky-burial sites and stupas are also treated with respect and treated as sacred. Stupas are burial mounds which house śarīra, the bones of Buddhist monks and nuns.
Beyul are paradisiacal valleys secreted away in the most remote and lonesome regions of the Himalayas. These hidden valleys are considered to be overlaps of the physical and spiritual worlds, preserved by deities and guardian spirits. The protective deities manifest themselves as snowstorms, snow leopards, and a variety of other calamities. Beyul can only be entered after terrible sacrifice and tribulation and, according to tradition, anyone who endeavours to force their way in will be rewarded with only failure and even death. These doctrines indicate that more beyul will be discovered as the planet careens towards destruction due to corruption and agnosticism. Pilgrims who journey to these distant valleys anticipate ethereal visions and strange encounters, just like the spiritual practitioners of legend.
Né is not exclusive to inanimate places, individuals can also be revered as capable of conferring transformative blessings. Pilgrimages can be made to honour holy monks or hermits, as well as nonhuman deities: Iṣṭadevatās, Yidam and Dakinis.
The lammergeier (བྱ་རྒོད། ) is the largest of the old world vultures and traditionally revered as the sacred bird of Tibet. The Lammergeier (which is German for ‘lamb vulture’) is also referred to as the Ossifrage (Latin for ‘bone-breaker’) and the Bearded Vulture.
Corpses are offered up to these vultures through a Sky Burial in the belief that the magnificent and elusive birds are actually Dakinis (‘sky-dancers’ or angels). Tibetan legend teaches that the Dakinis carry the spirits of the deceased into the heavenly realm where they will await their reincarnation.
The lammergeier is loved and respected throughout the Himalayans. This is due to how the vulture consumes carrion that would otherwise pollute the rivers that provide drinking water to numerous Tibetans at the roof of the world and the multitudes downstream. Donations of human flesh to the lammergeier are celebrated. Drigung Thil Monastery in Maizhokunggar County, Lhasa, is renowned for its Sky Burial site and abundance of lammergeiers.
The Lammergeier – Bearded Vulture
The Lammergeier’s Diet
The most distinctive trait of the lammergeier is that this imposing vulture thrives almost solely on bones and marrow. The lammergeier remains the only known animal in the world with this peculiar, macabre diet.
From its aerial vantage point a lammergeier can surveil vast expanses of territory for the victims of predators or treacherous mountain gorges. After plummeting from the clouds to snatch up the bones, the lammergeier carries them to an altitude of over one hundred feet and drops them to be shattered on the rocks below. This exposes the marrow inside. After spiralling down to inspect its handiwork, the vulture will repeat the procedure if required. The lammergeier habitually returns to one location to crack open the bones. This favourited site is called anossuary: which is defined as the place where the bones of the dead are stored.
The lammergeier can swallow entire bones up to the size of a femur. With its powerful beak the vulture often bites through and fractures bones. The gastric fluids of the bird are so acidic and caustic (with a pH of only 1) that bones are easily dissolved. Due to their unique dietary inclinations, the lammergeier encounters almost no competition for its bones, which comprise 70-90% of their meals.
The lammergeier usually refrains from preying upon living animals, however it may snatch up tortoises, hyraxes, hares, marmots and lizards. These animals are subjected to untimely deaths in the form of long drops. This vulture is even capable of dispatching animals much larger than itself. Sickly or elderly ibexes, Capra goats, Chamois and Steenboks are ambushed and battered by the lammergeier’s wings until they plunge off of precipitous mountain ledges.
Due to their size and terrifying diet the lammergeier has garnered a fictitious reputation over the years. The vulture is accused of stealing away lambs, calves and even children. Despite this prestige, the lammergeier is reportedly harmless to humans. They have even been kept as a household pets throughout history.
