Taboos of Tibetan folk etiquette and basic knowledge of Tibetan Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism Buddhism 2021-01-23 18:50

Traveling or pilgrimage to Tibet is the dream of many people. Learning some folk customs and common sense of Tibetan Buddhism before going to add a touch of color to your pilgrimage journey. Almost all Tibetans believe in Tibetan Buddhism, so many of their customs are also related to their belief in Buddhism. 。

Basic knowledge of Tibetan Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism should be called Tibetan Buddhism. Practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism need to have a deep foundation in exoteric Buddhism to practice tantra, so they cannot simply become Tantric Buddhism or Tantric Buddhism. In fact, Chinese Buddhism also practices tantra.

There are four main sects of Tibetan Buddhism Tantric sects.Gelug Sect, Sakya Sect, Nyingma Sect, Kagyu Sect.The Han people commonly known as the four religions of yellow, flower, red and white. It is recommended not to use them because of respect. In fact, only the Gelug school sometimes calls itself the Yellow Hat School, and other schools do not call themselves by color, but are just names for convenience by the Han people. The black religion popular in Hong Kong and Taiwan is the original religion in Tibetan areas - Bon religion. It is not a branch of Tibetan Buddhism, and of course it is not Buddhism. However, in recent years, it has absorbed a lot of Buddhist teachings as their new assets. It is a Buddhist-like practice that practices both worldly and transcendental laws at the same time.

LamaThis word, originally means supreme, is similar to the respectful monks who respectfully call him Master. Only those who can be a teacher call him Lama. In Tibet, monks are generally called Gelong ( Gelong Monk, la ) But now it has basically evolved to call Lama to all Tibetan monks. Even so, there is absolutely no title of "Lamaism". The same is true for monks in the Han area. Monks, the Vinaya School, are called monks, and are harmonious and noble people. They are usually called monks by abbots or monks with high status. Now they have gradually evolved to be called monks when they see monks, and even think that monks have the meaning of belittlement, which is all wrong perception.

Zu Gu - the reincarnation, the incarnation.To be honest, it is the "practitioner who comes back with his wish." We Han people generally call them "living Buddha", which is inappropriate. There is no title of Living Buddha in Tibet. There is no distinction between death or life. Zu Gu himself will not say that he is a Buddha, and it may not necessarily be a monk. Some Zu Gu would rather continue the path of practice at home and keep a low profile. The first Zugu was reincarnated as the founder of the Karma Kagyu Sect, the Great Treasure Dharma King we are familiar with. １１９３It's already the first year since now １７The Great Treasure Dharma King of the World has been reincarnated. Even the very young children in Tibet know that Karmapa is the highest in Tibet.

Rinpoche means treasure or treasure.A very important and noble person or thing can be called Rinpoche. Rinpoche is not equal to Zugu. For example, the abbot in a temple can be called Rinpoche, but he is not necessarily Zugu. Now, whenever we see Tibetan monks, we just call them XX Rinpoche casually, which is also wrong.

Dharma King,It is basically only used in the honorary titles of a few religious leaders, or the passing masters and some guardians. There are definitely not so many Dharma kings in Tibet. The phenomenon of Dharma kings everywhere on the streets is worthy of everyone's consideration.

Initiation，Many Han people flock to the initiation as soon as they hear the initiation, thinking that they can increase their skills or avoid all poisons, etc. The process of learning Buddhism, if they have self-interest, they are wrong. The initiation does have the meaning of blessing, follow-up, granting prophecy, purification, etc., but there is a rigorous procedure, which is not enough to pass a red envelope. The master and the disciple must observe each other for a long time (traditionally three years) before the initiation can be carried out (some attending the Dharma Assembly or the longevity initiation are exceptions). The disciples themselves also need to have a certain degree to receive the initiation. Once you receive the initiation, you must regard him as a teacher for life, and never betray or never feel disrespectful.

Taboos and other customs

Tibetans absolutely forbidden to eat donkey, horse meat and dog meat. Some areas do not eat fish. In Tibet, in addition to the famous sky burial, many ordinary people use river burials, so many older Tibetans do not eat fish.

