Buddhism is a spiritual tradition that focuses on personal spiritual development and the attainment of a deep insight into the true nature of life.

Laos Luang Prabang Monks

A Different Way of Faith

Buddhism doesn't fit the pattern of other faiths and needs to be seen in its own terms to be understood properly. Buddhists do not believe in a personal creator God. It does not have the concept of a Savior, nor of Heaven and Hell in the popular sense. Buddhism doesn't demand blind faith or belief, and says that people should test its teachings against personal experience.

Buddhism is 2,500 years old and 350 million Buddhists worldwide follow the teachings.Founded by Siddhartha Gautama in India its path to Enlightenment or Buddhahood is through the practice and development of morality, meditation, and wisdom. Buddhists do not believe in a creator God nor a personal God, but Buddhists are tolerant of those whose beliefs are different from theirs. Buddhists believe that nothing is fixed or permanent — change is always possible. Buddhism teaches that all life is interconnected, so compassion is natural and important.

Summary of the Teachings of Buddha

Karma: Actions have consequences; so our lives are conditioned by our past actions
Rebirth: Consciousness continues after death, and finds expression in a future life
Liberation from karma: By following the Buddha's path one escapes the cycle of craving and suffering
The Four Noble Truths: The essentials of Buddhism
Enlightenment:The highest goal of life is to reach Enlightenment; a state of being that goes beyond suffering
Dharma: The teachings and hence the way to nirvana

The Core of Buddhist teaching

At the heart of the Buddha's teaching lie The Four Noble Truths and The Eightfold Path which lead the Buddhist towards the path of Enlightenment.

Facing the Truth
The Buddha taught that the human tendency is to avoid the difficult truths of life and this in turn leads to suffering. By enabling the mind to be at peace through meditation a human being can confront reality and overcome hatred and craving.

Worship
Buddhists can worship both at home or at a temple. It is not considered essential to go to a temple to worship with others. Buddhists will often set aside a room or a part of a room as a shrine. There will be a statue of Buddha, candles, and an incense burner.
There as many forms of Buddhist worship as there are schools of Buddhism— and there are many of those.
Worship in Mahayana tradition takes the form of devotion to Buddha and to Bodhisattvas. Worshippers may sit on the floor barefoot facing an image of Buddha and chanting. They will listen to monks chanting from religious texts, perhaps accompanied by instruments, and take part in prayers.

Temples
Buddhist temples come in many shapes. Perhaps the best known are the pagodas of China and Japan.
Another typical Buddhist building is the Stupa, which is a stone structure built over what are thought to be relics of the Buddha, or over copies of the Buddha's teachings. Buddhist temples are designed to symbolize the five elements:
Fire Air Earth (symbolized by the square base). Water, Wisdom (symbolized by the pinnacle at the top).
All Buddhist temples contain an image or a statue of Buddha.

Varieties of Buddhism

Originally there wasn't even Buddhism, there was just the truth - the teachings of the Buddha.
Since then, Buddhism has divided into a number of different systems. The main ones are:
Theravada and Mahayana the later again subdivided into
Pure Land, Tibetan, Zen, Korean Zen, Nichiren
However all these accept many of the same fundamental teachings as correct, and there is little friction between any of these groups - much less than is found among different groups of many other religions.
The best way to regard the different types of Buddhism is as alternative paths to enlightenment. Another way is to realize that while each type is found in many countries, each is strongest in particular parts of the world.

Theravada Buddhism (the one main direction)

Theravada Buddhism is strongest in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Burma (Myanmar). It is sometimes called "Southern Buddhism".The name means the doctrine of the elders - the elders being the senior Buddhist monks
This school believes that it has remained closest to the original teachings of the Buddha. However, it does not over-emphasize the status of these teachings in a fundamentalist way - they are seen as tools to help people understand the truth, and not as having merit of their own.
Many faiths offer supernatural solutions to the spiritual problems of human beings. Buddhism does not.
The basis of all forms of Buddhism is to use meditation for awakening (or enlightenment), not outside powers. Supernatural powers are not disregarded but they are incidental and the Buddha warned against them as fetters on the path.
Siddhartha Gotama was a man who became Buddha, the Awakened One - much in the same way as Jesus became Christ. Since his death the only contact with him is through his teachings which point to the awakened state.

God: There is no omnipotent creator God of the sort found in Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Gods exist as various types of spiritual being but with limited powers.

The Path to Enlightenment: Each being has to make their own way to enlightenment without the help of God or gods. Buddha's teachings show the way, but making the journey is up to us

Theravada life
Theravada Buddhism emphasises attaining self-liberation through one's own efforts. Meditation and concentration are vital elements of the way to enlightenment. The ideal road is to dedicate oneself to full-time monastic life.The follower is expected to "abstain from all kinds of evil, to accumulate all that is good and to purify their mind". Meditation is one of the main tools by which a Theravada Buddhist transforms themselves, and so a monk spends a great deal of time in meditation. When a person achieves liberation they are called a 'worthy person' - an Arhat or Arahat. Despite the monastic emphasis, Theravada Buddhism has a substantial role and place for lay followers.

