tibetan buddhism

English - English

Definition of tibetan buddhism in English English dictionary: A form of Mahayana Buddhism with an admixture of indigenous animism that is practiced in Tibet, Mongolia, Bhutan, and neighboring areas. Form of Mahayana Buddhism that evolved from the 7th century in Tibet. Based on Madhyamika and Yogacara philosophies, it incorporates the rituals of Vajrayana, the monastic disciplines of early Theravada, and the shamanistic features of Bon. The predominant Tibetan sect for the past three centuries has been Dge-lugs-pa. Its spiritual head is the Dalai Lama. The Tibetan canon is divided into the Bka'-'gyur ("Translation of the Word"), consisting of canonical texts translated mostly from Sanskrit, and Bstan-'gyur ("Transmitted Word"), consisting of commentaries by Indian masters. After the Chinese communist takeover in 1959, Tibetans began a massive emigration that has spread Tibetan Buddhism around the globe

tibetan buddhism