When toasting, the guest must dip his ring finger into the air with a little wine, and then show his sacrifice to heaven, earth and ancestors three times in a row. Then take a sip, and the owner will fill it in time, take another sip and fill it up again, and drink three sips in a row. When the fourth full, you must drink it all.；

When eating, you should not eat enough, you cannot bite it or drink it.；

When drinking butter tea, the owner pours the tea. The guest can only take it to drink when the owner holds it in front of him with both hands.；

Taboo spitting on others' backs and clapping your hands；

When you encounter religious facilities such as temples, mani piles, pagodas, etc., you must walk from left to right.； In Tibet, it is basically a clockwise move. This is a habit of Tibetan Buddhism. Moving counterclockwise is the habit of Bon religion in the local primitive religion. The prayer drum must not be reversed ； Do not cross magic tools or braziers ； It is taboo to touch the top of the head with your hands.

Exaling Hada Exaling Hada is the most common etiquette among Tibetans. Wedding, funerals, holidays, visits to elders, meeting Buddha statues, communicating with each other, farewell trips, etc., have the habit of offering Hada. Hada is a raw silk fabric that is spun like a net ； There are also excellent Hada made of silk. Hada's length varies, one or two feet long, and three or five feet short. Xianhada means to express purity, sincerity and loyalty to people. Since ancient times. Tibetans believe that white symbolizes purity and auspiciousness, so Hada is generally white. Of course, there are also colorful Hadas, the colors are blue, white, yellow, green and red. Blue represents the blue sky, white is white clouds, green is rivers, red is the guardian of space, and yellow symbolizes the earth. The colorful Hada is dedicated to the Bodhisattva and his close relatives to make colorful arrows, and is the most solemn gift. Buddhist teachings explain that the colorful Hada is the garment of the Bodhisattva, so the colorful Hada is only used at specific times.

HadaIt was introduced to Tibet during the Yuan Dynasty. When Sakya Dharma Tartar Basiba met with Kublai Khan, the ancestor of the Yuan Dynasty, and returned to Tibet, he brought the first Hada back. At that time, Hada had the patterns of the Great Wall on both sides, and the words "Auspicious and Good" were also on them, so it can be said that Hada was introduced to Tibet from the mainland. There is another meaning that it is a fairy's streamer.

kowtow　Kowtow is also a common etiquette in Tibet. It usually kowtows when paying homage to Buddha statues, pagodas and living Buddhas, and some kowtow to elders. There are three types of kowtows: long kowtows, short kowtows and loud kowtows.

People who kowtowed long heads can often be seen in Jokhang Temple, the Potala Palace and other temples with religious activities. When kowtow, put your hands together and raise them over your head, from the top, to the forehead, to the chest, bow three times, then lie on the ground, stretch your hands straight, lay them flat on the ground, marking the ground as a mark. Then, stand up again as before. In the past, some devout Buddhists kowtowed from Sichuan and Qinghai to Lhasa to go to Buddha, traveling thousands of miles, three steps and one bow every few years, and many of them died on the road, and they felt sincere and had no complaints. The thick stone slabs in front of the Jokhang Temple were also polished by the kowtowers.

In the temple. There is also a kowtow method to kowtow. Regardless of men, women, young and old, first put your hands together and bow three times. Then arch your waist to the feet of the Buddha statue and gently push it with your head to express your sincere repentance.

bow　In the past, I met the superiors, the chiefs and respected people, and I had to take off my hat and bend over forty-five degrees. Hold the hat in your hand and put it low near the ground. For ordinary people or peers, bowing only shows politeness, putting the hat on your chest, your head slightly lowers, and some use clasping your hands and bowing together. Put your hands together to respect the person, bend down and nod ； The same is true for returning gifts.

Toasted tea　When welcoming guests, Tibetans not only dip their hands in wine and play them three times, but also grab a little barley in the grain bucket and throw it into the air three times. At the banquet, the host picked up the wine glass and drank it first, and then drank it all in one go. Only after the host finished drinking the first glass of wine could everyone drink freely. When drinking tea, the guest must wait for the owner to hold the tea in front of him before reaching out to take it over and drink it, otherwise it will be considered rude. During the holidays. When you visit a Tibetan home, the host should toast. Please drink barley wine. It is a custom in the agricultural area. Barley wine is a water wine that is not distilled and is similar to rice wine. It has a temperature of fifteen degrees to twenty degrees. It can be drunk by almost all men, women, young and old in Tibet. When offering guests. Guests must drink three sips first and drink one full cup. This is a customary rule, otherwise the host will be unhappy or think that the guest is in polite. Or think the guests look down on him. Drinking tea is a daily etiquette. When the guest enters the house and sits, the housewife or children must pour butter tea, but the guest does not have to drink it by himself. He has to wait until the owner brings it to you before taking it to drink it. This way, he can be regarded as knowing courtesy.