Feathers stained with iron oxide
The Lammergeier’s Appearance
A lammergeier’s colouring can encompass every shade from snow-white to black, but the bird is most commonly a tawny brown. The vulture has a pale head, with darker tail feathers and wings. While their plumage is naturally a dappled brown, the lammergeier will stain itself a fiery orange through bathing in sulphurous mountain springs, and rubbing soil rich with iron oxide into their feathers. After applying the soil, the lammergeier will preen for over an hour to guarantee their lustrous orange sheen. The vulture is also drawn to crimson-coloured items and will collect red leaves, bark, or unattended articles of clothing.
The lammergeier bears a stronger resemblance to an eagle than any other variation of vulture, due to its feathered head and hooked beak. The lammergeier’s legs are also copiously feathered. Their curving talons are extremely prehensile and dexterous. The lammergeier possesses spots on its breast and neck, with black stripes along the head. The bristles at the base of their beak grow past the bill in tufted whiskers that provide the distinct impression of a beard.
Juveniles are notably less easy to recognize as mature lammergeiers. Their brown, patchy plumage will fade to white over the course of five years.
The lammergeier is colossal, growing up to 4 feet tall and weighting close to 15 pounds. Their wingspans can extend between 7 and 9 feet.
The Lammergeier’s Home
The lammergeier haunts the rocky crags and gorges of high mountain ranges. The vulture rarely ventures down from the soaring elevations that it calls home. During the winter season frigid temperatures force the lammergeier to descend to lower altitudes. Therefore, they become much easier to spot.
With a habitat of desolate mountain regions, the lammergeier lives between 1,300 and 15,000 feet. The vulture has even been identified on Mount Everest at the incredible height of 24,600 ft. above sea level.
Teetering on the brink of precipices and canyons, the lammergeier’s nests are haphazardly constructed from branches lined with wool, excrement, dried-up skin, and litter. The remote nests are often located near alpine pastures, montane forests or caves. The vulture will preferably roost in the vicinity of a wolf or golden eagle. These predators will provide bones for the lammergeier’s meals.
As a monogamous species, the lammergeier mates just once a year. A breeding pair of vultures will share and defend enormous territories. To protect their young, the parents will refuse to tolerate the presence of other lammergeiers. Due to the size of the lammergeiers’ dominion and their territorial nature, the distribution of the species is very sparse.
The lammergeier’s breeding season varies in timing according to geographical disparities. The courting pairs will execute breathtaking mating displays, swooping and soaring together and even interlocking their talons to plummet down till they almost collide with the earth.
The lammergeier will only lay one or two eggs at a time. An occasional third egg as a biological rarity. Nest-predating hunters are generally incapable of traversing the sheer rock walls they are required to scale in order to reach the ledges or outcrops where the lammergeier’s roost. The inaccessibility of their aeries ensures that the chicks are safe from outside threats. However, within the first couple of weeks after hatching the eldest nestling will cannibalize its weaker sibling.
The typical lifespan of a lammergeier in Tibet is 21-22 years, but vultures in captivity have recorded living over double that at 45 years old.
The Windhorse (དར་ལྕོག) is a legendary Tibetan creature, considered to carry prayers from the earth to the heavenly gods using the strength and speed of the wind. This basic symbol is thought to possess powerful energy—an energy that carries colossal power to the lives of all beings who come into contact with the wind.
Prayer Flags in front of Mt. Everest
Windhorse Prayer Flags
Also known as Lung-ta in Tibetan, the Windhorse coupled with the “Wish Fulfilling Jewel of Enlightenment” is an important symbol inscribed onto Tibetan prayer flags. Although they represent good fortune and luck, Tibetans believe they actually have the power to influence events in nature and society.
Windhorse prayer flags are the most common prayer flags among Buddhists. The image of the Windhorse is drawn on the center of the prayer flag while the outside corners are guarded by the four great animals (Four Dignities): garuda (wisdom), dragon (gentle power), tiger (confidence) and snow lion (fearless joy). These guardian animals can be represented in either pictorial form or as a written word. There are also inscriptions of sutras or mantras on the flag. It is said that when the Windhorse prayer flags flap in the wind, the spiritual powers of the sacred images and scriptures benefit all those in the area.
