This ancient manuscript contains a mystical teaching encrypted with symbols, concepts and associations that may seem completely meaningless to uninitiated people. Meanwhile, the pages of "Bardo Thedol" contain great wisdom that has come down to us from time immemorial.
It so happened that death was and remains an integral part of our being, all living things die sooner or later and nothing can be done about it. This is probably one of the first truths that the caveman realized. Even then, at the dawn of the formation of our species, man tried to understand what is on the other side of life. From time immemorial, archaeological evidence of the most ancient burial ceremonies, rituals, one way or another connected with death and with the afterlife, has come down to us.
The life of an ancient man was not easy and often short - death was literally on the heels of everyone and people had to put up with this inevitable, inevitable fact. Therefore, in ancient times people were taught that they were not afraid to die, but in some Eastern countries they taught more - that death is not the end, but only the beginning of a new life - the reincarnation of the soul. This is the concept that Buddhism and "Bardo-Thodol" offer, one of the most important teachings designed to help a dying soul after death, to go through all the bardos of the afterlife and reincarnate in a new better life. This is a real complex mystical science that teaches not only how to die correctly, but also how to live correctly in order to meet the inevitable fully armed.
"The Tibetan Book of the Dead" is a unique guide to the afterlife, which gives instructions and recommendations, guiding the mind of the dying person both during dying and after death. The practice of dying correctly is called "phowa" and literally means "entering another body." Phowa should be practiced while still alive. This is a special system of yoga meditation with the main goal, which is the transfer of consciousness at the time of death through the fontanelle on the crown of the head, the so-called "hole of Brahma" in order to establish a connection and merge with the mind of the Buddha's wisdom.
There are many types of this "right dying" meditation practice that are suitable for different people depending on their training, experience and ability.
An experienced phowa monk or yogi can perform this ritual not only for himself, but also for other people, including non-Buddhists and even for animals.
However, practice in phowa should be done with caution, as it can be unsafe for the life of an untrained person. For example, you can make a mistake in the pronunciation of the code word and actually die. For those who have achieved a lot in phowa, for example, some monks and yogis, during a meditation session, the bones of the skull may move apart and blood may appear on the crown. It is believed that it is through this area called the "Brahma hole" that the soul flies out, if the process of dying has gone right. Then she immediately falls into the spheres of pure Cosmos, and liberation occurs much faster. This development of events is considered extremely favorable, but not all adherents of Buddhism achieve such a high enlightenment.
Quite often the process of dying goes wrong and then the soul leaves the body through some other hole, and there are nine of them, according to phowa. This means that now she is doomed to torment and a new birth will take place not in one of the seven higher worlds, the path to which lies only through the very crown of her head, but in one of eight worlds: in the world of hell, in the world of animals, in the world of hungry ghosts. , in the world of people and spirits, in the world of the gods of the world of desires, in the world of demigods, in the world of the gods of the world of forms, among the gods of the world without forms.
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During the first three days after death, it is forbidden to touch the deceased - this can disrupt the correct process of dying, since the soul can leave the body not through the "hole of Brahma", but through the place touched. Not only can this disrupt the correct process of dying and lead to the loss of the opportunity to become a god, even with the wrong dying, consciousness can plunge into a dreamless sleep, which is an extremely unfavorable development of events.
The "Book of the Dead" is something like a detailed guide to the afterlife and includes a detailed description of the stages ("bardo") through which, according to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, a person's consciousness passes, starting from the moment of physical dying and until its next incarnation in a new form. that is, reincarnation. The book describes in detail all the stages of the afterlife reincarnation of consciousness, however, the images and associations given in the text are quite difficult for the uninitiated, and especially for people with a Western mentality of thinking, to understand. Therefore, today there are several translations of the sacred text "Bardo Tkhodol" adapted for the Western reader.
It is believed that those who can comprehend the hidden universal wisdom contained in this sacred book will achieve the main thing - freedom, - because the "Book of the Dead" is the real key to life after death, and it contains the answer to the most ancient questions of humanity concerning everyone of us.
The greatest mystery of life and death is not yet subject to science and no one knows for sure what awaits him beyond the horizon of consciousness. All religions of the world, one way or another, try to explain this mystery. But, perhaps, only the "Tibetan Book of the Dead" is a written source that has survived to this day, which contains the wisdom associated with the transition to another dimension.
Lama Chubak Gatsa Nubra says: “This is a kind of map, guidebook, reference book, the most important source for everyone who wants to comprehend the true meaning of life. It is the destiny of the elite to study this text. "
The history of the creation of the "Book of the Dead", which underlies the beliefs of the Tibetans, is shrouded in mystery. According to legend, it all started with a mysterious man with magical powers who made a pilgrimage from India to Tibet. Little is known about his past, just as his worldly name is unknown. For many centuries he was called Padmasambhava or "born of the lotus." He became famous for his deep mystical knowledge and magical power. Padmasambhava was born in the north of Pakistan in the place now known as the Swat Valley. He traveled a lot between India and Tibet, preaching his new teaching.
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It all started in 750. While the English coast is shaken by the first raids of the Vikings, and Charlemagne is about to conquer Europe, the religion of the Buddha has already managed to conquer half of the then known world, spreading from Afghanistan to the Japanese islands. It was also restless in the East, constant internecine wars devastated China, Tibet and India. It was during these times of turmoil that Padmasambhava began to preach his teachings. He meditates and indulges in contemplation on a remote Himalayan plateau, his first task to challenge and defeat the evil demons plaguing Tibet.
According to legend, he won over these spirits upwards, but not only destroyed them, but turned them on the path of Buddhism. Thus, these demons defended the teachings, becoming an integral part of the Buddhist religion.
Padmasambhava led the life of a true righteous man and a sage - he not only tamed the spirits, preached and helped the disadvantaged, but also healed the sick, predicted the future and even taught some of his followers the art of levitation.
Around 800 AD, the Spiritual Master Padmasambhava, having spent many years studying the process of death and rebirth, draws up special instructions - a manuscript called "Bardo Thedol" or "Liberation by Hearing on the Postmortal Plane." This text was fundamentally different from all other Buddhist books. Even the sages of India, who held the knowledge of how people die and are reborn, never had anything like it. Padmasambhava feared that the Tibetans were not yet ready for his teachings. It could be misinterpreted, but even worse, it was used for destructive purposes by adherents of various witchcraft cults.
As a result, the book was considered dangerous both by the Spiritual Master himself and by the few Buddhist monks initiated into the secrets of his teachings. Therefore, the sacred text containing a detailed description of the afterlife compiled by the Indian saint Padmasambhava was reliably hidden by him from unworthy glances: “According to mythology, Padmasambhava reliably hid his manuscripts, predicting that only one single person would be able to find texts containing sacred knowledge. There were some very subtle hints about the burial place of these spiritual treasures, ”says writer and historian Oleg Shishkin.
In addition, in his prediction, the saint noted that no one will be able to find the book for the next six centuries.
Padmasambhava, thanks to his outstanding teaching, managed to become famous and become a revered saint among Buddhists. He transformed and raised the spiritual level of the Tibetan nation to a new level, but hid his greatest works, leaving only a mysterious prophecy. After 600 years - it is exactly fulfilled!
From about the 14th century, clairvoyants began to appear who claimed that using their mystical abilities, they could find the secret sacred "treasures" of Buddhism, among which one of the most valuable was the teachings of Padmasambhava. These soothsayers were called "tertons" and were highly revered.
One of the most famous tertons or "treasure discoverers" was the great Karma Lingpa. It is believed that it was he who discovered the "Tibetan Book of the Dead" through meditation and the highest degree of mastery in the practice of tantra. According to legend, when Karma Lingpa was in a state of trance, he was presented with a map, which, according to Padmasambhava's prophecy, could only be deciphered by a person who was destined to do so.
Around 1350, Karma Lingpa, following the instructions of his mystical map, came to Mount Gampodar in the Himalayas. At the top of the mountain, he found a guide to the afterlife - the sacred text "Bardo Thodol". The text was hidden from people for many centuries so reliably that there could be no question of the accident of this find - the prophecy was fulfilled!
The significance of this event can hardly be overestimated - it had a tremendous impact on Tibetan Buddhism and the following centuries, the "Book of the Dead" became an integral part of funeral rituals, the key to life and the rebirth of the soul after death.
This is the legend about the great sage and magician Padmasambhava. However, apparently, the ideas underlying "Bardo Thedol" are much older and contain centuries-old wisdom accumulated in the process of development of Buddhism and its dogmas - the fruit of many unknown authors. Padmasambhava, on the other hand, brought together these ideas, transmitted earlier orally, comprehended and supplemented them and, finally, wrote them down. Soon, this manuscript became sacred to the Tibetans. Subsequent persecutions that befell Buddhists and their religious shrines in Tibet forced the monks to hide this and other sacred manuscripts for them in order to preserve them for future generations. They have arranged many hiding places, in caves, in hard-to-reach high-mountainous places and in other reliable shelters. Thanks to such timely measures, many books and manuscripts were preserved, which became priceless treasures when they were found centuries later.
In the East, the text "Bardo Thodol" is sacred and is an integral part of the life and death of any Buddhist. Preparation for death as for a new birth and through it for self-improvement of the immortal consciousness begins literally from the very birth. Followers of Buddhism make special worship of the Buddha and his teachings. They pray both for their suffering and for all those suffering on Earth, so that they can find refuge in permanent peace. According to the Buddha's teachings, continuous wakefulness lives in the heart of every living being. Realization of this is the main meaning of life, independent of life and death. However, birth inevitably leads to suffering, disease, old age and death. That is why compassion for all living things is the basis on the path to life until death, and faith in the second birth is the basis of this compassion.
In the West, the sacred Tibetan book became known relatively recently and received a more familiar name for the European ear - "The Tibetan Book of the Dead", although in fact its original Tibetan name "Bardo-Thodol" is translated as "liberation through listening". The fact is that for centuries this book was kept in a place so isolated that it was called the "Forbidden Kingdom". For a long time, the way for the Europeans was closed there, or at least very limited. Only selected monks could perform rituals with the reading of the text of "Bardo-Tkhodol".However, in the early twentieth century, an Oxford professor and collector of folklore named Walter Evans-Wentz set out on a journey in hopes of expanding the boundaries of his spiritual knowledge. He wandered across Europe and Asia until, finally, his path came to the foot of the high Himalayan mountains. Wentz was impressed by the rich spiritual culture of Tibet. There he visited a small monastery and in the process of teaching Buddhist meditation, he came across a strange text - Evans-Wentz became the first Western person to see a book that reveals the eternal mystery of life after death. The scientist immediately began to study and translate it. He devoted three years to this work and first published a translation of the book in English in Europe in 1927. It was Wentz who proposed a successful, albeit somewhat free translation of the title of the sacred Buddhist text, which became known to the Western reader as the "Tibetan Book of the Dead." The successful adaptation for the Western public of the title of the book, as well as an accessible translation, attracted public attention to this religious and mystical text, thanks to which the book very quickly gained popularity in the West: enlightenment. This book is written for those who yearn for wisdom, ”wrote Evans-Wentz. His translation still remains relevant and is considered the closest to the original, despite the somewhat archaic language used by the scientist.
