Tibetan Buddhism also referred to as Lamaism incorporates a conglomeration of various traditions such as Mahayana Buddhism, Hinduistic Vajrayana with its esoteric practices as incorporating tantraoccultic techniques for the development of spiritual power as well as the inclusion of the native shamanistic Bon religion with a ranging influence from such cultures as Iran to India as a unique expression of Buddhist thought which is foreign to the most authentic and Orthodox school of Buddhism namely Theravada. This form of Buddhism focuses more on the practice and realization than philosophical speculations with a chief purpose and goal as to provide a fast track to enlightenment in achieving nirvana in a single lifetime.
Some of the difficulty in supporting its truth claims is that as a culture it supports an oral transmission of teaching which, of course, has limitations in that time alters information which becomes lost and misconstrued thus leading me to wonder how much of what has been passed down by these lineage holders is really authentic or original. Moreover this exercise of communication is causation to re-develop and embellish their beliefs as creating yet another religion which is different than its original intent. Therefore if this practice is an absolute necessity for realization then there is no valid means in which to attain with certainty the enlightenment as putting their faith in the first sources. Conclusively those expressions may be no more enlightening than the game of “Telephone” in which one member passes down a story only to have it completely changed by the time it terminates with the last person reciting the message.
Another problem comes as many people have wrongfully entrusted themselves to gurus of various religions which is the same as this movement who herald themselves and their message as being the ultimate truth yet the only matter that is definite is their fraudulent behavior as many of these spiritual teachers fabricate and falsify through lies.
Thus I question the extent of such devotion, respect or reverence as to abandon yourself to the tutelage of another without reservation which is dangerously cultish and it is equally deceptive to think that these individuals are able and capable of bringing you protection or a blessing as if they were a transcendent being or god.
Mt 15:14
And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
This has already happened within the Buddhist tradition of Shambhala connected with Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche who is considered one of the most important Buddhist masters of modern times who was latter succeeded by his eldest son Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche born as Osel Rangdrol Mukpo who is viewed as a Sakyong and the reincarnation of Mipham, the revered Tibetan Lama. The scandal to this movement is the immoral behavior exhibited by Rinpoche and his Dharma heir (Trungpas Vajra Regent) Osel Tendzin or Thomas Rich. These misdeeds have been acted out with such unscrupulous behavior as Tendzin contracted aids and did not inform his sexual partners about it. Moreover Rinpoche was known for his wild excesses involving liquor and sex as reported by Pema Chodron, one of his famous disciples, as rejecting ethical norms and even commented that he might even be considered a madman yet strangely enough remains a devotee which shows that this isn’t just an unfounded remark from a disgruntled associate. Ironically many Lamas have been identified with ideas of evil in scandals, corruption; crime in which these moral lapses have been wrongfully dismissed as portraying these individuals as wrathful bodhisattvas however I believe the real context to such actions is better described according to these biblical references.
Mathew 7:15-20
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
1 John 4:1
4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Furthermore Tenzin Gyatso who is referred to as the Dalai Lama and is supposedly, according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the rebirth of a line of tulkus in being considered a manifestation of the bodhisaattva of compassion known as Avalokitesvara, the national patron deity. The Dalai Lama remains an influential figure among the gelug or gelug-pa also kwown as the yellow hat sect but is now basically retired even though I am not for sure how such an important or relevant individual is able to withdraw from their personhood and mission. Anyway though greatly respected he still has limitations as an individual and I have previously written a post about him at
jesusandjews.com/wordpress/2010/03/15/the-dalai-lama/
In moving on there are inconsistencies with their belief regarding Karma as it is unthinkable that the Tibetan monks and nuns have rightfully suffered persecution and imprisonment under the corruption of Chinese communism of which even the Dalai Lama himself was affected. Therefore if you still accept this premise the question then becomes whether or not there is really any hope for you to achieve enlightenment in this life or any other life for that matter especially after these religious devoted individuals who have committed or dedicated themselves to this philosophy haven fallen into judgment according to karmic law which should communicate to them that they have been in a dilapidated vehicle all along while driving the wrong direction in life. Personally, I think this whole idea is unsustainable and implodes as their own system has self-destructed as leading to a form of fatalism as a person would need to embrace their outcome in life as payment in regards to the sowing and reaping as a cause and effect to their present situation. This would also include their approach to helping other sentient beings and showing benevolence when others suffer which according to the karmic forces would be deserved and thus to act oppositionally with the virtues of charity, kindness and compassion would be a hindrance in prolonging others enlightenment as they receive their just penalty or punishment in life. Lastly how can a person unknowingly be responsible for something committed in a previous life or existence? Finally the dilemma of such a philosophy has partially lead to the admittance of the Tibetan “Popular Religion” as a reactionary response to manipulate or mitigate/circumvent the law of moral causality or karma as to perform various rituals by appeasing the different gods which regardless of this methodology does not necessarily prove to be adequate to this philosophical dichotomy.
