New branches:
84-675: Zangdok Palri Monastery or Zang Dhok Palri Phodang is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the Nyingma school, located at Kalimpong in West Bengal , India . The monastery was founded by Dudjom Rinpoche in 1957 and built where Dudjom Rinpoche settled while in exile from Tibet, atop Durpin Hill . It represents Guru Rinpoche 's palace, the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain . In 1975, Dudjom Rinpoche then moved from Kalimpong to Nepal, and
168-435: A mirage or a rainbow . This method undermines habitual grasping to a solid and fixed reality (i.e. to inherent existence, svabhava ), enabling the practitioner to purify spiritual obscurations ( klesha ). In the generation stage, the practitioner may visualize the "Four Purities," which is unique to tantric yoga: According to the 14th Dalai Lama, there are two main factors in deity yoga practice: Pride in oneself as
252-468: A vajra , bell, hand-drum ( damaru ) or a ritual dagger ( phurba ), but also ritual hand gestures ( mudras ) can be made, special chanting techniques can be used, and in elaborate offering rituals or initiations, many more ritual implements and tools are used, each with an elaborate symbolic meaning to create a special environment for practice. Vajrayana has thus become a major inspiration in traditional Tibetan art . Samding Dorje Phagmo Deity yoga
336-465: A critical set of techniques for dealing with everyday life. Tibetans came to see these techniques as vital for their survival and prosperity in this life." This includes dealing with the local gods and spirits ( sadak and shipdak), which became a specialty of some Tibetan Buddhist lamas and ngagpas ( mantrikas , mantra specialists). The late 10th and 11th centuries saw a revival of Buddhism in Tibet with
420-512: A debate ensued between Moheyan and the Indian master Kamalaśīla , without consensus on the victor, and some scholars consider the event to be fictitious. A reversal in Buddhist influence began under King Langdarma (r. 836–842), and his death was followed by the so-called Era of Fragmentation , a period of disunity during the 9th and 10th centuries. During this era, the political centralization of
504-429: A degree of spiritual risk. To practice this, one must first meditate on emptiness and establish the view realizing emptiness (or at least a similitude of emptiness). Then one imagines the deity arising (often out of bright seed syllables resting on a moon disc or a lotus) and repeats the deity's mantra (which can be done orally or mentally). During deity yoga, one may also perform various mudras (hand seals) depending on
588-480: A deity and vivid appearance of that deity. Divine pride protects one from the pride of being ordinary, and divine vivid appearance protects one from ordinary appearances. Whatever appears to the senses is viewed as the sport of a deity; for instance, whatever forms are seen are viewed as the emanations of a deity and whatever sounds are heard are viewed as the mantras of a deity. One is thereby protected from ordinary appearances, and through this transformation of attitude,
672-558: A form of Mahāyāna Buddhism stemming from the latest stages of Buddhism (which included many Vajrayāna elements). It thus preserves many Indian Buddhist tantric practices of the post-Gupta early medieval period (500–1200 CE), along with numerous native Tibetan developments. In the pre-modern era, Tibetan Buddhism spread outside of Tibet primarily due to the influence of the Mongol Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), founded by Kublai Khan , who ruled China, Mongolia, and parts of Siberia. In
756-700: A formless and image-less contemplation on the ultimate empty nature of the mind and various yogas that make use of the subtle body to produce energetic sensations of bliss and warmth. The subtle body yogas systems like the Six Dharmas of Naropa and the Six Yogas of Kalachakra make use of energetic schemas of human psycho-physiology composed of "energy channels" (Skt. nadi , Tib. rtsa ), "winds" or currents (Skt. vayu , Tib. rlung ), "drops" or charged particles (Skt. bindu , Tib. thig le ) and chakras ("wheels"). These subtle energies are seen as "mounts" for consciousness,
840-401: A subtle body psycho-physiology that is not found in the lower tantras. The practice of deity yoga relies on the development of meditative absorption ( dhyana ). Mipham states that "the meaning ascertained by the view of great purity and equality can only be applied correctly to one's own being once the strength of meditative absorption has been perfected. For this reason, meditative absorption