And yet the book, which in the East has been studied all their lives, so that when the time comes to be ready for death and rebirth, for the Western reader it needs a detailed analysis and commentary.
At one time, such a scientific analysis was undertaken by the famous Swiss psychiatrist, the founder of analytical psychology, Carl Gustav Jung. He took up a comprehensive study of the Bardo-Thödol text and Tibetan culture. By his own admission, The Tibetan Book of the Dead struck him and turned his mind upside down, influencing all his subsequent work in the field of psychiatry. The result of a deep analysis of the text, which was carried out by an eminent psychiatrist, has become numerous and detailed commentaries on the holy book, written in an accessible and understandable form for Western civilization.
The ideas set forth in the sacred text "Bardo Tkhodol" became so firmly embedded in the religious practice of Tibet that it was no longer only read over the departed, but also studied long before death in order to prepare oneself for it. This is what such a prominent Buddhist authority as the fourteenth Dalai Lama, who is considered the living embodiment of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and personifies the highest mercy, wrote about this book in 1993: “Bardo Thedol, known in the West as the“ Tibetan Book of the Dead, ”is one of the most important writings created by our civilization. We Tibetans have a reputation for being highly spiritual, although we ourselves consider ourselves a down-to-earth and practical people. So, we turned to a systematic study and analysis of the very process of a person's dying in order to thoroughly and businesslike preparation for the inevitable. After all, none of us will escape death sooner or later. Therefore, how to prepare for it, how to go through the process of dying with the least suffering that comes after death - all these are questions of vital importance for each of us. It would be unforgivable if we did not pay the closest attention to them and if we did not develop humane, compassionate and skillful approaches to death and dying. "
The Book of the Dead describes how, at the time of death, consciousness is suddenly suddenly separated from everything that made up everyday life. Consciousness, experiences, are suddenly replaced by a bright white, pure stream of light. This is a true guide for the dying, describing death as a natural movement and explaining how to achieve awareness of the complex mental state of physical suffering and get in touch with our essence, thus it is possible to find freedom from confusion and fear.
The text of "Bardo-Tkhodol", like all traditional Tibetan books, consists of non-stitched sheets, which are located between two tablets. The text is hand-printed using special printing boards.
"Bardo-Thödol" is carefully preserved by Tibetan monks, but it is by no means some kind of museum exhibit. This is the most important religious book of Buddhism and is used daily for funeral services and preparation for travel to the afterlife. Without her, not a single funeral rite is performed.
When someone dies, The Tibetan Book of the Dead is read for forty-nine days. According to this book, the consciousness of the deceased is delayed between one life and another during this time. During this period, the spirit of the deceased can hear, so the text is read aloud in order to instill courage in him and direct him along the right path - the path to a new birth.
The bardo state lasts 49 days, that is, seven days seven. An explanation should be given here why it is seven days for seven. The fact is that, according to Buddhist belief, the Universe is nothing more than an illusory manifestation of the energy of maya - and it consists of seven worlds and seven levels of maya. In each of these worlds there are seven circles of ascent to the highest, that is, forty-nine in total, and consciousness must go all this way on the path to a new birth.According to the tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, the text "Bardo Thedol" should be read aloud over the deceased body, since it is believed that the waking consciousness is able to perceive information from the outside. Thus, reading the holy book should help it (consciousness) in finding the right path, after it leaves the previous material shell of the body and waits for its new birth. On the way to a favorable new birth, it is very important to what extent the consciousness of the deceased was ready for the "bardo of death". It is not easy to comprehend the bardo, which is why the invited lamas read “Bardo Thödol” over the deceased - they guide him and help him to believe. This is what the "Tibetan Book of the Dead" says: "The Great Teaching about Liberation through Comprehension bestows spiritual freedom on true believers."
But what is spiritual freedom and liberation from the point of view of Buddhism? First of all, it is the cessation of suffering and the attainment of nirvana.
Every Buddhist strives to achieve such spiritual freedom, enlightenment and nirvana. This is the desire to become a Bodhisattva (that is, a being with an awakened consciousness) and achieve enlightenment and the highest spiritual perfection, becoming a Buddha. One of the important conditions for achieving this is the need to get out of the infinity of rebirth - samsara - that is, the cycle of birth and death with limited karma. The path to this lies in improving your karma, the results of your past actions through liberation (moksha) and compassion for all living things.
In general, karma plays a huge role in Buddhism, since it, being a reflection of all good and bad deeds committed in past lives, forms the fate of a person in a new life, his new birth. Therefore, it is very important to be born not as an animal or asura (overthrown by God), but again as a man, since such a favorable birth gives hope for correcting one's karma and achieving nirvana. No less important are the last thoughts of a dying person: “Buddhists, just like Hindus, believe that the last thought at the moment of death determines the character of the next birth,” noted V.J. Evans-Ventz. - As taught by "Bardo Thodol" and as taught from ancient times by Indian sages, the thinking of a dying person should be given the right direction; it is preferable for the dying person to do this if he (or she) is initiated into the sacraments and is physically prepared (or prepared) to face death, or, in other cases, is led (or known) by a spiritual mentor, a guru or friend or relative who has learned the science of death. "
But not everyone needs outside help to travel to the afterlife and read Bardo Thödol. It is believed that the devotee of the Buddha's teachings, who was able to achieve the highest knowledge, practicing yoga - a special technique of meditation, is able to enter a trance, disconnecting from all external stimuli and bypassing the bardo state. This is achieved through years of training, self-restraint, and comprehension of the wisdom of the Buddha's teachings. This is one of the reasons why Buddhism and Hinduism attach such great importance to the meditative state - the Bardo of Meditative Concentration. However, it is not enough to enter oneself into a trance through special meditation; the adept must correctly observe and endure all the rituals, carefully study all the signs of death. He does not care about himself, his thoughts are directed not at individual salvation, but at universal liberation. An adept who has attained such high levels of spiritual enlightenment and who has learned the science of death bypassing the bardo state, himself becomes the Bodhisattva of those who save others: flickering "clear light of shunyata" and wait for an opportunity to incarnate in a form that meets the previously given "vow of the Bodhisattva" - to help the liberation of all living beings who are in samsara. "
One of the rituals of Tibetan Buddhism that contributes to the attainment of a state of meditative concentration is called the Sand Mandala. It is a complex geometric pattern made of colored sand, symbolizing the image of the Cosmos. The process of forming an image is a special form of meditation - every bend, every combination of colors carries a secret meaning. This is an incredibly painstaking work and it takes the monks months to create this extraordinarily beautiful work of art: "The material form is a reflection of the degree of enlightenment - if the adept had the right motivation, his positive motives will remain in the mandala and give it mystical power," says Lama Chubak Gatsa Nubra.Sand Mandala personifies not only life, but also its transience, finitude - this meditative technique helps to understand and come to terms with the inevitability of death. That is why, as soon as the finest painstaking work is completed by the monks, it will immediately be mercilessly destroyed.
Both life and death, according to Bardo-Thödol, represent a continuous stream of indefinite, intermediate states - “bardo”.
There are six known bardos:
First comes bardo of the Dying Process, - the period of time from the moment when someone dies or begins to prepare for death for some reason and until the moment of separation of the mind and body of the deceased. This is the first state, also known in the West as the "bardo of death", which the mind of the deceased faces.
Then comes bardo of dharmata, also known as the bardo of comprehending reality - the first phase of the posthumous experience, during which consciousness passes into its natural state.
The next phase is bardo of birth, or in other words the Bardo of becoming - a period of time during which the rebirth of consciousness takes place. This important stage begins with the onset of confusion and regaining consciousness after the Bardo Dharmata until the moment of conception.
The next three "bardos" are usually not taken into account in the West, since these phases refer not so much to death and near-death experiences as to life.
Meanwhile, in the East, they are no less important than the first three, since the cycle of life and death from the point of view of Buddhism are inseparable concepts - death is only a continuation of life, the rebirth of the soul, and life should be aimed at improving one's karma and soul, so that after death her reincarnation took place ...
These include:
Bardo of Life also known as Bardo Between Birth and Death, is the state of waking consciousness in real life. This condition lasts from conception to death or the onset of a fatal illness.
Bardo of Sleep- the state of sleep.
Bardo of Meditative Concentration- in this state, the consciousness is in meditative concentration.
The bardo states are as illusory as dreams or the ordinary waking state of consciousness. For example, this state can be compared to a conscious expectation of an event in everyday life, regardless of the waiting time. If we imagine the flow of time in the form of the flow of water in a river, and life in the form of a boat that floats along this river of time, then the bardo can be imagined as the intervals between the immersions of the oars of this boat in the water.
The ritual of farewell to the deceased in Tibet begins with the chanting of lamas, reading the "Tibetan Book of the Dead" in order to direct the soul of the deceased, to help her overcome numerous trials and find a new reincarnation.
The soul of the deceased now needs to go through the three main "bardos" through their awareness. Get rid of all your many fears and prejudices.
It is believed that a soul in a bardo state can return to its former habitat, where it will spend a lot of time next to those whom this person loved during his lifetime. Such a development of events is undesirable, since it can have a bad effect both on the soul of the deceased, who, not wanting to let go of his past life, may forever end up in the illusory world of the bardo, and on the health and state of mind of the living who will be visited by this ghost. Therefore, during parting, it is important that the relatives convince the soul of the deceased that she now has a new mission and purpose, and the past life and all the memories of it should no longer bother her.
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The lama sits down at the head of the deceased, having previously removed all the crying and wailing relatives. Thus, he fulfills the Buddha's behest: "Do not be sad." All actions performed by the lama are directed to the consciousness of the deceased and are aimed at helping the consciousness to leave the body of the deceased through the "hole of Brahma" on the crown of the head. It is important to carefully observe the whole ceremony of dying in order to achieve rebirth in the best future lives for the sake of achieving nirvana.
The Tibetan burial rite is unique in its own way, although it may seem barbaric to the Western reader. In this traditional Tibetan burial ritual, which is called "Heavenly Burial", everything is thought out to the smallest detail, they even have special people known as ragula who dismember bodies in a special way at the request of families. It is an ancient ritual that has remained unchanged for at least the last 600 years. According to Tibetan tradition, the deceased should be buried in the fetal position. For this, the deceased's spine is broken, and the arms and legs are tightly tied together with ropes. Then the remains are wrapped in a package, which is almost half the size of the body of the deceased. The corpse is taken to a remote area, where it is left as food for predators. But here you need to understand that according to Buddhist belief, the body is just a shell and after death it becomes absolutely useless - it is considered a noble act to give it up to be eaten by living beings.
There is another Tibetan funeral ritual - the cremation of the body of the deceased. Instead of feeding the corpse to predators, villagers and relatives of the deceased build a special oven on the street, where the cremation takes place.
After that, the monks, invited for the funeral ritual, sell the things of the deceased to the villagers gathered for his funeral for a symbolic fee. This is also part of the rite. These things are no longer needed by the deceased, but they could still serve others, and they need to get rid of them so that his soul, still wandering in the bardo of death, would not be disturbed by unnecessary memories from a past life, which the consciousness of the deceased could grab onto. Also, the things of the deceased should not remain in his family, as they can bring troubles on them.