The above are the most common and common situations in Tibetan etiquette, and other etiquettes in terms of titles. When calling someone else respectfully, usually add the word "la" after his name. There are also differences between respect and non-reputation in Tibetan. Use respect to speak to the venerable or guest to show respect for the other party. Second. In terms of eating, there are rules that you are not satisfied with your mouth, can’t bite, can’t make a sound, and can’t pick and eat, and can’t cross the plate. When walking, do not rob others, and you must first give in to others when you meet. When sitting, you cannot grab the guest seat, you cannot tilt around, you cannot stretch your legs casually, etc. These are some etiquettes that ordinary elders must pay attention to when educating their children.

The three treasures of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha

Buddhists in Tibetan regard Buddha as the pioneer in pointing out the ultimate truth to all sentient beings. Therefore, Buddha and Buddhist scriptures (Dharmas) are considered to be the root of creating blessings, wisdom and resources. By eliminating all evils from the root, good deeds that benefit all sentient beings can be produced. Only good teachers who respect the Buddha and practice the Dharma for the sake of the well-being of sentient beings can be called monks if they can uphold the truth and spread the Dharma. The Buddhist exoteric and esoteric scriptures such as the Shurangama Sutra, Samadhi Sutra, and Vajra Gang widely contains the merits of building Buddhas and cultivating temples, setting up pagodas and printing sutras, and advocates that all sentient beings should accumulate virtue and do good deeds in order to get rid of the sea of suffering as soon as possible and seek Bodhi.

Therefore, in Tibet, whether it is a metal-made Buddha statue, Buddhist scriptures, pagodas, Buddhist temples, wooden carvings, sculptures, and painted mandalas of various sizes, they will be regarded as the true body of the Buddha from the day of consecration by the monk Geshe who has full merits, living Buddhas and the monks. They must keep offerings and reciting verses regularly and memorizing and meditation.

When you need to contact a monk or master, you must respect the monk's etiquette.； Note that smoking, drinking or entering the hall after drinking is prohibited in front of the Buddha or in the hall. ； Don't roar or fart, go through the monks' team ；

Buddha statues must not be carried at will, nor can they be placed on bed stools and cushions.； Offer categories such as lantern water, mirror and fragrant flowers and fruits, magic tools such as baojing bells and waist drums, mandarin masks and color satin masques, etc., taboos are prohibited to move around, and they must not breathe in close proximity to prevent the offerings from being polluted. ；

When chanting sutras in groups or practicing lamas, it is taboo to stare at or look straight at the face of lamas for a long time；

During the Dharma Assembly, the taboos cross the monks' queue and chat with the lamas.；

In the great monks and great masters, it is taboo to discuss cultural relics related to Buddhism, and it is prohibited to use cultural relics in temples for transactions and profits.；

During the period of official duties or interviews, before permission is allowed, it is forbidden to place interview equipment in the hall or in the middle of the monastic community, and you cannot directly interview the lama and the abbot.；

When issuing gifts to the monks, you should generally first smoke the incense and expel the sewage gas - then turn the incense and then go to the temple to distribute it or entrust the monks to distribute it.

When you come into contact with a great monk, you should first offer Hada to show respect. Hada is only allowed to offer it in his hands, and avoid giving it to his neck or head.； The monks worship each other and exchange them in their hands. To offer sacrifices to the leaders of the Party and the country, you must first give a high salute and then bow to your hands. You must never give Hada to the leader's neck. This is a disrespect to the leader. Only when parents, elders, masters give them to their children or apprentices, can they be hung around their necks. I often see on TV that even the little actors put Hada on the neck of the national leaders. This is very disrespectful and a manifestation of lack of cultural cultivation.

pagoda。The pagoda is abbreviated in Sanskrit Tabo, meaning tomb or high-profile objects. The pagoda construction first emerged in the fourth century after the Buddha's demise - the period of Ashoka in India (equivalent to the period of Qin Shihuang in my country). Originally, the ones that contained spiritual bones were called pagodas, and those that did not hide were called Zhiti, but later they were called pagodas, and those that contained the remains were called spiritual pagodas. With the widespread spread of Buddhism, it has merged with local cultures to form a pagoda culture of different shapes and sizes.

