Exam 2 Flashcards
Early Transmisson
640-836 CE, period of translation, Samye Debate, 1st legendary king
Late Transmission
970-1300 CE, phyi dar, renaissance period, acknowledged by arrival of 2 important figures, 100 year gap between transmissions = period of fragmentation/dark period, 1199 Buddhism disappears
Totori Nyentsen
23rd (28th?) king of Yarlung dynasty, given Lha title, kept Buddhist texts (sign from Avalokitsvara), first contact with Buddhism
3 Dharma Kings
Songsten Gampo, Trisong Detsen and Ralpacen
Songsten Gampo
Tibets first great religious king, 33rd Yarlung King unifies large territory of Tibet, Nepalese (Bhrkuti) and Chinese (Gyasa) queen (out of 5), conquered adjacent kingdom of Zhang-zhung, embraced Buddhism as Tibets state religion, sent scholars to India to devise Tibetan script and grammar, translation of Buddhist texts from Sanskrit, patronized the building of 108 Buddhist monuments, received Chinese title of Baowang from Tang emperor Gaozong, established Tibet as a central asian empire, built 2 main temples in Lhasa: Ramoche and Jokhang, introduced “divine dharmas of 10 virtues” and “human dharmas of 16 guidelines”
Tibetan Language
linguistic complexities, belongs to the Tibeto-Burman languages family, based on 6th-7th century North Indian script
Jowo Shrine
Tibet’s most sacred icon, located in Jokhang temple, brought by wife of Srong-tsen gampo, thought to be replica of Shakyamuni Buddha
12 Binding temples to contain the sring-mo
Tibetans traditionally view their country as a wild demonness (sring-mo) who was opposed to Buddhism, in order to subdue her, 12 temples were constructed by Songsten Gampo at key parts of the country, referred to as limb-binding temples to prevent sprits and demons from creating obstacles for Buddhist teachers
Trisong Detsen
2nd of the great Dharma kings, suppresses Bön religion, emanation of Manjusri (10th stage bodhisattva of wisdom), took power in 754, expanded Tibets empire and captured Chinese capital Ch’ang-an (Xian today), built Tibet’s first monastery (Samye), held Samye debate publicly between Indian and Chinese monks, establishes Indian Buddhism as official form of Buddhism in Tibet, invites Shantarakshita and Padmasambhava to Tibet, support of mass translation of Buddhist scriptures, gives rise to Nyingma (“Old”) tradition (based on texts of this early period of translation)
Vairocana
cosmic Buddha also found in Japan and Nepal, replications of the ones found in Tibet
Padmasambhava
8th century, primary Holy Person of Tibetan Buddhism, converted opposing forces to Buddhism, founded Samye monastery with Santiraksita, also called Guru Rinpoche or Padma (lotus born), patron saint of Tibet, native of Udyana (now Pakistan) and area of magicians, was a Tantrist and member of Yogacara school, invited to Tibet in 747 by Trisong Detsen and arrived at Samye
Main Figures
Trisong Detsen: the Dharma King - the political
Santaraksita: the Indian pandita - the intellectual
Padmasambhava: the Himalayan sorcerer - the magical/magician
together form a triad of stability and authority
Samye Monastery
Tibet’s first monastic university modeled after Odantapuri (Indian monastery in Bihar) SE of Lhasa, buildings patterned after mandela, 7 Tibetans received monastic vows after monastery was finished (become first monks), Samye Debate, vertical ascending order of symbiosis (Indian on top, then chinese and Tibet on the bottom)
Samye Religious Communities
Western temple of Vairocana (exposition of Dharma), western temple of tradition of Chinese ho-shang Mo-he-yan, southern temple of tantric rituals of mandalas and. abhiseka, eastern khang temple (discipline), eastern Tshangs pa temple (grammar and literary arts)
Vertical ascending order of symbiosis
Indian / Nepalese architecture on top, Chinese in the middle and Tibetan on the bottom
Samye Debate Historical Factors
Tibetan army gained power in northwest China after 755 rebellion, controlled city state of Dunhuang from 760’s to 848, Chan groups begin entering Tibet,
Samye Debate
Hva-Shang Mohoyen: northern Chan, subitist, instantaneous, abrupt all at once, unmediated non intentional awakening, blank state
Kamalasila: Indian Madhyamaka, constructivist, gradualist, serial progress, intentional mediated experience, cognitive state of discriminating activity
Ralpachan
Third great religious king, established tax to support monks, means having long hair which monks sat on, invited Indian Pandits to Tibet and provided them with prominent translators, first dictionary was compiled at the time called Mahavyutpatti and was indispensable for those translating Buddhist texts, sent troops towards Chinese borders, peace treaty was signed in 821 (text inscribed on 3 pillars), one outside of Chinese emperors palace gates in Chang-an (now Xian) and another in front of the main gate of the Jokhang in Lhasa 822
821 Tibet-China Treaty
inscription on the west face of the stone pillar at Lhasa, relationship between China and Tibet described as nephew and uncle, animals were sacrificed although in Buddhism this is not permissible
Lang Darma’s persecution of Buddhism
42nd ruler of Tibet, depicted as a persecutor of Buddhism, Tri Ralpachen was the last great emperor of Tibet, was murdered in 841 by older brother Lang Darma who was also assassinated in 846 (Story of Belgyi Dorje: black horse and white robe turned to white horse and black robe, found in cave mediating and felt remorse for killing his brother), unified state of Tibet collapses, Tibet became divided into numerous principalities for over 300 years (politically in pieces 842-1249)
Second Transmission
970-1300 CE, period of fragmentation, revival of mainly west Tibet, formation of traditions, new translations (time of great translators or Lotsawa, eyes of the world like a birds), new practices, new political powers (regional kings, no longer under a unified emperor, Indian scholars (Kashmiri scholar Shakya shri)
