Glossary
Om Mani Pedme Hum (Six Words Proverb)
Reincarnation
Bon
Tibetan religious symbols

Om Mani Pedme Hum

Om Mani Pedme Hum (or Om Mani Pedme Hung), is the most common mantra in Tibet, recited by Buddhists, painted or carved on rocks, prayer wheels, or yak skulls and seen around most usually. Tibetan people, almost all Buddhists, do believe that it is very good to practice the mantra of Chenrezi, the Bodhisattva of Compassion (The protective deity of Tibet), which may, relieve negative karma, accumulate merit, help rescue them from the sea of suffering and achieve Buddhahood. Speaking the mantra loud or silently, spinning prayer wheels with the mantra, and carving mantra into stones are the usual practices.

Then what the mantra means? There is no definite answer to the question since it is not easy to translate the mantra into other languages. According to the Dalai Lama, the six syllable mantra means one can transform one's impure body, speech and mind into those of a Buddha by following the path which is inseparable integrality of method and wisdom. The first syllable, Om, symbolize one's impure body, speech and mind, and also the pure noble body, speech and mind of a Buddha. Buddhism claims that an impure body, speech and mind can be transformed into pure ones of a Buddha, who was once impure and later by removing their negative attributes achieved enlightenment on his path. Mani, the jewel, symbolizes factors of method, compassion and love, the altruistic intention to become enlightened. "Just as a jewel is capable of removing poverty, so the altruistic mind of enlightenment is capable of removing the poverty, or difficulties, of and of solitary peace. Similarly, just as a jewel fulfils the wishes of sentient beings, so the altruistic intention to become enlightened fulfils the wishes of sentient beings", the Dalai Lama says. PADME, means lotus and symbolizes wisdom. Growing out of mud but not being stained by mud, lotus indicates the quality of wisdom, which keeps you out of contradiction. The last syllable, Hum, meaning inseparability, symbolizes purity can be achieved by the unity of method and wisdom.

Reincarnation - Back to top

The reincarnation system (tulku) is a distinguishing characteristic of Tibetan Buddhism, which is based the theory that Buddha's soul never vanishes and incarnates in succession to lead his followers and to accomplish his mission. In 1193, the religious leader of Karma Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, Dusum Chenpa and the first Karmapa, passed away. The late lama told his disciples that he would return as a reincarnation. His disciples soon led a search for his infant reincarnation in accordance with his will. Several years later Karma Pakshi turned out as the first reincarnation in Tibet and trained to be Karma Kagyu leader. Then the reincarnation system was adopted by other sects gradually to keep a consistent religious leadership. Gelugpa tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, the Yellow Hat sect, applied the system also to hand down the titles conferred on the third Dalai Lama and the fourth Panchen Lama to keep their established religious and secular title and power. There were hundreds of Gyalwas (Living Buddhas) whose heirs were selected by applying the system, among whom the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama are the most prestigious two. By the end of the Qing Dynasty there were 160 high lamas registered with the Board for Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs, applying the reincarnation system to locate their next successors.

Religious methods and rituals are used to identify a reincarnation of a late high lama. A search party headed by a high lama begins the search soon. After a religious retreat, lamas, dispatched out in disguise, scour Tibet for special signs, new mothers who had unusual dreams and children who have special knowledge without being taught and special physical traits, such as big earlaps. Oracles, portents, dreams and the late lama's prophesy will be referred to in order to help the search. Some lamas will be sent to Lhamo Latso, the Oracle Lake, to look for prophetic visions to help locate the reincarnation. Usually, there will be dozens of candidates sought. They will be tested with the late lama's possessions and those who have amazing knowledge to identify his predecessor's belongings win out and are the final candidates. Since the search could be easily manipulated and dispute occurs, such as in the case of the sixth Dalai Lama, Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty decided to use a gold urn lottery as a divination to eliminate false candidates. The names and birth dates of the final candidates were written on ivory lots, wrapped up and sealed in the urn. Religious rituals were held before the lottery. After the lottery seriously held in the Jokhang Temple, a new religious leader would be soon installed if the procedure was verified by the central government.

Bon - Back to top

Bon, considered the indigenous religion, is the oldest religious tradition before Buddhism transmission. The once flourishing religion remains unknown to the world until recently after it lost in the competition with Buddhism in the 9th century. Bon followers were forced to flee remote areas under severe persecution, never regaining its popularity in Tibet. As Tibetology arises and tourism develops in Tibet, Bon has been studied scientifically and began to be the interest of the scientific research and general public as well.