When we are around the pagoda, it is forbidden to use any offerings offered by believers to the pagoda.；

Recite scriptures in front of the tower or kowtow to the long head or around the tower. It is forbidden to crowd and fight for the first time. You should proceed in sequence；

When passing by temples, pagodas, mani piles, and passing through flagpoles, you should go around clockwise；

It is not allowed to throw dirty food or other items on the mulberry cigarette burned in front of the tower.；

The prayer drum in your hand must not be rotated counterclockwise or opened the cover, etc.；

Inside the temple, smoking and other impurities are prohibited.

All characters with Buddhist content in Tibetan, Chinese or any other text should be properly protected. Taboos are not allowed to be torn and discarded, and must not be used as toilet paper.； It is taboo to bring Buddha statues, Buddhist scriptures and related Dharma objects to the toilet.

Tantric

Among the Buddha statues of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism, there are unique colors such as wrath, double body, multi-arm, multi-faceted image, one-sided image, and flat image of breath, representing the four major achievements of Buddha, Bodhisattva, and Dharma protector, and containing the cultural and artistic characteristics of Tantric Buddhism, forming the mysterious color of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism.

In double body or tantric wrathful statues, it is taboo to talk about disrespect for Buddha or Bodhisattva in the place of the two-body statue or the wrathful statue of Tantra.；

When you walk into the Tantric Hall or the Dharma Protector Temple, you should especially avoid watching the secret parts of the Dharma Protector God, because the Dharma Protector God is most likely to be defiled and lose his mind.

Whether it is the temple of the Dharma Protector or the Lama or the monk who recites the Dharma Protector, widows and women who have menstrual periods are generally prohibited from staying.

There is a special rule in the Tantric Precepts that if female compatriots are disrespectful, they should be treated as a violation of the Tantric Precepts. Therefore, this is not a discrimination against female compatriots, but to keep the guardian gods pure and uninterrupted.

"Gabala" made of human skulls, waist drums made of male and female skulls, rosary beads made of human bones and under-full １８The bones made of thigh bones of a year-old woman, etc., are the most confidential and sacred Dharma instruments in Tantric Buddhism. Only Tantric masters with great achievements can be used as a high-level practice of tantric practice such as offerings to ghosts and gods, issuing instructions, and observing impermanence in life. Most people will never allow them to be followed, and they must not have disrespectful words about this type of tantra.

Tantric Buddhism believes that the nature of killing is completely different from that of Tantric masters using tantric mantras to kill, and their cause and effect are also different. Therefore, Tantra pays great attention to the confidentiality of precepts. Tantric Buddha statues are generally wrapped in Hada and satin silk. The reason is also the taboo that ordinary people secretly look at the secret division of the Dharma God. This must be strictly observed when visiting the Buddha statues in Tantric Hall.

It is especially important to talk about gender relations in the temple to avoid violating religious policies and harming the religious feelings of the Xiumi Lama.

Folk taboos related to Buddhism

KillingIt is the main content of the entire Buddhist taboo. In the reality of Tibet, slaughtering cattle and sheep is a necessary way to maintain life, and it is difficult to forbidden. The feathers of the snow chicken are colorful and are considered to be the spiritual bird of the Thousand Buddhas of the Virtue Tribulation. Killing a snow chicken will cause the crime of destroying the Thousand Buddhas. Therefore, it is especially important to kill snow chickens.

Sky Burial。Tibet has always regarded eagles as condors, and in some places it is considered to be an incarnation of the Buddha of Infinite Light. During the sky burial, the lama asked the chant and the experienced sky burial master to dismember the entire body, smash the bones according to the rituals, and feed the eagle together, which means that the deceased finally gave his only body to other creatures and would obtain infinite merits. ； Moreover, the eagle can also bring his spiritual consciousness to the Pure Land, thus getting rid of the suffering of reincarnation. Other ethnic groups generally find it difficult to understand this funeral method, but from the perspective of traditional Tibetan concepts, especially from Buddhist thought, it is a very easy-to-understand natural behavior. In folk culture, it is also one of the important contents to watch the sky burial and harm the condor. Therefore, the Tibet Autonomous Region Government has clearly announced that visits and filming the sky burial activities are prohibited, and hunting and harming the eagle. Do not have any disgust or doubt about any items given to us by the Sky Burial Master ； It is especially important to avoid any remarks that do not conform to the funeral rituals and disrespect his personality when interviewing or talking to the Sky Burial Master.