Hanging Windhorse prayer flags is considered an act of merit that increases positive opportunities. Prayer flags are hung from high points such as trees, eaves, or on wooden poles.
Prayer Flags over the road in the Everest region.
History and Significance of Prayer Flags
The history of prayer flags can be traced back to the Bon traditions in pre-Buddhist Tibet when Bonpo priests used colored flags in healing ceremonies. Each color represents a primary element: earth (yellow), fire (red), space (blue), water (green), and air (white). According to the tradition, when set up around the sick, these prayer flags created a balance of these five elements in the body producing high levels of mental and physical health. These colored flags were also hung in mountains, valleys, and lakes to please local gods and to receive their blessings. If the gods and spirits became unhappy, disease and natural disasters were believed to spread.
The Rise and Fall and Rise Again of Prayer Flags in China
When Buddhism first came to Tibet, Guru Rinpoche himself wrote scriptures and drew images on prayer flags. In the 15th century, printing by wooden blocks was introduced. Famous Buddhist masters created prayer flag designs while lay craftsmen engaged in making copies. During the Cultural Revolution in Tibet, the hanging of prayer flags was discouraged, but today the tradition lives on.
Tibetan Buddhism (བོད་བརྒྱུད་ནང་བསྟན། ) is the major religion of Tibetans around the world. It covers the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism along with Tantric and Shamanic rituals, and is in some part influenced by Bon, the ancient, indigenous religion of Tibet. Apart from the traditions of koras, prayer flags, mantras, and sutras, Tibetan Buddhism is also known for the presence of several deities and reincarnation of Lamas.
History of Tibetan Buddhism
The Bon were exposed to Buddhism in the 7th century when King Songtsen Gampo married two Buddhist women, Princess Wencheng from China, and Princess Bhrikuti Devi from Nepal. He tried to enforce Buddhism in the region, but faced a lot of opposition from the followers of the native Bon religion. Towards the end of the 8th century, King Trisong Detsen invited two Buddhist masters from India to Tibet, the mystic Padmasambhava and Shantarakshita.
Master Shantarakshita built the first monastery in Tibet, while master Padmasambhava used his power to dispel the evil forces preventing the spread of Buddhism. Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) combined the teachings of tantric Buddhism with the local Bon religion and founded Tibetan Buddhism. He translated numerous Buddhist scriptures into Tibetan. This lead to the establishment of the first school of Tibetan Buddhism – Nyingma.
One of the Tibetan Buddhism Temples teaches the religion created a thousand years ago.
Four Sects of Tibetan Buddhism
1. Nyingmapa Sect
The Nyingmapa Sect also known as the Red Hat sect is the oldest and first school of Tibetan Buddhism. Founded by Padmasambhava towards the end of the 8th century, the Nyingma School emphasizes tantric practices, local theologies used from the local Bon religion, teachings attributed to Padmasambhava and Dzogchen (Great Perfection) doctrines. It was widely practiced in the region until the 11th century when other schools of thought arose.
2. Kagyupa Sect
The Kagyupa Sect is the third largest school in Tibetan Buddhism and is known as the White Hats sect. in the 11th century, a Tibetan named Marpa went to India to learn Buddhism under Master Yogin Naropa. He then spread his teachings to his student, Milarepa after putting him under harsh trial. In 12th century, Milarepa’s student Gampopa fouded the Kagyu Sect. This school stresses on the communication of knowledge from teacher to the student, and hence, is also referred as Oral Transmission School. Kagyupa’s central teachings revolve around Mahamudra system of meditation and Six Doctrines of Naropa, also known as Naro Chödrug.
3. Sakyapa Sect
The smallest among the four total schools of Tibetan Buddhism, Sakyapa Sect was founded by Sakya Kunga Nyingpo with its main monastery, Sagya Monastery in southern Tibet. The central teachings of the Sakyapa School are based on Lamdrey (the Path and its Fruit), systematic tantrism and Buddhist logic. It creates a balance between study and meditation.