According to the beliefs of the Tibetans, the soul of the deceased will travel through the afterlife, accompanied by the chanting of prayers from "Bardo Thedol" for 49 days. During this time, she will have to go through various levels of the afterlife or bardo. The text describes three stages of the bardo, the "intermediate states" that occur after death. Each bardo is a serious test and how the human soul copes with it depends on where it goes - back to earth to improve, to heaven or hell.
The first state that the consciousness of the deceased faces is the "bardo" of death. If his mind is not aware of its own nature, it becomes more and more solid until it acquires a new shell, a new body and life. But in this case, rebirth can take place not in a human shell, but, for example, in an animal, which will interfere with the self-improvement of consciousness. Therefore, it is so important to direct all the actions of the deceased, protecting him from choosing the wrong path, fear and confusion, while he is in the state of "bardo" of death. In this case, he is helped by a spiritual person, a monk or a yogi with a certain degree of dedication, which allows him to read the text "Bardo-Thodol", which is read aloud to the deceased.
So the bardo of the process of dying lasts for 3-4 days. It is believed that at this time the soul has not yet completely left the body, and the deceased is still able to hear what is being said to him. This is a state in which a person does not yet understand whether he is alive or dead.
Therefore, the first thing that the consciousness of the deceased should be convinced of is that he should stop clinging to his already dead body, and his mind should realize that his life has come to an end and now he needs to leave it, leave everything he had in it. expensive and everything else his consciousness clings to. But one should not fall into confusion and despair, he is not alone and not alone leaves this world. This is a very important stage and the lama who reads “Bardo Thedol” over the body must apply all his skill in order to help and direct the soul leaving the dead body through the “hole of Brahma”, thereby ensuring the correct dying.
This stage is described in the first chapter of "Bardo-Thödol" and is entitled “Bardo of the Moment of Death”. The chapter describes a certain light phenomenon that arises in the consciousness of the deceased at the moment of the bardo of death. Some resuscitation doctors note that people who survived clinical death and returned from the other world have repeatedly said that they saw some kind of white light when they were dying. What they said is very similar to how the moment of death is described in the ancient Tibetan text "Bardo-Thedol". Scientists have different opinions about what this bright white light could be, which was seen by people who experienced near-death conditions, but so far science is not able to reliably answer this question. But the Tibetan sages seem to have no doubts about what this light is - after meeting with this blindingly bright light, the human soul moves to the second level of its wanderings - into the bardo of peaceful deities.
This state is known as the "Dharmata bardo" or "reality comprehension bardo" and it lasts for about two weeks. It is described in the second chapter of the book and contains a guide for a wandering soul in the afterlife and warnings about the appearance of various entities and images that emerge into consciousness while it is in the bardo of Dharmata. The consciousness of the deceased enters the illusory world created by himself — hallucinations of illusions and nightmares begin, which depend primarily on the corruption of the soul of this person, his karma.
In this strange world there is everything conscious and subconscious, all his fears, anxieties and experiences, all his hopes and dreams. This world is full of contradictions, but it is illusory and dangerous for the wandering between new life and death. This journey is fraught with a lot of dangers because in the state of Bardo people see many frightening phenomena and these hallucinations are a real test for the deceased. But one who has learned the wisdom of the "Tibetan Book of the Dead" can safely get into a new life.
"My friend, listen carefully - these hallucinations cannot harm you, relax, merge with them into a single whole, everything will be fine."
If the Transfer was successful, then there is no need to read Tedol. However, in most cases, when the Transfer failed, the help of a specialist is required, who will read Tiodol, clearly and without errors, over the dead body and even in its absence, for any reason, since it is believed that the spirit of the deceased has the invisible body of Bardo. ...
“O noble soul, now you will meet the divine Vajrasattva in union with his consort. The white light of wisdom will illuminate you - pure and bright. "(From the "Tibetan Book of the Dead")
Peaceful deities will offer to make a choice for the soul - to enter the world of sensual pleasures or to enter paradise. This is an important test, because a person's consciousness can succumb to temptation and, yielding to their desires, forever go into the world of illusions and fantasies. The bardo of the underworld is full of contradictions and traps, so it is so important to understand what is really going on around and to maintain concentration, otherwise consciousness may simply dissolve into nothingness.
"O noble soul, do not be tempted by the soft light of the gods - this is an obstacle on the path to liberation."(From the "Tibetan Book of the Dead")
After all, the main purpose of the bardo is not the pursuit of fleeting pleasures, but the opportunity to attain enlightenment and nirvana.
Such a state can be achieved only if a person was ready for this and during his lifetime achieved the required degree of enlightenment - in this case, he has nothing to fear, because his consciousness is already prepared for the bardo.
But if the soul cannot withstand the test of peaceful deities, it will have to face their terrifying mirror-like essence - angry deities. Fighting these terrible demons is one of the bardo's hardest tests.
“O noble soul, this is the bardo of wrathful deities. Fifty-eight flame-breathing, angry blood-throwing demons will come to you at dawn. "(From the "Tibetan Book of the Dead")
Ralph Metsner, a professor at the University of California, says: “Ancient Tibetan Buddhists created many images of these hideous, well-armed demons - they were distinguished by long fangs and bulging eyes. During their lifetime, people had time to see enough of these monsters, and when their souls appeared in front of them, they no longer panicked.
An unprepared soul wandering in the bardo, seeing one of these demons, can become confused and horrified and remain in the bardo forever.
For a soul lost in the bardo, a vision is the last chance in the struggle for its spiritual existence and rebirth - the most difficult, decisive test in the bardo, which the Tibetans call Yama, is the terrible embodiment of death itself.
“Yama, this is the most dangerous and ruthless of the angry deities, he waits for everyone in the afterlife,” says Aria Rinposha.
The angry deity of death Yama checks the deed of the soul of the deceased. Every good deed is symbolized by a white stone, and every bad deed is a black one. Yama puts white stones in one pile, and black stones in another. If there are more black stones, the soul of the sinner will be reincarnated in the body of an animal or eternal torment. If there are more white stones, the soul of the righteous can count on reincarnation in better conditions, or even on rebirth in the world of the gods.However, the "Tibetan Book of the Dead" avoids even the adamant Yamu and his ruthless judgment on karma. A righteous person who has dedicated his life to good deeds and the study of the sacred text will be able to stay focused and listen to the chanting of monks who will guide his soul through all the obstacles of the bardo and help him to bypass the last judgment of Yama.
"O noble soul, do not fear the god of death, he is only your hallucination."(From the "Tibetan Book of the Dead")
Especially righteous people can be reincarnated as gods, but the opportunity to become human again is preferable.
“As Padmasambhava teaches, it is best to be reborn in the human body, because then you can get closer to the essence of suffering and help other people to avoid it. Without understanding the causes of the disease, you will not be able to cope with it, ”says the writer Michel Dunhan.
“While you are suffering, you have the opportunity to improve, because we say that you learn from mistakes - yes, you stumbled, but next time you will be more careful, wiser,” says Aria Rinposha.
The third chapter contains various instructions for the deceased, which should help him close the entrance to the bosom during the period of Bardo Birth.
Having passed all the tests of the first two bardos, the soul enters the third bardo, where it will be able to choose a new incarnation for itself and see the moment of conception, when future parents will unite in love.
"O noble soul, now you will see men and women making love - you can contemplate them without hesitation."(From the "Tibetan Book of the Dead")
This is the final test. Now the soul is able to foresee the future and choose a new incarnation.
The journey ends just as it began - a long dark tunnel leading to a blindingly bright light. But now a bright light is the first thing a newborn sees when he opens his eyes.
In addition, the "Tibetan Book of the Dead" contains various addresses and prayers to bodhisattvas and Buddhas.
One thing can be said with certainty: Tibetan Buddhism is one of the highest spiritual teachings on the planet, and the idea of reincarnation is the basis of this teaching. Before committing a bad deed, a person on a subconscious level realizes that sooner or later he will have to answer for everything, and no one there questions this concept.
All world religions are based on the desire for spiritual development. It was this search for many centuries that determined the life of various peoples and civilizations, and it was he who led to the appearance of the "Tibetan Book of the Dead", which, centuries after its writing, continues to excite the minds of people.
Izhevsk Cosmocenter
In Tibetan astrology, there is a huge number of demons, local deities, elemental spirits, etc., most of which were known even before the advent of Buddhism and are associated with the ancient religion of Tibet - Bon. Thanks to its flexible approach, Tantric Buddhism was able to incorporate all of these beings into its worldview.
In Tibetan astrology, these deities symbolize the natural forces of the elements, places, trees, stones, mountains, springs, reservoirs, etc. These forces are associated not only with the earth, but also with the planets and constellations, therefore their manifestation and movement is associated with annual, monthly and daily cycles. Since humans continually come into contact with the natural environment, they must take care not to disturb these forces if they wish to remain in harmony with nature. It is said that if you disturb these deities, they are capable of causing crop failures, diseases of people and animals, wars and epidemics. Therefore, Tibetans pay special attention to astrological aspects that indicate the position and possible influences of these beings.
DEITIES:
Deity is the patron of the year.
Idam(Tib. yi-dam or yi-damlha, lit. "desired god") is an enlightened deity whom the meditator chooses as his patron deity. In Vajrayana Buddhist mythology, a guardian deity. In Tibet, idam acts as a personal deity - the patron of a specific Buddhist school and a personal deity - the patron of a believer who has taken a vow. Tantric practices, meditations, images, sculptures and mantras are associated with the idams. Idam are distinguished by gender (male and female), by their emotional state (calm, angry and joyful), which determines their different iconographic appearance.
Kalachakra - "Wheel of Time".
Kalachakra (Skt. कालचक्र, "Wheel of Time") - idam (tantric deity) used in the most complex tantra system, the Kalachakra Tantra.
One of the ideas of Kalachakra is the doctrine of the unity of being.
L.E. Mäll defines Kalachakra as the identification of the macrocosm with the microcosm, the universe with man. He points out that "according to Kalachakra, all external phenomena and processes are interconnected with the body and psyche of a person, therefore, by changing himself, a person changes the world."
In the Kalachakra Tantra, there are three Wheels of Time: the outer wheel of time, the inner one and the changing (other, transforming). The external cycle of time is a continuous stream of changes at the external level, at the level of the surrounding world and its objects. The internal cycle of time is a continuous stream of cyclical changes at the internal level, at the level of vital activity, at the level of pranas, channels and bindu. The Kalachakra Tantra says that the inner cycle is inextricably linked with the outer cycle. The external and internal cycles of time make up Samsara. These cycles are governed by forces called the "winds of karma". Karma arises when the mind clings to appearances. This clinging is delusion about reality, ignorance, ignorance. (Painting the mind in the "colors" of attachments, we identify these "colors" with ourselves. New preferences take root in us in the form of tendencies of consciousness, karmic tendencies. Under appropriate conditions, this formed experience, these tendencies begin to act as forces that compel us to perform certain karma actions without awareness.) External and internal Kalachakra - this is what should be cleansed (from impurities, from entrapment). Another Kalachakra describes how to purify.
