Is it pointless to want to travel to tibet

Beautifully_Chaotic

I would like to travel to Tibet not only to see the great country side but to study with lamas. I have a lot to learn and from what I've read they are very strong spitually. I'm sure I can learn what they have to teach right here. But to me it's more about who is teaching it

aHappyNihilist

i guess it really depends on how easily you can actually get to tibet. if you have a private jet it would be alot more worth it than if you had to swim

i really want to go too

compassionate_warrior

There are lots of tour groups and also backpackers who go to Tibet, but I've never heard of anyone staying around to study. I don't know if it's possible to get a visa for a longer stay like that. You could look into the visa requirements.

Dazzle

Hi B_C,

Tibet is part of communist China and it isn't possible for westerners to go there to study Buddhism with Tibetan lamas.
There are plenty of Tibetan Buddhist centres in western countries where you can study with lamas though.

Kind wishes,

D.

aHappyNihilist

roflmao...zedong

Roger

Unless exotic travel is a secondary motive, stay in the West. Buddhism has successfully migrated to the West. Probably at least a few capable teachers in your 'neighborhood.'

ShiftPlusOne

Make sure you know all the rules before you go. Don't tell the Chinese embassy that you're going to Tibet. They'll make you fill out a form with your destinations on there... don't put Tibet. We did that because we were trying to "do the right thing", but they made up write and sign a note saying we have will not go to Tibet.

Chances are you'll need to go with a tour group or a guide in order to get the right passes. You can break away from the tour once you get there though... that's what the people I've met in China who went to Tibet had to do.

kurra

You could try Dharamsala or one of the great Indian monasteries.

Beautifully_Chaotic

Shiftplusone-Can you not just go visit and stay a few months? Why is it so hard to get there?

Roger

Check it out:



http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_980.html

http://np.china-embassy.org/eng/

ShiftPlusOne

Beautifully_Chaotic, there's no way that I know of. China is keeping it pretty locked down. They claim they don't want Westerners there provoking violence and what not, but it's more like they don't want the world to know what's actually going on there. There are touristy areas which aren't too hard to get to, but there are also completely locked down areas where nobody is allowed. Basically, you'll only see what they allow you to see.

Check out http://wikitravel.org/en/Tibet#Get_in for more info.

Beautifully_Chaotic

Thanks a lot

Vincenzi

better yet, go to India and wait for communist/capitalist china to FALL... Russia is fine btw.

karmadorje

India or Nepal are far preferable for study. If you know which lama or lineage you want to study with, you can find out where their monasteries are online and contact them. Most of the best teachers are outside of Tibet now. India and Nepal are easy to get six month tourist visas for visiting. Tibet is a wonderful place to go to visit the sacred places, but it would be better to study with a lama outside of Tibet and go when you know more about the meaning of the various places.

LesC

I'm going to Tibet (Lhasa) this year. Going on a tour of China that includes Lhasa. I'll let you know how it was.

Jeffrey

You could go to where there are lamas wherever they fled to I forget where exactly or never knew. Katmandu?

Vincenzi

what about Japan? Zen Rinzai(ish)

Roger

You could go to where there are lamas wherever they fled to I forget where exactly or never knew. Katmandu?

Go to India? Gee..., THAT would take guts. I personally would have to get some other "exotic travel" training under my belt first. AFAIK, India is a very tough place to "enjoy" a vacation.



From Wiki:

Following the failed 1959 Tibetan uprising, the 14th Dalai Lama sought refuge in India. The then Indian Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, allowed in the Dalai Lama and his coterie of Tibetan government officials. The Dalai Lama has since lived in exile in Dharamsala, in the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India, where the Central Tibetan Administration is also established. Tibetan refugees have constructed and opened many schools and Buddhist temples in Dharamsala.[28]

Jeffrey

I think the problem with Tibet is the Chinese govt certainly doesn't want monks to contact westerners.

Rmurray1985

Nepal is going to be your best bet.

From what my friend that studied there told me, you have to get visas in 3 or 6 month intervals. They're a dollar a day, and once expired you have to leave to India, get it renewed, then return to Nepal. So, lots of traveling involved in studying in Nepal.

compassionate_warrior

Nepal is going to be your best bet.

It might be, if it weren't for the Maoist insurgency. The State Dept. has a travel warning out for Nepal, and emphasizes danger to female travelers (see link provided above by Roger).

Beautifully_Chaotic

Thanks guys!!

Fenrir

India is fine. You just have to be sensible about travel there and be sure that you have adequate health insurance, which is easy to get. I was there in 2010 and attended teachings by Ven. Thrangu Rinpoche in Sarnath near Varanasi(Benares is the old name), who can be highly recommended. My trip lasted for two and a half months in which I travelled across northern India and I was only sick once. I went to a pharmacy and got some medication which sorted that out pretty quickly.

Dont be afraid of India,it is an amazing yet crazy place and you will see some shocking stuff too.

Best
Fenrir

ShiftPlusOne

Roger, every traveller and backpacker I've met absolutely loved India.

Roger

Roger, every traveller and backpacker I've met absolutely loved India.

Yes. I'm sorry. I was wrong; I made a mistake going only by our friends' comments. They did not like it.

You guys are right. Everybody's different in terms of expectations, comfort levels..., uh..., well..., terror threats, sense of smell. . Definitely do your homework. I'm just talking, joking, :coffee: I'm not trying to disturb or disrespect anybody.

for example:
http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/India