4. Gelugpa Sect
The Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) Sect is the newest, largest and most important school of Tibetan Buddhism. The Gelugpa (Gelug) sect was founded by Tsongkhapa, a reformist monk and great Tibetan scholar. It is headed by the Dalai Lama. Its practices revolve around Lamrim, from the teachings of Atisha, which focuses on the journey to enlightenment as taught by Buddha.
Saka Dawa (also known as Saga Dawa) (ས་ག་ཟླ་བ།) represents the holiest and most sacred days in Tibetan Buddhism. Falling on the fourth month of the Tibetan Calendar, the religious festivities of Saka Dawa peak on the 15th Lunar Day when there is a full moon. This day is associated with three major events in the life of Shakyamuni Buddha – his birth, his enlightenment on a full moon night, and his parinirvana. In Tibetan, Dawa means “month” while Saka means the “name of the closet star to the earth” during the lunar month which is prominently visible. In Tibetan astrological calculations, Saka is one of the 28 known major stars.
On the main Saka Dawa day, a special puja is carried out by monks in the monasteries early in the morning. Additionally, sutras are recited and Cham dances are also performed at the monastery. After this, Tibetans take an oath of the Eight Mahayana precepts to be observed during the day.
Saka Dawa – A Meritorious Month
Saka Dawa is regarded as a great time to earn merits and attain spirituality, purification and enlightenment by Tibetans. This meritorious month carries a special aspect whereby any good deeds performed during the month are rewarded with one hundred million times greater good karma. These meritorious activities revolve around early teachings of sila (morality), dana (generosity) and bhavana (meditation).
The meritorious worthy acts include:
Pilgrimages to sacred Tibetan places such as mountains, lakes and caves, notable monasteries, and temples.
Performing koras in a clockwise direction around a shrine or other holy places. Pilgrims pray, prostrate themselves, and chant mantras such as the “Om Mani Padme Hum, Buddha Shakyamuni” mantra or White or Green Tara mantras.
Giving donations to monasteries, monks and nuns.
Giving charity to the poor.
Eradicating the dark forces by lighting butter lamps.
Refraining from eating meat.
Setting animals free into their habitat.
Observing Mahayana Precepts
During Saka Dawa, Tibetans observe eight major precepts on holy days such as the full moon and new moon days of the month. Since the full moon is the holiest of days, the devotees engage in observing these actions with much fervor.
Avoid killing and taking life
Shunning from acts of stealing
Avoiding sexual contact
Staying away from lying and deceiving others
Not taking alcohol, tobacco and recreation drugs
Eating one meal a day before noon which should not include onions, garlic, radishes, meat or eggs.
Not sleeping on a high-raised bed or sitting on chair with pride
Not participating in singing and dancing, nor wearing jewelry and other adornments, such as makeup or perfume.
Among the several schools of Tibetan Buddhism, a range of rituals and ceremonies are performed during Saka Dawa.
The Nyingma sect (རྙིང་མ་པ། ) of Tibetan Buddhism is the oldest amongst the four schools and the second largest after Gelugpa sect. Nyingma in Tibetan means “ancient” and has roots going back to the 8th century when the indigenous Bon religion was strongly adhered to by Tibetans. The Nyingma sect is also known as the Red Hat sect because its Lamas wear red robes and hats. Its teachings are mainly based on those of Padmasambhava, called Guru Rinpoche and Shantarakshita who were brought to Tibet through the rule of the Emperor Trisong Detsen from 742 to 797 CE.
History of Nyingma School
In the 7th century, Buddhism found its way to Tibet when the Tibetan King, Songtsen Gampo, married the Chinese Princess, Wen Cheng. The Princess had brought along her Buddha statue which is today preserved at Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. Later on in the 8th century, when Tibetans preferred their Bon religion, the King, on advice of the scholar-monk Master Shantarakshita, brought the great Padmasambhava to drive away the demons hampering the introduction of Buddhism in Tibet. By the middle of the 9th century, Buddhism was widely spread in the region. A large collection of Buddhist scriptures were translated into Tibetan and the Samye Monastery was built around 779 CE. Up to the 11th century, Nyingma was the sole sect of Buddhism in Tibet. It is the only sect In Tibetan Buddhism that did not assume political power.