Since external phenomena are interconnected with the inner world of a person, with his psyche and body, then, by changing himself, a person thereby affects the world around him. By developing inner peace and tranquility, we can come to harmony in relationships with people around us, expand the space of loving kindness and compassion in the world. On the other hand, if some external conditions favor the ripening of certain karmic potentials, other external conditions prevent this. Kalachakra astrology is aimed at determining the auspiciousness of the moment of various undertakings, which makes it possible to harmonize the inner energy of a person with the external energy of circumstances. The Kalachakra astrological system was the basis for the creation of the new Tibetan astrological calendar. *
Tantra also contains a teaching about the subtle internal structure of the human body. To enter the deep practices of the completion stage, the practitioner must imagine the structure of his own spiritual body with its energy channels, winds (pranas), drops (bindu) moving along these channels and staying at special points of the body. Nadis (energy channels), pranas (energies) and creative drops of our body are called internal Kalachakra in tantra and form the basis for purification in tantra practice.
* 1027 was the first year of the new astrological calendar in Tibet. The 60-year cycle used in the Kalachakra Tantra was the basis of the Tibetan calendar. Modern astrologers associate this cycle with the orbital periods of Jupiter (11.86 years ~ 12 years) and Saturn (29.46 years ~ 30 years). In Kalachakra, which emphasizes astrology, these planets are considered in the same way as Mercury, Venus, Mars, the Sun and the Moon. (Seven days of the week are governed by the corresponding planets.) In addition, the Kalachakra speaks of the special astrological planets Rahu and Kalagni (full correspondence of Rahu and Ketu in Hindu astrology, in reality, these planets symbolize the north and south nodes of the Moon's orbit / obviously, Rahu is associated with lunar eclipse, Kalagni - with a solar eclipse). In Kalachakra astrology, 12 signs of the zodiac are considered, but, in addition to these zodiacal constellations, it also considers 27 other constellations. In the latter case, the ecliptic is divided into 27 constellations. Each constellation and each day of the week is attributed to one of the four elements - earth, water, fire, air (wind). Comparing the element of the day of the week with the element of the constellation, where the Moon is on that day at a certain time, it is determined that the moment is favorable for such actions as battle, meditative retreat, monasticism, etc. Tibetan astrologers put this knowledge at the basis of the new calendar. By that time, they were aware of the Chinese chronology system, which uses a combination of 12 symbolic animals and five primary elements. (It is said that this system took root in Tibet thanks to Wencheng, the Chinese wife of King Songtsen Gampo. According to some studies, the Chinese chronology tradition is based, in turn, on the astrological system of the ancient Himalayan state of Shang Shung.) Tibetan astrologers have compared the years of the 60-year Kalachakra cycle to tantras with animals and elements from the Chinese tradition. Based on the synthesis of these two systems, a new lunisolar calendar was formed. The Tibetan calendar also considers 27 constellations, each of which has its own name and serial number (the numbers go from 1 to 26, and the 27th constellation has the number 0). The 21st constellation is associated with two constellations (they have similar characteristics), therefore sometimes 28 constellations are referred to.
Red Garuda (Tib. Khyung dmar po).
Red Garuda is an enlightened Deity and Idam, the practice of which prevents diseases and problems caused by the Nagas (the lords of the water) and the Sadagami (the lords of the land). Angry-looking, with the face of an eagle, three round eyes and a curved beak. He has two horns on his head, and above them are fluttering brown hair with golden strands and a jewel taken from the King of the Nagas that adorns the crown of his head. In both hands and in its beak, Garuda squeezes a writhing snake. Decorated with gold necklaces and bracelets, the lower body is covered with green feathers, and large wings spread open behind it. Standing firmly on his feet, Garuda tramples a ball of twelve snakes over the disk of the sun and the lotus flower. Garuda is surrounded by orange and red flames that symbolize wisdom and the energy of enlightenment. In the golden circle (Tib. Tig le) above Garuda, Samantabhadra, the primordial Buddha, is depicted. In classical Indian mythology, Garuda is the king of birds. In Tantric Buddhism, Garuda is the Idam through which various Buddhas manifest in order to prevent harm and disease caused by the Nagas, Sadagas and other harmful forces. But from the point of view of Buddhist philosophy, the worst poison and the biggest problem are passion, anger and ignorance.
Nojin (gnod sbyin) - in Buddhism they are likened to Yakshas, guardian deities natural resources of the earth. Their head is Vaisravana, the guardian of the north and the god of wealth. They are also related to medicine: the twelve main Yakshas made a vow to the Medicine Buddha to protect all those who recite his sutra or recite his mantra.
Lha (lha) - white deities, kindly disposed towards people.
Here is a brief description of the creatures of the Eight Classes:
1.Lu (klu) - water deities, known even before Buddhism. They are compared with Indian Nagas. They live underground, in springs, lakes, rivers, and in this sense are considered local deities. The Underground Kingdom of the Nagas is located at the base of Mount Meru. Their king is Nanda Takshaka (Tib. Jogpo). They are divided into five castes similar to the Hindu: the royal caste, the noble ones, the brahmanas, the vaisyas and the sudras. Their bodies are half human, half serpentine. In Buddhism, they are believed to be under the control of Virupaksha, the guardian of the west. The nagas are often the guardians of the terma, the precious texts of Padmasambhava. How local deities Nagas can be vengeful if their habitats are disturbed. Water pollution, construction of dams and dams, irrigation work, changing the flow of rivers - all this can provoke Nagas and cause leprosy, nervous, skin and other diseases in those people who disturb them, therefore it is extremely important to perform these works on astrologically favorable days.
2. Nyen (gnyan) are mainly evil spirits living in the atmosphere or on the surface of the earth and in the fields. Some of them live in trees, so it is important not to cut trees on some of the days indicated in the almanacs. Nyenne are the cause of many diseases, in particular some types of cancer. It is believed that these are creatures of yellow or green color, outwardly resembling bulls.
3.Sadag(sa bdag) are the owners of the land. Excavation work, digging wells, building buildings on certain days will injure the earth and may anger Sadag. Therefore, before the start of construction, offerings are made to the Sadag beings in order to obtain their permission to use the plot of land they occupy. The Tibetan text Vaidurya Karpo contains a complete list of Sadags. They are an important group of creatures, and the location of some of them is necessarily indicated in astrological almanacs. Sadag's movement is determined by annual, monthly and even daily cycles. King Sadag Te Se of red, in red robes, holds a huge Garuda of copper color and is the head of the Sadag 12-year cycle. Its location corresponds to the direction of the animal of the current year. In the year of the mouse (north), he is in the north, in the year of the bull - in the northeast, the tiger and hare - in the east, etc. He is accompanied by his main wife Te Khim, dark brown, with a jug and a mirror in her hands. His second wife is a white Hang Ne holding a large gold jug. There are many deities in the royal retinue: his son Te So, the minister Longpo Trangkun, the astrologer Seva La Khyen, the servant of Hal Khya, the guardian of Se Chi, the bodyguard Se Shar, the squire Ta Tri, the horse Rang Ta and others. Each of them moves throughout the year.
Tibetan almanacs provide diagrams showing the location of the various Sadags, as well as describe the actions to be avoided and the methods of harmonization. As an example, we can cite a text from an astrological almanac: “The horse of King Te Se Rang Ta and his squire Ta Three are located in the west, so you should avoid (in this direction) buying or selling horses, riding, transporting a corpse for burial in a horse-drawn cart , in general, everything related to horses and funerals. "
Sadag is associated not only with the 12-year cycle, but also with Meva and Parkha.
Sadagi- these are "masters of the area", spirits living in certain places and controlling the energies of the Earth. The relationship of a person with nature and the surrounding space is directly related to Sadagami. Wrong actions of Man in relation to nature can cause discontent and even anger of the spirits-masters of the Earth. Sadagov's anger can manifest itself as: violation of climatic conditions, fires, floods, earthquakes, landslides, epidemics, diseases, etc. Therefore, in order to maintain harmony with the surrounding nature, a person needs to know what actions, in which direction and at what time will unfavorable and will bring adverse consequences both for the person himself and for the surrounding nature.
The picture below shows images of several Sadags from the Tibetan manuscript.
4.Tsen (btsan) is a red male perfume living in stones. It is believed that these are the spirits of the monks of the past, who broke their vows. Subordinate to great practitioners, Tsen often become guardians of temples, shrines, and monasteries. Red offerings are made to them.
5.Gyalpo (rgyal po) * (belong to the Tsati class) are the evil spirits of kings or high lamas who have broken their vows. They are white and usually carry weapons. These are often extremely important local deities, such as the deities of the mountains.
* This is one of the most malicious classes and is currently in its prime. Creatures of the Eight Classes, like humans, have their own age. For example, it is believed that the Nagas are rather ancient creatures, very powerful in the past, but at present they are aging and no longer possess the same strength, while the Gyalpo, on the contrary, is a rather young class, only relatively recently entered into force. Its main influences are considered to be nervousness, anxiety and confusion. According to Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, the Cultural Revolution in China and Tibet, the recent war in Yugoslavia and many other similar events arose from the influence of the Gyalpo.
Among the Gyalpo there are beings who have made a vow not to harm people. The story goes that Guru Padmasambhava came to Tibet and met with strong resistance from local spirits, who hindered the spread of Buddhism. He subdued the most powerful of them and bound them with a vow to preserve the teachings and support people engaged in spiritual practice. For example, one of them is Gyalpo Pehar, who became the guardian of Samye, one of the oldest Buddhist monasteries in Tibet. These powerful beings, observing their vows, control the groups of spirits and beings under their control and who do not have such vows and seek to harm the living in every possible way.<прим. не вошедшее в книгу>.
6. Dud (bdud) (Skt. Mara) - frankly evil spirits of those who in past lives violently opposed the Dharma. They are black in color, can live in a human body and create obstacles for practitioners.
7.Mamo (ma mo) - form a large class of angry female deities. Known even before Buddhism, they have been associated with the Indian Matrikas, sorceresses of cemetery lands and crypts. These black goddesses represent natural forces that, if disturbed, become destructive and bring wars and epidemics. Burning debris, especially plastic and rubber, can greatly provoke them. According to the descriptions from the Tibetan texts, they are surrounded by the Great Dharma Protectors and carry bags full of disease-causing germs.
8.Za (gza ') (Skt. Graha) are evil planetary spirits that cause diseases such as epilepsy. Some of them are associated with a specific season: "Black Dog" in spring, "Monster with the body of a dragon" in summer, "Rider on a black horse" in autumn and Phoenix in winter. You should take into account their appearance and make protection diagrams.
To this list can also be added Shinje, the Lords of Death, who are surrounded by the personification of Death Pit. There is also a class of scent-eating spirits (Skt. Gandharva, Tib. Driza). Strong, pungent odors disturb them and can create problems.
Breaking monastic vows, violent death, hatred, or intense passion can lead to rebirth in the realm of evil spirits.
Most of these spirits are capable of inflicting disease or stealing Lah and the life force of beings. There are karmic reasons for this: the one who disturbed the spirits in a past life may suffer in this one from the diseases they cause. Such an impact becomes possible when secondary causes are added and the vital force of a person is weakened, and the elements are unbalanced. If the life force of a person is in order, and the elements are in harmony, nothing can harm him. But it is said that, being unable to harm the person himself, these evil disturbed spirits attack the weak members of his family - by this Tibetan doctors explain some family diseases and certain conditions that do not give in to any treatment. In this case, it is necessary to carry out special practices with the help of which it is possible to eliminate the harm caused to the spirits in the past and, accordingly, the cause of the disease.