Monastic life
Most Theravada monks live as part of monastic communities. Some join as young as seven, but one can join at any age. A novice is called a samanera and a full monk is called a bikkhu. The monastic community as a whole is called the sangha. Monks (and nuns) undertake the training of the monastic order (the Vinaya) which consist of 227 rules (more for nuns). Within these rules or precepts are five which are undertaken by all those trying to adhere to a Buddhist way of life. The Five Precepts are to undertake the rule of training to:
Refrain from harming living beings
Refrain from taking that which is not freely given
Refrain from sexual misconduct
Refrain from wrong speech; such as lying, idle chatter, malicious gossip or harsh speech
Refrain from intoxicating drink and drugs which lead to carelessness
Of particular interest is the fact that Theravadan monks and nuns are not permitted to eat after midday or handle money

Meditation
"Meditation is impossible for a person who lacks wisdom. Wisdom is impossible for a person who does not meditate. A person who both meditates and possesses wisdom is close to nibbana."
The Theravada tradition has two forms of meditation.

Samatha: Calming meditation

Vipassana: Insight meditation

Samatha
This is the earliest form of meditation, and is not unique to Buddhism. It's used to make the mind calmer and take the person to higher states of consciousness The effects of Samatha meditation are temporary.

Vipassana
This form of meditation is used to achieve insight into the true nature of things. This is very difficult to get because human beings are used to seeing things distorted by their preconceptions, opinions, and past experiences. The aim is a complete change of the way we perceive and understand the universe, and unlike the temporary changes brought about by Samatha, the aim of Vipassana is permanent change

Lay people and monks
The code of behaviour for lay people is much less strict than that for monks. They follow the five basic Buddhist principles that have already been mentioned.

A strong relationship
The relationship between monks and lay people in Theravada Buddhism is very strong. This type of Buddhism could not, in fact, exist in its present form without this interaction. It is a way of mutual support — lay people supply food, medicine, and cloth for robes, and monks give spiritual support, blessings, and teachings. But this is not a tit for tat situation. Monks are not allowed to request anything from lay people; and lay people cannot demand anything from the monks. The spirit of it is more in the nature of open-hearted giving.
The system works well and is so firmly established in most Theravadan countries that monks are usually amply provided for, depending on the wealth or poverty of the local people.

Ceremonies and commemoration days
There are numerous ceremonies and commemoration days which lay people celebrate, such as Wesak which marks the birth, enlightenment, and parinibbana (passing away) of the Buddha, and for these events everyone converges on the local temples.

Retreats
Monasteries often have facilities for lay people to stay in retreat. The accommodation is usually basic and one has to abide by Eight Precepts (to abstain from killing, stealing, engaging in sexual activity, unskilful speech, taking intoxicating drink or drugs, eating after midday, wearing adornments, seeking entertainments, and sleeping in soft, luxurious beds)

Texts
The fundamental teachings were collected into their final form around the 3rd century BCE, after a Buddhist council at Patna in India. The teachings were written down in Sri Lanka during the 1st century CE. They were written in Pali (a language like Sanskrit) and are known as the Pali canon. It's called the Tipitaka - the three baskets. The three sections are:
the Vinaya Pitaka (the code for monastic life).
These rules are followed by Buddhist monks and nuns, who recite the 227 rules twice a month.
the Sutta Pitaka (teachings of the Buddha).
This includes the whole of Buddhist philosophy and ethics. It includes the Dhammapada which contains the essence of Buddha's teaching.
the Abhidamma Pitaka (supplementary philosophy and religious teaching)
The texts have remained unaltered since they were written down. Buddhist monks in the Theravada tradition consider it important to learn sections of these texts by heart.
Although these texts are accepted as definitive scriptures, non-Buddhists should understand that they do not contain divine revelations or absolute truths that followers accept as a matter of faith. They are tools that the individual tries to use in their own life

Mahayana Buddhism (the other main direction)

Mahayana Buddhism is strongest in Tibet, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Mongolia.

Mahayana Buddhism is not a single group but a collection of Buddhist traditions:
the main of them include

Zen Buddhism,
Pure Land Buddhism,
Nichiren Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism

Theravada and Mahayana are both rooted in the basic teachings of the historical Buddha, and both emphasize the individual search for liberation from the cycle of Samsara (birth, death, rebirth...). The methods or practices for doing that, however, can be very different.

The Bodhisattva
Mahayana talks a great deal about the bodhisattva the 'enlightened one ‘ as being the ideal way for a Buddhist to live. The bodhisattva path is a way of life, a way of selflessness; it is a deep wish for all beings, no matter who they are, to be liberated from suffering.

The Boddhisattva Vow
However innumerable sentient beings are, I vow to save them.

However inexhaustible the defilements are, I vow to extinguish them.

However immeasurable the dharmas are, I vow to master them.

However incomparable enlightenment is, I vow to attain it.

