Brief historical introduction to Tibetan Buddhism

Gautama the Buddha was born in Northern India in fifth century BC, the son of a king who brought him up to be the heir to the throne. His early life was spent in palatial luxury, with few worries and cares, and he excelled in all pursuits of his time, both academic and athletic.
Before long, however, he began to doubt the validity of his worldly life. Fleeing his father’s palace, he sought a more meaningful life, studying under a number of highly regarded masters of philosophy and meditation. Such was the sincerity of his quest that he rapidly achieved the highest meditational accomplishments that these masters could teach him, but he was still not satisfied. Despite years of strenuous ascetic practice, he found that none of these systems could take him beyond the limits of conditioned existence. He decided to continue his search alone, and through his own efforts finally attained enlightenment at present day Bodh Gaya. Later he began to teaching, and quickly attracted a large following of disciples, many of whom became highly accomplished in meditation.
The diversity of people who came to the Buddha to receive his teaching and practise his path called for a corresponding diversity in the way which he taught, and different individual or groups received different instructions appropriate to their respective temperaments and intellectual abilities.

The teachings that the Buddha taught during his life can be broadly divide into three categories-those that were initially collected together in the Pali Canon and form the basis for what is known as the Theravada School, emphasizing moral discipline and ethics; the teachings of the Mahayana, Great Vehicle, which stress compassion and concern for others, and the tantric teachings of the Vajrayana or Secret Mantrayana, which use an enormous variety of skilful methods to bring about profound realization in a relatively short time.
After his death the differences between the various teachings that he had given became more rigidly apparent as different schools and traditions took shape.

During the centuries that followed, these different traditions were gradually propagated all over India and further a field, until Buddhism had extended its influence through much of Central, Eastern and Southern Asia, even as far as Indonesia. Some traditions were lost entirely, others merged into newer forms of Buddhism. By the thirteenth century AD, the arrival of Islam and political changes in Indian society had driven the Buddhadharma from its land of origin, and it was in other countries that the teachings were preserved -the Theravada in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand and Cambodia, the Mahayana in China, Japan, Korea and Indo-China, and the Vajrayana mainly in Tibet. Tibet was doubly fortunate. Not only was it one of the few countries in which the Vajarayna continued to be practised, it was also the only one in which the full range of teachings, from all three traditions, was transmitted and preserved.
Over the centuries these many strands of the Buddha’s teaching have been handed down from master to student in the numerous lineages which comprise the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism we know today - the Nyingmapa, Kagyupa, Sakyapa and Gelugpa schools.

The enormous range of teachings to be found within Tibetan Buddhism can nevertheless be summarized by the Four Noble Truths, which the Buddha expounded shortly after his enlightenment. The first of these points out that our conditioned existence is never free from a state of suffering, never truly satisfactory. Any happiness we have is only temporary and in due course gives way to suffering. The reason for this, as explained in the second truth, is that any action one may do, say or think gives rise to a result which has to be experienced either later in one’s life or in a future life. Indeed, rebirth is the result of one’s actions, and the conditions into which one is born in one life are directly dependent on the actions one has done in previous lives, and particularly the motives and attitudes involved. This, the principle of cause and effect, explains why, for example, some people remain poor all their lives despite their efforts to become wealthy, while others have everything they could want even though they do nothing to gain it. The second truth goes on to show that the driving force behind our actions is the negative emotions such as hatred, attachment, pride, jealousy and, especially ignorance, which is the root of all others. This ignorance concerns not only a lack of wisdom in how we act, but the basic ignorance behind how we ordinarily perceive the whole of existence and constantly become caught by our clinging to the idea of our own egos and outer world as solid and lasting. Because there is no end to our actions, there can be no end to our continuously taking rebirth in the cycle of conditioned existence. Only when we cease to act through ignorance can this cycle be broken, as shown by the third truth which expounds the cessation of suffering and freedom from conditioned existence.
The fourth truth explains the way through which this can be achieved. This essential means, on the one hand, the accumulation of positive actions, like practising charity and so on; and on the other hand, the practice of meditation, which can directly dispel the root of ignorance which the cause of suffering. A practitioner who follows this path with only his liberation in mind can attain a high degree of realization and become an Arhat (one who has overcome the negative emotions). But it is not full enlightenment. Only those who have as their motivation the good and ultimate enlightenment of all other beings can attain final enlightenment. Such practitioners, who follow the path of the Great Vehicle based on compassion, are known as Bodhisattvas. A Bodhisattva who moreover practises the profound and skilful teachings of the Vajrayana is able to become fully enlightened in a very short time.

