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97-701: Since the period of Early Buddhism , all Theravada and mainstream Mahayana schools only take refuge in the Triple Gem. However, the Vajrayana school includes an expanded refuge formula known as the Three Jewels and Three Roots . In 1880, Henry Steel Olcott and Helena Blavatsky went through a ceremony called "the Three Refuges and Five Precepts " to become Buddhist. Since the period of Early Buddhism , devotees expressed their faith through

194-455: A "council". The Sthavira school had, by the time of Aśoka, divided into three sub-schools, doctrinally speaking, but these did not become separate monastic orders until later. Only two ancient sources (the Dīpavaṃsa and Bhavya's third list) place the first schism before Aśoka, and none attribute the schism to a dispute on Vinaya practice. Lamotte and Hirakawa both maintain that the first schism in

291-485: A basic framework, and not all of the early schools developed an Abhidhamma literature. Theravādin sources state that, in the 3rd century BCE, a third council was convened under the patronage of Aśoka. Some scholars argue that there are certain implausible features of the Theravādin account which imply that the third council was ahistorical. The remainder consider it a purely Theravāda- Vibhajjavāda council. According to

388-570: A considerable amount of the canonical literature of some of these schools has survived, mainly in Chinese translation. Moreover, the origins of specifically Mahāyāna doctrines may be discerned in the teachings of some of these early schools, in particular in the Mahāsānghika and the Sarvāstivāda. The schools sometimes split over ideological differences concerning the "real" meaning of teachings in

485-473: A council was held at Rajagaha Rajgir ) by some of his disciples who had attained arahantship , presided over by Mahākāśyapa , one of his most senior disciples, and with the support of king Ajātasattu , reciting the teachings of the Buddha. The accounts of the council in the scriptures of the schools differ as to what was actually recited there. Purāṇa is recorded as having said: "Your reverences, well chanted by

582-679: A daughter and a son. He also founded a series of small monasteries in Bhutan, including Tharpa Ling , his main residence. Longchenpa's lineage survives in Bhutan. After living in Tharpa Ling for 10 years, he returned to Tibet and was reconciled with Changchub Gyaltsen, who even became Longchenpa's student. Longchenpa's writings and compilations were highly influential, especially on the Nyingma tradition. According to Germano, Longchenpa's work: had an immediate impact, and in subsequent centuries

679-541: A group of eight disciples (men and women) in order to initiate them into the Dzogchen teachings (in 1340). During this initial period of teaching, Longchenpa and his disciples experienced a series of visions of dakinis and states of possession (the possessions only happened to the women of the group) which convinced him and his disciples that Longchenpa was destined to teach the Dzogchen Nyingthig tradition of

776-502: A major innovation in and of themselves. A detailed account of Longchenpa's life and teachings is found in Buddha Mind by Tulku Thondup Rinpoche and in A Marvelous Garland of Rare Gems by Nyoshul Khenpo . Pema Lingpa , the famous terton (finder of sacred texts) of Bhutan, is regarded as the immediate reincarnation of Longchenpa. Longchenpa is widely considered the single most important writer on Dzogchen teachings. He

873-808: A vision of Vimalamitra which asked him to restore the temple of Zhai Lhakhang (where the Seventeen Tantras had been concealed by Nyang Tingdzin Zangpo). In the process of this work, Longchenpa took on a Drikung Kagyu student named Kunga Rinchen. Kunga Rinchen had political designs and came into conflict with the powerful Changchub Gyaltsen, who had the support of the Mongol Authorities in Beijing and attacked Kunga Rinchen's monastery. Longchenpa fled to Bumthang , Bhutan to avoid conflict. Here he relinquished his monastic vows, married and had

970-692: A young girl who promised to watch over him and grant him blessings. Afterwards, Longchenpa met his main teacher, the Ngagpa Rigdzin Kumaradza (1266-1343), from whom he received Dzogchen teachings while traveling from valley to valley with a nomadic group of about seventy students. It is said Longchenpa lived in great poverty during this period, sleeping on a sack and eating only barley. Longchenpa accompanied Kumaradza and his disciples for two years, during which time he received all of Rigdzin Kumaradza's transmissions (mainly focusing on

1067-633: Is believed (in Theravadin culture) that the Abhidhamma was taught by Buddha to his late mother who was living in Tavatimsa heaven. However, this is rejected by scholars, who believe that only small parts of the Abhidhamma literature may have been existent in a very early form. The Sarvastivadins also rejected this idea, and instead held that the Abhidharma was collected, edited, and compiled by

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1164-607: Is known for his voluminous writings, including the highly influential Seven Treasuries and his compilation of Dzogchen scripture and commentaries, the Nyingthig Yabshi (The Inner Essence in Four Parts). Longchenpa was also a terton (treasure revealer) and some of his works, like the Khadro Yangtig, are considered terma (revealed treasure texts). Longchenpa's oeuvre (of over 270 texts) encapsulates