There are many other types of demons. Some sources say 360 to 84,000!
Demons are divided into external, internal and secret. External ones create external obstacles. Internal ones are the cause of diseases and disorders. Secret thoughts are nothing more than disturbing thoughts. The latter, as a rule, symbolize our neuroses, unconscious fears and spiritual obstacles.
There are many rituals for averting the negative effects of spirits, conquering them, pacifying and harmonizing relations with them. Rituals such as sang are often used, when juniper branches are burned and their smoke serves as an offering, purifying and harmonizing the energies of the place and the person. There are also ritual torma offerings made from flour, ghee and other ingredients. Their shape and color can be very diverse, depending on the purpose for which they are offered and what class of creatures they are intended for. A special place is occupied by the rituals of offering to the Nagas, and auspicious and unfavorable days for this are always indicated in astrological almanacs: it is believed that coming into contact with them on the wrong day can do more harm than good. Nagas are offered medicines, milk, incense, which do not contain any substances of animal origin.
A special concern of Tibetan women is to maintain good relationships with the deities of the home (Tib. Pug lha), who dwell at the hearth - in the kitchen. Offerings are made to them, and the house is carefully kept in order, as the puglha are believed to not tolerate dirt and disorder. If they are disturbed, it can affect the health of family members, especially women, as well as family well-being.
Tibetan monks: superpowers or eccentrics from the mountains? Religious life in Tibet is primarily concentrated in numerous monasteries in which amazing people live - Tibetan monks. They seem amazing and mysterious to most people, to those who have never been to Tibet and are not particularly familiar with the basics of Buddhism.
Despite the fact that monks spend most of their time in their monasteries, these people play a very important role in the life of all Tibetans. Tibetan monks not only conduct religious ceremonies and conduct the affairs of the monastery, they turn to lamas in case of family disputes, they seek help in solving personal and psychological problems. A Tibetan monk helps with words, telling a person about practices that can help him, shows ways to solve a problem, presenting it in a philosophical aspect. And, as the Tibetans claim, it really works. Often, the youngest son in Tibetan families becomes a monk, sometimes this is done in order to avoid dividing the inheritance between several sons or when it becomes difficult for a large family to cope with the household and feed all its members. In many Tibetan families, one of the sons (or even several) are monks and live in monasteries on a permanent basis. In 1959, almost half of the male population of Tibet were monks, but over time, the number of Tibetan monks has declined significantly. If in 1950 there were 120,000 of them, then in 1987 there were only 14,000. However, today, according to the latest data, about 467,000 monks live in Tibet.
The life of Tibetan monks The life of monks is simple to the point of impossibility, Tibetans for the most part try to follow the life model of Buddha, who changed his clothes for a simple dress, monks shave their faces and heads so as not to feel vanity, eat the simplest food and spend a lot of time in meditation and philosophical disputes. Coexistence for monks is a familiar thing, one of the monks, recalling his childhood and youth in the monastery with the allegory typical of Tibetans, compared his stay there with the life of frogs that fell into a deep well. The whole world for these young men, according to the monk, was then only within the walls of this well and a piece of sky overhead. However, many monks remember their years in the monastery as the happiest time of their lives. Secular affairs and concerns remain for those who decide to become a monk in another world, a monk does not need to graze cattle and take care of the flock, he shifts the care of his elderly relatives onto the shoulders of others, all worries and problems remain outside the walls of the monastery. Living in the bosom of nature, communication with peers, spiritual and physical development - from a Tibetan monk, you are unlikely to hear words of regret over the decision once made to become what he became.
Tibetan Monks - Children Boys enter monasteries at a very young age, about five years old, in order to become a little monk, a child needs to pass a special exam and receive the blessing of a lama. In the monastery of the little Buddhist, classes in logic, the study of sacred texts, lessons of meditation and rhetoric are waiting. The practice of recruiting such young creatures as monks has been criticized more than once, even a representative of the Dalai Lama once admitted that children at this age still do not quite understand where and why. they fall, but on the other hand, as the spokesman for the main person of Tibet notes, the best theologians and teachers became monks at a very young age. Monks enjoy universal respect in Tibet, mothers parting with their babies understand that their child is entering a special world that will give them a lot, from knowledge to a well-known "profession". In general, children in Tibet are treated in a special way, it seems that all the children there enjoy universal love and care, friends look after the children of their friends, neighbors feed the children living nearby, and so on. To enter the monastery as a teenager, the young man will also have to pass an exam and memorize more than a hundred sacred texts.
Everyday life of Tibetan monks The daily life of monks looks measured and orderly. The monks wake up at 5:30 in the morning, light yak oil lamps in honor of the Buddha and the Dalai Lama, and spend the next five hours in meditation and prayer. In the afternoon, two monks climb the central tower of the temple and blow a horn, calling the senior monks to prayer. The day is devoted to studies, discussions on religious topics, prayers for the dead, philosophical debates, and the study of manuscripts. At the same time, the monks' schedule set up to nine breaks for a simple meal and tea. Many monks constantly carry a wooden bowl with them attached to their clothes. People who are well acquainted with monastic life can, by the shape of the bowl, determine from which monastery its owner. Among the monks, a "professional" education is quite well organized, monks are taught the culinary arts, the basics of teaching or administration. In the past, many monasteries had special teams of "fighting monks" whose mission was to protect the monastery in the event of any threat. Monks live off the food they receive from their work, donations from farmers and financial assistance from their families. It is considered a special merit to assign a son to a monastery; the parents of monks are invariably proud of their offspring and in every possible way support them on the path of the search for truth and enlightenment.
Tibetan Monks: Meditation Tibetan monks devote most of their time to meditation. Following the statement that relaxation is life and stress is death, students first of all gain knowledge about the art of relaxation. Meditation is not only relaxation, it is getting used to a positive, good way of thinking, to a kind, positive state of mind. Monks daily practice techniques that allow them to get rid of desires and attachments as much as possible. One of these practices, for example, looks like this: a monk should look without looking up at the statue of Buddha and literally absorb every detail, shape, color, and so on, while simultaneously reflecting on the teachings of the Buddha. Plunging into his thoughts, the monk begins to visualize the details, an arm, a leg, a vajra in the hand of the Buddha. The more a monk concentrates on the deity, the less his thoughts are occupied with worldly realities. This technique requires constant practice. Everything in this world, according to the Tibetan monk, is impermanent and fleeting. What if the floor is a stone, and the bowl is made of wood, all this is an illusion, leaving this world, a person cannot take anything with him, not even his body, so it makes no sense to pay too much attention to the material. This is the philosophy.
Tibetan monks in everyday life The life of a Tibetan monk is not only reflections and meditation, novices and junior monks are busy with the housework, they wash, clean rooms, carry water, scurry back and forth with teapots intended for senior tea drinking. To merit the teacher's encouragement in honor of the Buddha's birthday, some monks spend the whole day on their feet, carrying from one place to another heavy prayer books in wooden bindings. In many classrooms you can see buckets, these vessels are a kind of instrument of punishment: if a student does not know the text that he should read from memory, he must hang a bucket of water around his neck and carry it until the text is learned. rewriting sacred texts, others spend their time discussing seemingly paradoxical questions, such as "does the rabbit have a horn." Priests and teachers stand during class, while students sit on the floor. In their free time, the monks play football and other sports games, just fool around or gather in the main hall of the monastery, not paying much attention to the gaze of curious tourists. In 1989, in one of the monasteries in the southeast of Sichuan province, the first and so far the only fire brigade, consisting of monks, was organized. 80 monks out of 130 are members of this fire brigade, and newcomers are also trained in firefighting.
Tibetan hermit monks In Buddhism, there is a tradition of hermitism, monks have great respect for people who have dedicated their lives to voluntary imprisonment, while their life is secret and practically not discussed. Monks become hermits of their own free will, a person simply makes such a decision and informs the abbot of the temple about it, there are no initiations or trials that accompany going to hermits. Each hermit chooses his own path to knowledge of the truth and spiritual enlightenment, some, retiring to the mountains, retain the privilege of communicating with the outside world, while others, who have chosen the most severe path, literally walled themselves up in a hut, where neither air nor sunlight can get. ... This person takes a vow of silence, next to him, or rather outside the walls of his hut, there is a person who is as silent as the hermit himself, who brings food and water to the chosen one. The food is passed to the hermit through a narrow window in the wall.
Principles of nutrition for Tibetan monks Many monasteries run their own households. When cultivating the land, sowing and harvesting, Tibetan monks use the most primitive technologies, since maximum contact with the land and nature is very important for them. There is a lot of talk about the diet of Tibetan monks, those who want to lose weight are even offered the so-called "diet of Tibetan monks", which in fact has nothing to do with the eating style of the inhabitants of the monasteries. Monks adhere to the system of separate meals and practice vegetarianism. An exception is made only for eggs and dairy products, but in very limited quantities. Tea ceremonies in the life of monks play a very important role. Every morning lamas gather for morning prayer under the guidance of a sutra teacher, after prayer everyone drinks tea with tsampa. Daytime prayers and reading of sacred texts are also accompanied by tea drinking. Evening tea is more informal.
Tibetan Monks: Sand Mandala Making Sand mandala making is a special art form in which Tibetan monks have reached unprecedented heights. Mandala is created from colored sand, sometimes it is made from grains, marble chips or colored powders. The drawing is created from small particles painstakingly laid out in a certain order. The process of creating a sand mandala can take whole weeks; internal, external and secret forms have special meanings in this sacred drawing. Monks believe that creating a mandala, they are cleared of all unnecessary, this is a kind of art therapy, and it is aimed not only at those who are engaged in the process of creating a sand mandala, but also at the place where it is created. The most amazing thing is that after long hours of folding the grains of sand into a complex multi-level pattern, the mandala collapses. The process of destruction of the mandala symbolizes the frailty and impermanence of the surrounding world. The colored sand from which the mandala was made is poured into the river so that the water carries positive energy where it is needed. The process of destroying a mandala for monks is no less meaningful than creating it. In extremely rare cases, the mandala is preserved.
Attire of Tibetan monks In the wardrobe of Tibetan lamas there are no lush clothes and luxurious headdresses, the attire of monks is another manifestation of asceticism and canons laid down in the sacred texts. The standard set of clothing for a Tibetan monk consists of three things: antaravasaka - a piece of cloth that covers the lower part of the body and is fixed on the belt, uttara sanga - a large piece of cloth that is draped in the upper part of the silhouette and sangati - "outer clothing" of dense material, which protects the monk from cold and bad weather. The traditional color scheme of Tibetan monastic dress is yellow-orange and burgundy. Modern monks wear a dhongka shirt, a top sarong, and a cape, sometimes cloth shoes, headwear and trousers can be found. Monks take care of their clothes on their own, replacing old clothes with new ones is possible only if the number of patches on it has exceeded ten.