924-505: Is "The Dharma of the insiders" ( nang chos ) or "The Buddha Dharma of the insiders" ( nang pa sangs rgyas pa'i chos ). "Insider" means someone who seeks the truth not outside but within the nature of mind. This is contrasted with other forms of organized religion, which are termed chos lugs (dharma system) . For example, Christianity is termed Yi shu'i chos lugs (Jesus dharma system) . Westerners unfamiliar with Tibetan Buddhism initially turned to China for understanding. In Chinese,
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#17328589114811008-773: Is a form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet , Bhutan and Mongolia . It also has a sizable number of adherents in the areas surrounding the Himalayas , including the Indian regions of Ladakh , Darjeeling , Sikkim , and Zangnan ( Arunachal Pradesh) , as well as in Nepal . Smaller groups of practitioners can be found in Central Asia , some regions of China such as Northeast China , Xinjiang , Inner Mongolia and some regions of Russia, such as Tuva , Buryatia , and Kalmykia . Tibetan Buddhism evolved as
1092-449: Is also the practice of cultivating calm abiding by focusing on a subtle object, such as a tiny vajra the size of a sesame seed placed at some point in the body, such as the tip of the nose. The ultimate purpose of deity yoga is to bring the yogi to the realization that they and the deity are in essence the same (i.e. empty), i.e. that they are non-dual ( advaya ). This is done through repeated practice which leads to familiarization with
1176-521: Is considered by the Tibetans as Guru Rinpoche ("Precious Master"), is also credited with building the first monastery building named "Samye" around the late 8th century. According to some legend, it is noted that he pacified the Bon demons and made them the core protectors of Dharma. Modern historians also argue that Trisong Detsen and his followers adopted Buddhism as an act of international diplomacy, especially with
1260-513: Is extremely important. It is the primary cause for accomplishing activity and spiritual attainments, both of which require awareness and stability." According to Mipham, the progression of the practice of calm abiding ( samatha ) based on deity yoga can be measured in the same way it is measured in sutra teachings (that is, through the nine ways of resting the mind and so on). There are various systems of practice based on different tantras. Kongtrül outlines various three branch yoga frameworks (from
1344-421: Is inner tantra." Powerful imagery which uses death, violence and charnel ground motifs is also common. Thus, Longchenpa distinguishes between the pure environments and ritual tools that are visualized in outer tantra (such as celestial palaces and precious jewels), and impure inner tantra environments and tools (such as charnel grounds, skull cups , and ritual knives ). Unsurpassed Yoga Tantra also makes use of
1428-525: Is occasionally misused for Tibetan Buddhism. More accurately, Vajrayāna signifies a certain subset of practices and traditions that are not only part of Tibetan Buddhism but also prominent in other Buddhist traditions such as Chinese Esoteric Buddhism and Shingon in Japan . In the west, the term "Indo-Tibetan Buddhism" has become current in acknowledgement of its derivation from the latest stages of Buddhist development in northern India. " Northern Buddhism "
1512-577: Is sometimes used to refer to Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, for example, in the Brill Dictionary of Religion. Another term, "Himalayan" (or "Trans-Himalayan") Buddhism is sometimes used to indicate how this form of Buddhism is practiced not just in Tibet but throughout the Himalayan Regions . The Provisional Government of Russia, by a decree of 7 July 1917, prohibited the appellation of Buryat and Kalmyk Buddhists as "Lamaists" in official papers. After
1596-462: Is the central practice of Buddhist Tantra. In the three lower or "outer" tantras (Action, Performance and Yoga), Deity yoga practice is often divided into "the yoga with signs," and "the yoga without signs." Deity yoga engages creative visualization as a skillful means of personal transformation through which the practitioner ( sadhaka ) visualizes a chosen deity ( yidam ) as part of a mandala or refuge tree in order transform their experience of
1680-646: Is the first phase of tantric deity yoga in the Unsurpassed Yoga Tantra of the later schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It also equates to the Mahayoga of the Nyingma school. Kongtrül states that this phase is associated with the body and the birth process (while the Completion phase is associated with the mind and with dissolution at death). The Nyingma scholar Ju Mipham defines the generation stage as follows: "accessing