1261-724: Is such that they are on the paths of learning and no more learning. Thus, for Mahayana Buddhism, the Buddha jewel includes innumerable Buddhas (like Amitabha , Vajradhara and Vairocana ), not just Sakyamuni Buddha. Likewise, the Dharma jewel includes the Mahayana sutras and (for certain sects of Mahayana) may also include the Buddhist tantras , not just the Tipitaka . Finally, the Sangha jewel includes numerous beings that are not part of

1358-1074: The Abhidhamma Pitaka s (collectively known as the " Tripiṭaka "), was taken to Sri Lanka by Emperor Aśoka's son, the Venerable Mahinda . There it was eventually committed to writing in the Pali language. The Pāli Canon remains the most complete set of surviving Nikāya scriptures, although the greater part of the Sarvāstivādin canon also survives in Chinese translation , some parts exist in Tibetan translations, and some fragments exist in Sanskrit manuscripts, while parts of various canons (sometimes unidentified), exist in Chinese and fragments in other Indian dialects as in Gāndhārī . Around

1455-581: The Kalama Sutra , the Buddha explicitly argues against simply following authority or tradition , particularly those of religions contemporary to the Buddha's time. There remains value for a degree of trusting confidence and belief in Buddhism, primarily in the spiritual attainment and salvation or enlightenment . Faith in Buddhism centres on belief in the Three Jewels. In Mahayana Buddhism,

1552-456: The Khuddaka Nikāya : The Khuddaka Nikaya can easily be divided into two strata, one being early and the other late. The texts Sutta Nipata , Itivuttaka , Dhammapada , Therigatha ( Theragatha ), Udana , and Jataka tales belong to the early stratum. The texts Khuddakapatha, Vimanavatthu, Petavatthu, Niddesa, Patisambhidamagga, Apadana, Buddhavamsa and Cariyapitaka can be categorized in

1649-824: The Kun byed rgyal po , (ii) The Seventeen Tantras of the Great Perfection (including two closely affiliated tantras—the kLong gsal and Thig le kun gsal ) (iii) the Seminal Heart system of Vimalamitra ( Bi ma snying thig ) and (iv) the Seminal Heart system of the Dakini ( mKha' 'gro snying thig )." Longchenpa's Dzogchen philosophy is based on the Dzogchen view outlined in these tantric texts. This worldview sees all phenomena ( dharmas , Tib. chos) as

1746-715: The Sutta Piṭaka , and sometimes over disagreement concerning the proper observance of vinaya. These ideologies became embedded in large works such as the Abhidhammas and commentaries. Comparison of existing versions of the Suttapiṭaka of various sects shows evidence that ideologies from the Abhidhamma s sometimes found their way back into the Suttapiṭaka s to support the statements made in those Abhidhammas . Some of these developments may be seen as later elaborations on

1843-616: The Vima Nyingthig and the Khandro Nyingthig ) . Longchenpa was permitted to teach after a three-year period of retreat (1336-1338) in mChims phu, not far from Samye (according to the mThong snang ’od kyi dra ba , other sources give longer periods like six years). He is said to have had various visions of different deities, including Padmasambhava, black Vajravārāhī, Guru drag po, and the goddess Adamantine Turquoise Lamp ( rDo rje gyu sgron ma ) Longchenpa then gathered

1940-519: The Brahmanical motif of a group of three refuges, as found in Rig Veda 9.97.47, Rig Veda 6.46.9 and Chandogya Upanishad 2.22.3-4. Lay followers often undertake five precepts in the same ceremony as they take the refuges. Monks administer the precepts to the laypeople, which creates an additional psychological effect. The five precepts are: A layperson who upholds the precepts is described in

2037-496: The Buddha taught. Some scholars argue that the first council actually did not take place. The expansion of orally transmitted texts in early Buddhism, and the growing distances between Buddhist communities, fostered specialization and sectarian identification. One or several disputes did occur during Aśoka's reign, involving both doctrinal and disciplinary ( vinaya ) matters, although these may have been too informal to be called

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2134-599: The Dhamma wheel . The Triratna can be found on frieze sculptures at Sanchi as the symbol crowning a flag standard (2nd century BCE), as a symbol of the Buddha installed on the Buddha's throne (2nd century BCE), as the crowning decorative symbol on the later gates at the stupa in Sanchi (2nd century CE), or, very often on the Buddha footprint (starting from the 1st century CE). The triratna can be further reinforced by being surmounted with three dharma wheels (one for each of

2231-690: The Dharmaguptakas ("Preservers of Dharma "), Lokottaravadins ("Transcendentalists"), the Prajñaptivādins ("Conceptualists"), the Vibhajyavādins ("the Analysts"), and the Pudgalavādins ("Personalists"). According to traditional accounts these sects eventually proliferated into 18 (or, less-commonly, 20) different schools. The textual material shared by the early schools is often termed

