Tibetpedia

Tag: Religion

  • Nyingma Sect

    Nyingma Sect

    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.

     

     

  • Gelugpa Sect

    Gelugpa Sect

    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.

     

  • Bön (Tibet’s Ancient Religion)

    Bön (Tibet’s Ancient Religion)

    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.

     

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