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Wich are the different "branches" of buddhism???
Now, 
I am reeeally a beginner in buddhism (and to this site), and I was wondering what different kinds of buddhism there is.... :scratch:
PLEASE!!! Can anybody tell me?!?
I am reeeally a beginner in buddhism (and to this site), and I was wondering what different kinds of buddhism there is.... :scratch:PLEASE!!! Can anybody tell me?!?
0
Comments
There are a number of ways of cutting the Buddhist cake. Some divide into Theravada (sometimes called "Hinayana" but that is often thought rude), Mahayana and Tantra. Far-too-briefly, Theravada studies the Pali Canon, or the writings purporting to be Gautama's own words and set down in Pali. The focus here is on individual practice and enlightenment.
Later in development, we find Mahayana which includes the bodhisattva vow of Shantideva and is more popular among Westreners because it appears "more compassionate" to seek enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.
From Mahayana, there developed a number of non-Indian schools, including Ch'an (China), Zen (Japan) and Dzogchen (Tibet) which rely on direct transmission between teacher and student. They also major on the fact that there is "nothing to do" because Buddha Nature is the true nature of all things so that there is nowhere to go, nothing to find nor enlightenment to be achieved.
Within these broad divisions, there are also 'national' varieties of Buddhism. These have arisen from the encounter between Dharma teachers and local custom. Thus, in China, the Indian concept of dhyana (meditation), meeting the Taoist/Confusian traditions, evolved into the Ch'an notion that there is nothing incompatible between Buddhahood and everyday life in the world.
In Tibet, the Indian teachers such as Padmasambhava encountered a very ancient shamanistic religion called Bon. This still exists and, even, flourished (before the Chinese rape of Tibet) under the protection of the Dalai Lama. Many of the - to us - strange customs of Bon have been incorporated into Tibetan Buddhism.
There is also a Western form of Buddhism, which is a very stripped-down, anti-theistic practice.
I see, from a Google search, that most traditions are represented in Sweden. If you can travel around, you have the chance to taste each one for yourself.
Having said all that, I must stress that I am only a student and that I do not guarantee the accuracy of my analysis. There are those, here, who know much more than I do, particularly about their own tradition.
As against all-too-many Christian sects, the various 'schools' of Buddhism rarely claim that they are the sole truth holders, although you may find some Theravada practitioners who look down on those who accept the Mahayana and Tantric sutras. But you rarely find this attitude among teachers - it is usually to be found among those students who cling to their own need to be 'right'. The same clinging can be seen in the fighting that sporadically breaks out between monks supporting the rival Karmapa Lamas!
I hope this is of some use.
Maybe you can try this at http://www.thubtenchodron.org/BuddhistNunsMonasticLife/similarities_and_differences_among_the_various_buddhist_traditions.html
I've not listen to it yet, maybe you can share after listening.
cheers,
Are you refering to Mahayana & Nichiren & Pure Land & Tibetan & Theravada & Zen ?
Bon still exists as a shamanistic practice, surely, Palzang-la? It is also specifically under the protection of the Dalai Lama.
One of the aspects of Tibetan Buddhism that comforts me is its ability to recognise that the powers within samsara are far more various than we simplyb perceive. Thus the lamas sent to collect the young tulku from New Zealand made puja to the local Maori deities. The use of myth in the stories of Padmasambhava or the 36 incarnations of Lama Drom and the First Dalai Lama's 15 incarnations as sages are wonderful teaching tales, although many Westerners, trapped in their dualistic materialism, have difficulty with them.
In the case of your own home monastery, you told us that it is set in a native place of power. Do tell how your community and the Elders of the Ndn nation co-celebrate.
Pure Land is popular in the Chinese community. The chanting in Pure Land is very much like practising Zen or Meditation where the heart and mind are focused on Buddha Amitabha. It is said that Pure Land practise is the easiest and the fastest path towards the Enlightenment, but it is the most difficult to comprehend and to actually believe in it, even for some of seniority Buddhists from other schools. There were true incidents of people reborn into pure land and some of them being recorded and filmed.
There are a few interesting writings about Pure Land in some threads here. I was impressed by some of them.
cheers,
Nichiren came from Japan. Truthfully, I do not know much about it. Maybe someone else can share.
cheers,
I don't honestly know what the practices are in Bon as it presently exists. I do know that most of the teachings I've seen advertised or whatever in Snow Lion from Bon teachers are virtually identical to other Tibetan Buddhist teachings as far as I can tell. They have also laid claim to Dzog Chen, traditionally a Nyingma practice. Dzog Chen (Clear Light) is an insight practice with some similarities to Zen. The only difference I know of for sure is that Bonpos circumambulate stupas and other sacred sites counter-clockwise, whereas Buddhists do it clockwise.
It is true that Sedona is a native place of power. In fact, it was so sacred that there are no native ruins or traces of settlements in Sedona! All around it, but not in it. Of course, the white men moved right in! Our teacher has expressed a desire to do co-celebrations with native Americans, but so far nothing has come together. She did meet with some Navajo elders a long time ago, which was very productive, but not much since. It would be nice to do that, but now that Mongolia is taking so much of our attention, it probably won't happen any time soon. Our new temple in Sedona, however, will incorporate some native designs in its architecture and will be open to celebrations by native Americans and others.
Rejoice.
:cheer:
Anyway you don't need a school to survive. Look @ me! I take from all schools! Hell... We are all Buddhists!
http://www.buddhistinformation.com/pureland/
Thanks. This will be helpful.
cheers,