1764-509: Is the union of the two truths in Mantra—one consciousness appearing in the form of divine body or speech and simultaneously realizing emptiness." According to the Indian master Buddhaguhya , there are three techniques which may be used to settle the mind on emptiness in the yoga without signs: The generation stage or creation phase (Tib. bskyed rim ; Skt. utpatti-krama ), also known as "the phase of imagination" and "the yoga of fabrications"
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#17328589114811848-573: Is unborn and unarising from the very beginning, or similarly by way of the technique of drawing-in the vital energy ( prana ) through the yoga of turning your mind inside, or by way of not focusing on its appearance [as colour and shape]. In accordance with that realization, you should then actualize the mind which is just self-aware, free from the body image of your tutelary deity and without appearance [as subject and object], and mentally recite your vidya mantra as appropriate. The Tibetologist David Germano outlines two main types of completion practice:
1932-794: The Battle of Chamdo , Tibet was annexed by China in 1950. In 1959 the 14th Dalai Lama and a great number of clergy and citizenry fled the country, to settle in India and other neighbouring countries. The events of the Cultural Revolution (1966–76) saw religion as one of the main political targets of the Chinese Communist Party, and most of the several thousand temples and monasteries in Tibet were destroyed, with many monks and lamas imprisoned. During this time, private religious expression, as well as Tibetan cultural traditions, were suppressed. Much of
2016-706: The Church of the East . The Mongols invaded Tibet in 1240 and 1244. They eventually annexed Amdo and Kham and appointed the great scholar and abbot Sakya Pandita (1182–1251) as Viceroy of Central Tibet in 1249. In this way, Tibet was incorporated into the Mongol Empire , with the Sakya hierarchy retaining nominal power over religious and regional political affairs, while the Mongols retained structural and administrative rule over
2100-618: The Güshi Khan of the Khoshut Mongols . The Ganden Phodrang and the successive Gelug tulku lineages of the Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas maintained regional control of Tibet from the mid-17th to mid-20th centuries. The Qing dynasty (1644–1912) established a Chinese rule over Tibet after a Qing expeditionary force defeated the Dzungars (who controlled Tibet) in 1720, and lasted until
2184-566: The Kadampa school of Tibetan Buddhism, one of the first Sarma schools. The Sakya ( Grey Earth ) school, was founded by Khön Könchok Gyelpo (1034–1102), a disciple of the great scholar , Drogmi Shākya. It is headed by the Sakya Trizin , and traces its lineage to the mahasiddha Virūpa . Other influential Indian teachers include Tilopa (988–1069) and his student Nāropā (probably died ca. 1040). Their teachings, via their student Marpa , are
2268-632: The Kingdom of Zhangzhung . While some stories depict Buddhism in Tibet before this period, the religion was formally introduced during the Tibetan Empire (7th–9th century CE). Sanskrit Buddhist scriptures from India were first translated into Tibetan under the reign of the Tibetan king Songtsän Gampo (618–649 CE). This period also saw the development of the Tibetan writing system and classical Tibetan . In
2352-466: The Mahavairocana Tantra , outlines the "perfection stage" practices thus: First you should actualize all the four branches of recitation for a while as before, and then analyze the manifestation of the created ( parikalpita ) colour, shape, and so on, of your tutelary deity who is identical to yourself, breaking them down into atoms. Or it is also acceptable to do this by way of the reasoning that
2436-610: The Phagmodrupa dynasty , and the strong localism of the various fiefs and political-religious factions, led to a long series of internal conflicts. The minister family Rinpungpa , based in Tsang (West Central Tibet), dominated politics after 1435. In 1565, the Rinpungpa family was overthrown by the Tsangpa Dynasty of Shigatse , which expanded its power in different directions of Tibet in
2520-697: The Puning Temple and Putuo Zongcheng Temple (modeled after the potala palace). This period also saw the rise of the Rimé movement , a 19th-century nonsectarian movement involving the Sakya , Kagyu and Nyingma schools of Tibetan Buddhism, along with some Bon scholars. Having seen how the Gelug institutions pushed the other traditions into the corners of Tibet's cultural life, scholars such as Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820–1892) and Jamgön Kongtrül (1813–1899) compiled together
