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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
Many senior
Bodhisattva of Lamas
compassion 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.

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Vajrayana

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