The Trikaya - the three bodies of Buddha
Mahayana Buddhism says that
Dharmakaya: Buddha is transcendent - he is the same thing as the ultimate truth.
Sambhogakaya: Buddha's body of bliss, or enjoyment body.
Nirmanakaya: Buddha's earthly body - just like any other human being's body.

Zen

Zen Buddhism is a mixture of Indian Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism. It began in China, spread to Korea and Japan, and became very popular in the West since mid 20th century.
The essence of Zen is attempting to understand the meaning of life directly, without being misled by logical thought, or language.
Zen techniques are compatible with other faiths and are often used, for example, by Christians seeking a mystical understanding of their faith
Zen often seems paradoxical and requires an intense discipline which, when practiced properly, results in total spontaneity and ultimate freedom. Natural spontaneity should not be confused with impulsiveness.

Zen is said to be a subject extremely easy to misunderstand. It is something a person does, not a concept that can be described in words.

History
Zen Buddhism was brought to China by the Indian monk Bodhidharma in the 6th century AD. It was called Ch'an in China. Zen's golden age began with the Sixth Patriarch, Hui-neng (638-713), and ended with the persecution of Buddhism in China in the middle of the 9th century. Most of those we think of today as the great Zen masters came from this period. Zen Buddhism survived the persecution though it was never the same again in China Zen spread to Korea in the 7th century and to Japan in the 12th century Zen Buddhism was popularized in the West by the Japanese scholar Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki (1870 - 1966); although it was found in the West before that

Essence of Zen
The essence of Zen Buddhism is achieving enlightenment by seeing one's original mind (or original nature) directly; without the intervention of the intellect.
Zen is big on intuitive understanding not on philosophizing.
Zen is concerned with what actually is, rather than what we think or feel about what is.
Zen is concerned with things as they are, without trying to interpret them.
Zen points to something before thinking, before all your ideas.
The key to Buddhahood in Zen is simply self-knowledge.
To be a human being is to be a Buddha. Buddha nature is just another name for human nature – true human nature.
Zen is simply to be completely alive.
Zen is short for Zen Buddhism. It is sometimes called a religion and sometimes called a philosophy. Choose whichever term you prefer; it simply doesn't matter.
Zen is not a philosophy or a religion.
Zen tries to free the mind from the slavery of words and the constriction of logic.
Zen is the art of seeing into the nature of one's own being, and it points the way from bondage to freedom.
Zen is meditation

Pure Land Buddhism

Particularly popular in China and Japan Pure Land Buddhism offers a way to enlightenment for people who can't handle the subtleties of meditation, endure long rituals, or just live especially good lives.
The essential practice in Pure Land Buddhism is the chanting of the name of Amitabha Buddha with total concentration, trusting that one will be reborn in the Pure Land, a place where it is much easier for a being to work towards enlightenment.
Pure Land Buddhism adds mystical elements to the basic Buddhist teachings which make those teachings easier and more comforting to work with.
These elements include faith and trust and a personal relationship with Amitabha Buddha, who is regarded by Pure Land Buddhists as a sort of savior; and belief in the Pure Land, a place which provides a stepping stone towards enlightenment and liberation..

History

Pure Land Buddhism as a school of Buddhist thinking began in India around the 2nd century before Christ.
It spread to China where there was a strong cult of Amitabha by the 2nd century AD, and then spread to Japan around the 6th century AD. Pure Land Buddhism received a major boost to its popularity in the 12th century with the simplifications made by Honen.
A century later Shinran (1173-1262), a disciple of Honen, brought a new understanding of the Pure Land ideas, and this became the foundation of the Shin (true) sect. It took off in Japan when the monk Honen (1133-1212) simplified the teachings and practices of the sect so that anyone could cope with them.
He eliminated the intellectual difficulties and complex meditation practices used by other schools of Buddhism.
Honen taught that rebirth in the Pure Land was certain for anyone who recited the name with complete trust and sincerity. Honen said that all that was needed was chanting "Namu Amida Butsu" with a conviction that by saying it one will certainly attain birth in the Pure Land.
The result was a form of Buddhism accessible to anyone, even if they were illiterate or stupid.
Honen didn't simplify Buddhism through a patronizing attitude to inferior people. He believed that most people, and he included himself, could not achieve liberation through any of their own activities. The only way to achieve Buddha hood was through the help of Amitabha

The Shin Sect
A century after Honan, one of his disciples Shinran (1173-1262) brought a new understanding of the Pure Land ideas. Shinran taught that what truly mattered was not the chanting of the name but faith. Chanting on its own had no value at all. Those who follow the Shin school say that liberation is the consequence of a person achieving genuine faith in Amitabha Buddha and his vow to save all beings who trusted in him.

Nembutsu
This means concentration on Buddha and his virtues, or recitation of the Buddha's name.
No special way of reciting the name is laid down. It can be done silently or aloud, alone or in a group and with or without musical accompaniment. The important thing is to chant the name single-mindedly, while sincerely wishing to be reborn in the Pure Land.