2604-567: The Rimé movement (19th century), meaning "no sides", is a more recent non-sectarian movement that attempts to preserve and understand all the different traditions. The predominant spiritual tradition in Tibet before the introduction of Buddhism was Bon , which has been strongly influenced by Tibetan Buddhism (particularly the Nyingma school). While each of the four major schools is independent and has its own monastic institutions and leaders, they are closely related and intersect with common contact and dialogue. The native Tibetan term for Buddhism
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2688-403: The Six Dharmas of Naropa , as well as methods that are seen as transcending tantra, like Dzogchen . Its main goal is Buddhahood . The primary language of scriptural study in this tradition is classical Tibetan . Tibetan Buddhism has four major schools, namely Nyingma (8th century), Kagyu (11th century), Sakya (1073), and Gelug (1409). The Jonang is a smaller school that exists, and
2772-536: The Tibetan Autonomous Region . During the Republic of China (1912–1949) , the "Chinese Tantric Buddhist Revival Movement" ( Chinese : 密教復興運動 ) took place, and important figures such as Nenghai ( 能海喇嘛 , 1886–1967) and Master Fazun ( 法尊 , 1902–1980) promoted Tibetan Buddhism and translated Tibetan works into Chinese. This movement was severely damaged during the Cultural Revolution , however. After
2856-555: The Vajramālā Tantra, Mahamaya, etc ), various four branch frameworks (which can be found in tantras like the Net of Magical Manifestation and the Guhyasamaja ), a six branch framework, an eight branch framework and a twelve branch framework ( Kalacakra ). An example of one of these contemplative sequences is that of the Vajramālā Tantra (Vajra Garland), which is as follows: Regarding
2940-426: The 8th century, King Trisong Detsen (755–797 CE) established it as the official religion of the state and commanded his army to wear robes and study Buddhism. Trisong Detsen invited Indian Buddhist scholars to his court, including Padmasambhāva (8th century CE) and Śāntarakṣita (725–788), who are considered the founders of Nyingma ( The Ancient Ones) , the oldest tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Padmasambhava, who
3024-829: The Drikung Kagyu, the Drukpa Kagyu and the Karma Kagyu, are branches of the Dagpo Kagyu. The Karma Kagyu school is the largest of the Kagyu sub-schools and is headed by the Karmapa . Tibetan Buddhism exerted a strong influence from the 11th century CE among the peoples of Inner Asia , especially the Mongols , and Tibetan and Mongolian Buddhism influenced each other. This was done with the help of Kublai Khan and Mongolian theologians influenced by
3108-590: The Modern era, Tibetan Buddhism has spread outside of Asia because of the efforts of the Tibetan diaspora (1959 onwards). As the Dalai Lama escaped to India, the Indian subcontinent is also known for its renaissance of Tibetan Buddhism monasteries, including the rebuilding of the three major monasteries of the Gelug tradition. Apart from classical Mahāyāna Buddhist practices like the ten perfections , Tibetan Buddhism also includes tantric practices, such as deity yoga and
3192-558: The October revolution the term "Buddho-Lamaism" was used for some time by the Bolsheviks with reference to Tibetan Buddhism, before they finally reverted, in the early 1920s, to a more familiar term "Lamaism", which remains in official and scholarly usage in Russia to this day. During the 3rd century CE, Buddhism began to spread into the Tibetan region, and its teachings affected the Bon religion in
3276-571: The Tibetan textual heritage and institutions were destroyed, and monks and nuns were forced to disrobe. Outside of Tibet, however, there has been a renewed interest in Tibetan Buddhism in places such as Nepal and Bhutan. Meanwhile, the spread of Tibetan Buddhism in the Western world was accomplished by many of the refugee Tibetan Lamas who escaped Tibet, such as Akong Rinpoche and Chögyam Trungpa who in 1967 were founders of Kagyu Samye Ling
3360-414: The ability to rest in the vivid appearance of the deity, one may practice the yoga without signs. This is the final meditative concentration of deity yoga in the lower tantras (Action, Performance and Yoga tantra). Though the main focus is on emptiness, one still maintains the deity visualization (except in the direct cognition of emptiness). This yoga is a union of calm abiding and special insight focused on
3444-476: The actual practice of yoga, there are some preliminary practices which are sometimes performed before sitting to meditate, such as giving sacrificial food offerings to appease non-human obstructive beings, visualizing a circle of protection to ward off adverse conditions, and meditating on bodhicitta (through practices such as the Seven Branch Prayer) as well as meditating on pristine awareness/emptiness which
