Vajrayana Buddhism

ORIENTATION:
September 6th 2010 at 9:30 sharp

PRESENTATIONS: Mondays,
September 20th, 27th,
October 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th 2010

Leaders: Denise Tomecko , Catherine Lynch

Place: Will be announced later

Sign up: Martine at mmauffrey@hotmail.com

Vajrayana Buddhism, sometimes called Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism or Himalayan Buddhism, is an esoteric form of Mahayana Buddhism. It is thought to have originated in the Swat Valley region of present day Pakistan and was studied at ancient Indian seats of learning, such as Nalanda University. It was developed in Tibet beginning in the 7th century CE, in the reign of King Songtsen Gampo. His grandson King Trisong Detsen later invited influential Indian tantric masters (Santaraksita and Padmasambhava) to Tibet. Although long lost to its Indian birthplace, it is preserved to this day in the Buddhist practices of the Himalayan region.

Vajrayana incorporates Mahayana doctrines, like the Madyamika and Yogakara, as well as Tantric symbolic rituals, Yoga and elements of the indigenous shamanic religion of Bon. This is all laid upon a base of the classical teachings and monastic disciplines of the historical Buddha, who lived around 500 BC. Features include its system of reincarnating lamas, large pantheon of deities and a sophisticated understanding of mind and reality, which bears striking parallels to modern science and psychology.

Tibetan Buddhism is personified to the world through the office of the Dalai Lama, revered by Tibetans as an emanation of the Bodhisattva, and Deity of compassion, Avalokitesvara. The current Dalai Lama is the exiled spiritual and political leader of Tibet, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.

Our study group will go on an historical journey through the religion, culture, art and politics of the Himalayan region, to emerge in modern times, where Vajrayana Buddhism was thrust onto the world stage after the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1950-1951.