Faith
Shin Buddhists say that faith in Amitabha Buddha is not something that the believer should take the credit for since it's not something that the believer does for themselves. Their faith is a gift from Amitabha Buddha. Shin Buddhists don't accept the idea that beings can earn merit for themselves by their own acts; neither good deeds, nor performing rituals help. This has huge moral implications in that it implies (and Shinran quite explicitly said) that a sinner with faith will be made welcome in the Pure Land - even more welcome than a good man who has faith and pride.

Popularity
The sect's teachings brought it huge popularity in Japan, since here was a form of Buddhism that didn't require a person to be clever, or a monk, and that was open to the outcasts of society.
It remains a popular group in Buddhism - and the reasons that made it popular 700 years ago are exactly the same ones that make it popular today

New Understanding

Chanting Amitabha Buddha's name is not praying to an external deity, but really a way of calling out one's own essential Buddha nature. However some of Shinran's writings do speak of Amitabha Buddha in language that a westerner would regard as describing God.

Pure Land is really a poetic metaphor for a higher state of consciousness. Chanting the name can then be seen as a meditative practice that enables the follower to alter their state of mind. But chanting is not regarded solely as a meditative practice by most followers.

Nichiren Buddhism

Nichiren Buddhism is a Japanese Buddhist movement in the Mahayana tradition. It is also popular in the West where it has a fast growing membership

It differs from other schools of Buddhism in focusing on this world, and in its view that it is the only correct tradition. It also emphasizes the importance of individuals taking responsibility for improving themselves. Although it can be seen as a highly self-focused religion, followers of Nichiren Buddhism believe that individual empowerment and inner transformation contribute, in turn, to a better and more peaceful world.

Its roots are in the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin (1222-1282), a Japanese monk who tried to reform Buddhism and Japanese society. His teaching was based on the Mahayana sutra known as the Lotus Sutra.
Nichiren regarded the Lotus Sutra as a supremely authoritative scripture The Lotus Sutra has influenced Japanese Buddhism in general, and not just Nichiren Buddhism.
According to the Lotus Sutra (collected between 50 –150) all living beings can attain enlightenment on earth and could do this through chanting and 'human revolution'. As a radical Nichiren in his lifetime was exiled twice and some of his disciples were executed.
Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism was passed from generation to generation in Japan for 700 years giving rise to over thirty different Nichiren sects in Japan. Today there are many schools of Nichiren Buddhism. The largest are the Soka Gakkai, Nichiren Shoshu and Nichiren Shu.

Soka Gakkai
In 1975 Soka Gakkai International was established which has now 12million members in 188 countries worldwide. It is a distilled form of Nichiren Buddhism, and it is teaching that spiritual (and perhaps material) happiness for an individual are achievable in this world through a simple spiritual practice Although this teaching sounds egotistical, Soka Gakkai members are greatly concerned with others, and believe that world peace can be attained by people developing basic principles of altruism, supporting others, non-violence and self development

Nichiren Shoshu
It’s followers believe that they belong to the true school of Nichiren Buddhism. Nichiren Shoshu Buddhists argue that Nichiren was the divine reincarnation of Buddha. According to them personal enlightenment can be achieved in one lifetime.
The fundamental object of worship is the Gohonzon believed to be written by Nichiren Daishonin himself in 1279. Practioners revere the Gohonzon as being at the heart of Nichiren's enlightenment.

Nichiren Shu
Nichiren Shu teaches that Nichiren was not a Buddha but a priest. This is the main doctrinal difference between Nichiren Shu and Nichiren Shoshu.
Nichiren Shu (or "Nichiren Faith") is the oldest of the Nichiren Buddhism sects. Smaller and less well known than the other schools, it is still seen as being the most mainstream of the Nichiren sects.
Followers have maintained links with non-Nichiren Buddhist traditions and believers are allowed to take part in other Buddhist spiritual practices, such as silent meditation or Sho Daigyo. They also study the foundational concepts of Buddhism such as the Four Noble Truths and Taking Refuge.
Unlike the Soka Gakkai Nichiren Shu have not actively evangelized in the West. However its membership has grown in countries across the globe. The Nichiren Shu now ordains non-Japanese speaking priests and has expanded its temples throughout the western world.

Main teachings
One of the key elements of Nichiren Buddhism is instant enlightenment and enlightenment is available to everybody. The essence of enlightenment is opening a person's innate Buddha-nature in this world.
Nichiren himself is regarded as the Buddha, while the dharma is in the chant

Chanting
The main practice of Nichiren Buddhists is chanting, primarily the mantra Nam Myoho Renge Kyo which means 'I devote my life to the law itself'. Chanters repeat this mantra to enter more deeply into the spiritual tradition of the Lotus Sutra. and use the mantra as a powerful phrase repeated over and over again with profound faith, concentration and feeling.
Believers also recite sections of the Lotus Sutra as part of their daily practice. The chant is performed in front of a scroll called the Gohonzon.
Chanting is believed to bring about changes in a person's life and reverse bad karma. Karma is the thesis that our lives are conditioned by our past actions. Actions have consequences: good actions have positive consequences and selfish and unkind actions have negative consequences.
According to Nichiren Buddhists everyone can change it’s destiny and bring about the effects they desire. Followers are encouraged to write their personal goals down on a piece of paper and have it in front of them while chanting. The aim of the practice is to establish high states of self-development in the daily life. This chanting tradition is different to the tradition of chanted prayer in many other religions. Those who practice it believe, that the chant is an influence at work in the metaphysical level and changes the force and action of karma.
The practice of chanting originated from Nichiren's teaching that the five characters that formed the title of the Sutra encompassed all the teachings of all the Buddhas. The Sutra itself tells the reader that reading it is sufficient to achieve enlightenment and also earthly benefits - and the character it uses for reading implies reading aloud.

