Lori A. Snyder
Social Studies Department
Longmeadow High School
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Tibetan Buddhism
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Tibetan Buddhism is a school of tantric Buddhism whose adherents aim to achieve enlightenment in a single lifetime through powerful techniques learned under the guidance of a spiritual authority or lama. This school of Buddhism is believed to have spread from India during the eighth century due to the efforts of the great saint, Padmasambhava. As a result, Tibetan Buddhism more closely follows Indian Buddhist tradition than Chinese tradition. |
| As in mainstream Mahayana Buddhism, bodhisattvas, enlightened beings who continue to be reborn in human form to help humankind by their example, play a significant role in Tibetan tradition. The bodhisattva, Avalokitesvara (Chenrezi in Tibetan) is considered the protector deity of Tibet. In order to destroy demons that threaten humanity, compassionate bodhisattvas as well as celestal buddhas will assume wrathful form in order to destroy these demons both in a literal and esoteric sense. |
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After
a period of initial flourishing, civil war in Tibet lead to Buddhism
having to be reintroduced during the 11th century. Eventually four
significant monastic orders came to dominate Tibetan history. A unique
characteristic of Tibetan Buddhism is how some lamas are able to know
the identity of their rebirths. The Dalai Lama, meaning "Ocean
of Wisdom" in Mongolian is regarded as an incarnation of the
bodhisattva, Avalokitesvara.
For more on tantric Buddhism, excellent sources include: Trainor,
Kevin. Ed. Buddhism, The Illustrated Guide. New York:
Oxford University Press Inc., 2004. (Chapter 10) To return to Prayer Flags |
This site was created by Lori A. Snyder at the NEH Summer Institute "Cultures and Religions of the Himalayan Region," held at the College of the Holy Cross, Summer 2004