Tibetan Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism, branch of Vajrayana (Tantric, or Esoteric) Buddhism that evolved from the 7th century CE in Tibet. It is based mainly on the rigorous intellectual disciplines of Madhyamika and Yogachara philosophy and utilizes the Tantric ritual practices that developed in Central Asia and particularly in Tibet. Tibetan Buddhism also incorporates the monastic disciplines of early Theravada Buddhism and the shamanistic features of the indigenous Tibetan religion, Bon. Characteristic of Tibetan Buddhism is the unusually large segment of the population actively engaged in religious pursuits (up until the Chinese communist takeover of the country in the 1950s an estimated one-quarter of the inhabitants were members of religious orders); its system of “reincarnating lamas”; the traditional merger of the spiritual and temporal authority in the office and person of the Dalai Lama; and the vast number of divine beings (each with its own family, consort, and pacific and terrifying aspects), which are considered symbolic representations of the psychic life by the religiously sophisticated and accepted as realities by the common people.

Buddhism was transmitted into Tibet mainly during the 7th to 10th centuries. Notable early teachers were the illustrious 8th-century Tantric master Padmasambhava and the more orthodox Mahayana teacher Shantirakshita. With the arrival from India in 1042 of the great teacher Atisha, a reform movement was initiated, and within a century the major sects of Tibetan Buddhism had emerged. The Dge-lugs-pa, or One of the Virtuous System, commonly known as the Yellow Hats, the order of the Dalai and the Panchen Lamas, was the politically predominant Tibetan sect from the 17th century until 1959, when the hierocratic government of the Dalai Lama was abolished by the People's Republic of China.

By the 14th century the Tibetans had succeeded in translating all available Buddhist literature in India and Tibet; many Sanskrit texts that have since been lost in the country of their origin are known only from their Tibetan translations. The Tibetan canon is divided into the Bka'-'gyur, or Translation of the Word, consisting of the supposedly canonical texts, and the Bstan-'gyur, or Transmitted Word, consisting of commentaries by Indian masters.

(From https://tricycle.org/beginners/buddhism/what-is-vajrayana-buddhism/)

(From https://www.britannica.com/)

Kagyüdpa, or the Practice Lineage

His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, visits America

He spoke of befriending our kleshas, since fighting them has never helped, and of the interdependence of self and other: What characterized the Buddha's compassion was that what he felt about himself, he felt about other... We can, if we wish, think of others as separate, or we can think of others as one with oneself.

The Key, Karmapa said, is how we meet the hardships we encounter. We can embrace hardships as opportunities to grow and think in different ways and create more benefit for ourselves and others. But often, we simply create a lot of negative self-talk about our situation that compounds more suffering onto the original hardship. We can learn to allow hardships to happen (since we cannot, in many cases, prevent them), but limit the self-talk about them.

Because we need to depend on things and people other than ourselves for every benefit that we experience in life, Karmapa taught, our happiness is therefore connected to other beings and their well-being. However, our habitual me and mine mentality of self-centricity does not bring us happiness--rather, the source of happiness lies in working for the benefit of others, since our own happiness cannot come from anywhere else.

His Holiness also spoke of how the world we live in is getting smaller and smaller due to technology and globalization, and people's individual actions therefore have a much greater effect on the global village and the whole of humanity. This era, His Holiness said, is no longer one in which people can afford to cling to their particular views or self-centric identities--not even the limited notion of being a Buddhist. We need to think in larger terms.

Karmapa spoke of the preliminary practices as being akin to learning the alphabet and reading/writing--common forms of learning that lay the foundation for more uncommon or advanced forms of learning that come later in one's educational process. Without the basic knowledge established by the common forms of learning, one could not cultivate a genuine knowledge of a higher order. Continuing this parallel between our spiritual education and our secular education, His Holiness said that we should, in the beginning, approach our spiritual education in the same manner: as a straightforward, simple process of education in which we engage so that we can gradually develop greater knowledge and confidence.