2328-477: The Esoteric Instruction series. Longchenpa also embarked on a project of compiling the main texts of the Vima Nyingthig and the Khandro Nyingthig along with a series of his own commentaries on these works. Most of Longchenpa's mature life was spent in his hermitage at Gangri Thokar, either in meditation retreat or studying and composing texts. In 1350, at the age of 42, Longchenpa had

2425-966: The Khandro Nyingthig, along with his own commentaries on these cycles (the Lama Yangtik and the Khandro Yangtik respectively) . Longchenpa also composed a supplementary commentary to the Nyingthig Yabshi , called the Zabmo Yangtig. According to Germano, Longchenpa's compilation "brought much needed order and organizational clarity to the at times chaotic mass of the Vimalamitra-transmitted Seminal Heart scriptures inherited from Kumaradza." Some of his other important original compositions include: 1. 2. 3. 4. 6. 7. 1. 2. 3. Apart from Longchenpa's names given below, he

2522-476: The Khuddaka Nikaya within their Abhidharma Pitaka. Also, the Pali version of the Abhidhamma is a strictly Theravada collection, and has little in common with the Abhidhamma works recognized by other Buddhist schools. The various Abhidhamma philosophies of the various early schools disagree on numerous key points and belong to the period of sectarian debates among the schools. The earliest texts of

2619-544: The Mahāsāṃghika ("Great Community"). This initial split occurred either during the reign of Aśoka (c. 268-232 BCE) or shortly after (historians disagree on the matter). Later, these groups became further divided on doctrinal grounds into numerous schools of thought and practice (with their own monastic rules and doctrinal Abhidharma texts). Some of the main sects included the Sarvāstivādins (" Temporal Eternalists "),

2716-665: The Sarvāstivāda , the Dharmaguptakas , the Saṃmitīya , and the Pudgalavādins . The Pudgalavādins were also known as Vatsiputrīyas after their putative founder. Later this group became known as the Sammitīya school after one of its subdivisions. It died out around the 9th or 10th century CE. Nevertheless, during most of the early medieval period, the Sammitīya school was numerically the largest Buddhist group in India, with more followers than all

2813-490: The Suttapitaka ). Although the literature of the various Abhidharma Pitakas began as a kind of commentarial supplement upon the earlier teachings in the Suttapitaka , it soon led to new doctrinal and textual developments and became the focus of a new form of scholarly monastic life. The various Abhidharma works were starting to be composed from about 200 years after the passing away of the Buddha. Traditionally, it

2910-638: The Tsik Dön Dzö and the Tekchok Dzö together constitute Longchenpa's primary scholastic work on the Dzogchen tradition. Longchenpa compiled various Dzogchen Menngagde scriptures (including the Seventeen Tantras ) into the collection known as the Nyingthig Yabshi ( The Inner Essence in Four Parts ). In this compilation, Longchenpa combines his editions of the Vima Nyingtig and

3007-587: The Vinaya Pitaka . Early Mahayana came directly from "early Buddhist schools" and was a successor to them. Between the 1st century BCE and the 1st century CE, the terms "Mahāyāna" and "Hīnayāna" were first used in writing, in, for example, the Lotus Sutra . The later Mahayana schools may have preserved ideas which were abandoned by the "orthodox" Theravada, such as the Three Bodies doctrine,

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3104-408: The early Buddhist texts and these are an important source for understanding their doctrinal similarities and differences. There were are various works of Abhidharma and other treatises written by these various schools which contain more unique doctrines which were specific to each school. According to the scriptures ( Cullavagga XI.1 ff), three months after the parinirvana of Gautama Buddha ,

3201-563: The history of Indian Buddhism . The various splits and divisions were caused by differences in interpretations of the monastic rule ( Vinaya ), doctrinal differences and also due to simple geographical separation as Buddhism spread throughout the Indian subcontinent . The early Buddhist community initially split into two main Nikāyas (monastic groups, divisions), the Sthavira ("Elders"), and

3298-424: The "lower vehicles" cannot be fully understood or justified (just like one cannot see the entirety of a mountain unless one is at the top). In his Theg mchog mdzod , Longchenpa also provides an extensive doxography of Buddhism (based on the nine yanas ) in order to explain why Dzogchen (i.e. Atiyoga) deserves the highest rank in this doxography. Longchenpa's understanding of the relationship between Dzogchen and

3395-807: The Abbot Sonam Rinchen and master Lopon Kunga Ozer. Longchenpa was an avid student with a great capacity for memory. In 1327, Longchenpa moved to the Kadam monastic college of Sangpu Neutok , the most esteemed center of learning in Tibet at the time. He stayed for six years at Sangpu, mastering the entire scholastic curriculum of logical-epistemology , yogacara and madhyamaka as well as poetics. During this period, Longchenpa also received teachings and transmissions from different Tibetan Buddhist traditions, including Kadam, Sakya , Kagyu and Nyingma . Longchenpa studied under various teachers, including