Six Mother Monasteries of Nyingma
Between the 9th and 11th centuries, many Nyingma monasteries were built across Tibet. The six mother monasteries include Ugyen Mindrolling Monastery, Thupten Dorje Drak Monastery, and Zhechen Tenyi Dhargye Ling Monastery in Upper Tibet and Palyul Namgyal Jangchup Ling Monastery, Kathok Monastery, and Dzogchen Ugyen Samten Chooling Monastery in Lower Tibet. Many subsidiary monasteries were also built from these main temples across Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan.
Teachings of the Nyingma Sect
Buddhist teachings are classified into nine yanas with ‘Dzogchen’ being most important. Dzogchen (Great Perfection) philosophy revolves around pure awareness which can be achieved through meditation and learned from a Dzogchen master. This Vajrayana tradition involves use of ritual, symbols and tantric practices to achieve nirvana. Therefore Nyingma stresses on teachings attributed to Padmasambhava, the Dzogchen doctrines as well as Tantric practices.
The Nyingma School is also associated with Termas (hidden treasures). When Buddhism was declining during the rule of king Langdarma, Padmasambhava and his disciples hid numerous scriptures, ritual objects and relics in caves and rocks on mountains. Over time, when they were discovered by Tertons (treasure revealers) either physically or revealed to their mind (Mind Terma), the teachings were compiled into Rinchen Terdzo, a multi-volume book.
The Tibetan New Year (བོད་ཀྱི་ལོ་གསར། ) is referred to as Losar. The Tibetan Calendar is based on the lunar calendar and consists of twelve (or thirteen) months. Losar starts on the first day of the first month of the Tibetan Calendar when the new moon is sighted. Oftentimes, Losar and the Chinese New Year begin on the same date, but sometimes they might have a difference of a day, or even a lunar month.
To mark the Losar, a three-day festival is celebrated by Tibetans worldwide with prayers, hanging prayer flags, ceremonies, folk dances, passing fire torches among gatherings, and friends and family reunions. As one of the most widely celebrated Tibetan festivals, Losar is a time when Tibetan cultural values are greatly exhibited. Warm greetings are exchanged with everyone from family members to neighbors. Delicious Tibetan food such as Dresi, Kabsay, Guthuk, different varieties of meat, bread, butter tea and other dishes are served to guests who are invited into homes. Families visit temples to offer prayers and give gifts to monks.
Losar of the Past
The Losar festivities have roots dating back to the pre-Buddhist period when Tibetans were followers of the Bon religion. Every winter, a spiritual ceremony was organized in which local spirits and deities were given offerings such as incense to please them. Later on this religious festival became an annual Buddhist farmers’ festival held during the blossoming of flowers on apricot trees. Over time, when the lunar calendar came into being, the farmers’ festival journeyed to becoming the festival of Losar.
Celebration of Losar
Preparation for the festivities begin a month before the end of the year. Houses are cleaned thoroughly, new clothes are made for the family to wear during the festival, and different food offerings are made on the family alter. The eight auspicious symbols and other signs are drawn on the house walls using white powder or are hung as wall hangings. The monasteries are also decorated and the protector deities are respected with devotional rituals.
Some of the traditional dancing that takes place during the festivals.
Day 1
The first day of the New Year is called Lama Losar when all the Tibetan Buddhists greet their respective gurus and wish each other prosperity for the year ahead. For a good harvest, offerings of barley seeds and tsampa are made to home alters. Tibetan women get up early to cook barley wine and prepare a dish called Dresi. Families visits the local monastery to offer prayers and attend sermons.
Day 2
The second day is King’s Losar when the revered Dalai Lama exchanges greetings with national leaders. In ancient times a tribute was paid to the kings who would also offer gifts to the public.
Day 3
Offerings are given to the various Gods and protectors on Choe-kyong Losar, the 3rd day of the New Year. Prayer flags are hung and devotees visit monasteries, shrines and stupas.
