To understand how Tibetan Buddhism differs from other Buddhist schools we need to consider its development from two different perspectives, the first ideological and the second historical. Although these are here considered separately, they of course developed with reference to each other. Ideological Development Ideologically Tibetan Buddhism is a derivation of Mahayana Buddhism heavily influenced by Tantrism. To unravel this jargon-cloaked statement, we should take a look at the essential constituents and development of Buddhism,  » Read more »

Buddhism is said to have traveled into China along the Silk Road in the first half of the first century AD. Its rise to prominence grew in proportion to the increasing traffic along the Silk Road, so that by the Tang dynasty (618-907AD) when China's capital, Chang'an, was one of the world's most prosperous cities, Buddhist translations were for the first time accessible. It was during this period that a new variant of Buddhism arose,  » Read more »

A former professor of architecture of Qinghua university (China's top technical university) was visiting a friend, whose multi-national Chinese company had recently moved office. As soon as he saw his friend's north-facing office window, the professor gasped in horror. "You ought to have that bricked over," he instantly advised, "it attracts bad qi ." The company chairman, astonished by this outlandish suggestion, ignored it. A few unlucky years later however, he called in a Hong Kong fengshui (or geomancy) expert to look over his premises.  » Read more »

Foundation of the Gelug Sect Tsong Khapa (1357-1419) founded Ganden monastery in 1409. A graduate of the austere Karmapa order, his doctrine emphasized monastic discipline. This attitude was echoed by his reinforcement of the primacy of sutras – the original teachings of Buddha – over the tantras – later mystical teachings. So popular was his movement that new monasteries were soon opened at Sera, Drepung & Tashilhunpo, and the sect took on the name of Gelug or "Virtuous Ones".  » Read more »

Every Tibetan family struggled to afford the honor of sending a family member to a monastery. This indeed was no small sacrifice since the continuing upkeep of the monks was the responsibility of their respective families. To give some idea of the popularity of this religious mission, in the early twentieth century approximately one fifth of all Tibetan men were monks. Though there were also nunneries, their numbers were not as large. When a young boy,  » Read more »