The Diamond Thunderbolt Way
I am the Guru Padmasmbhava,
and I brought Buddhism to Tibet.
I combined my Indian Tantric teaching with
aspects of the Bon Shamanism of Tibet to form a
totally new kind of Buddhist path.
I “converted” many of the Bon
Spirits to Buddhism, and
they have become “Dharma
protectors” – fierce spirits who protect Buddhist teaching
and those who follow it
This is Mahakala, for example;
Tantra is an Indian religious tradition that emphasises
Ritual and Visualisation
meditations, and values the gaining of
Siddhas – mysterious, magical
powers. Some of my disciples call me the “Crazy Wisdom Guru”,
because my teachings are often
strange!
Vajrayana Buddhism is
very colourful and its rituals are often very loud as well.
The idea of the Mantra is really important in Vajrayana – this is a short phrase that is
repeated while a person meditates…
The most famous is “Om Mane Padme Hum”
Click here to hear it chanted
“Aum mane Padme hum” literally means “Hail to the Jewel in the Lotus”, but Tibetans
believe that the words themselves are powerful – just repeating this mantra often enough can make you enlightened. A good way to think about this is water dropping on a stone – after a few hours you have a wet stone, but after thousands of years, water
can actually wear it’s way through. Mantras have a similar effect, slowly but surely breaking through to enlightenment.
Mantras can be used in lots of different
ways – you can write them out and put them in a prayer
wheel, which you can spin as you walk, or
talk – Tibetans believe that even
doing this will gain merit, and help you get enlightened, as there is a small part of your mind that is
still aware of the mantra as you spin it.
Some prayer wheels are very big indeed – you can see them on the streets, and around
temples.
You can carve Mantras into rocks by the roadside, and their power will pass into the cosmos, as they
erode…
You can write Mantras onto “Wind Horses” – flags, and their power will be
carried into the cosmos by the
wind!
Vajrayana monks are called Lamas – and have some
differences to other kinds of
Buddhist monk – we are allowed
to eat Meat (as it is a staple in
Tibet), and we have to support
ourselves financially, as well as living a monastic life.
Many of our Pujas are long, complex rituals, involving specific
types of meditation, as
well as the use of some particular
ritual tools, which are unique to
Vajrayana
The Dorje, or Vajra – Thunderbolt Sceptre is held in the hand while performing rituals, or
meditating – it represents the Male Principle, and the idea of Action and may be thought of as a
“battery” for storing spiritual power.
The Bell that is held in the other hand represents the female principle, and the
idea of “Wisdom”. Used together in rituals, the Bell and Dorje represent the union of
Wisdom and Action.
The Phurba is a ritual dagger, that is used as a means of
focussing and directing spiritual power, often to aid
others, in healing or exorcism rituals.
The Mala is another important ritual tool – a
necklace of 108 beads that is used to count repetitions
of mantras.
This one, like many of the most powerful ritual objects is made out of human bone – this is a way of showing
that the Lamas do not fear the power of death!
Lamas are expected to be
experts in Buddhist
Philosophy – we argue with each other every day
in a very vigorous way – only the very
finest get promoted!
Thankas are very detailed pictures of
Bodhisattvas that are used as a focus for Pujas, and for meditation – some very large ones are used
for festivals.
Offerings are made in front of the images of the Buddha and
Bodhisattvas – Light, Water, and
Flowers you will be familiar with, but
also white scarves – which are a
symbol of honour and respect – the
Tibetan equivalent of garlands of
flowers – as these do not grow easily
in Tibet.
Lamps fuelled with Yak Butter are offered to Images of the Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and Dharma protectors, as symbols of enlightenment
This complicated Mandala is a map of the Vajrayana Universe, meditating
upon it can lead you to enlightenment – see if you can guess
what it is made out of?
It is made out of sand – teams of
Lamas painstakingly spend months creating these.
They are created for particular festivals and celebrations
At the high point of the ritual,
these mandalas are destroyed, and the sand
swept up – this is an example of
Anicca, and teaches us not to be attached
to things!
I am the Dalai Lama, the Spiritual
Leader of Tibet (although I now live in exile in India). I
teach that the Vajrayana path is
one that must emphasise Wisdom, and Compassion to
all living beings.
Before the Chinese invasion, I was the
ruler of Tibet as well, and Tibet was a Buddhist state –
everyone practiced Buddhism, and
nearly every man was a monk.
I am the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, and I am a direct reincarnation
of the previous thirteen – many
Tibetans believe that I am the incarnation of Chenzenrig – the
Bodhisattva of compassion
Many senior Lamas
reincarnate like this, this called
a “tulku”
This is the Potala – My palace in Lhasa.
It is still a place of Pilgrimage for many of my Countrymen.