Anyway in this presentation I would like to offer another view of the afterlife or life after death through the experience of near death occurrences which contradicts the philosophy of rebirth as the bible declares that upon death a person will obtain eternal judgment rather than undergoing another lifetime or any temporal intermediary stage of purgatorial existence. I am including a video from a former atheist whose clinical experience as a physician testifies to another reality apart from the classical Buddhist position on Samsara.
Near Death Experiences
Other controversies with this movement revolve around many of the practices and beliefs which are inconsistent with the leadership of this group and are even contrary to the views of traditional Buddhist doctrine such as the Dalai Lama informing his followers to avoid superstitions with astrology and cosmology. Even the Buddha himself denounced practices related to magic in describing them as the low arts. Moreover Siddhartha Gautama never considered himself as a deity or divine and at best was agnostic in his views related to the concept of god. In addition to this is the deviant practice of tantric rituals including visualizations of wrathful deities in explicit sexual poses which lacks harmony with the earliest forms of Buddhism
What further convolutes this movement is their integration and syncretism with “Popular Religion” which at times is compatible to Buddhism yet foreign. Thus it becomes plain to see that there is no absolute consistency between Tibetans and pure Buddhist thought as it incorporates a mixture of variables which are relevant to their faith yet conflict with the supreme leadership of this sect.
Along with all of this many of their beliefs are shrouded in the regional legends, superstitions and folklore of its immediate culture as it worships its local deities. Their varied stories contain such mythical elements as flying monks and fables like the kingdom of shambhala or hidden valleys untouched in the secret recess of the Himalayas and the shrines of Lhasa thought to be blessed by contact with Jowo Sakyamuni image.
On the dark side of this religious movement is their occultist activity such as the channeling of energy for magical abilities, clairvoyance and divination.
In summary perhaps all these things have nagged at your soul and maybe you have wondered as having doubts concerning the reality of these many and varied practices or rituals as being the true means to the end of reaching a state of enlightenment as incorporating the tedious tasks of:
initiation, obeisance’s or prostrations, offerings and donations, prayers, mantras or incantations, recitations, esoteric visualizations, concentration and breathing exercises, ceremonies, festivals, the use of objects and relics, mudras or hand gestures, mandalas with their diagrams of deities and cosmic forces, reciting formulas, spinning prayer wheels, prayer flags, circumambulation of holy places such as mountains like Mount Kailash or Tsa Ri as well as objects and persons, the offering of lamps and incense, reciting the scriptures, ransoming of animals, pilgrimages to various holy cities, temples, monasteries, shrines, caves and mountains in addition to visiting the various sacred sites in India and Nepal, etc., etc., etc.
Also this continuous cycle of work and accrued merit really has no standard of attainment as it is limited in that a person really never knows if they have ever or will ever do enough to gain nirvana. After all what happens when you reach the end of life and the prospect of enlightenment seems to elude you as being outside your reach of attainment? What if a person only thought they achieved it but were really only deceived or what happens to the individual who was convinced that they have arrived at their final destination only to be awakened by a tragic event as communicating their failure to reach their spiritual goal? This system ultimately smothers these people with a cloak of death as it overloads the individual with a sense of duty and fear with an oppressive system as dominating the lives of these precious people with an unfounded philosophy. In retrospect it may be a system of dealing with the innate or self-evident knowledge of a metaphysical reality yet to subject oneself to speculation based merely in the tradition and imagination of men may appear to be culturally acceptable but in the end prove to be erroneous and useless. Additionally to be spiritual is not guarantee that you are spiritually competent and to be sincere does not mean that you can’t be sincerely wrong and inevitably not ever one can be right.
In closing I would like to challenge you as you perform analytical meditation to continue your critical skepticism as questioning the Tibetan Buddhist teachings which could prove to be rewarding as opening yourself up to new opportunities and possibilities apart from your present religious worldview. I encourage you to be willing and open to go as far as to even rethink your beliefs which may be invalid as willfully and courageously rejecting, if doubtful, any application and expression towards wrong or inadequate mannerisms and behaviors along with their systematized teachings or doctrines.