On which dharma practices and study topics are most important in this age, his Holiness said that due to technology and external advancements, we have obtained the power to cause a lot of changes in the world, but for a long time we were not mindful about how we used this power. Now people are becoming more mindful, but so much damage has already been done, and we are on the verge of destroying our planet and our own ability to live here. In this day and age ... the practitioner's motivation to attain one's own personal liberation is no longer sufficient whatsoever. Instead, we need practitioners who can benefit the whole world while also engaging in their own personal practice. The old model of a yogi going off into isolation for many years and then working in a limited way with only a handful of students is no longer particularly practical or helpful. Rather, we need practitioners who are out in the world working for the benefit of the world

On how Western students, with limited time and resources to practice, might establish the genuine Buddhist lineage in our homelands, his Holiness spoke about the need for continuity of practice, which requires firm resolve. We need to remind ourselves again and again of what it is that we wish to accomplish through our practice and refresh that resolve every day to keep the momentum of our practice going. This resolve ... cannot be a mere thought in our heads, but must be a strong building up of energy and intention within ourselves. His Holiness suggested that we could work with setting one clear goal and working with that goal for an entire month, reminding ourselves of it each day.

Most of us, His Holiness said, are not lacking in pith instructions from our gurus and teachers. The problem, rather, is that we lack pith instructions from ourselves. We need to learn how to look within, listen to ourselves, and seek out instructions from our own minds.

He spoke about love, and his love of us, concluding with: Many of you have not seen the Gyalwa Karmapa for several decades, but I can assure you that those of you who made a connection with the Gyalwa Karmapa have never been out of his mind.

Quotes from the 17th Karmapa

Each person must find his or her own path. Nonetheless, seek guidance from wise and compassionate people and listen to them earnestly. This will help you find the best way to proceed -- now and in the future.

Karmapa on Guidance
All traditions, whether religious or secular, have developed to benefit human society. In the event that a tradition or system becomes harmful, there's no need to insist on following it.

Karmapa on Tradition
Human beings are the most intelligent and resourceful species on earth. If we use our intelligence to cause more suffering, rather than to bring some real benefit to others and ourselves, we are no better than beasts.

Karmapa on Intelligence
Just to simply relax and rest in your own natural state is all that you need to do. When you give yourself that opportunity, you'll find that presence extends to the other parts of your life.

Karmapa on Meditation

Nyingmapa, or Ancient School

The Nyingmapa, or Ancient Ones, are the oldest of the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism, and absorbed the Dzogchen teachings at a very early date, still continuing to transmit them to the present day. So thoroughly has Dzogchen become identified with the Nyingmapa, however, that many have mistakenly assumed that Dzogchen belongs only to that school. Very many great exponents of Dzogchen have indeed manifested throughout the history of the Nyingmapa, such as in relatively recent times, Longchen Rabjampa (1303-1363) and Jigmed Lingpa (1729-1798), who were among the greatest scholars, historians, and spiritual teachers of Tibet. But another great Dzogchen practitioner was the head of the Karma Kagyü school. This was Rangjung Dorje ( 1284-1339), the third Karmapa, who integrated the Mahamudra teachings transmitted in his school with the Atiyoga tradition of Dzogchen transmitted by the Nyingmapa, and the transmission of the teachings thus integrated continues to the present day in the Kagyü school.

Summary of the methods of the various paths of Sutra, Tantra and Dzogchen according to the Nyingmapa tradition

The three schools of Tibetan Buddhism that arose after the Nyingmapa--the Sakyapa, the Kagyüdpa, and the Gelugpa schools--classify the tantras in a different way from the manner in which they are classified in the Nyingmapa school, speaking for example, of Higher (Anuttara) and Lower tantras, rather than of Inner and Outer tantras. But since the purpose of this brief summary is to give the reader a key to understanding the relationship between Dzogchen and the various levels of tantra, we will concentrate here on the classification found within the Nyingmapa school--the school most closely associated with Dzogchen.

In the Nyingma tradition the Tantras are divided into Three Outer Tantras and Three Inner Tantras. The Three Inner Tantras include Mahayaga (which emphasizes the Generation Stage) Anuyoga (emphasizing the Completion Stage); and Atiyoga (which emphasizes freedom from efforts).

The term Dzogchen itself needs some further explanation at this point, since it can be used in two senses, either:

to indicate the whole of the Path of Self-Liberation, with its three aspects, Base, Path, and Fruit, or
to refer to the Fruit, or realization, of the Anuyoga (one of the tantric vehicles found in the Nyingmapa school, that will be considered below).