Albert Einstein once pointed out that Buddhism was the tradition that he felt fulfilled the criteria he thought necessary for a spiritual path adapted to the twentieth century. Today modern physicists are drawing conclusion which approach the doctrines the Buddha expounded two thousand five hundred years ago. While the attractions of materialism have had diverse affect on traditional spiritual life throughout Asia, there are increasing numbers of people in the West who are showing an interest in the possibilities offered by study and practice of Buddhism.
When the continuity of Buddhist lineages was threatened by the political changes in Tibet in the nineteen fifties, numerous qualified lamas, who had not only received the proper lineage transmissions from their teachers, but also, through study and meditation, gained full understanding and realization of the teachings, sought to preserve them by bringing them to India. At the same time, some Western visitors to India began to show an interest in these lamas and their spiritual heritage. Since it had been said by Padmasambhava, whom he Tibetans refer to as “Guru Rinpoche”, “the Precious Master,” that, of the Buddha’s teachings, the Vajrayana would prove especially powerful and effective for individuals living in a time when emotions are stronger than ever, many teachers felt that it would be appropriate to introduce these teachings to the West. The Vajrayana is particularly flexible and adaptable to the sorts of situations in which modern people find themselves, and, without losing its traditional form, has now been taught to a wide range of people all over the world.

Abridged version of: “Brief historical introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, Translators Introduction” Pages XI to XiiV, “Words my Perfect Teacher” by Patrul Rinpoche, Padmakara Translation Group, Vistaar Publications, New Delhi, 1994

The Portuguese Buddhist Union’s (“União Budista Portuguesa”) purpose is to congregate the authentic Buddhist traditions, existing in Portugal. The objective is to support their activities as well as practicing and promoting the practice of Buddhism.
With that purpose, we have invited to teach in Portugal many Masters of different Buddhist traditions, and will continue to support and to promote all the initiatives that contribute to the sharing of the Dharma in our country.
In this way, we intend to share with our fellow citizens, the existence of Buddhism. Also, we keep a rigorous criterion of recognition of the authenticity of the Buddhist traditions existing in our country.
We are also open to the participation of individual associates, who do not identify themselves with a particular existing tradition, but that share with us the same ideal of promoting Buddhism. We invite everybody to use our services and to collaborate with us.

The Union has associates, or charter associates and practitioners of different Buddhists schools.
We believe in an open and undivided perspective, and in the indispensable combination of efforts so that the Buddhism is known and respected in Portugal as one of the main religious traditions of the planet.

We think that the spreading of the teachings of the Buddha can contribute to create a more harmonious and happier world. This because for 2500 years Buddhism has been, for some of us, a peaceful path leading to the overcoming of suffering and accomplishment of happiness.

For contacts or further information, please visit:
www.uniaobudista.pt

“The Songtsen – Casa da Cultura do Tibete: The Tibetan Cultural Centre – is a non-profit association who’s main purpose is to contribute to the preservation, the knowledge, the study and the spreading of Tibetan culture and values, in all its expressions: religious, philosophical, artistic, civilizational (DR nº213, III Série de 14 de Setembro de 2000).

The Songtsen was created through the inspiration of T. T. Pema Wangyal Rinpoche, its Honorific President, and relies on the universal message of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, integrating an international network of similar institutions; with the purpose of universalizing the spirit and genius of the Tibetan people.

Threatened with extinction in its home land, the very rich and millenary inheritance of both culture and wisdom of Tibetan people is nowadays facing a historical Diaspora. An increasing number of westerners are becoming sensitive to the universality of its values and spirituality.

Coming from the “Roof of the World”, region of spectacular natural beauty, the living traditional culture of Tibetan people brings, to all humanity, a notable contribution to the development of self-knowledge, fraternity, peace and freedom, particularly needed in this moment of crisis and mutation of planetary conscience.

Having been the Portuguese the first western people to establish regular contacts with Tibetan people, it is with genuine rejoicing that we receive between us the wealth of this culture consecrated to the development of the superior potentialities of the human being.”

For contacts or further information, please visit:
www.casadaculturadotibete.org