Chanting of Tibetan monks Buddhist rituals, in particular the recitation of mantras, are often accompanied by musical accompaniment. The chanting of Tibetan monks, according to some adherents of Buddhism, has its own magic. When chanting mantras, a special energy is activated, which gives this music magical power. The chanting of mantras is sometimes accompanied by the playing of musical instruments, most often traditional Tibetan wind instruments. The chanting of the monks is very peculiar, it is a cross between reading and chanting with a throat effect. Some musicologists even single out the throat singing of Buddhist monks as a separate musical genre, interesting not only to musicians, but also to representatives of various sciences.
Tibetan monks - lamas lamas - are the central figures of Tibetan monasteries, these people are spiritual mentors and leading teachers who orally teach the monks meditation techniques and disciplines, as well as perform religious rituals. A reverent attitude towards lamas and deep respect for them sometimes takes the form of extreme worship, when the lama is treated as a living deity. Lamas lead religious meetings and preside over debates, it is believed that these people have superpowers, with the help of which lamas kill demons, attract good luck, prosperity and good health. The people of Tibet believe that after the death of a lama, his soul finds a new body, and as soon as the lama goes to another world, the search begins for the person in whose body the spirit of the deceased lama supposedly possessed. According to tradition, the search for such a person should be based on visions of oracles, sacred texts or information left by the deceased, but in fact this process often depends on politics and factional intrigue. Theoretically, both a woman and a non-resident of Tibet can become a lama, but almost always exclusively men become lamas. In search of a lama, attention is drawn to the smallest details; a new lama, for example, must have beautiful hands, since he must perform special ritual movements with his hands.
Tibetan monks - venerated lamas Before becoming a lama, young people take a five-year course of study, usually starting at a very early age, around the age of six. Lam is revered throughout Tibet, their portraits can be found in almost every home. There is a custom of presenting a scarf to a lama, according to which, when meeting with a lama, he must be presented with a scarf. These scarves can be bought at the monastery. When meeting a revered lama, the inhabitants of Tibet often prostrate themselves, trying to lift the monk's dress and touch his feet as a sign of special respect. The lama does not burden himself with property, all that he owns is a ceremonial bowl made of a human skull, silver amulets that scare away dogs and diseases , and a triangular ritual blade that protects against ignorance, passion and aggression. In most Tibetan villages, a lama lives, this person performs the functions of mayor, priest, healer and oracle. Many lamas move away from celibacy and start their own families. Some lamas, taking advantage of their position, do not miss an opportunity to earn extra money: they consecrate houses, livestock and people for which they receive money, goods or food.
Modern Tibetan Monks Modern Tibetan monks, despite all the traditionalism of Buddhism, do not strictly adhere to the rules and canons that were strictly observed before. Monks change. It's not uncommon for a monk in colorful sneakers and a cell phone these days. Some monks freely smoke a cigarette after meditation, eat fruit ice cream on a stick or ride a scooter, and no one kicks them out of the monastery for this behavior. Monks can refuse clothing made of coarse fabrics and wear clothes made of softer and more comfortable materials, they are allowed to learn foreign languages and follow the advanced technologies in the world of electronics. There are known cases of the involvement of monks in the smuggling of antiques and works of art, some sold to tourists the statues of Buddha stolen from the monastery at a price of five to fifty thousand dollars. But these are, of course, exceptions. For all their closeness and mystery, the monks are open to the world, at least they are not shy about onlookers and tourists, although they really do not like to answer their questions.
This find, made in China in the late 1970s, became known only relatively recently. In the Celestial Empire itself, they practically did not write about it. The details were given in an interview with a Taiwanese newspaper by Professor of the Institute of Ancient Religions Li Guangzhu (Taiwan).
The inaccessible terrain in the province of Sichuan has attracted philosophers and religious ascetics seeking solitude for its wild beauty since ancient times. Now archaeologists come here: the remains of a large monastery of the 3rd-7th centuries AD have been found here.
It is also interesting because it is adjoined by underground catacombs dating back to even more ancient times. Researchers constantly open new corridors and chambers in them, mostly walled up, in which they find human remains and ritual objects. The find in question was made here in 1979.
The flooded mine, which was once a steeply descending corridor, was first examined by scuba divers. Judging by the sediments at the bottom, the water stood here for at least two thousand years. After pumping it out, archaeologists entered the mine. A corridor in a natural cave led into the bowels of a granite mountain. Its narrow, low-ceilinged cells contained human remains and various items. The discovery awaited archaeologists in the farthest chamber, walled up, apparently, back in the era of the first builders of the catacombs - in the 4th century BC.
Since water could not penetrate into it, the researchers expected to find well-preserved things there. The reality surpassed all their expectations. In the cell, two human figures in the half-rotted robes of Taoist monks were found sitting in a lotus position. Opposite them, against the wall, lay a dog. The resemblance to living people was so great that at first they were mistaken for magnificently made sculptures of wax. Struck by the degree of preservation of the bodies.
There were no signs of decay on the soft skin. The ears, nose, eyeballs, covered with eyelids, and hands are completely preserved. It seemed that these people gave up their ghost just a few hours ago!
The archaeologists did not dare to remove the bodies from the cell, fearing to damage them. The operation to take flesh particles for analysis shocked the scientists: in those places where the bodies touched the scalpels, blood came out! As the examination continued, it turned out that the temperature of the monks' bodies was 17 ° C, that is, it was higher than the temperature in the cell itself.
It also turned out that the hearts of the monks were beating. They pulsed at a rate of one beat every few minutes. Blood circulated through the vessels with weak jerks, the lungs pumped air. It turned out that the strange "dead" did not need oxygen, content with the air that was in the chamber, mechanically absorbing it and releasing it back in the same composition.
Thousands of years of sleep
The experts who examined the monks had no doubt that they were alive, but they were in deep lethargy. The dog was in the same condition. It was decided to try to bring her out of hibernation. Oxygen was supplied to it, an artificial respiration device and a heart muscle stimulator were connected.
Resuscitation procedures led to the fact that the dog trembled, its paws stretched convulsively, its eyes opened, and it whined softly. However, after a quarter of an hour, the dog died. Her heart stopped and her body soon showed signs of decomposition.
Apparently, interference in the unusual process of vital activity of the animal's organism turned out to be fatal for it. They decided not to touch the monks until a more detailed study of the situation, including a detailed analysis of the failed resuscitation of the dog. The cell was walled up again. According to Professor Li Guangzhu, the camera has never been opened since. He also said that there was a vessel in front of the monks, at the bottom of which there were dried remnants of some kind of brown liquid.
At first it was mistaken for blood, but analysis showed that it was something else. Traces of this substance were found in the larynx of the monks, its spots were also visible on the dog's face. - Isn't this the "elixir of immortality" that ancient Chinese authors wrote about? - the professor asks. In China, there are several legends about sages who drank a miraculous elixir and fell asleep in the bowels of the mountain. Legends point to different areas and mountains. It is possible that all these legends are echoes of an event that really happened - the imprisonment of monks in a chamber of ancient catacombs, who fell asleep in a lethargic sleep. And the cup that stood in front of them contained the very elixir.
Through meditation into the future, there are, however, scientists who believe that no special "elixirs of immortality" are required to maintain the body's vital functions for hundreds and thousands of years. In the person himself there are forces that can delay death for a long time, you just need to bring them into action.
Buddhist monks believe that these forces are activated by prayer and meditation. One example of such an effect of meditation on a person is the phenomenon of the Hambo Lama of Buddhists of Eastern Siberia Dashi-Dorzho Itigelov. In 1927, at the age of 75, he asked the monks to read him a prayer of goodwill for the passing away and plunged into meditation, during which his heart stopped. In his will, he indicated that he would not die, but would only take a thousand years. In order for people to be convinced that he is alive, the lama ordered to examine him after 75 years.
Buchman (sarcophagus), where he was in the lotus position, was first opened by a group of lamas in 1955. Convinced of the complete safety of the body, the lamas performed the prescribed rituals, changed their clothes on Itigelov and again placed them in the bukhman. In 1973, his body was re-examined. And in 2002 (75 years after the death of Itigelov) the bukhman was opened in the presence of doctors and forensic experts. The commission stated that the lama was outwardly recognizable and he retained all the signs of a living body.
“His joints were bent, soft tissues were pressed through, and the samples of skin, hair and nails taken showed that their organic matter was no different from the organic matter of living people,” said Professor G. Ershova, Doctor of Historical Sciences. No special conditions were created for storing the body. Therefore, such a high degree of its preservation puzzled scientists. Buddhists believe that Itigelov is still meditating and is on the path to enlightenment.
This is far from the only example. For over 300 years, the former abbot of this temple, Wu Khak Min, has been sitting in the lotus position in the courtyard of the Dau temple near Hanoi. Towards the end of his days, he stopped eating and retired to a small brick chapel.
Before plunging into the last meditation, he asked the monks to bury him only if they smell decay. “If there is no corruption, then know that I am alive and offer prayers to Buddha,” he said.
In the 1990s, this old story caught the attention of Vietnamese scholars. An X-ray examination of the "statue" in the chapel on the outskirts of the temple showed that it was indeed a human body. Moreover, it was not embalmed, and this makes it doubly surprising for such a good preservation in a tropical climate, when monsoon rains pour for months and humidity is kept at 100% for a long time.
In the same temple is the fully preserved body of another abbot, the successor of Wu Khak Min. Comparing these cases with the find in Sichuan, one would assume that the Chinese monks also plunged into their strange lethargic sleep under the influence of prayers and meditation, if not for one "but". There was a dog in the cell, immersed in the same dream! It turns out that not only meditation had an effect on the body of the "sleeping". Obviously, some kind of completely material means was also used - perhaps the very "elixir of immortality" that mankind has been looking for for more than one thousand years.
Igor Voloznev
This publication is a supplemented continuation of the note: "On the occupation of Tibet and the Tibetan monastic" paradise "". Western propaganda has hammered into the head the strange cliché "occupation of Tibet". The West has gently forgotten that for almost a thousand years before 1959, Tibet was part of China, and for only a few decades of Japanese occupation and civil war, it was outside the jurisdiction of the central Chinese government.
Nicholas Roerich. At the foot of Shambhala
In short, even in 1959 China did not have a special need for an "occupation". The need arose when the United States realized that a medium-range missile, placed in the highlands at 4-5 thousand meters above sea level, turns into a very high-range missile. And as soon as this discovery was made, Tibet revolted against the central government. It's strange, by the way - how can you raise a rebellion against someone to whom you do not obey? To be "occupied" then?
However, the "occupation" took place. But questions remained. Why could a highland country, in which the inhabitants of the plain suffocate even without physical effort, could not resist? Why did the country of monasteries not resist in defensive battles for every gorge? Why did the most powerful fortifications under construction for centuries not put up any resistance, to put it mildly, the weakly armed and very unsaturated Chinese PLA?
Because there was no one to defend the theocratic regime. A third of the population of Tibet in 1959 were slaves. A third are serfs. Moreover, both slaves and serfs were not made of cardboard - but the most real ones.
The slave was a property. Cattle. A slave could and should have been tortured, humiliated, starved and tortured. It could be crippled - in Tibet, lamas were very fond of amulets made of severed human hands, hands and feet. Worn on the belt. Some specimens were weighed with human flesh in several layers.
