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Tibetan Buddhism

Introduction

Photo from web

Tibetan Buddhism known as the Vajrayana tradition has been practiced predominantly in the Himalayan regions of India, Tibet, Mongolia, Nepal and Bhutan. Although the Buddhist doctrine of the Vajrayana tradition is the same as the Mahayana's (Maha= Great; Yana= vehicle), the practicing methods in Vajrayana is different from those being practiced in the Mahayana path in Japan, China, Vietnam and Korea.

For as long as space endures
And for as long as living beings remain,
Until then may I too abide
To dispel the misery of the world
Santideva

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Influence to the West

His Holiness the Dalai Lama meets with scientists in Washington D.C. Nov 2005. Photo by S. Doan

In the early 1960, thousands of Tibetans fled Tibet to India to seek refuge from the religious persecution of the Chinese communists. The disaster of Tibet being invaded by the Chinese made room for the spread of Tibetan Buddhism to Australia, Europe, and the Americas. This migration has also opened the doors for foreign scholars and scientists who are interested in Tibetan studies and Buddhist studies to be able to invite qualified lama scholars to engage in various studies within certain academic circles. One evident was the ongoing dialogs and collaborating research between scientists, contemplatives, the 14th Dalai Lama, and Tibetan lama scholars to find a deeper understanding of the nature of reality and to promote well being among humanities.

For more info., please visit: http://www.dharmagates.org/html/mind_life2005.html

Science and Buddhism
Mind & Life Conference - Washington D.C. 11/2005

A human being is a part of a whole, called by us universe, a part limited in the time and space.
He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something seperated from the rest.... a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness.
This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to effection for a few persons nearest to us.
Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.

EINSTEIN

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New Transmissions in Tibetan Buddhist History.

Around the year 1200, the Muslim destroyed many monastic institutions including the famous Nalanda University as they invaded across the Ganges Plains. As a result, many of India's renowned Buddhist monk scholars made their way north over the Himalayas. This journey of Indian scholars over the Himalayas brought new transmissions of Indian Buddhism to Tibetan territory. One Tibetan Buddhist scholar who had benefited immensely from the contact with these Indian panditas was Sakya Pandita of the Sakya lineage. Having trained in both Indian and Tibetan traditions, Sakya Pandita was able to subsequently reformed Tibetan monastic institutions in Tibet by setting a higher standard in monastic education for Buddhist monk scholars.

Nalanda University ... now and prior to 1200.

*May this merit be dedicated towards the full attainment of awakening for the benefit of all sentient beings.

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