Gohonzon
It means 'supreme object of devotion or worship'. In Nichiren Buddhism it is a paper replica of a scroll inscribed by Nichiren. The original was carved on camphor wood and is preserved in the Taisekiji temple.
Study of Gohonzon is an important part of the practice, as followers believe Buddhist study to be fundamental in illuminating one's path in life.

The Nichiren Buddhist tradition in the West
The Soka Gakkai is the only Buddhist group in the West that has attracted a significant multi-racial membership. With 8,000 active members in the UK, the movement is unusual in the Buddhist tradition. It has many centers throughout UK run by the Soka Gakkai movement.
Nichiren Buddhists meet weekly or fortnightly in their own homes. Members of the practice are given a Gohonzon (scroll), so that they can practice at home rather than going to a temple.
People are divided into groups based on their location and will appoint an overall leader of the group, a men's and women's leader and a youth division leader. This is a very structured arrangement which can be reproduced universally.
Pilgrimages are made to the head temple of the Nichiren Shoshu school of Buddhism at Taisekiji, near Fujinomiya City in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, where the Dai-Gohonzon is kept, together with the ashes of Nichiren Daishonin.

Tibetan Buddhism

Tibetan monastery

Tibetan Buddhism is a religion in exile. At one time it was thought that 1 in 6 Tibetan men were Buddhist monks. The best known face of Tibetan Buddhism is the Dalai Lama, who has lived in exile in India since 1959. Tibetan Buddhism combines the essential teachings of Mahayana Buddhism with Tantric and Shamanic, and material from an ancient Tibetan religion called Bon.
Although Tibetan Buddhism is often thought to be identical with Vajrayana Buddhism, they are not identical - Vajrayana is taught in Tibetan Buddhism together with the other vehicles.

History
Buddhism became a major presence in Tibet towards the end of the 8th century It was brought from India at the invitation of the Tibetan king, Trisong Detsen, who invited two Buddhist masters to Tibet and had important Buddhist texts translated into Tibetan.
First to come was Shantarakshita, abbot of Nalanda in India, who built the first monastery in Tibet. He was followed by Padmasambhava, who came to use his wisdom and power to overcome "spiritual" forces that were stopping work on the new monastery.

Groups within Tibetan Buddhism

Nyingmapa: Founded by Padmasambhava, this is oldest sect, noted for the teachings of the Tibetan Book of the Dead.
Kagyupa: Founded by Tilopa [988-1069), the Kagyupa tradition is headed by the Karmapa Lama. Important Kagyupa teachers include Naropa, Marpa, and Milarepa.
Sakyapa: Created by Gonchok Gyelpo (1034-1102) and his son Gunga Nyingpo (1092-1158).
Gelugpa: (The Virtuous School) Founded by Je Rinpoche (1357 - 1419) headed by the Dalai Lama.

Special features of Tibetan Buddhism
the status of the teacher or "Lama"
preoccupation with the relationship between life and death
important role of rituals and initiations
rich visual symbolism
elements of earlier Tibetan faiths
mantras and meditation practice
Tibetan Buddhist practice features a number of rituals, and spiritual practices such as the use of mantras and yogic techniques.
Supernatural beings are prominent in Tibetan Buddhism. Buddhas and bodhisattvas abound, gods and spirits taken from earlier Tibetan religions continue to be taken seriously. Bodhisattvas are portrayed as both benevolent godlike figures and wrathful deities
This metaphysical context has allowed Tibetan Buddhism to develop a strong artistic tradition, and paintings and other graphics are used as aids to understanding at all levels of society. Visual aids to understanding are very common in Tibetan Buddhism - pictures, structures of various sorts and public prayer wheels and flags provide an ever-present reminder of the spiritual domain in the physical world.
Tibetan Buddhism is strong in both monastic communities and among lay people.
The lay version has a strong emphasis on outwardly religious activities rather than the inner spiritual life: there is much ritual practice at temples, pilgrimage is popular - often including many prostrations, and prayers are repeated over and over - with the use of personal or public prayer wheels and flags. There are many festivals, and funerals are very important ceremonies.
Lay people provide physical support to the monasteries as well as relying on the monks to organise the rituals.

Tibetan monastery

Lamas
A lama is a teacher. They are often a senior member of a monastic community - a monk or a nun - but lay people and married people can also be lamas. They are very often reincarnations of previous lamas.
As well as being learned in Buddhist texts and philosophy, lamas often have particular skills in ritual.