The serf did not differ in legal status in practically anything. His only duty was to pay. When there was nothing to pay, he was turned into a slave. The debts of the serf monastery were indexed - sometimes at 50 - 80% per annum (our banks loudly swallow their saliva and lick their lips) and were transferred to children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The interest owed was taken by human flesh - family members were turned into monastic slaves.
The Tibetan lamas were the theocratic rulers of the mountainous country. In Tibet, one million people, there were 200 thousand monks. The rest are slaves and serfs. Monks, by the way, were not of the highest caste either. The majority were deprived of rights and were in the position of practically the same slaves. Each monastery had its own military detachment, the task of which was to maintain the obedience of its subjects on the monastery land. As you understand, you cannot make a fighter out of a punisher - therefore, such an army could not even theoretically resist the "occupation".
That, in fact, is the answer - why the inhabitants of Tibet did not stand up to defend their native land from the bloody invaders. This was not their land. This was the land of lamas. The rulers who were as infinitely distant from the people as the Buddha was far from the lamas themselves.
Well, and propaganda - yes, it painted a paradise from Shambhala with noble monks, wise rulers and an endlessly hardworking faithful people who were enslaved by the bloody conquerors from China.
***
Somehow they talked about Tibet during the reign of the Dalai Lama and someone was surprised by the story that in the 20s of the last century, trying to find money for a war with neighbors, the spiritual ruler of Tibet introduced a tax on the ears. Those. those who wanted his ears to stay with the owner had to pay a tax, otherwise they would be cut off (Well, this was called a tax in Europe. But in Tibet itself it was much easier: a detachment of horsemen comes to the courtyard and the chief says: you have 10 family members , including a baby. 3 coins per ear from each! For whom you don’t pay, we will cut off!)
They exclaimed to me, "Is this the same free Tibet that the Chinese oppress?" Okay, let's take a look at what Tibet was like before 1959, when slavery was abolished with the bayonets of the Chinese National Liberation Army in Tibet, the last of all states on Earth. Those worried about the exiled Dalai Lama will never publish these photos about the Tibetan paradise. See them for yourself:
Top row from left to right: Crafts of Tibetan lamas from the skulls of executed slaves - Amulets from severed hands (they should have been worn at the waist) - A slave drags another slave on his back, whose legs were cut off for disobeying the master. Bottom row from left to right: Slave and dog: one bedding for two - Slave in the block - Woman slave with a severed foot
Left: a slave whose eyes were gouged out by a lama for a fault. Right: slave punishment instruments
Places of residence of the slaves of Tibetan lamas. A white palace complex can be seen in the distance
This is how the slaves of Tibetan lamas lived. On the left is the belongings, on the right is the family itself
An old, dying slave of Tibetan lamas
Tibetan slave girl holds her husband's hand, severed before he was buried alive
We repeat once again: all the photographs were taken in 1959 by Chinese photographers in Lhasa, after the flight of the Dalai Lama.
Now a little about what a slave could be punished for. There is a known case when the owner sent a slave to a remote village on an errand. He did not have time to return before dark and spent the night in the field. The field turned out to belong to some local landowner and he demanded money from the slave for the night. Naturally, he had no money, and then, as punishment, his hand was cut off. When he went back to the owner, weakened, the latter, angry that a healthy, good slave had become disabled, ordered to cut off his other hand. Isn't it true that this wonderful country deserves any approval from human rights organizations?
Twin-chained slaves in Tibet
Dying child slave
A slave with a severed hand
Tibetan slaves at work
Slaves for food (they ate once a day)
This slave is only 35 years old
Slaves beg for food
Slave Boy and Dogs: One Bowl of Food for All
Blinded by his master slave
The owner chopped off the leg, as punishment for the offense
The following gifts could be fried to the Dalai Lama for his birthday: dried human stomach, 2 heads, human blood, tanned human skin
Dried human skin
Dried baby skin
Let us remind you once again that these photographs were taken in the 50s of the 20th century. Sapienti sat
***
Friendly Feudalism: The Myth of Tibet
For landlords and lamas
In addition to the bloody landscape of religious conflicts, there is a unique experience of inner peace and unity with a higher principle, which every religion promises. This is especially true of Buddhism. In complete contrast to the intolerant savagery of other religions, Buddhism is neither fanatical nor dogmatic - or so, at least, its followers claim. For many of them, Buddhism is not even a theology, but a meditative and cognitive teaching, designed to create and strengthen inner harmony and instruct on the path of truth. In general, spiritual concentration is directed not only towards oneself, but also towards the well-being of others. Everyone tries to overcome selfish impulses and gain a deeper understanding of their connection with the world of people and things. “Socially Involved Buddhism” tries to combine personal liberation with responsible social action, in the name of building an enlightened society.
The historical perspective, however, reveals the fact that many forms of Buddhism were not free from doctrinal fanaticism, as well as from the brutal exploitative practices of other religions. In Sri Lanka, there is a legendary and almost sacred story about the triumphant battles fought by the Buddhist kings of the past. Throughout the 20th century, Buddhists fought fiercely and violently with each other and with non-Buddhists in Thailand, Burma, Korea, India and elsewhere. In Sri Lanka, armed clashes between Sinhalese Buddhists and Tamil Hindus have claimed many lives on both sides. In 1998, the US State Department published a list of the thirty most violent and dangerous extremist groups. Half of them are religious groups, especially Muslim, Jewish and Buddhist.
In South Korea, in 1988, thousands of Jogue Buddhist monks fought each other using fists, stones, incendiary bombs and baseball bats. The battles continued for weeks on end. The monks fought for control of the order, the largest in South Korea, with an annual budget of $ 9.2 million, with multimillion-dollar properties around the world and the right to appoint 1,700 monks to various positions. The scuffles caused damage to the main Buddhist shrines and dozens of monks were injured, including serious ones. South Korean public opinion condemned both factions, believing that whoever won, the order would still serve the interests of wealthy believers, their expensive homes and cars. As in other religions, quarrels between various Buddhist sects are often fueled by material interests, corruption, and leaders' personal antipathies.
For example, in Nagano, Japan, in the prestigious Zenkoya temple complex that has served as home to Buddhist sects for over 1,400 years, a "hideous battle" has broken out between High Priest Komatsu and Tachu, a group of temples nominally subordinate to the High Priest. The Tachu monks accused Komatsu of selling written and artwork on behalf of the temple for personal gain. They also resented the high priest's frequent presence in the company of women. Komatsu, in turn, intended to isolate and punish the monks who were critical of him. The conflict lasted 5 years and spread to the courts.
But what about Tibetan Buddhism? Isn't he an exception? And what kind of society did he create? Many Buddhists argue that before the Chinese invasion in 1959, old Tibet was a spiritually oriented kingdom, free from the selfishness, empty materialism and corruption that has swept modern industrialized society. Western media, travel guides, literary works and Hollywood films portray Tibetan theocracy as the authentic Shangri-La.
The Dalai Lama himself stated that "the penetrating influence of Buddhism" in Tibet "has created a society immersed in peace and harmony. We enjoy freedom and fullness of life." But studying the history of Tibet paints a slightly different picture. "Religious conflict was common in old Tibet," writes one Western Buddhist.
"It is customary for many historians to create a fine image of Tibetan lamas and their followers living together in mutual tolerance and goodwill. In reality, the situation was quite different. Old Tibet was much more like Europe during the times of religious wars and counter-reformation."
In the 13th century, Emperor Kubla Khan created the first Supreme Lama, appointing him to preside over all other lamas, as the Pope over bishops. Several centuries later, the army of the Chinese emperor was sent to Tibet to support the Supreme Lama - an ambitious 25-year-old man who later gave himself the title of Dalai (ocean) Lama, ruler of all Tibet.
His two previous "incarnations" as lama were retroactively recognized as his predecessors, thus transforming the first Dalai Lama into the third Dalai Lama. This first (or third) Dalai Lama took over monasteries that did not belong to his sect, and also destroyed Buddhist writings that disagreed with his claims to holiness. The Dalai Lama, who replaced him, was sybaric, had many mistresses, organized magnificent festivities in the company of friends and, in general, behaved in an inappropriate manner for his high rank. For this he was killed by his priests.
Over the course of 170 years, despite their recognized sacred status, the five Dalai Lamas were assassinated by high clergy or courtiers. For hundreds of years, rival Buddhist sects in Tibet have engaged in violent clashes and numerous executions. In 1660, under the fifth Dalai Lama, an uprising broke out in Tsang province, the stronghold of the rival Kagu sect, led by a high lama named Karmapa. The Fifth Dalai Lama called for decisive action against the rebels, sending the Mongol army to destroy men, women and children "like eggs breaking on stones ... In short, wipe all traces of them from the face of the earth, even their names."
In 1792, many of the Kagu monasteries were confiscated, and their monks were forcibly converted to the Gelug sect (the Dalai Lama sect). The Gelug school, also known as the Yellow Hats, was unwilling to tolerate other Buddhist sects. The traditional prayers of the sect contained the following words: "Blessed are you, oh, cruel god of the Yellow Hat teaching, who turns to dust great beings, high dignitaries and ordinary people who pollute and spoil the Gelug teachings."
The memoirs of a Tibetan general who lived in the 18th century contain descriptions of the struggle between Buddhist sects - as bloody and merciless as all other religious conflicts.
This dark story goes unnoticed by today's followers of Tibetan Buddhism in the West. Religions are strongly associated not only with violence, but also with economic exploitation. It is often economic exploitation that drives violence. So it was with the Tibetan theocracy. Until 1959, when the last Dalai Lama ruled Tibet, most of the fertile land was organized into estates and was cultivated by serfs. These estates belonged to representatives of two social groups: wealthy landowners and wealthy lamas. Even an author who sympathizes with the old order admits that "the lion's share of real estate belonged to monasteries, which possessed colossal wealth."
The main wealth was accumulated "through active participation in trade, commerce and usury." Drepang Monastery was one of the largest land holdings in the world, comprising 185 estates, 25,000 slaves, 300 vast pastures, and 16,000 shepherds. The wealth of the monasteries was at the disposal of a small number of high lamas. Ordinary monks for the most part lived modestly and did not have access to great wealth. The Dalai Lama himself "lived in the Potala Palace of 1000 rooms and 14 floors." Secular leaders did not live in poverty either. A good example is the commander-in-chief of the Tibetan army, a member of the Dalai Lama's cabinet, who owned 4,000 sq. kilometers of land and 3500 serfs.
Old Tibet was idealized by some Western enthusiasts, and presented as "a nation that did not need police because its people voluntarily obeyed the laws of karma." In fact, there was a professional army in Tibet, albeit a small one, which served mainly as a gendarmerie for the landowners, maintaining order for them, guarding their property and pursuing escaped slaves.
Tibetan boys were usually taken from peasant families and sold to monasteries, where they were trained to become monks. Once in the monastery, they remained attached to it for the rest of their lives. Monk Tashi-Tsering reports that peasant children were usually sexually abused in monasteries. He himself was repeatedly raped, starting at the age of 9. The monasteries signed their children up for lifelong service as domestic servants, dancers, and soldiers. In old Tibet, there were a small number of farmers, a kind of free peasantry, and perhaps 10,000 more people who made up the "middle class" - families of merchants, shopkeepers and small traders. Thousands of others were beggars.
