Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
FOLK RELIGION
Closely linked to both Bön and Buddhism is the folk religion of Tibet, known as mi chös
(the dharma of man), which is primarily concerned with the appeasement of spirits.
These spirits include nyen,which reside in rocks and trees; luor naga,snake-bodied spir-
its, which live at the bottom of lakes, rivers and wells; sadok,lords of the earth, which are
connected with agriculture; tsen,air or mountain spirits, which shoot arrows of illness
and death at humans; and dud,demons linked to the Buddhist demon Mara. Into this
stew are thrown the spirits of the hearth, roof and kitchen that inhabit every Tibetan
house, and a collection of local deities, border gods and pilgrimage-site protectors. Like
most Himalayan people, the religious beliefs of the average Tibetan are a fascinating
melange of Buddhism, Bön and folk religion.
Buddhist Concepts
Buddhism's early teachings are based on the insights of the Buddha, known in Mahayana
tradition as Sakyamuni (Sakya Thukpa in Tibetan), and form the basis of all further
Buddhist thought. Buddhism is not based on any revealed prophecy or divine revelation
but rather is firmly rooted in human experience. The later Mahayana school (to which
Tibetan Buddhism belongs) diverged from these early teachings in some respects, but not
in its fundamentals.
The Buddha commenced his teachings by explaining that there was a Middle Way that
steered a course between sensual indulgence and ascetic self-torment - a way of modera-
tion rather than renunciation. This Middle Way could be pursued by following the Noble
Eightfold Path. The philosophical underpinnings of this path were the Four Noble Truths,
which addressed the problems of karma and rebirth. These basic concepts are the kernel of
early Buddhist thought.
In modern terms, Buddhist thought stresses nonviolence, compassion, equanimity
(evenness of mind), mindfulness (awareness of the present moment) and nonattachment.
If you see a collection of spider-web-like coloured threads woven around a wooden frame,
this a dzoe, (spirit-trap), designed to catch and then get rid of troublesome evil spirits.
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