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Tibetan Buddhism
( 2005-10-26 )
In addition to inviting Indian monks to Tibet, Trisong Destan sent trusted emissaries to China's hinterland to invite monks to lecture in Tibet. Mahayana became one of the many Han monks who contributed to ensuring that Han Buddhism flourished in Tibet. Mahayana remained in Tibet for 11 years, lecturing on Buddhism and completing nine books on Buddhist tenets.
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Scull Cup
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Tubo kings in ensuing dynasties did their utmost to promote Buddhism by building monasteries and commissioning the translation of Buddhist sutras. At the same time, they granted monks royal incomes and even encouraged them to become involved in government affairs to undermine ministers who supported the Bon religion. The policy spawned the deep hatred of the Bon ministers, who eventually arranged for the assassination of Tritso Detsan in 842. The ministers then threw their support behind Darma, the brother of Tritso Detsan, to become the new Tubo king.
Shortly after assuming power, Darma set out to suppress Buddhism, but was soon assassinated by Tibetan Buddhists, and war erupted between the different power factions. Slaves, who were thrown into the abyss of misery, rose to revolt. Tibet was torn apart by various forces, and the spread of Buddhism was thus halted.
The early 10th century witnessed the entry of a feudal society in Tibet, with each of the Tubo ministers occupying a part of the kingdom and becoming feudal powers in their respective localities. They proceeded to promote Buddhism to strengthen their own rule, hence reviving the religion in Tibet.
In terms of form and content, however, the rise of Buddhism in Tibet during this period was worlds apart from Tubo Buddhism. The 300-odd years of struggle between Buddhism and the Bon religion resulted in each absorbing the other's strong points. Buddhism became increasingly localized as the region entered the feudal stage, hence allowing Tibetan Buddhism to emerge into a stage of rapid development.
 Tibetan Buddhism Sects
Numerous Buddhist schools emerged after the mid-11th century, including the Nyingma, Sagya, Gagyu, Gadang, Zhigyed, Gyoyul, Gyonang, Kodrag, and Xalhu sects. The latter five were rather weak due to the lack of political support. They were thus forced to unite or were otherwise annexed by other sects, and as individual entities fell into oblivion. The following five sects enjoyed impressive popularity:
1. Nyingma Sect
The sect, founded in the 11th century, is also known as the Red Sect and is the oldest sect of Tibetan Buddhism. The sect paid great attention to absorbing the fine points of the Bon religion and, at the same time, did its best to locate Buddhist sutras secreted away when Darma began to suppress Buddhism.
Based on its practice of Buddhism deeply rooted in the Tubo Kingdom of the 8th century, the sect called itself Nyingma, meaning "ancient and old" in the Tibetan language. Monks of the Nyingma Sect wore red hats, hence the name Red Sect. The Red Sect mainly advocates the study of Tantrism. Its theory was strongly influenced by Han Buddhism, and is quite similar with the theory of Zen Buddhism in China's hinterland.
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