Tibetan Buddhist doctrines and philosophy

  • Reincarnation & The Six Realms:
    The Six Realms form the foundation of the Buddhist cosmology. Beings transmigrate through the realms of gods, humans, demigods, animals, hungry ghosts, and hells according to their karma. Tibetan Buddhism views samsara as a cycle of suffering that practitioners aim to transcend.
  • Karma & Cause and Effect:
    Karma is the driving force behind rebirth. While commonly summarized as “good begets good,” Tibetan Buddhism describes karma as a subtle accumulation of intentions, actions, and mental states that shape future experiences across lifetimes.
  • Shunyata:“Emptiness” does not imply nothingness. Instead, it means that all phenomena lack inherent, independent existence and arise through causes and conditions. In Tibetan Buddhism, understanding emptiness is the key to realizing ultimate truth and achieving enlightenment.
  • Bodhicitta:
    Bodhicitta—the aspiration to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all beings—is the heart of Mahayana practice and is especially emphasized in Tibetan Buddhism as the foundation of compassion and wisdom.
  • Mandala & Cosmic Model:A mandala is not merely an artwork but a symbolic representation of an enlightened universe. It plays a crucial role in visualization practices, rituals, and meditative techniques within Tibetan Buddhism.
  • Tantric Path: Body, Speech & Mind:
    The Vajrayana path utilizes the transformation of body, speech, and mind through mudras, mantra recitation, visualization practices, and meditative absorption. These methods are designed to accelerate the attainment of enlightenment.
  • Guru-Disciple Relationship:The spiritual teacher (Guru or Lama) holds a central position in Tibetan Buddhism. Viewed as an embodiment of enlightened wisdom, the guru guides disciples through practices that would be impossible to accomplish alone.
  • Three Turnings of the Wheel of Dharma:The Three Turnings describe the progressive teachings of the Buddha:

1、The Four Noble Truths
2、Emptiness and Prajnaparamita wisdom
3、Buddha-Nature and Tathagatagarbha

  • Bardo:The concept of Bardo—the transitional state between death and rebirth—is unique to Tibetan Buddhism. Texts like the Bardo Thödol (Tibetan Book of the Dead) describe how consciousness navigates these states.
  • The Five Wisdoms & Five Dhyani Buddhas:The Five Dhyani Buddhas represent the transformation of five negative emotions into five enlightened wisdoms, forming a core framework of Tibetan esoteric philosophy.