The same name Dzogchen is used in both instances because the same state, the state of Dzogchen, is both the starting point of the Path of Self-Liberation (introduced right away in the Direct Introduction given by the Master to the disciple) and the Fruit (or realization) of the Anuyoga.

When we speak of Dzogchen in its first sense, as the Path of Self-Liberation, it belongs to neither sutra nor tantra, is not a gradual Path, and does not see itself as the high point of a hierarchy of levels.

Nor is Dzogchen, in the sense of the Path of Self-Liberation, part of the tantric Path of Transformation (see below): it does not use visualization as a principal practice, although, being beyond all limits, it may use methods of any level of tantra as secondary practices.

The main practice in Dzogchen consists in entering directly into non-dual contemplation and remaining in that state, constantly making it deeper until Total Realization is attained.

The various levels of Tantra--i.e., of the Vajrayana--have as their foundation and starting point the emptiness of all phenomena, the principle of shunyata. All of them function on the basis of this principle through the application of visualization, but the practice of visualization is applied differently in each level in order to reintegrate the individual's energy with the energy of the universe from which it appears to have become separate.

Whereas the Sarmapa or new schools (the Sakyapa, Kagyüdpa, and Gelugpa) consider Anuttaratantra (supreme tantra); or Anuttarayogatantra to be the supreme vehicle, the Nyingmapa speak of three Inner Tantras (Atiyoga, Anuyoga, and Mahayoga, of which Atiyoga and Anuyoga are only found in the Nyingmapa school).

Atiyoga

Atiyoga is the Path of Self-Liberation, and it does not involve visualization. Through the Direct Introduction given by the master one recognizes the primordial state of mind, the mind's natural condition, the state of Dzogchen, and then, by means of various practices, one deepens one's capacity to know that state, until one can remain in it at all times, integrating all one's actions with non-dual contemplation.

Although Atiyoga as such does not belong to the Path of Transformation of Tantra, its root texts are nevertheless called tantras and, ever since the second spread of the teachings in Tibet, it has been included among the Inner Tantras and considered to be the supreme level of Tantra. In the same way, although Atiyoga is not a gradual path--for in it one begins immediately with Direct Introduction to the state of Dzogchen--it may also be approached by those who have been climbing through the successive stages of the gradual path, as the latter's last stage. So in a presentation of the gradual path it would appear as its supreme and final stage. Atiyoga is only found in the Nyingmapa school.

Within Atiyoga, there are three further divisions: Semde, the Division on mind; Longde, the Division on Vast expanse; and Mengagde, the Division of Esoteric Instructions.

The basic teaching or assertion of Semde is that all phenomena are created by the mind, and that all phenomena are the same as the nature of the mind.

Anuyoga

Anuyoga is a method of the Path of Transformation. The aim of the Path ·of Transformation in general is to enable the practitioner to transform impure vision into pure vision, which is done by means of visualizing a divinity and his or her mandala, thus entering the pure dimension of the divinity.

Anuyoga is only found in Nyingmapa school, and it uses a form of visualization not found elsewhere: the visualization is manifested in an instant rather than it being built up gradually detail by detail as in the other yogas.

At the Anuyoga level, one visualizes oneself as the deity, rather than visualizing the divinity as external to oneself, and the powerful sensation of being the deity oneself is considered more important than the formation of a complete mental image of all the various details of the divinity and his or her surrounding mandala.

Mahayoga

Mahayoga is also a practice of the Path of Transformation. As in the Anuyoga, one visualizes oneself as the deity, but here the visualization of the divinity and mandala is built up gradually, detail by detail. The Fruit of the Mahayoga is called Mahamudra (Total Symbol)

Yogatantra

Yogatantra is the first level of the Path of Transformation. Here, too, one visualizes oneself as the deity, and begins the work with the internal yoga using the subtle energy of the body that continues in the levels of the Path of Transformation above.

Upayatantra

In Upayatantra, deity or realized individual who is used as the basis of practice is here first visualized as being external to oneself, though as one's equal rather than as essentially superior to oneself, and one works with some inner yoga, as well as with external actions.

Kriyatantra

Kriyatantra is the level of the Path of Purification properly speaking, and here one visualizes the deity as external to oneself, and superior to oneself. One works with external actions only, to purify oneself to be able to receive wisdom from the realized being, purifying one's entire dimension with the aim of realizing the pure state of the divinity, which is in fact one's own condition from the beginning.

