Intro to Tibetan Buddhism

Simply put, Buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment achieved by a buddha, or "awakened one".

A Buddha (as opposed to what most people know as The Buddha, or Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who achieved enlightenment), has completely purified his mind of desire, aversion and ignorance, and is no longer bound by Samsara (the earthly cycle of death and rebirth according to karmic merit).

A Buddha is fully awakened and has realized the ultimate truth, the non-dualistic nature of life, and thus ended (for himself) the suffering which unawakened people experience.

So, we can say, in simple terms, that Buddhahood is the ultimate goal of Buddhism. However, it's much more complicated than that!

Bodhicitta is the wish to attain complete enlightenment (i.e., Buddhahood) in order to be of benefit to all sentient beings trapped in cyclic existence (samsara) who have not yet reached Buddhahood. One who has bodhicitta as the primary motivation for all of his or her activities is called a bodhisattva. (see next section).

The term "Bodhicitta" can be translated as "awakening mind" or "mind of enlightenment". It may also be defined as the union of compassion and wisdom.

The compassion and wisdom aspects of bodhicitta are actually highly dependent on each other. In Mahayana, they are often referred to as:
Relative bodhicitta, which refers to a state of mind in which the practitioner works for the good of all beings as if it were his own.

Absolute, or ultimate, bodhicitta, which refers to the wisdom of shunyata (a Sanskrit term often translated as "emptiness", though the alternatives "openness" or "spaciousness" probably convey the idea better to Westerners). The concept shunyata in Buddhist thought does not refer to nothingness, but rather to freedom from attachments (particularly attachment to the idea of a static or essential self) and from fixed ideas about the world and how it should be. The classic text on this concept is commonly referred to as the "Heart Sutra."

So, the term bodhicitta in its most complete sense combines both:
1) the arising of spontaneous and limitless compassion for all sentient beings, and
2)the falling away of the attachment to the illusion of an inherently existent self.

There are several ways to cultivate Bodhicitta

Boddhisatva means either "enlightened (bodhi) existence (sattva)" or "enlightenment-being", or, alternately, "Wisdom-Being."

It is the name given to anyone who, motivated by great compassion, has generated bodhicitta, which is a spontaneous wish to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all living beings.

Mahayana Buddhism regards the Bodhisattva as a person who has achieved a considerable degree of enlightenment and seeks to use their wisdom to help other human beings become liberated. So, a Bodhisattva is an already wise person who uses skillful means to lead others to see the benefits of virtue and the cultivation of wisdom.
Mahayana teachings encourage everyone to become bodhisattvas and take the bodhisattva vows. With these vows, one promises to work for the complete enlightenment of all sentient beings by practicing the six perfections (paramitas).

According to certain texts, a bodhisattva can choose any of three paths to help sentient beings in the process of achieving buddhahood. They are:
1) King-like Bodhisattva - one who aspires to become Buddha as soon as possible and then help sentient beings in full fledge;
2) Boatman-like Bodhisattva - one who aspires to achieve buddhahood along with other sentient beings and
3) Shepherd-like Bodhisattva - one who aspires to delay buddhahood until all other sentient beings achieve buddhahood. Bodhisattvas like Avalokiteshvara, Shantideva among others are believed to fall in this category.
Tibetan doctrine recognizes only the first of these, holding that Buddhas remain in the world, able to help others, so there is no point in delaying enlightenment.

Photo, detail of statue depicting Maitreya (the Buddha-to-Come), at Thikse monastery, Ladakh, India, by Payal Vora.

According to the Buddha, there are "three characteristics", or marks, of existence, namely, inconstancy (anicca, usually translated as "impermanence"), suffering (dukkha) and not-self (anatta) and that by observing them, suffering is brought to an end.

Anicca "inconstancy" or "impermanence", refers to the fact that all conditioned things (sankhara) are in a constant state of flux, ie that nothing ultimately ceases to exist; only the form of a thing ceases as it changes. For example a leaf that falls to the ground and decomposes. While the appearance and relative existence of the leaf ceases, the components that formed the leaf become particulate material that may form earth or new plants. Buddhism teaches a middle way, avoiding the extreme views of eternalism and nihilism.
Dukkha or "unsatisfactoriness" (or "dis-ease"; also often translated "suffering", though this is somewhat misleading). That nothing found in the physical world or even the psychological realm can bring lasting deep satisfaction.
Anatta (or, anatman) or "non-Self" is used in the suttas both as a noun and a predicative adjective to denote that phenomena are not, or are without, a permanent self, to describe any and all composite, consubstantial, phenomenal and temporal things, from the macrocosmic to microcosmic, be it matter pertaining to the physical body or the cosmos at large, as well as any and all mental machinations, which are impermanent.
There is often a fourth Dharma Seal mentioned:
Nirvana is peace. Nirvana is the "other shore" from samsara.

The Three Jewels, also called the Three Treasures, the Three Refuges, or the Triple Gem, are the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Tibetan Buddhists take refuge in, and look toward these three beliefs or traditions for guidance.

Buddha (Sanskrit, Pali: The Enlightened or Awakened One), who, depending on one's interpretation, can mean the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni, or the Buddha nature-the ideal or highest spiritual potential that exists within all beings;

Dharma (Sanskrit: The Teaching; Pali: Dhamma), the teachings of the Buddha.

