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Tibetan Buddhism Key Differences
Tibetan Buddhism has several key differences from other types of Buddhism: Tantra/Vajrayana (skillful means of deity visualization, nature of mind, mantra and mudra), Lamaism (finding a guru for empowerment and key instruction), meditation, governance (Dalai Llama as leader of secular Tibet).
Difference between Zen and Tibetan Buddhism
Zen is essentially Mahayana, but with some Vajrayana highlights. Satori, or the idea of ‘sudden enlightenment’ is a principle in Zen. This is disconfirmed in the Tibetan system, which generally claims there is no such thing. However, very powerful meditative experiences are possible in the Tibetan system, which can fundamentally change the practitioner. These experiences would be enlightenment-LIKE, but not actually enlightenment.
Koans are an important part of Zen, but have no real place in Tibetan Buddhism. However, such riddles as ‘like the son of a barren woman,’ or the ‘horns of a rabbit,’ are frequently cited. These are more metaphorical, pointing out something in a conceptual manner, whereas in Zen, the koan itself is meant to be meditated on directly.
China is the source of Zen, but it found its strongest home in Japan. It has incorporated or created the Shinto tradition there, which mirrors the Bon tradition of Tibet. Both have an animistic quality, with living, non-corporeal beings inhabiting the essence of phenomena.
Meditation in Tibetan forms is focused on Vajrayana preparation and practice, with many, many meditative forms and visualizations. Tantra carries a massive host of concepts and is almost overwhelming in its variety. Zen, by contrast, is the opposite. Mediation involves looking at a white wall without moving for specified periods of time, interspersed with walking meditation. Both systems target the non-conceptual reality underlying the mind.
Tibetan Buddhist difference to Theravada / hinayana
Theravadan is generally considered a hinayana school. This means the narrow vehicle or vehicle of discipline. It is not meant pejoratively. Hinayana focuses on the taking of refuge, the insight into not-self, the Vinaya of the Buddha, renunciation of samsara, and the quest for the liberation of Nirvana. Practitioners seek soso tharpa, self-liberation and do not seek liberation for all beings. These approaches are distinct from the 3 main beliefs of the Tibetan system.
Tantra / Vajrayana
Tibetan Buddhism differs from other forms of Buddhism by practicing Vajrayana forms, while most other types practice Hinayana or Mahayana forms. Vajra (indestructible or diamond) yana (vehicle or way) utilizes many methods, including mantra and deity visualization.
Hina (narrow) yana (vehicle or way) is based on the Buddha’s earliest teachings, especially the 4 Noble Truths, Karma and its result, and the Skandhas (aggregates or personality heaps). Hinayana teaches renunciation from Samsara (wheel of suffering in existence), refuge in the 3 jewels, lack of self in the person, and soso tharpa (self-liberation) through meditation.
Maha (great or open) yana teaches vast compassion of the bodhisattva, bodhicitta (awakening heart), 2 truths – absolute and relative, emptiness of all phenomena, and liberation of others through meditation on wisdom and compassion. Wisdom is synonymous with the realization of emptiness in Mahayana. The bodhisattva vow is the key oath.
Vajrayana teaches the rapid attainment of Mahayana through deity and mantra meditation, focus on luminosity-emptiness and awareness emptiness as the nature of reality, meditation on mandalas of deities, and sacred outlook. The oath of samaya is the key oath.
Whereas Hinayana and Mahayana assert the causes of enlightenment as the method and object of meditation, Vajrayana asserts the result as method and object. The causal vehicle has the view of arresting the movement of karma (hinayana) to attain nirvana. Mahayana has the view that all phenomena are empty in essence and bodhicitta, the longing for enlightenment for oneself and others, is the cause of overcoming obstacles and enhancing the virtues of the Buddha. It is compared to planting and growing a seed.
Vajrayana has the view that enlightenment is fully manifest in all beings, exactly the same as the Buddha. However, ordinary beings do not know this, believe it, trust it, or understand it. Their 2 obscurations – emotional and knowledge – prevent beings from knowing they are Buddha. Removing them and perceiving the Buddha mind in meditation through various means allows enlightenment to shine through, like the sun through the clouds.
Lamaism
Lamaism, or the tulku system of rebirth of highly realized teachers, lies at the core of the Tibetan system of propagation of dharma (Buddha’s teachings). It is integrally linked to the principle of lineage, as in a line of teachers. Lineage must be unbroken, the teachings handed personally from one living being to another. Tulkus can take rebirth in a different lineage entirely, or systematically returning as their own successor, as the Karmpas and Dalai Lamas do.
Tibetan Buddhism has four main lineages: Nyimgma, founded by Padmasambhava or Guru Rinpoche. Renowned as the rebirth of Shakymuni Buddha, he created a unique system of lineage creation called terma. Terma, meaning hidden treasure, are hidden in various places and in the stream of awareness, to be discovered by later realized beings, known as tertons. The discovery of certain types of terma, especially sacred texts, often leads to the creation of new lineage streams created by the terton and his successors. Nyimgma is the oldest lineage in Tibet, dating from the 8th Century.
Kagyu, the practice lineage, was created in India by Tilopa, passed to Naropa and brought to Tibet by Marpa. Marpa’s chief student was Milarepa, universally renowned and beloved in Tibet as the greatest practitioner of dharma. He is believed to have attained enlightenment in a single lifetime, living a life of absolute poverty and meditating in caves in extreme hardship. The tulku system of rebirth of realized teachers was created by the Kagyus, beginning with Karma Pakshi, the first Karmapa.
Founded by Drogmi, the Sakya school is the next one, noted for practice of the Hevajra Tantra.
The Gelug is the newest school. Found by Tsongkapa, it is known for strong scholarship and somewhat less focus on Tantric meditations. Headed by the Dalai Lama, the Gelug lineage also functions as the government (now in exile) of Tibet.
Governance
Tibet, before the Chinese takeover, was somewhat a theocracy. A theocracy technically means rulership from divine beings given as authority to humans. Since Buddhism has no gods as such, the term only partially applies. It was rulership by spiritual leaders, notably the Dalai Lama. Local abbots of monasteries often served as de facto governance for regional populations, as well.
The Dalai Lama and his advisors headed the government from the Potala in the capital city Lhasa. This lasted from 1642 until the Chinese invasion and takeover of Tibet in the 1950’s. It could be said that this difference is only cosmetic as Tibetan Buddhism has survived and greatly expanded in geographical scope since the fall of Tibet. During this time, the Chinese have ruled Tibet. Therefore, governance is not endemic to Tibetan Buddhism and in fact, the religion existed long before the Geluk sect assumed the central authority.
Governance could be considered an aspect of Lineage, a key feature of Tibetan buddhism. Lineage is the idea of succession within different lineages. Most abbots of local monasteries subscribe to a particular sect in Tibet: Nyimgma, Kagyu, Gelugpa, and Sakya. Lineage is passed from Guru to lead disciple / regent, who typically passes it on to the tulku or reincarnation of the principle lama. Contrariwise, the succession is often passed on as a family lineage, from father to son, though recently father-daughter successions have arisen.
Conclusion
Tibetan Buddhism carries multiple critical differences to other forms of Buddhism: Tantra, Lamaism, Meditation, and Governance. Many other, less prominent distinctions could be made, such as the yogic tradition.
