THE WORLD CIVILIZATIONS AND INDIA , PART-23

ARBIND KUMAR21st Feb 202227th Feb 2022History , Society and Managementarbindwp999@gmail.com Email

LAMAISM AND THE CHINESE SOCIETY

A kind of BUDDHISM, which flourished in TIBET , is called LAMAISM . The follower of this sect is in North and North-West CHINA . The Monestries , Monestic Institutions and complex rituals are some of the especial features of this sect . The TIBETANS followed a degenerated form of BUDDHISM that was obtained late from INDIA . The TIBETANS followed this INDIAN faith , translated many if the Sanskrit scriptures , but evolved their own Monestries , to some extent unknown to INDIA or shall I say different from INDIA . BUDDHISM entered TIBET in the seventh century AD much after it was spread in CHINA . And since then the BUDDHIST MONKS started coming to TIBET . And LAMAISM is said to have been established in eighth century in TIBET .

The term LAMA has been derived from the TIBETAN word BLAMA which means a superior Monk . A moment also came in TIBET when harsh persecution of BUDDHISM started in TIBET due to rivival of the ancient animistic BON religion of TIBET in the tenth century AD . But the LAMAISM was later re-established in the centuries to come . KUBLAI KHAN , the MONGOL Emperor, who ruled over CHINA summoned a BUDDHIST LAMA to CHINA and adopted LAMAISM . The whole of TIBET was a theocratic state governed by the priest and LAMAS . About one quarter of the country was composed of MONKS and LAMAS . The DALAI LAMA , who is the head of LAMAS , was regarded as the incarnation of the BODHISATTVA AVALOKITESVARA . The westerner called him the POPE of LAMAISM . When he dies , a search for a child who bears the sign of being the LIVING BUDDHA, made the DALAI LAMA . The present is the Fourteenth DALAI LAMA . Before the communist revolution , he used to live in the POTALA , the great Monestry of LHASA .

SAKYAMUNI is the principal figure in the TIBETAN belief . He was associated with the previous BUDDHA and MAITREYA , the BUDDHA to come with fortune . In LAMAISM , AMITABHA apart from the INDIAN deity SAKYA and MANJUSHRI were important . DEVI TARA has been given more importance in the TIBETAN religion . TARA was considered as the wife of AVALOKITESVARA got especial importance in LAMAISM . She appeared to be similar with the Godess KALI , the spouse of SIVA in INDIA . Praying-wheels and Praying-flags are two important elements of their religious practices . And it appeared to be the TIBETANS’ invention as it was not found in INDIA as such . The wheel used a small barrel containing written prayers which cold be turned by the hand or by the winds . It is believed in TIBET that turning the wheel could easily lead to the journey to the Paradise of AMITABHA as turning the wheels bring about all the merit of enchanting MANTRAS .

OM MANI PADME HUM is the MANTRA supposed to be revolved in the wheels , written on flags and may be uttered in the human voice to get attainment of salvation . The words OM and HUM in the MANTRA have been taken from the INDIAN UPANISHADS while MANI PADME is said to be meant to jewel in lotus . But its origin is , to some extent , obscure . As AVALOKITESVARA’S one of the name is PADMAPANI . So it could be presumed that it may be one of the names of the former . Thus , LAMAISM is more closure to the INDIAN religion called HINDUISM as such .