Sangha (Sanskrit, Pali: The Community) Most often refers to the community of practicing Buddhists, or to the community of monks and nuns, who support and assist one another on the path.

In Vajrayana practice, the refuge tree is often visualized by practitioners (sadhakas) To assist in visualization, the refuge tree is often depicted on thangka (traditional scroll paintings) or murals.
Someone who takes refuge also makes vows, typically to adhere to the Five Precepts. Laypeople generally undertake at least one of the five, but traditions vary. The Five Precepts are not given in the form of commands such as "thou shalt not ...", but are instead promises to oneself:
"I will (try) ..."
1)To refrain from harming living creatures (killing).
2)To refrain from taking that which is not given (stealing).
3)To refrain from sexual misconduct.
4)To refrain from false speech.
5)To refrain from intoxicants which lead to loss of mindfulness.
In some schools of Buddhism, serious lay people or aspiring monks take an additional three to five ethical precepts, and some of the five precepts are strengthened. For example, the precept regarding sexual misconduct becomes a precept of celibacy.

Transliteration and English Translation of Tibetan Prayer for Refuge:
Sang-gye cho-dang tsog-kyi cho-nam-la
I take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha

Jang-chub bar-du dag-ni kyab-su-chi
Until I attain enlightenment.

Dag-gi jin-sog gyi-pe so-nam-kyi
By the merit I have accumulated from practicing generosity and the other perfections

Dro-la pan-chir sang-gye drub-par-shog
May I attain enlightenment, for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Mantras are sounds, syllables, words, or groups of words considered capable of "creating transformation". They are used to assist practitioners in meditations or visualizations.

The most commonly heard mantra in Tibetan Buddhism is "Om Mani Padme Hum", the six-syllable mantra associated with Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, also known as Avalokiteshvara. This mantra is especially revered by devotees of the Dalai Lama, who is said to be an incarnation of Chenrezig.
It is commonly carved onto rocks and written on paper which is inserted into prayer wheels (see below), said to increase the mantra's effects.

"Om Tare (Tar-ay) Tutare (Too-tar-ay) Ture (Too-ray) Soha (So-hah)", is the Mantra of Green Tara.
OM represents Tara's sacred body, speech and mind. TARE means liberating from all discontent. TUTARE means liberating from the eight fears, the external dangers, but mainly from the internal dangers, the delusions. TURE means liberating from duality; it shows the true cessation of confusion. SOHA means "may the meaning of the mantra take root in my mind."
[According to Tibetan Buddhism, this mantra can not only eliminate disease, troubles, disasters and Karma but will also bring believers blessings, longer life and even the wisdom to transcend one's circle of reincarnation. Tara representing long life and health.]

"tayata om muni muni maha munaye soha" Mantra of the Buddha Shakyamuni.

Other common mantras include the Medicine Buddha, Vajrasatva, White Tara, and Vajrapani mantras.

In short, prayer wheels are an aide in meditation, used to accumulate wisdom and merit, or good karma, while purifying negative bad karma. Mantras are written on scrolls of paper wrapped around the inner spindle of the wheel. Practitioners spin the wheels, usually while chanting the mantra.

For much more on the topic, see Prayer Wheels.

Image is of the author turning prayer wheels at the Main Temple of HH the 14th Dalai Lama in McleodGanj, India where she volunteers with Tibetans in Exile.

A mandala is a concentric diagram which holds spiritual and ritual significance. In Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism, mandalas have developed into sandpainting. They are also a key part of tantric meditation practices.

Usually in the form of an outer circle with an inner square, the mandala represents higher planes of being, "sacred space," a "Pure Buddha Realm," or an abode of fully realised beings or deities.
All of the intricate shapes and symbols have meaning according to Buddhist tradition.

As a meditation on impermanence (which is central to Buddhist teachings), after days or weeks of creating the intricate pattern of a sand mandala, the form is ritually destroyed, the sand being poured into a body of running water to spread the blessings of the mandala.

The Dalai Lama is revered by Tibetans as the reincarnation of Chenrezig, the Buddha of Compassion. He has chosen to return to earthly life recurrently until all sentient beings have achieved enlightenment.
Quite the commitment!

The First Dalai Lama was recognized, or named, by King Tsongkhapa in the early 15th Century CE.

In modern western terms, the Dalai Lama is the spiritual and political leader of Tibet...or Tibet in exile, as is now the case. He is addressed as His Holiness (usually abbreviated HH). The title is actually a Mongolian term which means "Ocean of Wisdom".
Tibetans also refer to him as Kundun.

The current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is the 14th reincarnation, born on July 6, 1935 in the Amdo region of Tibet, near the Chinese border.
He is a well-educated man, a Buddhist teacher, an author, a public speaker, and a figure on the world political stage as his people struggle to preserve their culture. He fled into exile in north India in 1959 when the Chinese forcibly occupied Tibet, destroying thousands of monasteries and killing countless civilians, mostly monks and nuns.

He continues to reside in McleodGanj, India while pursuing the Middle Way, a non-violent path which he hopes will ultimately lead to his people being allowed to return to and live freely in their homeland without fear of religious persecution and human rights violations by the Chinese.