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3528-403: The appearance aspect of reality. As the 14th Dalai Lama says, "In brief, the body of a Buddha is attained through meditating on it." Here, "signs" or "supports" refers to ritual acts, visualized images, mantras, and mudras. There are two main forms of deity yoga visualization: front and self generation. "Front-generation" is when the deity is visualized in the space in front of oneself. First,
3612-458: The appearance of the world ( viśvapratibhāsa ) that is ascertained to be oneself ( ātmaniścitta ) is seen to be like the stainless sky on an autumn day at noon: appearanceless, unending sheer luminosity. This dissolution into emptiness is then followed by the visualization of the deity and re-emergence of the yogi as the deity. During the process of deity visualization, the deity is to be imaged as not solid or tangible, as "empty yet apparent," with
3696-477: The character of a mirage or a rainbow . This visualization is to be combined with "divine pride", which is "the thought that one is oneself the deity being visualized." Divine pride is different from common pride because it is based on compassion for others and on an understanding of emptiness. Following mastery of the "generation stage," one practices the "perfection" or "completion" stage. The Indian commentator Buddhaguhya ( c. 700 CE), in his commentary on
3780-441: The deity (face, hand, etc.) and correct their appearance. Another method is that of stabilizing the mind by holding the breath and making an effort to focus on the image. Then one relaxes on the exhale. One may take breaks from the visualization by just reciting mantra. Regarding the recitation of mantra during the visualization process, there are many ways it can be done, such as: In Yoga Tantra and Unsurpassed Yoga Tantra, there
3864-440: The deity's heart). Mudras (hand seals) may also be included. One may also cultivate the four immeasurables . One also meditates on the emptiness of the deity's form. This approach is considered less advanced and thus it is safer. Front generation as a main practice is more common in the lower tantras. "Self-generation" is the practice in which one imagines oneself as the deity. This is held to be more advanced and accompanied by
3948-551: The deity's residence may be visualized and then the deity is invited to come, which is imagined as appearing in front of the meditator. Sometimes the deity is imagined as just a moon disk, or the seed syllable of the deity, at other times, the full form of the deity may be visualized. Then the yogi takes refuge, generates bodhicitta, offers prayers, praises, and offerings like water and food (real or imagined), confesses their misdeeds, takes vows and so forth. Then one may meditate by reciting mantras (while focusing on visualized letters at
4032-464: The divine pride of deity yoga does not lead to attachment, greed, and other afflictions." According to Gyatrul Rinpoche , the point of this practice is to "understand your buddha nature , which is the very essence of your being" and is "intrinsically present" in all beings. The fact that the deity is a reflection of qualities already inherent in the practitioner is what makes this practice different from mere deluded or wishful thinking. Once one has
4116-416: The earlier Tibetan Empire collapsed and civil wars ensued. In spite of this loss of state power and patronage however, Buddhism survived and thrived in Tibet. According to Geoffrey Samuel this was because "Tantric (Vajrayana) Buddhism came to provide the principal set of techniques by which Tibetans dealt with the dangerous powers of the spirit world [...] Buddhism, in the form of Vajrayana ritual, provided
4200-432: The empty nature of the images and sounds. It is a meditative stabilization which realizes the emptiness of body and mind. Its object is the emptiness of persons and phenomena as it applies to the deity's body and the pure Buddha bodies, vajras, mantra letters, and lotuses of the mandala. According to the 14th Dalai Lama, "although the sounds and so forth may appear, the mind is ascertaining or realizing only emptiness. This
4284-650: The fall of the Qing dynasty in 1912. The Manchu rulers of the Qing dynasty supported Tibetan Buddhism, especially the Gelug sect, during most of their rule. The reign of the Qianlong Emperor (respected as the Emperor Manjushri ) was the high mark for this promotion of Tibetan Buddhism in China, with the visit of the 6th Panchen Lama to Beijing, and the building of temples in the Tibetan style, such as Xumi Fushou Temple ,