3492-524: The Adhidhammas of the various schools, according to some scholars , was that Buddha left no clear statement about the ontological status of the world – about what really exists. Subsequently, later Buddhists have themselves defined what exists and what not (in the Abhidhammic scriptures), leading to disagreements. Oliver Abeynayake has the following to say on the dating of the various books in

3589-673: The Apara and Uttara (Purva) Saila. Warder says that these were the early Buddhist schools as of circa 50 BCE, about the same time that the Pali Canon was first committed to writing and the presumptive origin date of the Theravada sect, though the term 'Theravada' was not used before the fourth century CE. A hypothetical combined list would be as follows: The classic sets of ten, six or four paramitas (perfections) were codified and developed by these various schools in later sources. Though

3686-460: The Buddhist sangha occurred during the reign of Ashoka. According to scholar Collett Cox "most scholars would agree that even though the roots of the earliest recognized groups predate Aśoka , their actual separation did not occur until after his death." According to the Theravada tradition, the split took place at the Second Buddhist council , which took place at Vaishali , approximately one hundred years after Gautama Buddha's parinirvāṇa . While

3783-413: The Khuddaka Nikaya can thus be regarded as later additions: And the following three which are included in the Burmese Canon: The original verses of the Jatakas are recognized as being amongst the earliest part of the Canon, but the accompanying (and more famous) Jataka Stories are commentaries likely composed at later dates. The Parivara , the last book of the Vinaya Pitaka , is a later addition to

3880-445: The Mahasamghika school was known for its doctrine of "transcendentalism" ( lokottaravada ), the view that the Buddha was a fully transcendent being. As the third major division of the various canons, the Abhidharma collections were a major source of dispute among the various schools. Abhidharma texts were not accepted as canonical by the Mahasanghika school and several other schools. Another school included most of their version of

3977-499: The Mahayana approach, the buddha is the totality of the three kayas ; the dharma encompasses scriptural transmission (contained in the sutras and tantras) and the realization of one’s self-knowing timeless awareness (including the views, states of meditative absorption, and so forth associated with stages such as those of development and completion); and the sangha is made up of bodhisattvas , masters of awareness , and other spiritually advanced beings (other than buddhas) whose nature

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4074-418: The Mahāyāna never had nor ever attempted to have a separate vinaya or ordination lineage from the early Buddhist schools, and therefore each bhikṣu or bhikṣuṇī adhering to the Mahāyāna formally belonged to an early school. Membership in these nikāyas , or monastic sects, continues today with the Dharmaguptaka nikāya in East Asia, and the Mūlasarvāstivāda nikāya in Tibetan Buddhism . Therefore, Mahāyāna

4171-420: The Pali Canon (the Sutta Nipata and parts of the Jataka ), together with the first four (and early) Nikayas of the Suttapitaka , have no mention of (the texts of) the Abhidhamma Pitaka. The Abhidhamma is also not mentioned at the report of the First Buddhist Council , directly after the death of the Buddha. This report of the first council does mention the existence of the Vinaya and the five Nikayas (of

4268-440: The Sautrāntikas were actually adherents of Mūlasarvāstivāda. The relation between Sarvāstivāda and the Mūlasarvāstivāda , however, is unclear. All of these early schools of Nikāya Buddhism eventually came to be known collectively as "the eighteen schools" in later sources. With the exception of the Theravāda, none of these early schools survived beyond the late medieval period by which time several were already long extinct, although

4365-482: The Saṅgha. Dutiyampi Buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.       For the second time, I take refuge in the Buddha. Dutiyampi Dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.       For the second time, I take refuge in the Dharma. Dutiyampi Saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.       For the second time, I take refuge in the Saṅgha. Tatiyampi Buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.       For

4462-424: The Silk Road. It is commonly said that there were eighteen schools of Buddhism in this period. What this actually means is more subtle. First, although the word "school" is used, there was not yet an institutional split in the saṅgha . The Chinese traveler Xuanzang observed even when the Mahāyāna were beginning to emerge from this era that monks of different schools would live side by side in dormitories and attend

4559-444: The Theravādin account, this council was convened primarily for the purpose of establishing an official orthodoxy. At the council, small groups raised questions about the specifics of the vinaya and the interpretation of doctrine. The chairman of the council, Moggaliputta Tissa , compiled a book, the Kathavatthu , which was meant to refute these arguments. The council sided with Moggaliputta and his version of Buddhism as orthodox; it

4656-427: The Tibetan Buddhist Vajrayana tradition. The Triratna ( Pali : ti-ratana or ratana-ttaya ; Sanskrit : tri-ratna or ratna-traya ) is a Buddhist symbol , thought to visually represent the Three Jewels of Buddhism (the Buddha , the Dhamma , the Sangha ). The Triratna symbol is composed of: On representations of the footprint of the Buddha , the Triratna is usually also surmounted by