There were also slaves - usually domestic servants who did not have any property. Their children were born condemned to slavery. The majority of the rural population were serfs. They were treated a little better than slaves. They did not receive any education and did not have access to medical care. They were tied for life to work on land owned by a landowner or a monastery - they repaired the landlord's houses for free, transported crops and collected firewood. They were also required to provide draft animals and transport services. Their owners dictated to them what crops to grow and what animals to breed. They could not marry without the permission of a landowner or a lama. They could be separated from their families if the landowner needed to rent them out to work in remote places. As in the system of wage labor, in contrast to slavery, the owners did not bear any responsibility for the maintenance of the serfs and did not have a direct interest in the survival of their serfs, if only for the sake of preserving expensive property. Serfs had to support their existence on their own. But, as in the slave system, they were tied to their masters, guaranteeing them a constant work force, which could neither organize, nor strike, nor freely go to another master.
The hosts enjoyed the benefits of both systems. One 22-year-old woman, herself a runaway serf, reported: "Pretty serf girls were usually hired by their masters as domestic servants and used according to the master's whim. They were just slaves without any rights." Serfs needed permission to go anywhere. The landlords had the legal right to catch those who tried to escape.
One 24-year-old fugitive hailed the Chinese invasion as "liberation." He testified that during serfdom he was subjected to continuous bullying, freezing and starving. After the third unsuccessful attempt to escape, he was mercilessly beaten by the landowner's people, until the blood began to flow from his nose and mouth. They then poured alcohol and baking soda over his wounds to increase the pain.
Serfs were taxed on marriage, the birth of every child, and on every death of a family member. They paid taxes on planting trees in their backyards and on keeping animals. There were taxes on religious holidays, public dancing and drumming, and even imprisonment and release from prison were taxed. Those who could not find work paid a tax for being unemployed, and if they went to another village in search of work, they paid a travel tax. If people could not pay, monasteries lent them money at 20-50%. Sometimes debts were inherited from father to son, from grandfather to grandson.
Debtors who were unable to pay off their obligations risked being sold into slavery. Theocratic religious teachings were based on class order. The poor and the oppressed were taught that they themselves had brought on their own misfortunes, because they had sinned in previous lives. Therefore, they had to come to terms with their bitter lot in the present life and accept it as karmic retribution, living in the hope of improving their fate in future incarnations. The rich and powerful viewed their fortunes as a reward for past and present life.
Tibetan serfs did not always want to put up with the role of karmic victims, guilty of their oppressed position. As we have seen, some fled; others resisted openly, often subject to severe punishment. In feudal Tibet, torture and mutilation - including gouging out the eyes, pulling out the tongue, ripping off the limbs - were the favored forms of punishment applied to thieves and fugitive or obstinate serfs.
Traveling through Tibet in the 1960s, Stuart and Roma Herder interviewed a former serf, Ceref Wang Thuei, who stole two sheep from the monastery. For this offense, both of his eyes were torn out and his hand was disfigured so that he could no longer use it. He explained that he had ceased to be a Buddhist: "When the holy Lama ordered them to blind me, I thought that there is nothing good in religion." Since the deprivation of life was contrary to Buddhist teachings, some criminals were severely flogged and then "left to God" to freeze overnight to death. "The similarities between Tibet and medieval Europe are striking," concludes Tom Grunfeld in his book on Tibet.
In 1959, Anna Louise Strong attended an exhibition of torture equipment used by the Tibetan rulers. There were handcuffs of all sizes, including tiny ones for children, tools for cutting off noses and ears, breaking arms, and cutting leg tendons. There were hot-stamping devices, whips, and special evisceration devices. The exhibition featured photographs and testimonies of victims blinded, crippled, or deprived of limbs for theft.
The owner had to pay compensation in yuan and wheat to one shepherd, but he refused to pay. Then the shepherd took the cow from the owner. For this they cut off his hands. Another cattle breeder, who resisted taking his wife from him and giving her to the landowner, broke his hands. Pictures were presented of communist activists with cut off noses and torn lips, as well as of a woman who was first raped and then cut off her nose.
As much as we would like to believe the opposite, but feudal-theocratic Tibet was infinitely far from the romanticized Shangri-La, which Western proselytes of Buddhism enthusiastically admire.
Secularization versus spirituality
Chinese communists came to Tibet in 1951. Under the agreement, the country was granted substantial autonomy under the rule of the Dalai Lama. Military control and foreign policy of Tibet passed to China. The Chinese have also pushed for some social transformations such as cutting interest rates and building hospitals and roads. There was no confiscation of landlord and monastic property, and the landowners continued to safely push their peasants around. The Chinese had great respect for Tibetan culture and religion.
Over the centuries, Chinese incursions into Tibet have occurred on a number of occasions. But this time the Tibetan landlords and lamas were outraged that the Chinese who came were communists. They feared that over time, the communists would begin to impose their egalitarian norms and collectivist principles on Tibetan society. In 1956-57, armed Tibetan gangs began to attack convoys of the People's Liberation Army of China.
An uprising erupted with widespread CIA support, including military training for the rebels, camps in Nepal, and numerous air bridges. But, despite the active support of the United States, the uprising failed to involve the broad masses of Tibetans and ultimately it ended in failure.
Despite all the mistakes and excesses of the Chinese after 1959, they abolished slavery and the serf system of free labor. They abolished many extortionate taxes, launched employment programs, and dramatically reduced unemployment and poverty in Tibet. They created secular schools, thus breaking the educational monopoly of the monasteries. They also built plumbing and electricity in Lhasa.
Heinrich Harrer (later revealed that he was a sergeant in the SS) wrote a bestselling book about his Tibetan impressions, which was based on a popular Hollywood film. He said that the Tibetans who resisted the Chinese "were predominantly nobles, half-nobles and lamas; they were punished by being forced to do dirty and hard work, such as paving roads and building bridges. They were further humiliated by being forced to clean the city before the tourists arrived. ".
They were also forced to live in a camp originally designed for beggars and vagabonds - all of which Harrer sees as clear evidence of the horrific nature of the Chinese occupation.
By 1961, the Chinese authorities had expropriated the land holdings of landlords and lamas. They distributed thousands of acres of land between smallholders and landless peasants, reorganizing them into hundreds of communes. The herds of domestic animals taken from the nobility were turned into the collective property of poor shepherds. Livestock breeds were improved, new varieties of vegetables and cereals were introduced, and irrigation systems were improved, which led to an increase in agricultural productivity.
Many peasants remained religious as before, but the monks, who were enrolled in religious orders as children, could now leave the monasteries, and thousands of monks, especially young ones, were not slow to take advantage of their freedom. The remaining worshipers lived on modest government stipends and additional income from services at weddings, funerals, etc.
The Dalai Lama and his adviser and younger brother, Tendzin Hoegual, claimed that "over 1.2 million Tibetans have died as a result of the Chinese occupation." The official census of 1953 - 6 years before the Chinese authorities began to use harsh measures - recorded the entire population of Tibet at 1 million 274 thousand people. Another census says about 2 million people in Tibet. If the Chinese killed 1.2 million people in the early 1960s, it turns out that the whole of Tibet should have been depopulated, turning into one large cemetery. But there is no evidence of death camps or mass graves in Tibet during this period.
The few Chinese armed forces in Tibet simply could not physically surround and destroy so many people, even if they devoted all their time to it. The Chinese authorities say they have succeeded in ending corporal punishment, mutilation and amputation to punish criminals. However, the Tibetan exiles blamed the Chinese themselves for atrocities. The Chinese authorities admitted "mistakes", especially those committed during the 1966-76 period during the Cultural Revolution, when persecution for religious beliefs reached high levels in both China and Tibet. After the uprising in the late 1950s, thousands of Tibetans were imprisoned. There were certain excesses during collectivization - the Great Leap Forward - with dire consequences for food production. In the late 1970s, China began to loosen its control and "tried to repair the damage done in the previous two decades."
In 1980, the Chinese government initiated reforms that were supposed to give Tibet a greater degree of self-government. The Tibetans were allowed to develop a private sector in agriculture, communication with the outside world was restored - the Tibetans were able to freely visit relatives in India and Nepal.
Lamas began to travel around China and beyond, visiting communities of Tibetan exiles abroad, rebuilding monasteries in Tibet and reviving Buddhism.
In 2007, Tibetan Buddhism is widely practiced in China and is tolerated by the official authorities. Religious pilgrimage and other forms of worship are permitted, although not without certain restrictions. All monks are required to sign a pledge of loyalty to the authorities - a pledge not to use their religious status for subversion. The distribution of photographs of the Dalai Lama has been declared illegal.
In the 1990s, there was a process of migration to Tibet of a large number of representatives of the Han ethnic group (which makes up 95% of the population of China). On the streets of Lhasa and Shigatse, traces of Han's presence are visible. The Chinese run factories, shops and small businesses. Chinese cadres in Tibet often view the local population as backward and lazy, in need of economic development and "patriotic education." In the 1990s, many Tibetan government and administration officials were suspected of nationalist sympathies and purged from their jobs. Some Tibetans have been arrested, imprisoned, and forced labor for separatist and “subversive” activities.
Tibetan history, culture and religion are little taught in schools. The teaching materials, translated into Tibetan, deal mainly with Chinese history and culture. Chinese birth control measures allow Tibetan families to have no more than three children, while a similar restriction for Han families across China is one or two. If the Tibetan family exceeds the limit, "extra" children may be deprived of government assistance - medical services, education and assistance in purchasing housing. Such sanctions are imposed on an irregular basis, varying from area to area. It should be noted that before the Chinese invasion, none of the listed social benefits were available to Tibetans at all.
For wealthy lamas and landowners, communist intervention was a terrible misfortune. Most of them immigrated abroad, including the Dalai Lama himself, who was helped by the CIA to escape. Some have discovered to their great dismay that they will have to earn their own living. Many, however, managed to avoid this sad fate. During the 1960s, the Tibetan emigrant community received $ 1.7 million a year from the CIA, according to documents released by the State Department in 1998. After publishing this fact, the Dalai Lama's organization itself admitted that it received millions of dollars from the CIA in the 1960s to send militias to Tibet to undermine the Maoist revolution. The Dalai Lama received $ 186,000 annually. Indian intelligence also funded him and other Tibetan exiles. The Dalai Lama declined to answer whether he and his brothers worked for the CIA or not. The CIA also did not comment on these facts.
In 1995, the Northern California-based News & Observer of Raleigh featured a color photo of the Dalai Lama embraced by reactionary Republican Senator Jesse Helms, under the headline "Buddhist Enchants the Hero of the Religious Right."
In April 1999, along with Margaret Thatcher, Pope John Paul II and Father George W. Bush, the Dalai Lama called on the British government to release Augusto Pinochet, the former fascist dictator of Chile and an old CIA client who was then visiting England. The Dalai Lama asked that Pinochet not be deported to Spain, where he was to stand trial for crimes against humanity.
In the 21st century, the United States finances the Tibetan underground no longer through the CIA, but through a more respected organization, the National Endowment for Democracy. Congress annually allocates $ 2 million to Tibetans in India, as well as additional millions for "democratic activities" within the Tibetan emigration. In addition, the Dalai Lama personally received money from George Soros.
Michael Parenti
