Tibetan Buddhism And Cultism

Tibetan Buddhism is a religion in exile, forced from its homeland when Tibet was conquered by the Chinese. At one time it was believed that 1 in 6 Tibetan men were Buddhist monks.

The best known face of Tibetan Buddhism is the 14th Dalai Lama, who has lived in a state of exile in India since he fled the Chinese occupation of his country in 1959.

Tibetan Buddhism consolidates the essential teachings of Mahayana Buddhism with Tantric and Shamanic, and material from an ancient Tibetan religion called Bon. Although Tibetan Buddhism is Vajrayana thought to be indistinguishable with Vajrayana Buddhism, they are not identical - Vajrayana is educated in Tibetan Buddhism together with the other vehicles.

History

Buddhism turned into a major presence in Tibet towards the end of the 8th century CE. It was brought from India at the invitation of the Tibetan ruler, Trisong Detsen, who welcomed two Buddhist masters to Tibet and had imperative Buddhist texts converted into Tibetan.

First to come was Shantarakshita, abbot of Nalanda in India, who built the first monastery in Tibet. He was followed by Padmasambhava, who came to use his wisdom and power to overcome " otherworldly spiritual" forces that were stopping work on the new monastery. 

The four lineages of  Tibetan Buddhism

1. Nyingmapa: Founded by Padmasambhava, this is oldest sect, noted in the West for the teachings of the Tibetan Book of the Dead.
2. Kagyupa: Founded by Tilopa (988-1069), the Kagyupa tradition is headed by the Karmapa Lama. Important Kagyupa teachers include Naropa, Marpa, and Milarepa.
3. Sakyapa: Created by Gonchok Gyelpo (1034-1102) and his son Gunga Nyingpo (1092-1158).
4. Gelugpa: (The Virtuous School) Founded by Tsong Khapa Lobsang Drakpa (also called Je Rinpoche) (1357 - 1419), this tradition is headed by the Dalai Lama.

Sectarian and Cultism 

New Kadampa Tradition [ NKT ]  one of the major Buddhist schools in the UK, established by the Tibetan-born Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. Tibetan Buddhists are viewed and regarded the NKT as a Sectarian, denoting or concerning a sect or cultism and which is outside the mainstream tradition. 

The New Kadampa Tradition in the West and conflict  and disagreement with the Dalai Lama

In 1976 Geshe Kelsang was invited to teach in the UK by Lama Yeshe, the head instructor of the FPMT, Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition. 

In the late 1970s Geshe Kelsang took the controversial decision of opening his own particular Buddhist Centre in York. He was asked to resign his post Priory but resisted pressure to leave after a group of his closest students pleaded with him to stay.

Critics claim this was the beginning of a rift between Kelsang and the FPMT. They additionally accuse Kelsang of starting a breakaway movement and argue that the New Kadampa Tradition, as it is known today, is not part of the ancient Kadampa Tradition but a split from the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Disagreement and conflict with His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama

Despite the popularity of the New Kadampa NKT Tradition - the organization was involved in a public dispute with the Dalai Lama which began in 1996. The problem focuses on the accentuation placed on the Dharma Protector (* D.S ) by Kelsang. 

The NKT venerates (* D. S )as its protector deity. The Dalai Lama, however, has rejected and spoken out against this practice. He has described (*D.S )  as an evil and malevolent force, and argued that other Lamas before him had also placed restrictions on worship of this spirit.

After the Lama made these statements public in 1996 some followers of (*D.S ) protested against the Dalai Lama in London, blaming him of suppressing their religious freedom. 

Today members of the New Kadampa Tradition continue to worship (* D.S )

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease

But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note

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