To continue............
The New Translation schools began their formation, and this was mainly due to the influx of Indian conventional monasticism. A few guys were rather important at this time, Atisha - who penned the Bodhi-patha-pradipa..........later reintroduced as the Lam-Rim; Virupa, who taught what is known as the
lamdre ("path and fruition"); and Tilopa, who is considered the human founder of the Kagyu lineage.
Let's see if I can nail this down all right.
Atisha founded the Kadampa school based on a scholarly approach to enlightenment. He was a true espouser of the Mahayana ideals, and even though he understood the importance of the Tantras, he felt that they should be there as a support for the exoteric teachings. This was then later absorbed by the
Geluk school and it's founder, Je Tsongkhapa, and it remains as it's primary practice today.
Which, I know, looks like it puts me at odds with how I approach this world as a "mystic."
But, that's OK. We all have our own paths to walk. =D
We spend most of our time studying the texts and getting into debates about Dharma teachings.........mostly about karma. We spend time on meditation, either guided or vipasanna, and so very little on the Tantras. The Geluk school practices the teachings mainly what I'd written earlier: the Lam-Rim. This is what's called "The Graduated Path to Enlightenment."
The Sakya school was founded by another Indian monk named Virupa. He was a brilliant scholar that traveled to Tibet to spread the Dharma, but was once discovered in a monastery eating the flesh of a bird (pigeon, in particular, but don't quote me on it, lol). He was immediately expelled, and the story goes that he then walked across a lake, opened his hands, and the pigeon he was eating flew away........alive and well. He demonstrated that reality is not what is always seen, and that everything that was observed was an illusion in the first place. His teaching, including the
Lamdre, is known as "path and fruition", and it is taught from what I understand in poetic language..........."vajra songs." This
Vajraygatha is told from beginning to end like a story, beginning with the practitioner entering the Buddha-Dharma and ending with the practitioner's full realization and enlightenment.
Finally, if James is lurking and would like to comment, the Kagyu school was founded by a tantric vision by Tilopa of an old woman who tested him with all sorts of maddening requests from ripping off his clothes, yelling like a madman, practice only in secret..........he eventually followed the dakini's instructions and attained realization in his lifetime. These Tantra-Dharma transmissions were passed down from guru to student for generations, and the yogins that are part of this lineage are some of the most revered teachers in all of Tibetan Buddhism: Tilopa, Naropa, Maitripa, Marpa (who was a householder), and perhaps our most beloved yogin........
Milarepa.
I wanted to point out how each school was founded to give you an idea of what is distinctive of each of them. For the most part, we've kept these foundations in place. As a whole, we're very much alike if compared with, say, Rinzai Zen Buddhism or Pure Land. But our beginnings, I think, tell the story of how we're
just a little different in our visions for putting the Dharma to practice.
Peace,
Mystic