4753-405: The Vast Cosmic Expanse") was a Tibetan scholar-yogi of the Nyingma school ('Old School') of Tibetan Buddhism . According to tibetologist David Germano , Longchenpa's work led to the dominance of the Longchen Nyingthig lineage of Dzogchen (Great Perfection) over the other Dzogchen traditions. He is also responsible for the scholastic systematization of Dzogchen thought within the context of

4850-404: The act of taking refuge, which is threefold. These are the three supports or jewels in which a Sutrayana Buddhist takes refuge: In this, it centres on the authority of a Buddha as a supremely awakened being, by assenting to a role for a Buddha as a teacher of both humans and devās (heavenly beings). This often includes other Buddhas from the past, and Buddhas who have not yet arisen. Secondly,

4947-477: The actual ideas of these virtues (like dhyana , sila , prajña , etc) and the idea of the Buddha's past lives are drawn from early Buddhist sources (such as early jatakas ), they were developed further into specific doctrines about the bodhisattva path and how exactly the Buddha undertook it. The new schools also developed new doctrines about important Buddhist topics. The Sarvastivadins for example were known for their doctrine of temporal eternalism . Meanwhile

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5044-550: The central channel. Longchenpa sees these techniques are inferior, because they are strenuous and forceful and may lead to delusory appearances. Longchenpa contrasts these tantric techniques with those of Dzogchen in which "the winds are left to naturally calm down of their own accord, there is no insertion into the central channel." Germano describes Longchenpa's view on this topic as follows: In his Grub mtha' mdzod kLong chen rab 'byams pa also incisively criticizes these normative modernist tantric practices of forcefully inserting

5141-449: The coins of Abdagases I of the Indo-Kingdom of the first century CE and on the coins of the Kushan Empire , such as those coined by Vima Kadphises , also of the first century. Early Buddhist schools The early Buddhist schools refers to the Indian Buddhist "doctrinal schools" or "schools of thought" ( Sanskrit : vāda ) which arose out of the early unified Buddhist monastic community ( saṅgha ) due to various schisms in

5238-414: The core of Nyingma thought and praxis and is a critical link between the school's exoteric (or sutra) and esoteric (i.e. tantric) teachings. Longchenpa's work also unified the various Dzogchen traditions of his time into a single system. Longchenpa is known for his skill as a poet and his works are written in a unique literary voice which was widely admired and imitated by later Nyingma figures. Longchenpa

5335-478: The elders (sthaviras) after the Buddha's death (though they relied on the Buddha's words for this compilation). Some schools of Buddhism had important disagreements on subjects of Abhidhamma, while having a largely similar Sutta-pitaka and Vinaya-pitaka. The arguments and conflicts between them were thus often on matters of philosophical Abhidhammic origin, not on matters concerning the actual words and teachings of Buddha. One impetus for composing new scriptures like

5432-405: The elders are the Dhamma and Vinaya , but in that way that I heard it in the Lord's presence, that I received it in his presence, in that same way will I bear it in mind." [ Vinaya-pitaka : Cullavagga XI:1:11]. According to Theravāda tradition, the teachings were divided into various parts and each was assigned to an elder and his pupils to commit to memory, and there was no conflict about what

5529-495: The emanations or expressions ( rtsal ), displays ( rol pa ), and adornments ( rgyan ) of an ultimate nature or principle ( Dharmatā , Tib. chos nyid, or Dharmadhātu , Tib. chos kyi dbyings ) This ultimate principle is described in various ways by Longchenpa, using terminology that is unique to Dzogchen, such as the basis or ground ( ghzi ) or the "nature of mind" ( sems nyid ). Longchenpa describes this fundamental basis as being primordially pure and empty while also having

5626-403: The emphasis on the body's center and light-experiences, yet undercuts the tone of control and manipulation. Longchenpa wrote over 270 works according to Tulku Thondup. The Seven Treasuries ( mdzod bdun ), which elucidate the meaning of the Nyingma school's worldview and Dzogchen, are his most influential and famous original treatises. The Seven Treasuries are: According to Germano,

5723-405: The energy winds into the central channel in the attempt to achieve primordial gnosis . He contrasts this to Great Perfection contemplation in which the body's luminous channels are let be, and thus naturally expand outwards from their current presence as a thin thread of light at the body's center, so as to directly permeate one's entire existence and dissolve all energy blockages therein. He retains

5820-430: The famous Third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje (1284-1339), from whom he received the six yogas of the Kālacakra and the six dharmas of Nāropa . Longchenpa left Sangpu to practice in the solitude of the mountains, after coming into conflict with certain Khampa scholars. After leaving Sangpu, Longchenpa entered a period of retreat for eight months in complete darkness (winter 1332–1333), where he had some important visions of

