Tibetan Buddhism: Know the Unique Religion to Enrich Your

Lifetime Tibet Tour

The main religion of the people of the Tibetan plateau, Buddhism has been prevalent
in the region since the 8 th century, when it was first introduced to Tibet, overtaking
and converting the faithful from the previous religious beliefs in Bon. Today,
Buddhism is as much a part of the everyday lives of the people as it is their religion,
and sometimes it is hard to tell where the religious belief ends and Tibetan culture
begins.

1. What is Tibetan Buddhism?

The main religion of Tibet, Tibetan Buddhism is a unique form of Vajrayana

Buddhism, and was formed from the combination with the former indigenous
Tibetan religion, Bon, in around the 8th Century AD.

The form of Buddhism in Tibet is unique because it preserves many of the tantric
Buddhist practices from its Vajrayana origins, incorporating Madhyamika intellectual
disciplines, Yogachara philosophy, and early Theravada monastic disciplines, whilst
incorporating them with the ancient Bon religion and traditional Tibetan culture.

One of the major characteristics of Tibetan Buddhism is the incorporation into

everyday life that meant a vast percentage of the Tibetan population are actively
religious and follow Buddhist doctrines as part of their daily lifestyle.

2. How Did Buddhism Spread to Tibet?

Buddhism was first introduced in Tibet in the 7 th century, after the marriage of King
Songtsen Gampo and Nepalese Princess Bhrikuti, who played an important part of
the introductions of Buddhism to Tibetan society. His later marriage to Chinese
Princess Wencheng consolidated Buddhism as the main religion of the Tibetan
capital.

In the 8th-century, the orthodox Mahayana teacher, Shantirakshita, who was invited
to the region by Tibetan king, Trisong Detsen, began teaching Buddhism more
prominently across the region, to the point of upsetting a group of Bon religious
believers who blamed him for an outbreak and tried to kill him. It was Shantirakshita
who later urged the king to also invite the illustrious Tantric master Padmasambhava
to assist him.

The more well-known Padmasambhava, later known as the Guru Rinpoche, arrived in
Tibet in 747 AD, and was famed for ridding the construction of the Buddhist
Monastery at Samye of its demons.

Shantirakshita later became the first Abbot of the Samye Monastery, and is
responsible for the incorporation of many aspects of the ancient Bon religion into the
lower levels of Tantric Buddhism at the time.

Throughout the 9th and 10th centuries, Tibetan Buddhism was spread across the
plateau region, and by the 12th century, was the predominant religion in Tibet

3. What are the 3 Main Beliefs of Tibetan Buddhism?

The Three Main Beliefs of Tibetan Buddhism include the Three Universal Truths, the
Four Noble Truths, and the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Three Universal Truths are: The first is “annica”, which means nothing lasts and
everything on earth changes constantly. The second is “dukkha”, which means all
living things suffer, which helps to understand how our own desires affect the
universe. And the third is “anatta”, which means there is no “self”, nly energy, which
means nothing is ever lost in the universe.

The Four Noble Truths are the truth of suffering; the truth of the cause of suffering;
the truth of the end of suffering; and the truth of the path that leads to the end of
suffering. Traditionally identified as one of the earlier teachings of Buddha, the Four
Noble Truths are both symbolic and propositional, providing a framework for the
introduction of Buddhist thought.

According to Buddha, the Noble Eightfold Path consists of consists of the ieads of
Right View, Right Resolve, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort,
Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. The Eightfold Path teaches us to be
ethical in word, deed, and thought; to be a good, kind, positive, and moral person;
and to banish negativity from your life.

4. What are the 4 Main Schools of Tibetan Buddhism?

In Tibetan Buddhism, there are four main schools of the religion, being the Nyingma, Kagyu,
Sakya, and Gelugpa schools. These four religious divergences have evolved from their
common roots in the 7th and 8th centuries with a wide array of different practices, beliefs, and
rituals between them. Whilst all four schools embrace the traditional concept of world
enlightenment, there are some specific differences between them.

The Nyingma School is the oldest in Tibet, and is primarily based on the teachings of
Padmasambhava’s Vajrayana or Tantric Buddhism, with its Dzogchen or ati-yoga doctrines
and some shamanistic practices taken from ancient Bon. Nyingma monks are generally not
required to be celibate.
The Kagyu School is the third largest school of Tibetan Buddhism, and follows the teachings
of Marpa the Translator, who studied in India under the master yogin Naropa, and his most
famous student, Milarepa, who defeated the Bon magician at Mount Kailash. Synthesized
together in the 12th century, the Kagyu School places particular value on the passing of
knowledge from teacher to disciple and the practice of Mahamudra, which is known as
“Tibetan Zen”.

Sakya is the smallest of the foud schools, and is so named for the primary Monastery of the
sect, the Sakya Monastery in southern Tibet. Founded by the son of the man who built Sakya
Monastery, Sakya Kunga Nyingpo, the school practices the teaching of Lamdrey, or Path and
Goal”, a system of logic.

The Gelug School, known as the Yellow Hats, was the last to be founded, in the 14 th century,
by one of Tibet’s greatest scholars, Je Tsongkhapa. The sect practices enforced monastic
discipline, celibacy, and the prohibition of alcohol and meat, establishing a higher standard
of learning for the monks. The youngest school of Tibetan Buddhism, it is also now the
largest, and was traditionally headed by the Dalai Lama. Religious practices center on
concentration by meditation.