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#17328589114814368-610: The first Tibetan Buddhist Centre to be established in the West. After the liberalization policies in China during the 1980s, the religion began to recover with some temples and monasteries being reconstructed. Tibetan Buddhism is now an influential religion among Chinese people, and also in Taiwan. However, the Chinese government retains strict control over Tibetan Buddhist Institutions in the PRC . Quotas on
4452-463: The first copies of these texts were kept at Narthang monastery . Tibetan Buddhism in China was also syncretized with Chinese Buddhism and Chinese folk religion . With the decline and end of the Mongol Yuan dynasty, Tibet regained independence and was ruled by successive local families from the 14th to the 17th century. Jangchub Gyaltsän (1302–1364) became the strongest political family in
4536-568: The following decades and favoured the Karma Kagyu sect. They would play a pivotal role in the events which led to the rise of power of the Dalai Lama's in the 1640s. In China, Tibetan Buddhism continued to be patronized by the elites of the Ming Dynasty. According to David M. Robinson , during this era, Tibetan Buddhist monks "conducted court rituals, enjoyed privileged status and gained access to
4620-415: The form, deeds and thoughts of a Buddha. Tsongkhapa states: Just as the suchness of oneself is ultimately free from all [conceptual and dualistic] proliferations, so is the suchness of the deity. Therefore, create the pride of the sameness of oneself and the deity in terms of nonconceptual perception of the undifferentiability of those two, like a mixture of water and milk. Concentrate without appearance [of
4704-491: The foundations of the Kagyu ( Oral lineage ) tradition , which focuses on the practices of Mahāmudrā and the Six Dharmas of Nāropā . One of the most famous Kagyu figures was the hermit Milarepa , an 11th-century mystic. The Dagpo Kagyu was founded by the monk Gampopa who merged Marpa's lineage teachings with the monastic Kadam tradition. All the sub-schools of the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism surviving today, including
4788-456: The founding of "New Translation" ( Sarma ) lineages as well as the appearance of " hidden treasures " ( terma ) literature which reshaped the Nyingma tradition. In 1042 the Bengali saint, Atiśa (982–1054) arrived in Tibet at the invitation of a west Tibetan king and further aided dissemination of Buddhist values in Tibetan culture and in consequential affairs of state. His erudition supported
4872-440: The generation stage ( utpatti-krama ) and the completion stage ( nispanna-krama ). In the generation stage, one dissolves one's reality into emptiness and meditates on the deity-mandala, resulting in identification with this divine reality. In the completion stage, the divine image along with the subtle body is applied to the realization of luminous emptiness . The Indian tantric scholar Ratnākaraśānti ( c. 1000 CE) describes
4956-428: The generation stage cultivation practice thus: [A]ll phenomenal appearance having arisen as mind, this very mind is [understood to be] produced by a mistake ( bhrāntyā ), i.e. the appearance of an object where there is no object to be grasped; ascertaining that this is like a dream, in order to abandon this mistake, all appearances of objects that are blue and yellow and so on are abandoned or destroyed ( parihṛ- ); then,
5040-657: The invasion of Tibet by China in 1949/1950. It also houses the 108 volumes of the Buddhist Kangyur translated into Tibetan. It is popularly known as the Durpin Monastery. Dudjom Rinpoche was gifted another monastery in Kalimpong, the Jangsa Dechen Choling Monastery , where he trained lamas and students. The Jangsa Gompa was built in 1692 by the government of Bhutan , when Bhutan controlled Kalimpong, and
5124-578: The jealously guarded, private world of the emperors". The Ming Yongle Emperor (r. 1402–1424) promoted the carving of printing blocks for the Kangyur , now known as "the Yongle Kanjur", and seen as an important edition of the collection. The Ming Dynasty also supported the propagation of Tibetan Buddhism in Mongolia during this period. Tibetan Buddhist missionaries also helped spread the religion in Mongolia. It
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#17328589114815208-424: The lower tantras. One of the main differences between deity yoga in Unsurpassed Yoga Tantra and in the lower tantras is the fierce and sexual appearances of the deities used in Unsurpassed Yoga Tantra. It is also common for these deities to be depicted in sexual union. Thus, Longchenpa categorically states: "No matter how many deities are involved, if they are not in union, it is outer tantra. If they are in union, it