5917-674: The four schools should be grouped with the Mahāyāna or with the Hīnayāna is not determined." That is to say, there was no simple correspondence between a Buddhist monastic sect, and whether its members learn "Hīnayāna" or "Mahāyāna" teachings. Timeline: Development and propagation of Buddhist traditions (c. 450 BCE – c. 1300 CE)   India Early Sangha     Longchenpa Samding Dorje Phagmo Longchen Rabjam Drimé Özer ( Tibetan : ཀློང་ཆེན་རབ་འབྱམས་པ་དྲི་མེད་འོད་ཟེར། , Wylie : klong chen rab 'byams pa dri med 'od zer ), commonly abbreviated to Longchenpa (1308–1364, an honorific meaning "The One Who Is

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6014-458: The idea of consciousness ( vijnana ) as a continuum, and devotional elements such as the worship of saints. Although the various early schools of Buddhism are sometimes loosely classified as " Hīnayāna " in modern times, this is not necessarily accurate. According to Jan Nattier, Mahāyāna never referred to a separate sect of Buddhism (Skt. nikāya ), but rather to the set of ideals and doctrines for bodhisattvas. Paul Williams has also noted that

6111-468: The importance of the practice of the "four ways of resting" in the nature of awareness ( cog gzhag bzhi ) and the "three samadhis" ( ting nge 'dzin gsum ), offering also detailed explanations for their practice. In the foreword to the book The Meditations of Longchen Rabjam , Thrangu Rinpoche explicitly notes: One of the most renowned presentations of Dzogchen is given in Longchen Rabjam’s Chöying Dzöd . This text gives clear instructions on how to develop

6208-495: The introduction and emphasis on Abhidhammic literature by some schools. This literature was specific to each school, and arguments and disputes between the schools were often based on these Abhidhammic writings. However, actual splits were originally based on disagreements on vinaya (monastic discipline), though later on, by about 100 CE or earlier, they could be based on doctrinal disagreement. Pre-sectarian Buddhism, however, did not have Abhidhammic scriptures, except perhaps for

6305-401: The later stratum. The texts in the early stratum date from before the second council (earlier than 100 years after Buddha’s parinibbana), while the later stratum is from after the second council, which means they are definitely later additions to the Sutta Pitaka, and that they might not have been the original teachings by the Buddha, but later compositions by disciples. The following books of

6402-401: The lower vehicles is inclusive, and he sees Dzogchen as embracing all of the eight vehicles while also sublimating and transcending them. Longchenpa categorized Dzogchen as a teaching within "secret mantra" ( Vajrayana ), and specifically, he considered it to be part of the perfection stage of secret mantra practice , defining this "great perfection phase" ( rdzogs rim chenpo ), as "resting in

6499-446: The monastic community, but may also include lay people and even devās provided they are nearly or completely enlightened . Early Buddhism did not include bodhisattvas in the Three Refuges, because they were considered to still be on the path to enlightenment. Early texts describe the saṅgha as a " field of merit ", because early Buddhists regard offerings to them as particularly karmically fruitful. Lay devotees support and revere

6596-442: The monastic sangha proper, including high level bodhisattvas like Avalokiteshvara , Vajrapani , Manjushri and so on. The most used recitation in Pali : Buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.       I take refuge in the Buddha. Dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.       I take refuge in the Dharma. Saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.       I take refuge in

6693-413: The nature of a subtle self-arising awareness. This empty and spontaneous primordial glow ( ye gdangs ) is the subtle basis for the arising of all phenomenal appearances. Longchenpa brought Dzogchen thought more closely into dialogue with scholastic Buddhist philosophy and the Sarma tantric systems which were normative in the Tibetan academic institutions of his time. One of Longchenpa's main motivations

6790-445: The other schools combined. The Sarvāstivādin school was most prominent in the north-west of India and provided some of the doctrines that would later be adopted by the Mahāyāna. Another group linked to Sarvāstivāda was the Sautrāntika school, which only recognized the authority of the sutras and rejected the abhidharma transmitted and taught by the Vaibhāṣika wing of Sarvāstivāda. Based on textual considerations, it has been suggested that

6887-492: The people. On the other hand, they are not to take the task of inspiring faith to the extent of hypocrisy or inappropriateness, for example, by taking on other professions apart from being a monastic, or by courting favours by giving items to the laypeople. Faith in the three jewels is an important teaching element in both Theravada and Mahayana traditions. In contrast to perceived Western notions of faith, faith in Buddhism arises from accumulated experience and reasoning . In

6984-401: The perceptions of the lay community. When the Buddha sets out new rules in the monastic code to deal with the wrongdoings of his monastics, he usually states that such behavior should be curbed, because it would not "persuade non-believers" and "believers will turn away". He expects monks, nuns and novices not only to lead the spiritual life for their own benefit, but also to uphold the faith of

7081-423: The practice of Dzogchen merely relies on a pointing out ( sems khrid ) of the mind's nature in an encounter with a teacher. In his Grub mtha' mdzod , Longchenpa describes how Dzogchen transcends the classic tantric generation and perfection stages which for him are based on effort, mental constructs and fixation. For Longchenpa, Dzogchen relies on simple ( spros med ) and more natural methods which are based on

