Research Paper on

Tibetan Buddhism Gelug in contemporary North America.

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PART I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Tibetan Buddhism Gelug in Contemporary North America.

Tibetan Buddhism Gelug, sometimes referred to as Vajrayana Buddhism or Tantric Buddhism, is a style of Buddhism that originated in Tibet and adjacent Himalayan regions. It is one of the primary schools of Mahayana Buddhism, which stresses the bodhisattva ideal of compassion and the ambition to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all creatures. Tibetan Buddhism originates in India, where the Buddha preached more than 2,500 years ago.[1] In the seventh century CE, King Songtsen Gampo married two Buddhist princesses, one from China and the other from Nepal, introducing Buddhism to Tibet. These princesses carried Buddhist instructors and texts, impacting Tibetan culture and society.

Every community tends to have a specific belief system that they practice which defines who they are. Unlike many other aspects of a district, the right to worship and associate with different religious beliefs has been observed in different parts of the world, even in some communities where many requests are flawed. For example, Tibetan Buddhism Gelug, spiritual practices seemed to originate from a specific place and remained constrained within that region, with almost all residents of that community believing and practicing the faith. Things have changed a lot today, and people in the same community can believe in totally different religions and coexist in the same society. The spread of religious beliefs can be traced from how people interacted in the 20^th and 21^st centuries. Interaction through business, intermarriage, and relocation to different parts of the world have led to effective sharing, assimilation, and adoption of religious beliefs primarily not practiced in one’s community.

However, Buddhism started taking hold in Tibet in the eighth century CE. Around this period, Padmasambhava, better known as Guru Rinpoche, an Indian Buddhist guru, was called to Tibet to assist in developing Buddhism. He merged Indian Buddhist thought with Tibetan Bon shamanism, resulting in Tibetan Buddhism. In the following years, several more renowned teachers, including Atisha, Tsongkhapa, and the Dalai Lamas, appeared in Tibet and contributed to the continued development and dissemination of Tibetan Buddhism. The religion also began absorbing elements of Chinese, Mongolian, and other regional cultures, resulting in a distinct and complex version of Buddhism firmly anchored in Tibetan culture.[2] Tibetan Buddhism is renowned for its intricate ceremonies, meditation techniques, and esoteric teachings, frequently transferred orally from teacher to pupil. It also highlights the significance of spiritual gurus, considered indispensable mentors of enlightenment.[3]

Gelugpa is a subculture of Tibetan Buddhism that unfolded in North America via the efforts of Tibetan instructors and their Western students. The Gelugpa culture is recognized for its emphasis on philosophical study, especially the works of the exquisite Tibetan pupil Je Tsongkhapa.The unfolding of Gelugpa in North America started in the 1970s when Tibetan instructors started to journey to the West to instruct Buddhism. One of the most essential figures in this effort used to be the Dalai Lama, who has been an established traveler to North America and has hooked up many facilities and packages devoted to spreading Tibetan Buddhism. In addition to the Dalai Lama, different distinguished Gelugpa instructors who have contributed to the unfold of the lifestyle in North America consist of Lama Yeshe, Geshe Lhundub Sopa, Geshe Wangyal, Geshe Ngawang Wangyal, and Geshe Tenzin Zopa.

One of the earliest Gelugpa facilities in North America used to be the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), which was once situated by using Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 1975. The FPMT has installed facilities and found out about applications for the duration of North America and has performed a widespread position in introducing Gelugpa teachings to Western students. Other Gelugpa facilities and businesses that have contributed to the unfolding of the lifestyle in North America encompass the Gelug International Foundation, the Guhyasamaja Center, the Kadampa Center, the Kurukulla Center, the Tse Chen Ling Center for Tibetan Buddhist Studies, and the Vajrapani Institute for Wisdom Culture. Overall, the spread of Gelugpa in North America has been facilitated by means of the tireless efforts of Tibetan instructors and their Western students, who have labored to set up centers, translate texts, and advance packages of learning about and exercise that is available to Westerners.

1.2 Research Questions

        i.            How has the meeting between Tibetan Gelug and Western cultures changed the history of Tibetan Gelug Buddhism in North America, and what role has primary persons and organizations played in this transformation?

      ii.

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