Buddhism

An Introduction to Buddhism

Buddhism, known as buddha-dharma or “the teachings of the awakened one,” was established by Shakyamuni Buddha over 2,500 years ago in ancient India. Prince Siddhartha Gautama, after years of ascetic practices, realized that extreme asceticism was not the path to liberation. He sat quietly under the bodhi-tree and attained the complete realization of the true nature of all phenomena. Thus he became known as the “Buddha” — the awakened one.

The Buddha’s Teachings

After his enlightenment, the Buddha traveled to Sarnath in northern India, where he offered his first teachings at Deer Park. These teachings, known as the dharma (meaning “truth”), encompass both philosophical view and practical instructions on working with one’s own mind. They show the path and practices that lead to complete enlightenment — freedom from the cycle of existence known as samsara.

The Buddha proclaimed that all sentient beings possess the potential of wakefulness within, which can be fully realized through the methods of the path. The process of awakening consists mainly of accumulating merit and wisdom through developing right philosophical view and engaging in meditation practice. These methods are passed down from generation to generation — what in the Vajrayana tradition is known as the “lineage.”

The Three Yanas (Vehicles)

The Buddha’s complete corpus of teachings encompasses what is known as the Three Yanas, or vehicles of Buddhism. Traditionally these are:

  • The Shravakayana (Vehicle of the Hearers)
  • The Pratyekabuddhayana (Vehicle of the Solitary Realizers)
  • The Bodhisattvayana (Vehicle of the Mahayana)

In Tibetan Buddhism, these are more commonly known as:

1. The Hinayana (Basic Vehicle)

The First Council held shortly after the Buddha’s passing emphasized the Hinayana teachings. Initially, 18 schools of Hinayana flourished in India. During the reign of King Asoka (first century BCE), Buddhism began to spread throughout Asia, and Hinayana became established in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia.

2. The Mahayana (Great Vehicle)

The Mahayana teachings became widely popular after the first century CE and spread throughout Asia, including Tibet, along trading routes such as the Silk Route. Great Mahayana masters such as Nagarjuna, Asanga, Vasubandhu, Shantideva, and others flourished in India. Buddhism reached its height in China by the fourth century.

The Mahayana emphasizes the bodhisattva path — the aspiration to attain enlightenment not just for oneself, but for the benefit of all sentient beings. Core Mahayana practices include cultivating bodhicitta (the awakened heart-mind), compassion, and the six perfections (paramitas).

3. The Vajrayana (Indestructible Vehicle)

Although the Buddha taught the Vajrayana to suitable disciples during his lifetime, this cycle of teachings did not become widely known until the sixth century CE. At that time, many great Mahayana scholars took up the Vajrayana path, leaving their monastic establishments to practice tantras outside an institutional context.

The Vajrayana, also known as Tantrayana or Mantrayana, employs skilful means such as deity visualization, mantra recitation, and subtle body practices to accelerate the path to enlightenment. The Karma Kagyu lineage, to which our centre belongs, is a Vajrayana tradition that preserves these profound methods.

The Tripitaka (Three Baskets)

After the Buddha’s parinirvana, his teachings were collected and preserved by the Sangha at several great councils. At the First Council, led by Mahakasyapa at Rajagriha:

  • Ananda recited the Sutras (discourses of the Buddha)
  • Upali presented the Vinaya (monastic discipline)
  • Mahakasyapa enunciated the matrikas (which later developed into the Abhidharma)

These three collections — Sutra-pitaka, Vinaya-pitaka, and Abhidharma-pitaka — are known as the Tripitaka (Three Baskets) and form the canonical foundation of all Buddhist traditions.

According to Nagarjuna, a Mahayana council also took place where Bodhisattva Vajrapani recited the Sutras, Maitreya the Vinaya, and Manjushri the Abhidharma. This council preserved the Mahayana teachings under the guidance of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra.

Today, the Buddha’s teachings are preserved in many languages — Sanskrit, Pali, Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese, and many other Asian languages. Numerous sutras have also been translated into Western languages including English, French, and German.

Buddhism in Tibet

Buddhism was introduced to Tibet from India beginning in the 7th century CE. Tibetan Buddhism uniquely preserves the full range of Buddhist teachings — from the foundational Hinayana discipline to Mahayana philosophy and the esoteric practices of Vajrayana. The four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism are Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, and Geluk.

The Karma Kagyu tradition, which we follow at Goshir Chenrezig Klang, is one of the four major schools of the Kagyu lineage. It is known as the “Kamtsang” or “Kam-tsang Kagyu” and traces its lineage through an unbroken chain of enlightened masters from the Buddha Vajradhara down to the present 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje.

For more information about the Karma Kagyu lineage, please visit our Our Lineage page.