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Taking A Look At The Tibetan Buddhism
If you think that all religion Buddhism sects are alike, then you need to think again. Tibetan Buddhism is fundamentally different than Chinese or Indian Buddhism.
Each sect of Buddhism does have similar theologies but may differ in how enlightenment is attained or even why enlightenment is attained. For many people in Western cultures who are not familiar with the Buddhist practice, the differences can be very confusing, as there are a lot of the same terms used throughout the different sects.
Tibetan Buddhism was found initially in the Tibet region of China. It was brought to this area by Buddhist princesses who married King Gampo. It was Gampo who founded the first Buddhist temples in the region, as a way to bring the religion of his wives to his people.
But it was not until Emperor Trisong Detsen in the 8th century that Buddhism became the principle religion of the land. There are four schools of teaching that this form of Buddhism follows.
The four schools of teaching are: Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug. Each school works together to bring a person to enlightenment. If you are not sure what this "enlightenment" is, then you are not alone. In general, it means achieving an inner peace where wisdom and being free from human suffering is gone.
It is also used to talk about practitioners that have reached a point where they are able to help their fellow man in his defeat of suffering. The general breakdown involves teaching the different steps that must be taken for a person to reach enlightenment. Not every Buddhist is able to master the four schools along with the various other thoughts and rituals that must take place.
So how did the Buddhism Tibetan practitioners spread their message to the West? It was not until the People's Republic of China invaded and occupied Tibet in 1959. Up until this point the religion was mainly secular and isolated in the East.
But with the flight of many, the Buddhist practice became known to many people in the rest of the world. There are several celebrities who are ardent supporters of freeing Tibet and are known practitioners of Buddhism. Richard Gere, Steven Seagal and Philip Glass are but a few of the people who have taken up this philosophy and religion.
Is Tibetan Buddhism impossible to learn? No. Just as with any new religion that you may be embarking upon, it does take time to become acquainted with all of the different mantras and beliefs that are the backbone of this way of life. It is not something that is just embraced sporadically. It is a way of life that can lead to greater peace and a greater sense of fulfillment.
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