| If you think that all religion Buddhism sects are alike, | | | | general, it means achieving an inner peace where |
| then you need to think again. Tibetan Buddhism is | | | | wisdom and being free from human suffering is gone. |
| fundamentally different than Chinese or Indian | | | | It is also used to talk about practitioners that have |
| Buddhism. Each sect of Buddhism does have similar | | | | reached a point where they are able to help their |
| theologies but may differ in how enlightenment is | | | | fellow man in his defeat of suffering. The general |
| attained or even why enlightenment is attained. For | | | | breakdown involves teaching the different steps that |
| many people in Western cultures who are not familiar | | | | must be taken for a person to reach enlightenment. |
| with the Buddhist practice, the differences can be very | | | | Not every Buddhist is able to master the four schools |
| confusing, as there are a lot of the same terms used | | | | along with the various other thoughts and rituals that |
| throughout the different sects. | | | | must take place. |
| Tibetan Buddhism was found initially in the Tibet region | | | | So how did the Buddhism Tibetan practitioners spread |
| of China. It was brought to this area by Buddhist | | | | their message to the West? It was not until the |
| princesses who married King Gampo. It was Gampo | | | | People's Republic of China invaded and occupied Tibet |
| who founded the first Buddhist temples in the region, | | | | in 1959. Up until this point the religion was mainly secular |
| as a way to bring the religion of his wives to his | | | | and isolated in the East. |
| people. But it was not until Emperor Trisong Detsen in | | | | But with the flight of many, the Buddhist practice |
| the 8th century that Buddhism became the principle | | | | became known to many people in the rest of the |
| religion of the land. There are four schools of teaching | | | | world. There are several celebrities who are ardent |
| that this form of Buddhism follows. | | | | supporters of freeing Tibet and are known |
| The four schools of teaching are: Nyingma, Kagyu, | | | | practitioners of Buddhism. Richard Gere, Steven |
| Sakya and Gelug. Each school works together to bring | | | | Seagal and Philip Glass are but a few of the people |
| a person to enlightenment. If you are not sure what | | | | who have taken up this philosophy and religion. |
| this "enlightenment" is, then you are not alone. In | | | | |