5292-652: The major power of those times such as China, India, and states in Central Asia that had strong Buddhist influence in their culture. Yeshe Tsogyal , the most important female in the Nyingma Vajrayana lineage, was a member of Trisong Detsen's court and became Padmasambhava's student before gaining enlightenment. Trisong Detsen also invited the Chan master Moheyan to transmit the Dharma at Samye Monastery . Some sources state that
5376-675: The major religion of the Mongols under Qing rule (1635–1912), as well as the state religion of the Kalmyk Khanate (1630–1771), the Dzungar Khanate (1634–1758) and the Khoshut Khanate (1642–1717). In 1912, following the fall of the Qing Dynasty, Tibet became de facto independent under the 13th Dalai Lama government based in Lhasa , maintaining the current territory of what is now called
5460-432: The mandala. In some sadhanas, one also visualizes one's body as the mandala, filled with deities. Front and self generation are often actually combined with each other in a single practice. For example, one may first perform front visualization, and then self visualization. Then one may have the front visualized deity merge with oneself as deity. To improve one's visualization, one may systematically focus on each part of
5544-504: The mid 14th century. During this period the reformist scholar Je Tsongkhapa (1357–1419) founded the Gelug school which would have a decisive influence on Tibet's history. The Ganden Tripa is the nominal head of the Gelug school, though its most influential figure is the Dalai Lama. The Ganden Tripa is an appointed office and not a reincarnation lineage. The position can be held by an individual for seven years and this has led to more Ganden Tripas than Dalai Lamas Internal strife within
5628-415: The monastery was additionally consecrated in 1976 by the visiting Dalai Lama . A series of important Nyingma school lineage transmissions given by Dudjom Rinpoche to the Tibetan exile communities were first held at Zangdok Palri in 1961. The monastery houses many rare Tibetan Buddhist and specifically Nyingma lineage texts that were brought by Dudjom Rinpoche into Sikkim, India, then moved to Kalimpong after
5712-402: The natural state is realized, deliberate fabrication is dispensed with. The two are cultivated as a union, not solely the appearance or emptiness aspect. There are three bases of purification: birth, death, and the intermediate state. Generation Stage is a visualisation practice utilising "all the senses and the totality of the meditator's body, speech, and mind...[to develop]... confidence in
5796-441: The number of monks and nuns are maintained, and their activities are closely supervised. Deity yoga Tantric techniques : Fourfold division: Twofold division: Thought forms and visualisation: Yoga : The fundamental practice of Vajrayana and Tibetan tantra is deity yoga ( devatayoga ), meditation on a chosen deity or "cherished divinity" (Skt. Iṣṭa-devatā, Tib. yidam ), which involves
5880-492: The physical component of awareness. They are engaged by various means such as pranayama (breath control) to produce blissful experiences that are then applied to the realization of ultimate reality. Other methods which are associated with the completion stage in Tibetan Buddhism include dream yoga (which relies on lucid dreaming ), practices associated with the bardo (the interim state between death and rebirth ), transference of consciousness ( phowa ) and chöd , in which
5964-431: The pride of being a deity emerges. According to Daniel Cozort, divine pride is "the thought that one is oneself the deity being visualized." According to John Powers, the difference between divine pride and defiled pride is that divine pride is based on an understanding of the emptiness of all things and also on compassion. Since "all appearances are viewed as manifestations of the luminous and empty nature of mind, and so
6048-408: The purity and equality of appearance and existence through conceptual creations and training in accord with the view that ascertains the meaning of the natural continuum of the ground." Kongtrül explains the main goal of generation stage practice as purification: Just as one prepares a field with false millet before sowing rice; One purifies thoughts before embarking on what is without thought. Once
6132-404: The reality of the deity's world." The meditator's identification with the deity allows them to develop clear appearance, divine pride and the conviction that what appears is illusory and empty. This is done in order to abandon fixation on ordinary thoughts and appearances as well as the false apprehension of things as being inherently real. In this sense, it is similar to deity yoga as practiced in