Sutra

In Sutra, the Path of Renunciation, the emphasis is on giving up, or renouncing, negative actions and adopting positive actions, while Tantra seeks to purify or transform the negative tendencies of body, voice and mind into positive ones.

Both the Hinayana (which includes both the Shravakayana and the Pratyekabuddhayana) and Mahayana levels of the Sutra path work towards the experience of Shunyata, or voidness--which is Tantra's starting point. Tantra assumes that all phenomena are without inherent self-nature, and works on that assumption to work with the play of energy that makes up the world of appearances.

Dzogchen Compared to Other Paths

Gradual paths insist that a practitioner must work from here upwards. Dzogchen, on the other hand, doesn't adopt a hierarchical approach; it proceeds right away on the basis of the master giving the student a Direct Introduction to the primordial state to enable the student to recognize that state for him or herself, and then to remain in it.

Dzogchen is beyond limits, and practices of any of the other levels can be used as secondary practices by a Dzogchen practitioner. But the principal practice of Dzogchen is to enter directly into non-dual contemplation, and to remain in it, continuing to deepen it until one reaches Total Realization.

Sakyapa

The Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism traces its origin back to Buddha Shakyamuni. The most important source of the Sakya order is the great Indian yogi Virupa (9th century), one of the 84 Mahasiddhas and foremost in miraculous attainments, through Gayadhara (994-1043) to his Tibetan disciple, Drokmi Lotsawa Shakya Yeshe (992-1072). Drokmi Lotsawa passed the lineage to his main disciple, Khön Könchok Gyalpo (1034-1102), who built the great monastery in the Tsang region of central Tibet. This area had lots of gray earth, for which reason this seat later known as the Sakya Gray Earth. Khön Könchok Gyalpo founded the Sakya School in 1073.

The Sakyapa school evolved in the same period as the Kagyü, following other lines of transmission received from the Indian Mahasiddha tradition.

The great terton Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo was an outstanding example of the Dzogchen practitioners among the Sakyapa.

The Sakya tradition is known for its precise philosophy and is known as the lineage of Manjushri, the Buddha of wisdom, and has a vast collection of tantra traditions. Although the Sakya tradition holds countless practices, their cardinal meditative system has its origins in the ninth century Virupa Majasiddha, who unveiled am exoteric path called Three Visions and an esoteric path called Three Tantras; a complete tradition for attaining Buddhahood, now known as the Lamdre, The Way and Its Fruit. Three Visions serves as a meditation manual, detailing the gradual path. Three Tantras explains the mantrayana path based on the Hevajra Buddha. Currently, the Sakya tradition flourishes mainly in exile in northern India with study and meditation centers founded in several countries around the world.

Sakya Scriptures

The general Buddhist canon of the Kagyür (bk'a 'gyur) and Tengyur (bstan 'gryur) provide the primary scriptual sources for the lineage. In addition to that, the Sakya lineage relies on the writings of the Sakya masters, starting with the Indian mahasiddhas, as well as the writings of Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092-1158), Sonam Tsemo (1142-1182), Drakpa Gyeltsen (1147-1216), Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyeltsen (1182-1251) and Drogön Chögyal Phakpa (1235-1280) – the Five Patriarchs of the Sakya tradition – and many others great scholars and masters of the tradition.

Two of the most widely studied commentators in the Sakya tradition are Gorampa Sonam Senge (1429-1489) and Panchen Shakya Chokden (1428-1507). The collected works of both of these great scholars contain numerous commentaries on sutras and tantras and other works and are well known among all Tibetan buddhist schools.

Lamdre and Other Teachings

Lamdre

The heart of the Sakya lineage in terms of teaching and practice is called Lamdre (lam 'bras), the Path and Its Fruit, which lead practitioners to the complete understanding and realization of the Hevajra Tantra. The Lamdre is one of the most comprehensive and systematically structured meditation paths in Tibetan vajraya buddhism, a synthesis of the entire paths and fruits teachings of high tantra vajrayana.