In the canyon area in southern Tibet, the mountains are high and the valleys are deep, and the climate is hot, making it difficult for eagles to get up, so they often use water burials to dismember the corpse and feed the fish. However, in most Tibetan areas, water burial is only used for those with very difficult economic conditions. Famous living Buddhas and monks use pagodas to bury (building spiritual pagodas), while generally living Buddhas, monks and celebrities in society use cremation. Patients with malignant infectious diseases and major criminals can only dig holes and bury them after death, and do not erect tombstones to show punishment.

It should also be noted that although the Menba people and Sherpas in Tibet also believe in Tibetan Buddhism, sky burial is not popular. Most Sherpas and Demba people carried out cremation, while most Menba and Luoba people carried out water burials.

Whether it is a sky burial, water burial, cremation, or earth burial, when the funeralist returns home, he must wash his hands with white and black water in order at the door before entering the house.； The various gifts donated by the deceased's family must also be burned to incense and purified before they can be used, otherwise it will cause the deceased. There are also different ways to bring filial piety to the deceased. Generally, people with filial piety are ４９In the sky, women do not wear hats, haircuts, new clothes, entertainment activities, and women do not change their headdresses. In addition to ritual activities at home, food delivery ceremony should be held every day. Carry filial piety for parents or masters. The filial piety period is generally one year. Those who carry filial piety do not wear new clothes for one year, and do not participate in entertainment activities that are not related to Buddhism. ； In the place where the filial piety is, it is taboo to mention the name of the deceased, especially to watch photos and voice items with the deceased's family.

Burn，It is a sacrifice to the gods or hungry ghosts. "Snuggle mulberry" on your roof, mountain top, grassland or any other place is also a sacrifice for gods and ghosts. In addition to holding the "Steaming" ritual, it is forbidden to yell or fire a gun in the wind horse flagpole (referring to the top of a mountain or on a pile of stones, planting a small flag on the top of a mountain or on a pile of stones, it is forbidden to yell or fire a gun randomly. When there are patients at home, babies under the age of one month, and lamas do Buddhist rituals, a bunch of small fireworks are lit in front of the door, indicating that it is taboo for ordinary guests to enter. ； When distinguished guests and relatives enter the house, they must first smoke and smoke and remove the stain with burning pine and cypress before entering. When the child goes out, he will light some pot of ash on the tip of his nose to prevent the devil from causing harm. ； The family goes home very late or travels far away, or even brings gifts from others home, and they also need to incense and decontamination before entering. It is taboo to chat around people who have been ill or critically ill for a long time, or stay for a long time.

When the living Buddhas and lamas were in seclusion, there was a small wooden board or a mud at the door with cypress branches inserted into them and a few small stones were placed around them, which were called seclusion stones. It means that practitioners are not allowed to go out across this realm stone. Except for the closest fixed person, anyone is forbidden to enter the human world. When we interview or perform important tasks, we must first be allowed to enter after being allowed by the person who is in seclusion, and we must place a small stone belt around the mud ball in front of the person who is in seclusion before we can start the interview. There is a saying in Tibet that the first, fifth, tenth, fifteenth and twentyth day of each month are usually the day. ； The second, fourth, sixth, twelve, sixth, sixth, etc. are the black sun. The day master is auspicious, and can engage in various activities such as rituals, temple repairs, building houses, holding weddings, and negotiating business. ； The black day master is in bad luck, so it is generally not good to talk about various grand events or go out to do major events.

There are many considerations for Tibetan marriage, and almost every region has different wedding methods. In general, when a man and a woman fall in love, in addition to understanding the family's economic situation, they should also observe whether the zodiac signs of both parties are in harmony and whether the guardian gods worshipped by both parties are in harmony. If they find that the gods worshipped in the family are in harmony and the zodiac signs are not in harmony, the parents of both parties generally do not agree to fall in love, and they are even more afraid of getting married. After monks and nuns become monks, they must name the teachings and no longer use the common name. Men, women, young and old who have been suffering from illness or family disagreements for many years, in addition to normal treatment, there are also ways to invite lamas to perform rituals and change their names. ； After changing the name, it is taboo to call the previous name, otherwise it will lead to disagreement.

