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