Tibetan Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism is a very important part of life in Tibet. Many aspects of daily life are influenced by religious customs. Politics and religion have always been interconnected, and the Dalai Lama,
the most important person within Tibetan Buddhism, represents both the spiritual and the worldly powers.

Buddhism originated in India in the 6th century BC. The founder, prince Gautama Siddharta, was born in 624 years BC. He grew up in great luxury, but was very unhappy. To contemplate the cause of unhappiness, he spent six years fasting and meditating. After these two extreme experiences, living in luxury and as an ascetic, he chose ‘the middle way’. He reached ‘Bodhi’ (‘Awakening’) and became ‘Buddha’ (‘the Enlightened One’).

The Four Noble Truths are the foundation: suffering is manifest in all parts of our existence; suffering has a cause; suffering can cease; this can be achieved by following the eightfold path. This path consists of right method and right action. After his death in 543 BC, the teachings (sutras) were recorded and the disciplines (vinaya) and requirements for a Buddhist monastic order (the sangha) were written down.

Buddhism wants to show mankind a way to free itself from all worldly suffering. People can have a wrong perception of reality and perform wrong actions. Because their actions do not generate the desired result, they are disappointed. This is how they create their own suffering. Those who realise that their own perception of reality is not necessarily the same as objective reality can protect themselves from suffering and reach enlightenment. Life is seen as a link in an eternal chain of rebirths (samsara). Karma (deeds of a sentient being that can later trigger an experience) determines that positive actions lead to favourable rebirths and negative actions lead to unfavourable rebirths. By practicing the Buddhist teachings (Dharma), one can work on breaking this chain of rebirths and reaching enlightenment.

Tibetan Buddhism
Buddhism reached Tibet in the 4th century. Its practice is mixed with certain aspects of the old animistic belief, the Bön tradition. Altruism, together with rituals, meditation, tantras and mystic texts of the Bön tradition are the ingredients for developing one’s own mind. This combination is called the Vajrayana. Characteristic of Tibetan Buddhism is the extensive pantheon. The Dalai Lama is the physical manifestation of Chenrezig, the bodhisattva of compassion. The Panchen Lama is the manifestation of Amitabha, the teacher of Chenrezig. Besides the bodhisattvas there are many other symbolic beings. The male emanations represent action and energy and their female counterparts represent insight and wisdom. A key figure in Tibetan Buddhism is the lama, the spiritual teacher who is responsible for the transmission of knowledge. Tibetan Buddhism is therefore sometimes also called Lamaism. It is not so that every monk in Tibet is a lama. The most important lama is the Dalai Lama.

Buddhism in Tibet is a part of everyday life and is the foundation of the Tibetan culture and identity. Now that interest in Buddhism is growing worldwide, Tibet itself is experiencing oppression of Buddhism. Religion there is under strict scrutiny by the Chinese government and its practice has to conform to numerous restrictions. It is forbidden to own photographs of the Dalai Lama, for example.

Buddhism in The Netherlands
The teachings of the Buddha (the Dharma) have in the meantime spread into the West. Through films, books, journals, the building of temples and the arrival of Buddhist teachers, Buddhism has experienced major growth. Especially since the nineteen sixties, the number of practicing Buddhists has greatly increased. Within t he Netherlands too, Buddhism is being integrated into society. The number of Buddhists here at the moment is 250.000. There are about 70 Buddhist organisations in The Netherlands. Many are united in the Dutch Buddhist Union. Part of the Buddhist population here are immigrants (for example from Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Thailand and China), for whom Buddhism is part of their culture. Tibetan Buddhism is the most practiced form of the Buddhist schools among the native Dutch population. The reason for this is not only the popularity of the Dalai Lama, but also because of its psychological approach. The study of Tibetan Buddhism contains the explanations of the complete functioning of the mind, including analyses of the emotions. This is likely to appeal to an educated public.

In the course of the centuries, different schools of Buddhism have developed. There are also differences between Eastern and Western Buddhism. One marked difference in the West is that most practicing Buddhists here are lay men and women. They have a job, a family and a social life and are not, as in Asia, monk or nun, leading a secluded life in a monastery. Such adjustments towards the West with its democratic ideology, are completely in keeping with the history of Buddhism and the way the teachings have spread across the world since 500 BC: Buddhism has spread and has always adjusted to local existing principles. The roll of the teacher is very important in Buddhism, but the possibility to practice on your own makes it very popular among Dutch people. The rational approach of Buddhism fits in well with Western thinking. There is no God within Buddhism. Everyone can reach enlightenment. This is why some people prefer to call it a way of life, instead of a religion.