7178-410: The pristine unfabricated enlightening-mind of awareness" (in his bSam gtan ngal gso 80.2). Furthermore, Longchenpa defended the validity of Dzogchen as a stand-alone system of formless and effortless perfection stage practice, which did not require preliminary practice of the generation stage of deity yoga (unlike other tantric systems) nor standard tantric initiation rituals. Instead, for Longchenpa,

7275-568: The recognition of the nature of the mind and the Dzogchen view ( Ita ba ) of reality. Longchenpa also argues that this Dzogchen method is "superior to that of stress-filled actualization involved in ordinary generation and perfection" ( Zab mo yang tig vol. 11, 344.2-6). In the root verses and auto-commentary to his chapter on meditation within The Treasury of the Dharmadhatu ( chos dbyings mdzod ), Longchenpa placed strong emphasis on

7372-615: The same lectures. Only the books that they read were different. Secondly, no historical sources can agree what the names of these "eighteen schools" were. The origin of this saying is therefore unclear. A.K. Warder identified the following eighteen early Buddhist schools (in approximate chronological order): Sthaviravada , Mahasamghika , Vatsiputriya , Ekavyavaharika , Gokulika (a.k.a. Kukkutika , etc.), Sarvastivada , Lokottaravāda , Dharmottariya, Bhadrayaniya, Sammitiya , Sannagarika, Bahusrutiya , Prajnaptivada , Mahisasaka , Haimavata (a.k.a. Kasyapiya ), Dharmaguptaka , Caitika , and

7469-470: The saṅgha, of which they believe it will render them merit and bring them closer to enlightenment. At the same time, the Buddhist monk is given a significant role in promoting and upholding faith among laypeople. Although many examples in the canon are mentioned of well-behaved monks, there are also cases of monks misbehaving. In such cases, the texts describe that the Buddha responds with great sensitivity to

7566-480: The second council probably was a historical event, traditions regarding the Second Council are confusing and ambiguous. According to the Theravada tradition the overall result was the first schism in the sangha , between the Sthavira nikāya and the Mahāsāṃghika , although it is not agreed upon by all what the cause of this split was. The various splits within the monastic organization went together with

7663-558: The south-west and the Kañci region in the south-east. This group later ceased to refer to themselves specifically as "Vibhajjavādins", but reverted to calling themselves "Theriyas", after the earlier Theras (Sthaviras). Still later, at some point prior to the Dipavamsa (4th century), the Pali name Theravāda was adopted and has remained in use ever since for this group. Other groups included

7760-546: The state of Buddhism in India during the early medieval period. By the time the Chinese pilgrims Xuanzang and Yijing visited India, there were five early Buddhist schools that they mentioned far more frequently than others. They commented that the Sarvāstivāda / Mūlasarvāstivāda , Mahāsāṃghika , and Saṃmitīya were the principal early Buddhist schools still extant in India, along with the Sthavira sect. The Dharmaguptakas continued to be found in Gandhāra and Central Asia, along

7857-486: The taking of refuge honours the truth and efficacy of the Buddha's spiritual doctrine , which includes the characteristics of phenomenon ( Pali : saṅkhāra ) such as their impermanence ( Pali : anicca ), and the Noble Eightfold Path to liberation. The taking of refuge ends with the acceptance of worthiness of the community of spiritually developed followers (the saṅgha), which is mostly defined as

7954-413: The teachings. According to Gombrich, unintentional literalism was a major force for change in the early doctrinal history of Buddhism. This means that texts were interpreted paying too much attention to the precise words used and not enough to the speaker's intention, the spirit of the text. Some later doctrinal developments in the early Buddhist schools show scholastic literalism, which is a tendency to take

8051-622: The term Śrāvakayāna instead. The Chinese Buddhist monk and pilgrim Yijing wrote about relationship between the various "vehicles" and the early Buddhist schools in India. He wrote, "There exist in the West numerous subdivisions of the schools which have different origins, but there are only four principal schools of continuous tradition." These schools are namely the Mahāsāṃghika nikāya, Sthavira, Mūlasarvāstivāda and Saṃmitīya nikāyas. Explaining their doctrinal affiliations, he then writes, "Which of

8148-558: The texts as a "jewel among laymen". In Tibetan Buddhism there are three refuge formulations, the Outer , Inner , and Secret forms of the Three Jewels. The 'Outer' form is the 'Triple Gem', (Sanskrit: triratna ), the 'Inner' is the Three Roots and the 'Secret' form is the 'Three Bodies' or trikaya of a Buddha . These alternative refuge formulations are employed by those undertaking deity yoga and other tantric practices within

