Spiritual & Buddhism

All schools of Buddhism in Tibet maintain the monastic discipline of the Vinaya, the graduated spiritual practices and philosophical systems based on the sutras, and esoteric meditative practices associated with the tantras. Different schools developed in different periods, each derived from distinctive lineages or transmissions of Indian Buddhism, and among them the most influential continue to be the Nyingmapa, the Sakyapa, the Kagyupa and the Gelukpa. All over Tibet, there are monasteries representative of all these diverse traditions, each of which can claim great lamas or spiritual teacher at their head, many forming revered lines of incarnate or familial descent. Such are the Dalai and Panchen Lamas, the Karmapas, the Sakya Trichens and the Minling Trichens. Active monasteries, colleges and meditation hermitages representative of all these traditions can be visited throughout the Tibetan plateau.