6216-553: The recitation of mantras, prayers and visualization of the deity, the associated mandala of the deity's Buddha field , along with consorts and attendant Buddhas and bodhisattvas. According to the Tibetan scholar Tsongkhapa , deity yoga is what separates Tantra from Sutra practice. In the Unsurpassed Yoga Tantras, the most widespread tantric form in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, this method is divided into two stages,
6300-546: The region, reinforced by the rare military intervention. Tibetan Buddhism was adopted as the de facto state religion by the Mongol Yuan dynasty (1271–1368) of Kublai Khan . It was also during this period that the Tibetan Buddhist canon was compiled, primarily led by the efforts of the scholar Butön Rinchen Drup (1290–1364). A part of this project included the carving of the canon into wood blocks for printing , and
6384-673: The sacred space of the awakened Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as well as of the inner workings of the human person. The macrocosmic symbolism of the mandala then, also represents the forces of the human body. The explanatory tantra of the Guhyasamaja tantra , the Vajramala , states: "The body becomes a palace, the hallowed basis of all the Buddhas." All ritual in Vajrayana practice can be seen as aiding in this process of visualization and identification. The practitioner can use various hand implements such as
6468-581: The teachings of the Sakya , Kagyu and Nyingma , including many near-extinct teachings. Without Khyentse and Kongtrul's collecting and printing of rare works, the suppression of Buddhism by the Communists would have been much more final. The Rimé movement is responsible for a number of scriptural compilations, such as the Rinchen Terdzod and the Sheja Dzö . During the Qing, Tibetan Buddhism also remained
6552-407: The term used is Lamaism (literally, "doctrine of the lamas": 喇嘛教 lama jiao ) to distinguish it from a then-traditional Chinese Buddhism ( 佛教 fo jiao ). The term was taken up by western scholars, including Hegel , as early as 1822. Insofar as it implies a discontinuity between Indian and Tibetan Buddhism, the term has been discredited. Another term, " Vajrayāna " (Tibetan: dorje tegpa )
6636-551: The translation of major Buddhist texts, which evolved into the canons of Bka'-'gyur (Translation of the Buddha Word) and Bstan-'gyur (Translation of Teachings). The Bka'-'gyur has six main categories: (1) Tantra , (2) Prajñāpāramitā , (3) Ratnakūṭa Sūtra , (4) Avataṃsaka Sūtra , (5) Other sutras, and (6) Vinaya . The Bstan-'gyur comprises 3,626 texts and 224 volumes on such things as hymns, commentaries and suppplementary tantric material. Atiśa's chief disciple, Dromtön founded
6720-403: The two as different] until your knowledge is very definite. This is the ultimate deity. According to Tsongkhapa, throughout the various stages of visualization one is to maintain the cognition of emptiness and "one trains in causing everything to appear as like illusions." During the meditation, the deity is to be imagined as not solid or tangible, as "empty yet apparent," with the character of
6804-430: The type of sadhana (practice) on is doing. Whatever the case, the initial goal in generation stage practice is the clear appearance of the visualization in a non-artificial, natural way. In more advanced practices, the deity often appears together with their mandala (which includes numerous other deities in it) and the practitioner visualizes themselves (and their actions and thoughts) as the deity and their environment as
6888-424: The yogi ceremonially offers their body to be eaten by all beings in a ritual feast. Representations of the deity, such as statues ( murti ), paintings ( thangka ), or mandala , are often employed as an aid to visualization , in deity yoga. The use of visual aids, particularly microcosmic/macrocosmic diagrams, known as " mandalas ", is another unique feature of Buddhist Tantra. Mandalas are symbolic depictions of
6972-569: Was during this era that Altan Khan the leader of the Tümed Mongols, converted to Buddhism, and allied with the Gelug school, conferring the title of Dalai Lama to Sonam Gyatso in 1578. During a Tibetan civil war in the 17th century, Sonam Choephel (1595–1657 CE), the chief regent of the 5th Dalai Lama , conquered and unified Tibet to establish the Ganden Phodrang government with the help of
7056-401: Was gifted to Dudjom Rinpoche by Bhutan's Queen Mother Choying Wangmo in the 1960s. This article about a Buddhist convent is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Tibetan Buddhism Samding Dorje Phagmo New branches: Tantric techniques : Fourfold division: Twofold division: Thought forms and visualisation: Yoga : Tibetan Buddhism
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