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.