Buddhism in Tibet

Posted on July 28, 2007 in Buddhism History

Buddhism was introduced in Tibet between the eight and the ninth centuries A.D. In spite of its close proximity to India, the inaccessible Himalayan Range is considered to have prevented the early entry of Buddhism into Tibet.

Before the Tibetan contact with Buddhism, “Bon” was the established religion. However, with the establishment of the Tibetan empire as one of the dominant powers in Asia, with authority over the Tarim region, some parts in northern China and Nepal prompted the contact to take place. It was during the King Songtsen Gampo’s reign (around 6th century A.D.), a Tibetan script was created which initiated the translation of Buddhist Sanskrit texts into Tibetan.

During the reign of Trisong Detsen (8th century A.D.), a wave of great Buddhist teachers such as Padmasambhava, Vairocana, Santaraksita and Vimalamitra traveled to Tibet from India to spread the dharma throughout Tibet. This led to the foundation of the great monastic university of Samye. A few decades later, with Buddhist efforts to expand in Tibet meeting strong indigenous opposition, Buddhist practitioners were no longer patronized by the Tibetan government. Yet, Buddhist institutions gradually recovered, and a second wave of translations and teachers came from India in 11th and 12th centuries.

Buddhism branching out

Coming into contact with the indigenous religions, the strands of Buddhism’s tapestry – the universal teachings of Hinayana; the bodhisattva teachings of Mahayana; and the vast panoply of tantric transmissions eventually transformed the characteristics of Buddhism in Tibet. The outcome of the second wave of Buddhism’s transmission was the establishment of three more major schools the Sakya, Kagyu and Gelugpa apart from the existing school, Nyingma which was established around the 8th and the 9th centuries.

Tibetan institutions

Generally, each of these major traditions was supported by different, independent Tibetan institutions. They gained prominence during different periods of Tibetan history, and had specific geographical areas where they were popular. But still, many unifying movements have reformed Tibetan institutions over the centuries. The “Rime movement” during the nineteenth century in particular, which was led by Jamgon Kongtrul the Great and the Great Jamyang Khyentse, is believed to have revitalized many Sakya, Nyingma and Kagyu institutions by promoting respect to each other.

Interestingly, for about 1100 years, Tibet has reverently preserved that wealth of Indian Buddhism, in spite of it losing popularity in the Indian subcontinent. With the peculiar blend of Tantric elements, Tibetan Buddhism has become famous throughout Central and Northern Asia as a great center of spiritual and medical knowledge.

After the Communist take over

However, with the Communist China taking charge over Tibet in 1950’s, widespread cultural havoc has subsequently led to the flight of many Tibetan spiritual leaders. And with the flight the Dalai Lama and other leading Tibetans in 1959, subsequent recognition of Tibetan issues has been addressed in the International arena. Though the political fate of Tibet still lay with the Chinese, Tibetan form of Buddhism continues to influence a large number of people even in the West including the U.K., Scotland, the U.S.A., and Australia.

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