The Lamdre tradition comes from Indian teachers Virupa (9th century), Avadhutipa, Gayadhara (994-1043), and Shakyamitra (a follower of Nagarjuna), who passed down the teachings of the lineage to the Tibetan translator Drokmi Lotsawa. The unbroken lineage of these vajra masters continues until today.

The Lamdre tradition took a historic turn during the time of Muchen Sempa Chenpo, a disciple of Ngorchen Kunga Sangpo (1382-1457). He divided the Lamdre transmission lineage into two tracks: (1) the Explanation for Private Disciples (slob bshad) and (2) Explanation for Assemblies (tshogs bshad) traditions. The main vajrayana view expressed in the Lamdre teachings is that of samsara-nirvana being inseparable.

Lamdré as Practice

The lamdré system is rooted in a very specific view, that the path and its result are contained within each other. All beings have an inherently enlightened nature; however, due to afflictive obscurations, they are prevented from recognizing this nature. The path to Buddhahood, then, aims at removing these obscurations and experiencing the liberated existence of nirvāṇa.

Jetsün Dragpa Gyaltsen summarized the path into five stages: 1. initiation 2. the creation stage 3. the completion stage 4. training 5. concluding practice with tantric seals.

The view that saṃsāra (cyclical existence) and nirvana (liberation from suffering) are indivisible illuminates the Lamdré teachings. To enter the path, a student must be consecrated (Skt. abhiṣeka) by an authentic mentor (Skt. guru, Tibetan lama), who instructs the student on how to recognize his or her own buddha-nature. Initiation into the system of practice is crucial because it shows the Lamdré practitioner the result of the path, the wisdom of a buddha.

After being consecrated, the student then engages in the practices of the path. The path includes specific meditations and yogic exercises that aim to remove the adventitious obscurations that are the cause suffering. As with most Anuttarayoga Tantra systems, the Lamdré practitioner will engage in two stages of meditation, the creation stage (Wylie: bskyed rim), where the meditator attempts to embody the awake nature of a buddha, and the completion stage (Wylie: rdzogs rim), which includes yogic meditations on various parts of the tantric anatomy. These practices directly purify obscurations.

In the lamdré tradition, the instructions for mediation are passed orally from mentor to student. As with all tantric Buddhist lineages, in the lamdré tradition, maintaining the secrecy of the teachings is extremely important. This is a reason why the consecration and initiation of the student into the tradition is strongly emphasized. Although eventually teachers like Sachen Künga Nyingpo wrote down oral instructions, originally, the important texts were memorized by the students. This tradition continues to the present day, where some oral teachings remain unwritten, known only by lamdré lineage holders.

Other Tantric Practices

Some of the other main tantric practices of the Sakya lineage include the Hevajra tantra, Chakrasamvara tantra, Mahakala and so forth.

Eighteen Major Treatises

The eighteen major treatises are studied intensively in the Sakya monastic colleges. The main topics of these treatises are: Prajnaparamita – the perfection of wisdom, Vinaya – the monastic discipline, Madhyamaka – middle way view of Nagarjuna, Abhidharma -phenomenology, Pramana – valid cognition and logic, and others. Some of the most renowned and unique Sakya treatises include: Sakya Pandita's works of Distinguishing the Three Vows and The Treasury of Reasoning On Valid Cognition; and the Collected Works Of Gorampa Sonam Senge and Panchen Shakya Chokden.

Three Schools Of Sakya Tradition

The Main Sakya (sa skya) School: The Sakya School of the Khön lineage is the main trunk of the tree of Sakya lineage, from which, the Ngorpa and Tsarpa schools developed as branches. These are the three main traditions or schools in the Sakya tradition known as Sa-Ngor-Tsar-Sum (sa ngor tsar gsum).
The Ngorpa (ngorpa) School: Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo (1382-1457) and successive masters such as Könchok Lhundrup, Thartse Namkha Palsang, and Drubkhang Pelden Dhondup are the primary masters of the Ngorpa lineage, which emphasizes the monastic tradition and its practice of discipline.
The Tsarpa (tshar pa) School: This is the lineage that comes from Tsarchen Losal Gyatso (1502-56), which is also called the ear-whispered-lineage of Tsar. The main emphasis of the lineage is the Thirteen Golden Texts of Tsar, including the secret doctrines of the greater or lesser Mahakala, Vajra Yogini, Jambhala and others. This is called the Tsar tradition.