8245-508: The third time, I take refuge in the Buddha. Tatiyampi Dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.       For the third time, I take refuge in the Dharma. Tatiyampi Saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.       For the third time, I take refuge in the Saṅgha. Except this there are various recitations mentioned in Pali literature for taking refuge in the Three Jewels. Brett Shults proposes that Pali texts may employ

8342-689: The three jewels are understood in a different sense than in Sravakayana or non-Mahayana forms of Buddhism. For example, the Buddha is usually explained through the Mahayana doctrine of the three bodies ( trikaya ). According to the Mahayana treatise titled Ratnagotravibhāga ( Analysis of the Jeweled Lineage ), the true meaning of the triple gem is as follows: According to the Tibetan Buddhist master Longchenpa : According to

8439-591: The three jewels of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha). The triratna symbol is also called nandipada , or "bull's hoof", by Hindus . A number of examples of the triratna symbol appear on historical coins of Buddhist kingdoms in the Indian subcontinent . For example, the triratna appears on the first century BCE coins of the Kuninda Kingdom . It also surmounts the depictions of stupas , on some

8536-476: The time of Aśoka that further divisions began to occur within the Buddhist movement and a number of additional schools emerged. Etienne Lamotte divided the mainstream Buddhist schools into three main doctrinal types: One of them was faction of the Sthavira group which called themselves Vibhajjavādins. One part of this group was transmitted to Sri Lanka and to certain areas of southern India, such as Vanavasi in

8633-412: The view and practice the meditation of resting in the nature of awareness. Studying and practicing these meditations will be of great benefit to everyone who encounters these instructions. Longchenpa also critiques tantric perfection stage methods (such as the six yogas of Naropa ) which focus on manipulating the winds ( vayu ) in the channels ( nadis ) of the subtle body in order to confine them into

8730-504: The wider Tibetan Vajrayana tradition of philosophy which was highly developed at the time among the Sarma schools. Germano also notes that Longchenpa's work is "generally taken to be the definitive expression of the Great Perfection with its precise terminological distinctions, systematic scope, and integration with the normative Buddhist scholasticism that became dominant in Tibet during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries." Longchenpa

8827-542: The words and phrases of earlier texts (maybe the Buddha's own words) in such a way as to read-in distinctions which it was never intended to make. In addition, the Dipavamsa lists the following six schools without identifying the schools from which they arose: During the first millennium , monks from China such as Faxian , Xuanzang , and Yijing made pilgrimages to India and wrote accounts of their travels when they returned home. These Chinese travel records constitute extremely valuable sources of information concerning

8924-539: Was a prolific author and scholar, as well as a compiler of Dzogchen texts. According to David Germano, Longchenpa's work systematized the Dzogchen tradition and its extensive literature while also providing it with a scholastic and philosophical structure based on the standard doctrinal structures that were becoming dominant in the Tibetan Buddhism of late tenth to thirteenth centuries. According to Germano, Longchenpa's main Dzogchen scriptural sources were: "(i)

9021-431: Was never a separate rival sect of the early schools. Paul Harrison clarifies that while Mahāyāna monastics belonged to a nikāya, not all members of a nikāya were Mahāyānists. From Chinese monks visiting India, we now know that both Mahāyāna and non-Mahāyāna monks in India often lived in the same monasteries side by side. Additionally, Isabella Onians notes that Mahāyāna works rarely used the term Hīnayāna , typically using

9118-724: Was the abbot of Samye , one of Tibet 's most important monasteries and the first Buddhist monastery established in the Himalayas . However, he spent most of his life travelling or in retreat . Longchen Rabjam was born in 1308 in a village in the Dra Valley in Yuru, U-Tsang . He was born to the Nyingma lama Lopon Tsensung , a descendent of the Rog clan. Longchenpa's mother died when he was nine and his father died two years after. After being orphaned, he entered Samye monastery in 1320 under

9215-459: Was then adopted by Emperor Aśoka as his empire's official religion. In Pali , this school of thought was termed Vibhajjavāda, literally "thesis of [those who make] a distinction". The distinction involved was as to the existence of phenomena ( dhamma s) in the past, future and present. The version of the scriptures that had been established at the third council, including the Vinaya , Sutta and

9312-424: Was to provide a learned defense of Dzogchen thought and practice. Longchenpa's writings also intended to prove the overall superiority of the Dzogchen path over the other eight vehicles of sutra and tantra. His work also posits that this supreme Dzogchen view is not just the pinnacle of Buddhism (which Longchenpa compares the peak of a mountain), but it is in fact a keystone to the entire Buddhist Dharma, without which

9409-490: Was to serve as the explicit model for many Nyingma compositions. In particular, his Seminal Heart writings were intensely philosophical as well as contemplative, and architectonic in nature. Though on the whole their characteristic doctrines and terminology are present in the earlier literature stemming from ICe btsun seng ge dbang phyug onwards, their terminological precision, eloquent style, systematic range and structure, and integration with normative Buddhist discourse constitute

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