The Dalai Lama
Dalai is a Mongol word meaning ocean, and refers to the depth of the Dalai Lama's wisdom.
The first Dalai Lama to bear the title was the 3rd Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso. (The two previous incarnations were named "Dalai Lama" after their deaths.)
The current Dalai Lama (2002), Tenzin Gyatso, was born in Amdo, Tibet in 1935 and is the fourteenth Dalai Lama.
The Karmapa Lama
Karmapa means "one who performs the activity of a Buddha". The current incarnation (2002) is the 17th Karmapa. Two individuals have been declared the 17th Karmapa; Orgyen Trinley Dorje is generally and officially recognised as the official 17th Karmapa, however a rival Buddhist group give their allegiance to Trinlay Thaye Dorje.

Tantra
Tibetan Buddhism was much influenced by Tantra, and this has brought in a wealth of complex rituals and symbols and techniques. Tantra originated in India and appears in both the Hindu and Buddhist traditions. It brings Tibetan Buddhism a magical element and a rich portfolio of heavenly beings. It also brings a wide variety of spiritual techniques such as mantras, mandalas, ceremonies, and many varieties of yoga.

Rituals
Rituals and simple spiritual practices such as mantras are popular with lay Tibetan Buddhists. They include prostrations, making offerings to statues of Buddhas or bodhisattvas, attending public teachings and ceremonies. Tibetan temple ceremonies are often noisy and visually striking, with brass instruments, cymbals and gongs, and musical and impressive chanting by formally dressed monks. It takes place in strikingly designed temples and monasteries.

Advanced Practices
Tibetan Buddhism also involves many advanced rituals. These are only possible for those who have reached a sophisticated understanding of spiritual practice.
There are also advanced spiritual techniques. These include elaborate visualisations and demanding meditations. It's said that senior Tibetan yoga adepts can achieve much greater control over the body than other human beings, and are able to control their body temperature, heart rate and other normally automatic functions.
Mantras
A mantra is a word, a syllable, a phrase or a short prayer that is spoken once or repeated over and over again (either aloud or in silent ) and that is thought to have a profound spiritual effect on the person.
It's common to use prayer beads to mark the number of repetitions of a mantra. Mantras may also be displayed on a prayer wheel and repeated by spinning the wheel, or written on a prayer flag - in which case the prayer is repeated each time the flag moves in the wind.
Prayer wheels can be tiny things that a Buddhist carries with them or enormous objects up to nine feet high found in monasteries. These physical prayer devices are very common in Tibetan Buddhist communities.
A very well known mantra is the mantra of Avalokiteshvara: om mani padme hum. This is sometimes said to mean "Behold! The jewel in the lotus!" but the phrase isn't really translatable because of the richness of meaning and symbolism it contains

Mandalas
One of the richest visual objects in Tibetan Buddhism is the mandala. A mandala is a symbolic picture of the universe. It can be a painting on a wall or scroll, created in colored sands on a table, or be a visualisation in the mind of a very skilled adept

Living and dying
Tibetan Buddhism emphasizes awareness of death and impermanence. Everything is always dying - the cells of our bodies are dying even while we live, reminding us of our own impermanence. This awareness should not produce sadness or despair, nor should it cause a Buddhist to start a frantic pursuit of the impermanent pleasures of life. Instead, it should lead the Buddhist to see the value of every moment of existence, and be diligent in their meditation and other religious practice.
Awareness of death, combined with the understanding of the impermanence of everything, leads the Buddhist to realize that only spiritual things have any lasting value.

Preparing for death
Visualization, meditations and other exercises are used to imagine death and to prepare for the bardo. They work towards a holistic understanding and acceptance of death as an inevitable part of their journey.
Another way of preparing for death is to take part in helping those who have died through their experience in the bardo. This also enables the practitioner to gain a real experience of the bardo, before they themselves enter it. Even those who cannot gain the spiritual awareness to have a consciousness of the bardo are helped by achieving a greater experience of the impermanence of everything.

The Tibetan “book of the dead” is one of the great texts of Tibetan Buddhism. The book's true name is “Great Liberation through hearing during the intermediate state” commonly known in Tibet as Liberation through hearing. The book deals with the experiences of a person as they pass between death and rebirth.

Bardo
Bardo is the state between death and rebirth. The different schools of Tibetan Buddhism have different understandings of this state, which is regarded as lasting for 49 days.
The experience of a person during bardo depends on their spiritual training during life. An untrained person is thought to be confused as to where they are, and may not realize that they have died. People are often unwilling to give up attachment to their previous life - and their negative emotions may cause their rebirth to be less good than it would otherwise have been.
In traditional Tibetan Buddhism, the dead person is helped through bardo by a lama who reads prayers and performs rituals from the Book of the Dead, advising the deceased to break free from attachment to their past life and their dead body. In some schools of Tibetan Buddhism, the lama will actively help the dead person to transfer their consciousness from their body, in preparation for rebirth.
Many Tibetan Buddhists believe that it is possible for those left behind to assist the dead person on their journey by doing spiritual work that increases the merits of the deceased and thus helps them to a better rebirth
During the 49 day period the dead can see clearly into the minds of those left behind, which allows the living to help the dead by thinking good thoughts, meditating on Buddha and other virtuous beings, and engaging in spiritual practices
Buddhist sites to take a pilgrimage to

Nepal

Balmiki Ashram

The Balmiki Ashram is situated in a forest on the banks of the Triveni river, at the south - western corner of Royal Chitwan National Park. It was a retreat used by the great Hindu sage, Balmiki. This is where Sita is said to have lived with her two sons, Labha and Kusha, after separating from Rama. Various statues were unearthed in this area during an archeological excavation I the late 60's. Recently, a temple of Sita has been built here.