Finally in response I would like to make a proclamation of hope as reassuring you that spirituality can be salvaged as Jesus is the ultimate truth and if you are willing to take your rest in Him you will discover the treasure of your heart which has been previously hidden and unknown to you but is now openly revealed as the “Way”.
Mt: 11:28-30
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
This is all possible as there is no censorship in that God did not confine His message to a localized fringe religion or a secret society but rather He loves and embraces every tribe, tongue and nation including these wonderful ethnic Tibetans.
John 3:16
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Finally Jesus is the means to the end as He cleanses all people from sin and evil which is accomplished by his efficacious work apart from the imperfect attempts of others to attain personal justification. This was Jesus’ ministry from all eternity as His name refers to His calling in life as saving others from divine judgment as He played the role of a scapegoat through His incarnation as paying the ultimate price of sacrificial redemption as dying on our behalf as a perfect ransom whereby we have gained His merit towards receiving eternal life.
This transaction happens through authentic repentance which doesn’t take thousands of rehearsed words but can take place from a simple thought as expressed from a sincere heart in that ‘whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
Therefore I hope that you will meditate on what I have proposed and that through the initiation of action and experience to prayerfully speak to God by asking Him to reveal Jesus in a tangible way as the ultimate reality and path to enlightenment. After all to avoid this form of dialogue or thought is to offset the very system of critical thinking by which you have altruistically committed yourself to in permitting logic to direct you even if it is in a whole new direction as allowing the Truth rather than gurus, culture and society to drive your belief and practices.
Moreover I pray that you will become focused or fixated as visualizing this new revelation as calmly abiding in the peace of knowing Jesus as the your only Lord and Savior.
So to recap, Jesus has originated all life as the Creator of the universe and is the correct path as the embodiment of truth in being the only “Way.” Jesus is the illuminating and radiant beacon as the “Light of the World” shining in the hearts and minds of others which He renews and liberates. It is Jesus’ merit of total righteousness which has been transferred and bestowed to His followers who are fully devoted to Him as trusting in His saving work as He delivers by bringing them freedom from the imperfections of their immoral nature by which everyone has violated a holy God. Essentially this can’t be accomplished by personal merit as no one can ever be perfect or good enough thus the good news is that this transaction of legal or forensic righteousness is bestowed to the recipient as an action of special grace as Jesus mercifully and compassionately offers this free gift to the devotee.
Now alongsie of this relationship with God comes a life changing event in which the adherent receives a new nature which enables them to do good and virtuous deeds as a manifestation of the truth by which they have believed. This enlightenment, though not in type to Buddhism’s definition of the term, comes immediately by faith and does not take a partial or even a whole life to accomplish but can instantaneously be reckoned to the believer. Furthermore this reality can be attested to by the Spirit of God who personally bears witness to every person who receives this message that they are indeed a child of the one and true living God. Moreover this union with God is not accomplished through the efforts of meditation or yoga but rather through the mediation which occurs in Christ by which we are given the promise of eternal life so that even though a person might die yet shall they live beyond the grave as we are transferred or translated to another dimension apart from the restrictions of this present space, time reality namely a heavenly abode.
Finally my friend may you join me as you find the fullness of peace, joy and love in truly filling the religious yearning of your soul.
Psalms 34:8
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
How to have a relationship with God
How to know God
Other links
Tibetan Buddhism Resources
jesusandjews.com/wordpress/my-personal-testimony-with-jesus/
www.cbn.com/700club/features/amazing/
Encyclopedia of Religion Second Edition, copyright 2005 Thomson Gale a part of The Thomson Corporation, Lindsay Jones Editor in Chief, Vol.2, pgs.1150-1159, Matthew T. Kapstein
Encyclopedia of Religion Second Edition, copyright 2005 Thomson Gale a part of The Thomson Corporation, Lindsay Jones Editor in Chief, Vol.13, pgs.9181-9187, Per Kvaerne
Encyclopaedia Britannica,Inc., copyright 1993, Vol.11, pg.756-757, Tibetan Buddhism
AMG’s World Religions and Cults, AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, Tennessee
“Reprinted by permission. “(Nelson’s Illustrated Guide to Religions), James A. Beverley, 2009,Thomas Nelson Inc. Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.”
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2007