The shamanistic religion is believed originated in the land of Olmo Lungring and brought to ancient Kingdom of Shang Shung which covered most of Tibetan territory today. It was believed that Tonpa Shenrab Miwo, one of the three brothers, Dagpa, Salba and Shepa, who studied Bon doctrines in the heaven named Sridpa Yesang and acted as guides for sentient beings, was the founder of Bon and the guide of the current world. Born as a prince and having an experience similar with that of Sakyamuni, his counterpart in Buddhism, he subdued a number of demons, and finally transmitted the Bon faith into Shang Shung. Then the faith flourished there. In the eighth century, Songtsen Gampo conquered Shang Shung and united Tibet and then Buddhism was introduced. Since Bon priests who claimed being attributed supernatural powers interfered politic and royal affairs, the Tubo royal family adopted policy of supporting Buddhism and banning Bon. During Lang Darma's rule, Bon attempted its last strike and Buddhists were persecuted and first Buddhism transmission was stopped. However, after Lang Darma was assassinated, Bon faded out while its foe, Buddhism gradually regained its popularity. In order to pass the tradition down, Bon experienced reform and adopted some concepts of Buddhism in order to survive just as Buddhism did at the beginning of its transmission.

The Bon tradition difficultly made its survival and developed its own elaborate tradition of metaphysics, cosmology doctrine, philosophy and extensive written canon although it was discouraged ever since. In 1998, a statistic made by a Tibetan Tibetologist showed there were about 90 monasteries in Tibet Autonomous Region, most of them in Dengchen (a county in Chamdo) with monk population of more than 3,000, about 90 reincarnated high monks, and more than 130 thousand Bon followers. There are now mainly three Bon sects, namely the Old Bon, The Yungdrung Bon and the New Bon.

Tibetan religious symbols - Back to top

It is common to see various religious symbols when traveling in Tibet, in monasteries, villages. They are used as sacred adornments.

Eight Auspicious Signs, generally symbolizing how to progress along the Buddhist path, include eight motifs.

White Umbrella: a symbol of loyalty and faith and Dharma protection from all evils

Golden Fish: a symbol of happiness, soul emancipation, being saved from the sea of suffering

Vase: stores the nectar of immortality and symbolizes hidden treasure

Lotus: symbols purity and spiritual enfoldment

Conch Shell: proclaims the teachings of the enlightened ones and symbolizes the spoken

Knot of Eternity: the auspicious diagram symbolizes the unity of all things and the illusory character of time.

Victory Standard: the cylinder symbolizes the victory of Buddhism over ignorance and death.

Dharma Wheel: symbolizes the unity of all things, spiritual law and Sakyamuni himself, usually flanked by two deer who were the first to listen to Sakyamuni's teachings. The male deer symbolizes the realization of great bliss while the female one the realization of emptiness.

Other common symbols

Swastika: The symbol is commonly seen on home walls or on monastery floors. Meaning good fortune, it symbolizes infinity, universe and sun and moon sometimes. Buddhists draw it clockwise while bon followers draw it anticlockwise.
Swastika is the second most representative pattern in rock paintings in Tibet. Such a symbol appeared during the Tubo period when Buddhism had made its way into the region. It could be found in rock paintings of various stages in western, northern and southern Tibet.
Generally speaking, in rock paintings, the swastika does not exist independently. It co-exists with other objects, including the sun, the moon, trees, certain animals (very often being placed on giant, fat yaks), sorcerers, banners or patterns representing dwelling tents, and some circles. This shows the swastika was closely related to production and life, and religious rituals. What is hard to understand is its association with trees. In the Tibetan Plateau, trees were hardly seen at high altitude. Very often, trees are seen in rock paintings covering an area of hundreds of square km, where no trees could be found. What does tree mean in the rock paintings? No matter what is the answer, the fact is that tree held an important position in the minds of those who created these rock paintings. There are historical records that describe a God Tree in western Ngari, Tibet. There, people paid sacrifices to the God Tree. As a matter of fact, the Tibetans worshiped trees in their daily life.

Kalacakra Seal: It is an adorning motif in murals or on monastery walls. It symbolizes the highest initiations into occult knowledge which can only be possessed by a few high lamas.

Wheel of Life: Another adorning motif in murals or on monastery walls. The demon of impermanence holds a wheel which is segmented into six sections, which means all realms of existence respectively, namely Heaven, demigods, humankind, hell, hungry ghosts and animals. The hub in the center symbolizes ignorance, hatred and greed, the three poisons.

Sun and Moon: Usually seen on village houses and top of stupas. The adorning motif symbolizes the source of light and union of opposites.