DEVGHAT

situated 6 km to the north of Narayanghat, the gateway to the Royal Chitwan National Park. On the day of the Makar Sankranti festival in January pilgrims come here to take holy dips in Narayani, formed by the meeting of the Kali Gandaki and Trishuli.

DHANUSHADHAM

a historical and religious site, dating back to the time of the great epic - Ramayana. It is located 18 km north -east of Janakpur in the south - central region of Nepal. Dhanushadham was the place where Lord Rama had broke Shiva's divine bow, a condition for winning the hand of Sita in marriage. According to the epic, one of the three pieces of the bow fell in the present day Dhanushadham.

GOSAIKUND

A lake is believed to have been created by Lord Shiva when he thrust his Trishula (trident) into a mountain to extract water so that he could cool his stinging throat after he had swallowed poison. There is a large rock in the center of the lake, which is said to be the remains of a Shiva shrine. People often claim that they see Shiva lying in the water. Devotees gather here in hordes on the full moon night of August to take holy dips in the lake.
Gosaikunda is situated at the altitude of 4380 mt. to the north of Kathmdnu on the Langtang trekking trail. The holy lake is a two day long trek from Dhunche, which can be reached through an adventurous 118 km mountain road from Kathmandu via Trishuli Bazaar.

Kapilavastu and Lumbini

Siddhartha Gautama or Buddha was born at Lumbini near Kapilavastu in the southern region of Nepal known as Terai. The 5th-century Chinese pilgrim Fa-hsien described Kapilavastu as a "great scene of empty desolation", populated by a few monks, a score or two of families and dangerous animals such as lions and white elephants. Fa-hsien none the less visited well-known sites, including the Shakyan palace, the place where the child bodhisattva's identifying marks were discovered, and, east of the city, the garden of Lumbini where the future Buddha's mother bathed and gave birth. Mounds, stupas and other ruins testified to previous Buddhist institutional prosperity.

Buddhist tradition tells that the emperor Ashoka visited Nepal in the 3rd century BC and erected a stupa and an inscribed column at Lumbini. Recent excavations have uncovered evidence of stupas, monastic dwellings and the well-preserved structure of the bathing-pool. The Ashokan column -rediscovered in 1896 but snapped in half by a lightning bolt - may also be seen at Lumbini. Theravada and Tibetan monasteries have been built in the past two decades near Lumbini, re-establishing the site as an important, although geographically remote, devotional centre.

MANAKAMANA

The temple of Manakamana, a very popular pilgrimage in Nepal, is a temple of one of the manifestations of the Hindu goddess Bhagawati. Bhagawati is believed to have the power to fulfill wishes.

MUKTINATH

Muktinath of religious importance to both Hindus and Buddhists. The main shrine of Muktinath is a pagoda - shaped temple dedicated to the Lord Vishnu. In the walls around it are 108 water spouts. The Jwala Mai temple nearby has a spring and an eternal flame fed by natural gas.
Muktinath is set in an altitude of 3,800 mt. in the north - central part of Nepal.

RIDI

Ridi is among the most popular religious places in Nepal. Rikeshwor Narayan mandir, situated here, is the local version of the Pashupatinath temple with its auspicious Ghats (cremation grounds). It is situated at the confluence of the Kali Gandaki and the Ridi Khola, linked by a 50 km dirt road to the hill resort town of Tansen.
During the Makar Sankranti festival, hundreds of devotees from different parts of the world throng the Dhanusha temple to worship the fossilized bow fragments and to take ritual dips in the river. Here there are other temples dedicated to Ram and Ganesh too.

SIMRAUNGADH

The capital of the former kingdom of Tirahut, is the seat of a rich civilization, which peaked between the 11th and 14th centuries. The ancient city suffered terrible devastation in the hands of invaders but its cultural glory remained in the archeological treasures that are found here.
Simraugdh is situated in the Terai plains to the south of Kathmandu.