5. How is Tibetan Buddhism Different from Buddhism?

Tibetan Buddhism is a miasma of many of the practices and beliefs of the various Buddhist
trains of thought and the encounter with the native Tibetan Bon religion as Buddhism
flourished across the plateau. Four main forms of Buddhism were introduced to Tibet in the
early years, including Vajrayana, Madhyamika, Yogachara, and early Theravada, which have
mostly become amalgamated into Tibetan Buddhism and crossed with a smattering of
ancient Bon religious practices.

Traditional Buddhism did not include gods or deities, and was centered on the belief of
reincarnation and following a path to true enlightenment. However, Tibetan Buddhism
incorporated a plethora of deities and demi-gods from the ancient Bon religion that are both
pacific and terrifying at the same time. The inclusion of Mahayana also incorporated a whole
cult of Bodhisattvas, which further expanded the pantheon of deities in Tibetan Buddhism.

Religious practices in Tibetan Buddhism that differ from traditional Buddhism include the
incantations of mystic and magical formulas, the exorcism and destruction of demons,
divination, auguries, oracles, and the symbolic sacrifice and ransom, which came from the
ancient Shamanistic practice of human sacrifice.

6. How is Tibetan Buddhism Practiced?

Tibetan Buddhism involves a range of daily rituals, meditations, and specific prayers and
techniques that are carried out in a normal religious believer’s daily routine. Tibetans spend
a relatively large amount of time in prayer or doing prayerful activities, such as spinning
prayer wheels and hanging prayer flags, as this earns them merit towards enlightenment.
There are a number of rituals, and spiritual practices such as the use of mantras and yogic
techniques that are included in their daily prayers.

The Lamas in Tibetan Buddhism are the spiritual teachers of the people, and usually reside in
temples and monasteries giving the teachings of Buddha to anyone who wants to come and
listen. Once only afforded to the heads of monasteries and great teachers, the title of Lama
(Bla-Ma in Tibetan) is now extended to any respected priest or monk that can pass on the
teachings f Buddha.

7. What are the Holy Ritual Items in Tibetan Buddhism?

Tibetan life is dominated by the religion, and is a daily and sometimes hourly practice. Prayer
flags are one of the many visual aids to praying that are used in Tibetan Buddhism. They are
hung on a line so that the wind can send the prayers written in Sanskrit on the flag around
the globe, so that the blessings fall on the heads of everyone.

Prayer wheels are similar aids that contain scrolls of prayers within the spinning tubes and
the act of spinning the wheel reads the prayer out as it spins, so that the spinner does not
have to say it all himself.

Mandalas are representations of the spiritual journey that travels through multiple layers
from the outside at the beginning to the middle and the reaching of enlightenment.
Generally made from sand, they are meant to aid meditation and prayer to allow one to
attain more merit.

Prayer Beads, or threngwa, are used in spiritual meditation and prayer that are designed to
keep track of the prayers you are chanting. The threngwa generally has 108 beads plus a
Guru Bead, that reflects the 108 volumes of the words of Buddha.

8. What are the Must-Visit Buddhist Monasteries in Tibet?

Tibet has some of the most spectacular monasteries in the world, not to mention the highest
on the planet. The most famous of these is the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, built in the 7 th
century by Songtsen Gampo as a temple to house the solid gold statue of Buddha that was
brought to Tibet by his Chinese wife, Princess Wencheng. Today, this is the most prominent
of all temples and monasteries, despite being damaged in wars and ravaged by fire.

Ganden Monastery, on Wangbori Mountain, is an ancient monastery built by Je Tsongkhapa,

the founder of the Gelug School, and has one of the most enchanting kora walks around it,
giving spectacular views of the Lhasa valley.

Sera Monastery, located to the north of Lhasa, is now renowned as being the primary
religious educational institute in Tibet. With perpetually chanting monks, both day and night,
and the thousands of murals on its walls, Sera gives one a deep sense of holiness, and the
monastic debates are not to be missed.

To the west of Shigatse lies the Tashilhunpo Monastery, home and seat of the Panchen Lama,
Tibet’s second highest incarnation. Its uniwue architecture and historic location make it a
place worth visiting, and its scenic kora walk is unparalleled in Tibet.

9. How to Respect Tibetan Buddhist Culture When Touring Tibet?

- Guidelines for respectful behavior and cultural etiquette when visiting monasteries and
holy sites.
- The significance of dress code, photography etiquette, and appropriate conduct.

For anyone coming to Tibet, there is a need to understand and respect the various rituals,
behaviors, and culture when touring the region. There are certain requirements for tourists,
and some things you really need to avoid doing so that you do not upset the local people and
traditions.

No matter whether you visit a monastery, a temple, or just the home of a local Tibetan, you
should make sure you are respectful at all times. Visitors should cover their bodies, so that
the arms and legs are covered, and no sensual clothing or revealing outfits should be used.
Tibetans dress modestly, so it is a good idea for you to do the same. Leave the short shorts
and halter tops for the beach

You should refrain from taking photos of Tibetans without their permission, and should
always remember to ask if they can be photographed. Tibetans believe that some images
take away part of the soul. And never take photos inside the temple.

Pointing with a finger is considered rude, so you show something by stretching your arm in
that direction with your palm upwards. And you should never point at a statue or a religious
icon, as well as not touching any of the statues and relics, and refrain from making loud
noises in the temples. People are often there praying.

10. Conclusion

Tibet is an amazing land of Buddhist people that bring their religion and culture into
one to make their lives fulfilled and complete. And in Tibet, the Buddhist religion is
taken seriously, even by modern youngsters, and this blending of religion and culture
is one of the main things that make Tibetan Buddhism so unique. So if you are
considering learning more about Tibetan Buddhism, there is no better way to do it
that with a trip to the plateau region to explore it for yourself.