Research Proposal

The Development of Tibetan Buddhism in North America

1.0 Background of the study

There are many religious beliefs, doctrines, and practices around the world. Every community tends to have a specific belief system that they practice which defines who they are. Unlike many other aspects of a community, 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 rights are flawed. Traditionally, religious 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 faiths 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.

1.1 Origin of Buddhism

Buddhism, for example, emanated from India during the 5^th century and remained enclosed as a community culture, faith, and way of life until the 8^th century. Siddhartha Gautama, widely known as the Buddha or the "Enlightened One," created the religion and philosophy of Buddhism in ancient India. Although the Buddha's exact birth and death dates are unknown, most experts agree that they occurred in the fourth or fifth centuries BCE. Siddhartha is said to have been born into a royal family in what is now Nepal Buddhist legend. Before facing the reality of old age, illness, and death, he led a life of luxury and pleasure. He decided to give up his life as a king due to these experiences and searched for spiritual enlightenment.[1]

Siddhartha trained in meditation and studied under numerous spiritual masters for a long time. He eventually attained enlightenment while meditating in what is now Bodh Gaya, India, behind a bodhi tree. The remainder of his life was devoted to spreading knowledge of the Four Noble Truths and the road to enlightenment. Buddhism continued to flourish throughout India during the Buddha's lifetime and after his passing. It soon spread to other Asian countries like Tibet, China, Japan, and Sri Lanka, giving rise to various traditions and schools. With an estimated 500 million adherents worldwide, Buddhism is one of the major religions. It is renowned for putting a strong focus on compassion, mindfulness, and the search for enlightenment and inner peace.[2]

1.2 Tibetan Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism, 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.[3] 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, which began impacting Tibetan culture and society.

However, it...