After the three days, Tibetans engage in parties and get-togethers for 15 days ending the festivities with Chunga Choepa, the Butter Lamp Festival at the first full moon.
The Gelugpa Sect (དགེ་ལུགས་པ།)of Tibetan Buddhism, despite being the youngest, is the largest and most important school of thought. Having emerged in the 15th Century through the reforming efforts of Tsongkhapa, adherance to the Gelugpa sect is considered to be purest form of Tibetan Buddhism. The sect achieved its peak in the 17th Century with huge support from Mongols and Tibetans inspired by the enigmatic 5th Dalai Lama. The Gelugpa Sect remained in power in the Central Tibetan Plateau until Chinese invasions of Tibet in the 1950s.
Creation of the Gelugpa Sect
The Gelugpa (Gelug) Sect was founded by Tsongkhapa, a reformist monk and a great Tibetan scholar, and headed by the Dalai Lama. Tsongkhapa (1357-1419) began studying with a local Sakya lama at a very young age. He travelled to central Tibet and studied in all the major monasteries acquiring knowledge about philosophy, Tibetan medicine, Mahamurda practices, and Atisha’s tantric yoga.
Tsongkhapa was particularly inspired by Madhyamika teachings of Nagarjuna. He preached monastic discipline and encouraged return to the conservative doctrines of Buddhism. Regarded as the manifestation of Bodhisattva of Wisdom, Jampelyan (Manjushri), Tsongkhapa’s followers built him the Ganden Monastery in Netang near Lhasa in 1409. After his death, Tsongkhapa’s students built a new school of Tibetan Buddhism based on his teachings and named it ‘Gelug’ which means virtuous tradition.
Among his known disciples were Gyaltsab (1364-1431), Jamchen Chojey (1355-1435), Khedrub (1385-1438), and Gendun Drupa (1391-1474). His disciples founded the great monasteries of the Gelug Sect such as Sera monastery of Lhasa, Drepung and Tashillhunpo monasteries, and introduced the tradition of wearing yellow hats to differentiate between sects.
Introduction of Dalai Lama and Boom of Gelug Sect
During the 16th century, the then powerful Mongol leader, Altan Khan, gave the title of Dalai Lama to Gendun Gyatso, the first tulku or reincarnation of Tsongkhapa’s last major disciple, Gendun Drupa. Down the line, the 5th Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso (1617- 1682,) became instrumental in forming a favorable alliance with the Mongol leaders. He thus became the spiritual and political leader of the entire Tibetan region and the Gelugpa Sect reached its highest peak during the 17th century.
Teachings of Gelugpa (Yellow Hats)
Gelugpa practices revolve around Lamrim, from the teachings of Atisha, which focuses on the journey to enlightenment as taught by Buddha. Concentration can be achieved by meditation and sparking the bodhisattva within. The Gelug School of Buddhism is based on the Kadam tradition which was established by Atisha in the 11th Century. It teaches following the traditional monastic code as a means of achieving the state of nirvana.
Chorten or Stupa (མཆོད་རྟེན་དཀར་པོ།) is an important religious monument in Buddhism, symbolizing Buddha’s presence. It also holds precious Buddhist relics and sometimes even preserved bodies of renowned lamas. Tibetans believe that performing Koras of the monument is an act of high merit.
Structure of Chorten
The shape of the Stupa represents Buddha with a crown who is seated in a posture of meditation on a lion throne. The top of the spire, with the well-known ‘twin-symbol’ uniting the sun and moon, is the crown, the square at the spire’s base is his head, the vase shape symbolizes his body, the steps (four) of the lower terrace are his legs while the square foundation base is his throne.
A stupa is seen in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Central Tibet.
Types of Chortens
In Tibetan Buddhism, there are eight different kinds of chortens, each signifying a major event in the life of Buddha Shakyamuni.