Tibetans are in their zodiac year in 13, 25, 37, 49, 61, and 73 years, and are also in their zodiac year. They are generally not far away, so they are forbidden to participate in entertainment activities, especially weddings or funeral activities. When Tibetans cook at home, it is forbidden to taste the taste with a spoon. It is especially important to drink water directly with a spoon and pour the remaining water into the tank, so as to avoid disasters caused by impure water supply to the guardian god. When eating, drinking tea, and drinking, it is generally not good to drink hard and make noises, and it is not good to use it yourself. The housewife should pour it into people. You should not drink just one cup when drinking tea or wine. If you think one cup becomes an enemy, you must drink more than three cups to be auspicious.

The Buddhist temple worshipped at home is not allowed to be watched privately without permission, so as not to anger the gods and Buddhas and cause disasters.

It is generally taboo to borrow other people's clothes and hats in Tibet, especially widows and widowers. If you need to borrow, you need to incense and decontaminate when borrowing and repaying the balance, otherwise it will bring bad luck.

After borrowing other brooms, you can only throw them to the ground in person when returning them. Do not hand them directly to everyone's hands.
The origins of the festivals in Tibet are mostly related to religion. After historical evolution, most of them have been mainly ethnic festivals, while the minority is mainly religious activities. Such as the Prayer Fair in Lhasa (Traveling the Great Summit) and the Ghee Flower Offer (Ran Lantern Festival) ； In addition, various sects and localities also have some regional traditional religious festivals. The prayer meeting in Lhasa is not only an event in Tibet, but also when economic conditions allow, all monks and lay people who believe in Tibetan Buddhism are proud to be able to attend the examination process of the Buddha and watch the highest religious position of the Gelug Sect, Rajang Bagsi. At the end of the Prayer Fair, the Butter Flower Festival (Lantern Festival), the Butter Flower Festival (Lantern Festival), Bakhun Street is filled with various Buddha statues, goddesses and the legendary patterns, characters, flowers, plants, birds and beasts made by various temples and folk artists from various places, which are even more wonderful and exquisite. People appreciate and admire under the butter flower stand, celebrate and dance, and sleep all night, reflecting people's love for life and pursuit of beauty. When participating in such activities, you should pay attention to the relevant taboos, and the content is basically the same as when participating in other religious activities.

The content and methods of prayer in Tibetan Buddhism

There are various religious prayer methods, or religious prayer rituals in different religions and cultural circles in the world.

In the Tibetan Buddhist cultural circle, the mattress prayer ceremony is closely related to the lives of the Tibetan people. In the most influential heroic epic in the entire Tibetan area, "The Biography of King Gesar", you can see many prayers influenced by Tibetan Buddhism. Here is a passage from the "Celestial Chapter":

“Om, Ma, Ni, Ba, Mi, Hum. Before bowing to the Savior of the boundless world, the Lord's light in the Western Paradise remains unchanged. Your compassion is unbiased, and the impure cycle of reincarnation is also reflected. In that great sea of suffering in reincarnation, the evil turtle that specializes in bloodthirsty karma appears. The fearful five poisons are magnificent, and the heart of the mirror is blocked into a blind person. Life and death are so regrettable! Please send a compassionate gesture to be skillful and convenient. ”

Buddhism has been circulating in Tibetan areas for more than a thousand years. The ancient Yarlung Zangbo River flowed through this magical land year after year. People followed the footsteps of their predecessors and went to Lhasa, Houzang, Gangdes Mountain, Mafamucuo Lake, Buddha's Pure Land Motuo and other places to pray and fulfill their vows.； Day after day, recite prayer scriptures and turn the prayer drums by hand, walk and walk along the long journey of prayer, so as to avoid sin and obtain salvation.

The word prayerIt is called "Murang Douba" in Tibetan” (Smon-lamvdebs-pa)，It means making a vow and praying. In 1409 AD, Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Yellow Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, advocated a religious ceremony to talk about Buddhist scriptures and make vows and prayers at the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. Tibetans are called "Murangqinmo", commonly known as Chuan Dazhao. There are more than 10,000 monks who participated in this vow to pray for Dafa. It can be said that Chuan Dazhao is the largest collective prayer ceremony of monks in Tibet. Until today, this large-scale collective prayer ceremony is held every year on the first month of the Tibetan calendar. The content of prayer includes praying for the development of Buddhism, the permanence of the world, the happiness of sentient beings, and the equality of the world. According to records, during the Anti-Japanese War, the largest Huangjiao temple in Gansu, the Labrang Monastery, specially held a ceremony to "pray for victory in the Anti-Japanese War and expand propaganda" at such a prayer meeting.