Swayambhunath and Bodhnath (Kathmandu)
To commemorate his missionary visit, the emperor Ashoka is said to have built innumerable stupas in Nepal. Two surviving examples, much restored, may derive from the Ashokan period. These are the remarkable Svayambhunath and Bodhnath stupas in Kathmandu. Both stupas share unique Nepalese architectural features. Surmounting the conventional dome is a "steeple" raised on thirteen diminishing tiers to symbolize the thirteen Buddhist heavens. Yet more striking is the design of the square base (harmika) from which the tiers rise. The harmika is gilded, and a face gazes with immense eyes of inlaid metal and ivory from each side. One explanation for this unique Nepalese iconography is that the eyes suggest a solar cult expressed on some Hindu temples by "sun-faces". A second idea is that the temple represents the "Primal man" (mahapurusha) of early Hinduism. Buddhist theory would suggest that the eyes are a sign of the "all-seeing" Buddha. Visitors are certainly struck by the way in which the eyes follow them as they move round the stupa precincts.

Buddhist Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal

VARAHAKSHETRA

Varahakshetra, located at the confluence of the Saptakoshi and Koka rivers, is 20 km away from a town in eastern Nepal - Dharan. Varahakshetra is among the four great Hindu Pilgrimages. Here, the Boar- Varaha, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu is said to have killed the demon-Hiranakshya. Apart from the main shrine dedicated to Varah, there are many to the temples with images of the Varaha in Varahakshetra. Every year on the first of Magh (November), a religious fare takes place here.

India

Some of the most important Buddhist sites are situated in India. Among them, Bodhgaya is the most sacred of all. Many monasteries, stupas and rock edicts have been found at Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh and Rajgir in Bihar. While the sylvan surroundings of Lahaul, Kangra and Spiti valleys are home to various monasteries, McLeodganj is the abode of the 14th Dalai Lama.

Ajanta (Maharashtra)

The wild, crescent-shaped ravine pierced with more than twenty Buddhist cave temples makes this one of India's most spectacular sites. Many genres of early medieval sacred art, from elaborately carved monastic halls, to sculptures and wall paintings, are represented here, and prominent among Ajanta's glories are murals painted in glowing reds, blues and greens. Unique to Indian Buddhist tradition, the paintings, in high Gupta style, furnish a vision of Mahayana generosity: a mingling of human, divine and natural forms in a suspension of warm and life-enhancing interplay. Most sublime in grace, compassion and serenity is the incomparable figure of Padmapani, the lotus carrying aspect of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara

Bodh Gaya (Bihar)

The rallying point for Buddhists from all over the world. The chant 'May all beings be happy' rent the air of Bodhgaya, where the Four Noble Truths were gifted by the Buddha in the 5th century B.C.
Before his death, the Buddha enjoined his followers to make pilgrimages to four sites Lumbini, where he was born; Uruvela (today Bodh Gaya), the site of his enlightenment; Sarnath, the place of his first sermon; and Kushinara, where he died. Each of these sites may be visited today, and Bodh Gaya remains the most sacred of the four.
After the decline of Indian Buddhism in the 12th century, most Buddhist sites were destroyed or fell into disrepair. In 1891 the Sri Lankan Anagarika Dharmapala founded the Mahabodhi Society, which set out to reclaim Bodh Gaya for Buddhism; this was achieved in 1949. Bodh Gaya today is a busy centre of pilgrimage with monasteries and meditation centers run by Tibetan, Burmese, Thai and Vietnamese communities. Visitors will see a remote descendant of the bodhi tree, the magnificent but greatly restored 7th-century Mahabodhi temple, the Buddha's stone seat (vajra-asana) and a museum of Buddhist and Hindu materials.

Sanchi (Madhya Pradesh)

It houses stupas, monasteries, pillars and temples – all masterpieces of Buddhist art.
Perhaps the finest and most complete Buddhist monument in India is Sanchi's great stupa with its four magnificent free standing gates (toranas). The vast brick stupa itself dates from around the 3rd century BC, but its carved gates and railings were probably executed two centuries later during the Satavahana dynasty. Sanchi was excavated in the early 19th century, and the restoration of the site by British and French archeologists was initiated in 1912.
Visitors today, like traditional Buddhist worshippers, can circumambulate the stupa in a clockwise direction and contemplate the teeming sculptural forms that fill the gate posts and their lofty architraves. Jataka narratives, hieratic elephants and royal lions, Hindu-Buddhist deities and exquisite female nature spirits crowd every part of the four toranas. The small archeological museum houses excavated sculptures; other important Sanchi pieces are in museums in Delhi, London and Los Angeles.

Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh)

A much frequented pilgrim centre, not only for the Buddhists, but for the Jains and the Hindus as well. This site has some famous stupas and Buddhist monasteries.
The Deer Park at Sarnath just north of Varanasi was the site of the Buddha's first discourse and today contains some of the most impressive Buddhist monuments in India. The beautiful park is dominated by the 5th-century Dhamekh stupa: one of two stupas marking the spot where the Buddha is said to have first taught the Dharma. The remains of smaller stupas, shrines, five monasteries and the lower half of an inscribed Ashokan column are among other monuments to have been excavated since the 19th century.
Sarnath's archeological museum contains the Ashokan column's famous lion capital (emblem of the modern Indian state) and many other important works in stone, including a sublime figure of the teaching Buddha from the Gupta period (5th century). Like Bodh Gaya, Sarnath has a thriving international Buddhist community.