| Tibetan Buddhism is the body of | | | | the attainment omniscience - that is all |
| religious Buddhist doctrine and | | | | obstructions to knowing all phenomena |
| institutions characteristic of Tibet, | | | | (including knowing perfectly the minds |
| the Himalayan region (including northern | | | | of all sentient beings) are removed. In |
| Nepal, Bhutan, and Sikkim and Ladakh), | | | | the Tibetan Buddhist view, when one |
| Mongolia, Buryatia, Tuva and Kalmykia | | | | perceives or conceives of a particular |
| (Russia), and northeastern China | | | | object the mind (carried upon a subtle |
| (Manchuria: Heilongjiang, Jilin). It | | | | energy - 'prana' in Sanskrit and 'lung' |
| includes the teachings of the three | | | | in Tibetan) goes to that object. Thus it |
| vehicles (or yanas in Sanskrit) of | | | | is said that upon the attainment of |
| Buddhism: Hinayana, Mahayana, and | | | | omniscience, one's mind becomes |
| Vajrayana (also known as Tantrayana). | | | | omnipresent. |
| The invasion and occupation of Tibet by | | | | There are said to be countless beings |
| China in 1959 eventually led to the | | | | that have attained Buddhahood, or in |
| spread of Tibetan Buddhism to many | | | | other words there are countless Buddhas. |
| Western countries (which has become | | | | Buddhas spontaneously, naturally and |
| known as the Tibetan Diaspora) where the | | | | continuously perform activities to |
| tradition has gained great popularity. | | | | benefit all sentient beings. However it |
| In the past, Tibetan Buddhism was | | | | is believed that sentient beings' karma |
| referred to by some as "Lamaism" | | | | (or actions and results) has equal power |
| (Teaching of spiritual teachers) but by | | | | to Buddhas. Thus, although Buddhas |
| many this is now considered | | | | possess no limitation from their side on |
| inappropriate. (See Lama) | | | | their ability to help others, sentient |
| Introduction | | | | beings continue to experience suffering |
| Tibetan Buddhism is a Mahayana Buddhist | | | | as a result of their own negative |
| tradition, meaning that the goal of all | | | | actions (usually committed in previous |
| practise is to achieve full | | | | lifetimes). |
| enlightenment (or Buddhahood) in order | | | | Vajrayana |
| to remove all limitation on one's | | | | Tibetan Buddhism encompasses Vajrayana |
| ability to help all other living beings | | | | (a Sanskrit word that is a conjunction |
| to attain this state. This motivation | | | | of vajra which may be translated as |
| for practise is called Bodhichitta (a | | | | diamond, thunder or indestructible and |
| Sanskrit word meaning 'mind of | | | | yana or vehicle). It is said that |
| enlightenment'). | | | | Vajrayana practice is the fastest method |
| Tibetan Buddhist monks at a monastery in | | | | for attaining Buddhahood, however this |
| Sikkim | | | | is only the case for advanced |
| Tibetan Buddhist monks at a monastery in | | | | practitioners who have a grounding in |
| Sikkim | | | | the preliminary practices (which may be |
| Buddhahood is defined as freedom from | | | | categorised as renunciation, Bodhichitta |
| the obstructions to liberation (or | | | | and wisdom - specifically, the wisdom |
| negative states of mind such as hatred | | | | perceiving emptiness). For practitioners |
| and desirous attachment) and the | | | | who are not qualified, Vajrayana |
| obstructions to omniscience (which are | | | | practise is in fact dangerous, and will |
| the imprints of negative minds, or | | | | only lead to suffering if it is not |
| delusions). When one is freed from | | | | practised with the pure motivation of |
| mental obscurations one is said to | | | | Bodhichitta. For this reason also, |
| attain a state of unimaginable, | | | | Vajrayana should only ever be practised |
| continuous bliss where all limitations | | | | after receiving an appropriate |
| on one's ability to help all other | | | | initiation (also known as an |
| living beings are removed. This includes | | | | empowerment) from a qualified lama. |