In addition to chanting prayer scriptures and six-character mantras, Tibetan areas also use prayer instruments to conduct prayer rituals. This is exactly where Tibetan Buddhism is different from other religions in the world. The Tibetan word for prayer instrument is called "Mani Wheel". The two words "Mani" are the abbreviation of the six-character mantra. From the Buddhist meaning, the "Mani Wheel" of prayer instrument is essentially a symbol of the six-character mantra "Om, Ma, Ni, Ba, Mi, and Hum. “The shape of the Mani Wheel is like a barrel or wheel, with the words "Six-character Mantra" on it. Tibetan Buddhism believes that turning the "Mani Wheel" has the same merit as reciting the six-character mantra. If both are carried out at the same time, the karma will increase. Therefore, the "Mani wheel" is also called the "Word Wheel" or "Word Wheel". Including the following:

1.The wind power turns the prayer wheel, which is called "Mani Longguer" in Tibetan.

2.The hydraulic prayer wheel is called "Mani Quguer" in Tibetan.

3.The Great Wheel of the Wheel is called "Mani Copper Guer" in Tibetan.

4.The hand-turning prayer drum is called "Mani Naguer" in Tibetan. There are several types of gold, copper and silver leather, including three types: large, medium and small. The smaller ones are two inches tall and three and a half inches in diameter. There is a shaft in the barrel that can be rotated. The elderly usually hold the hand-turning prayer drum, and sway and recite it. When the central axis is worn, the merit will be complete.

5.The Mani wheel is called "Mani Guerluo" in Tibetan.It is shaped like a barrel with a shaft that can be rotated. Most of this kind of mani wheel is installed around the temple or around the temple hall (The Mani wheel of Jokhang Temple in Lhasa is in the temple )，There are as few as dozens, and there are as many as hundreds. The six-character mantras on the surface, and the classics are all stored. When a believer or a monk passes by. Turn the prayer wheel with your hands. Tibetan Buddhism believes that turning the prayer wheel once is equivalent to reciting many scriptures hidden in the prayer wheel.
In addition to using the above prayer wheels for praying, Tibetan areas also need to pray in some special ways:

1.Prayer Banner，It is called "Londa" in Tibetan, and the prayer words are printed on various colors of cloth. He lifted the roof with a pole and let the wind blow it, and also prayed.

2.Prayer wall，Carrying the six-character mantra on the metal and wooden board and hanging it on the wall is also a kind of prayer.

3.Manhat pile，It is called "Mani Duo Pong" in Tibetan. For all the key points of the past, we must build a pile of stones engraved with the six-character mantra of Buddhism. Passers-by must circle the piles and make several rounds to pray and accumulate merits.

4.Rotate the mountain, turn the Shenhu, etc.，When Tibetan believers and monks encounter sacred mountains or lakes during pilgrimage, they usually have to walk around for a while. This is also called turning, that is, turning the scriptures. The meaning is like prayer, and its merit is often tens of millions of times greater than ordinary prayers. The Mirising Mountain in Luoyu area in southern Tibet is considered to be the holy place of the Buddhist Tantric Buddhism, the highest of the Tantric Buddhism. At the end of the 12th century, the great master of the Kagyu sect in Tibetan Buddhism, Zangbajiare Yissi Dorje, created the example of praying and patroling in Zarishan. It is said that if people in the world can turn around the top of this mountain once, they can get the six-character mantra of 1.3 billion merits in three days. ； It takes ten days to turn around the mountainside and you can get the merits of 3 billion six-character mantras ； If you go around the whole mountain once, it takes one month to get one hundred billion six-character mantras. Lhasa is the holy city of Tibetan Buddhism. There are three circular paths dedicated to believers praying and turning the scriptures. It is known as "Langguer" in the world.” (Internal Scripture )、“Pagoul” (Transfer to the Path )、“Lin Guer” (External Conversion Path )；Believers firmly believe that the merits of praying and recitation of these three ways of praying and reciting the scriptures are very perfect. Therefore, believers who are turning the prayer drums can be seen on the way to turn the prayer drums from dawn to sunset.

Buddhism common sense Taboos Tibetan Buddhism

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Taboos of Tibetan folk etiquette and basic knowledge of Tibetan Buddhism

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