Lamaism (Tibetan Buddhism) in China

Buddhism was established as the official religion in Tibet in 641 A.D., under King Songtsen Gampo. Prior to that, Tibetans had traditionally practiced the shamanistic religion of Bon. While Buddhism grew, it did not completely supplant Bon, which is still practiced today by more than 130,000 people in Tibet, according to a 2007 report by the Chinese government.

Around 760, a Buddhist mystic known as Padmasambhava or Guru Rinpoche traveled to Tibet from India to establish a monastery near Lhasa known as the Nyingma School. Padamasambhava combined aspects of Buddhism, Tantric Buddhism and Bon to form the unique practice of Tibetan Buddhism.

While Tibetan Buddhism grew, there were continued conflicts with Bon shamans and followers. Some lamas even attempted to eliminate any aspect of Bon practices from Tibetan Buddhism.

In the 1200s the Mongols who populated north-central Asia adopted Tibetan Buddhism. Under the Mongolian-led Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) Lamaism became the official religion of China. It was during this Dynasty that the Manchus, who lived in Northeast China, also adopted Tibetan Buddhism. Under the later Manchu-led Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Tibetan Buddhism was also practiced in the Chinese imperial court.

Political Changes:

In 1949, following the defeat of the Nationalists by Chinese Communists in the Chinese Civil War, China became a Socialist and atheist nation. These changes quickly conflicted with traditional Tibetan society which consisted of estates with lords and laborers. In 1950 the Chinese defeated Tibetan fighters and initiated policies, such as land reform, to bring Tibet into further into the People’s Republic of China.

In 1951, the Chinese government and representatives of the 14th Dalai Lama, the religion’s spiritual leader, underwent talks that resulted in the Seventeen Point Agreement that includes a statement of China’s sovereignty over Tibet. The agreement was later ratified in Lhasa.

But many Tibetans continued to resist Chinese rule and staged a failed uprising in 1959, which led to a violent Chinese military crackdown on Tibet. It was during this period that the Dalai Lama fled to India with help from the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. After leaving Tibet, the Dalai Lama discredited the Seventeen Point Agreement saying it was forced and never valid.

In Dharamsala, India, the Dalai Lama established the Tibetan Government in Exile, officially known as the Central Tibetan Administration. Meanwhile, in China, the 10th Panchen Lama, the second most powerful lama after the Dalai Lama, became the figurehead of Tibet.

Religious practices:

Tibetan Buddhism differs from traditional Buddhism in its shamanistic and mystical elements, much of which was taken from the traditional Bon religion and Tantric Hinduism. Ritualistic practices are common, including prayer, drumming and meditation. Followers also worship guardian deities and believe in living incarnations of the Buddha.

There are many Tibetan Buddhist holidays, including Year End celebrations and Losar or New Year celebrations in February and March that mark the start of spring. There are also a Horse Racing Festival in June, a Water Feast in August which marks the start of Autumn, and the Lhabab Duchen in the winter which commemorates the Buddha’s descent from Heaven.

Within Tibetan Buddhism are several different schools including the dominant Gelugpa or Yellow Hat Sect, the Kagyupa school, the Nyingmapa school, and the Sakyapa school. The Kagyupa, Nyingmapa and Sakyapa are collective known as followers of the Red Hat Sect. The use of hat in its name refers to the color of the hats that followers wear during ceremonies.

The oldest teachings is the Nyingmapa school, which dates to the 8th century from the Buddhist mystic Padmasambhava. This belief is based on the first translations of Buddhist teachings from the original Sanskrit into the Tibetan language. Most of the followers of this order today are in Kham in eastern Tibet.

The Kagyupa school was created in the 11th Century during a second period of translation from the original Sanskrit into Tibetan. The Kagyu school uses oral lineage and guru devotion, and focuses on tantric teachings.

The Sakyapa sect was also created in the 11th Century. It is located in southern Tibet where the Sakya Monastery was built. It was founded by Drogmi, a translator of texts who had also studied in India. Sakya monks were influential in collecting Buddhist and Tantric texts.

The Gelugpa or Yellow Hat sect is currently the most powerful in Tibetan Buddhism. It developed in the 15th Century because many followers viewed the other sects as corrupt. This sect was developed by the religious leader Tsongkhapa who created stricter rituals for religious practices. He also included rules of celibacy. It was under the Yellow Sect that the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama lineages were established.

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