1. Lotus Blossom Stupa
The Lotus Blossom Stupa, also known as Stupa of Heaped Lotuses, represents the birth of Buddha. It is said that at the time of his birth, he took seven steps in all four directions signifying love, joy, compassion, and equality. This chorten generally has four circular steps at the base and is decorated with designs of lotus petals.
2. Enlightenment Stupa
Also termed as Stupa of the Conquest of Mara, this stupa signifies the time when Buddha under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya attained enlightenment. It is said that the demon Mara tried to tempt and attack him, but Buddha come out the conqueror.
3. Stupa of Many Doors or Gates
Buddha then preached his teachings to his followers near Sarnath. The doors on this monument signify the opening of the doors to Dharma and point to the teachings: Four Noble Truths, Noble Eightfold Path, Twelve Links in the Chain of Dependent Origination, and Six Perfections.
4. Stupa Of Descent From The God Realm
When Bhudda’s mother was reincarnated in another realm, he went there to teach her Dharma. This chorten consists of a ladder on each side and commemorates the return of Bhudda back to earth.
5. Stupa of Great Miracles or Stupa of Conquest of the Tirthikas
When Buddha was 50 years old, he performed various miracles to prove his spirituality and even overpowered several demons.
6. Stupa of Reconciliation
This octagonal chorten honours Buddha’s efforts in solving a conflict among his monastic followers. It was built in the kingdom of Magadha where the conflict resolution took place.
7. Stupa of Complete Victory
This chorten has only three circular steps which are undecorated. It honors Buddha’s extension of his life by three months when his followers pleaded him to stay.
8. Stupa of Nirvana
The Nirvana chorten represents Buddha’s death and him achieving a state of true peace. This monument is undecorated and appears to be bell-shaped.
Bön (བོན་པོ། )is the indigenous religion of the Tibetans of the ancient Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. As a shamanistic religion, it is characterized by mystic rituals, spells, sacrifices, and spirit manipulation. This religion involves much emphasis on meditative practice. It was the major religion of the people of Tibet before Buddhism found its way in the 7th century and has significant influence on Tibetan Buddhism. The current traditions of Buddhism such as prayer wheels, sky burials, prayer flags, spirit traps, festival dances, and rubbing holy stones have all come from the Bon religion.
Origins of the Religion
The followers of Bön, or Bönpo, recognize different types of the religion. The original Bön was the native religion of Tibet based on animistic and shamanistic beliefs. The first forms of the religion are known as Black Bön or Bön of the Sprits/Devils. This is because it widely relied on magic to control the malevolent spirits.
The second stage of the religion, Yungdrung Bön, was founded by Shenrab Miwoche. He is regarded as having achieved enlightenment like Buddha. Believed to have originated in the land of Olmo Lungring, it was spread by Tonpa Shenrab Miwo to the ancient Shang Shung Kingdom. Religious devotees believed the deities who controlled the world – Shepa, Dagpa and Salba- resided in ‘Sridpa Yesang’ (heaven). Tonpa Shenrab Miwo was considered as their earthly manifestation with powers to control the present.
The Bön which is followed now (known as Bönpo) is the ‘New Bon’ which evolved in the 14th Century when it took influences from Tibetan Buddhism. The Bönpo has structured doctrines unlike the original religion. This form is now practiced in the remote areas of northern and western Tibet, including in the Tashi Menri Ling Monastery in India.
Bön Religion Monasteries
Before the Cultural Revolution in China, there were more than 300 monasteries in the region belonging to this religion. The major ones included Menri and Yungdrung monasteries, which were the center of study of Bön practices.
Practices of Bön Religion
The original religion relied heavily on shaman magical practices, mudras, yantras, and mantras. New Bön features include making a kora of religious monuments and mountains and turning prayer wheels counter-clockwise (in contrast to Tibetan Buddhism), reciting the mantra ‘om matri muye sale du’, speaking customary salutations, and performing water offerings. The religion has a number unique gods, and its own a sacred text, ‘Nine Ways of Bön’. For the religion, the holiest mountains include Mount Kailash and Mount Bonri where pilgrims are frequent.
