The Ancient Civilization of Tibet: Studies in myth, religion, and history of Tibet (original) (raw)
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A Note on Tibetan Religious History
Den pai skya rengs
History of Tibet dates back to some more than 3000 years with rich culture and religion. Geographically, it is located on Pamir, the highest plateau in the world. Therefore, Tibet is also referred to as 'Roof of the World'. Tibet lies north to India and Nepal, south of Mongolia, and west to China. It has 2.50 million square KMs in area, six times the size of Japan and almost the same as the California State. Here is a short note on how Buddhism entered Tibet and co-existed with the native Bon religion, and how the two enhanced the rich religious culture of Tibet. http://denpaikyareng.blogspot.com/2014/12/a-notes-on-religous-history-of-tibet.html
If you want to learn more about the pre-Buddhist heritage of Tibet and the Western Himalayas, one name stands out: John Vincent Bellezza. Unlike any other, we encounter a uniqueness in Bellezza's works, a breadth of detail, insight, and personal struggle that has been unsurpassed in archaeology and Tibetan Studies these days. Bellezza's numerous publications that include such groundbreaking works as Divine Dyads (1997), Calling Down the Gods (2005), the significant contributions of Zhang Zhung: Foundations of Civilization in Tibet (2008), Death and Beyond in Ancient Tibet, and the critical two volume set, Antiquities of Zhang Zhung (2010), have provided robust studies on Tibet's pre-Buddhist heritage in an unconventional style that at once incorporates his skills as an archaeologist with one of cultural historian, anthropologist, travel journalist, explorer, and storyteller. When I read this new work, my assumptions about Tibet as a land whose colorful history and civilization was most impacted by Buddhism shortly after the seventh century were shaken again. My attention was drawn to periods long before the Buddhist presence revealed through forgotten lands, writings, and ritual customs that point to a Tibetan civilization far more ancient, complex, and historically important on a global scale than I could have imagined. Presenting such complexity does come with a price because Bellezza's integrative, ambitious approach has its complications. Yet his unwillingness to restrict himself to the strictures and disciplinary boundaries of academia order to find answers on the ground, and to assert challenging connections may reveal some treasures of the past. From the very beginning in The Dawn of Tibet, Bellezza is particularly interested in the civilization known to Tibetan tradition as Zhang Zhung, which was based in western Tibet, also known as Upper Tibet. However, his search and discoveries go further back to a time that pre-dates and yet, impacts this mysterious civilization. This synthesis in ten chapters of his previous studies also provides a progression of his theories and an increasingly systematic documentation of findings following and surpassing other archaeologists and anthropologists before him. It also highlights the impact of Western and Chinese scholars and expeditions. The book begins with a brief synopsis of his personal history of exploration in Tibet and his documentation of around 700 sites. His documentation of monuments, rock art, and ruins are linked with old literary tales and contemporary ritual customs that form the basis for the history and culture of pre-Zhang Zhung and the Zhang Zhung civilization.
2007
Recent archaeological discoveries and scientific research especially focussed on western Tibet and the western Himalayas have resulted in a remarkable redefinition of the historical and cultural processes of the entire Indo-Tibetan civilisation. The present volume reflects these sometimes startling new insights for the first time, covering the wide time range from the Zhang zhung period up to the 20th century, spanning secular, religious and economic history, as well as art and archaeology.
Review of Socio-Political Development in Tibet (600-1950)
thlib.org
he political history of Tibet manifests the shifting basis of power and influence. For the earlier rulers, force or strength might have been the critical determinant of political domination. However, Tibetan society underwent revolutionary change with the introduction of Buddhism which gradually permeated every aspect of life. It provided conducive condition for the emergence of unique religio-political system which came to be known as Choe-si-nyiden form of government. This paper attempts to trace the socio-political developments of Tibet in course of centuries and then deals with structure of government under Choe-sinyiden form of government. The paper concludes with highlight of factors which could have evolved the ancient nation into a modern nation state. (I) Much before the Choe-si-nyiden form of government, Tibet had been governed by the monarchy system with unbroken line of forty two kings ruling over the ancient land of Tibet upto the ninth century 1. The recorded history of Tibet starts from the seventh century when Tibet emerged as a formidable military power in Central Asia under the thirty-third king, Song-Tsen-Gampo. Altholl9h the Tibetan kings represented the embodiment of power in its most primitive formforce, and although force was indeed the practical basis of their rule, it seems they could not do so on a long term basis without some justification to make use of force legitimate. So the earlier rulers claimed to be divine descendants and the possession of magical power. The first king, Gnya-khri-tsen-po, believed to have descent from the "country of Gods" above the sky to rule the six tribes of Tibet, he and six of his successors were beleived to have "returned to the sky when they died by means of a sky-cord". Similarly, when Tho-Thori Gnyan Tsan mysteriously received the first Buddhist text, it was believed to have "descended from the sky". These myths provided extra human sanction to legitimize their 2 rule. Song-Tsen-Gampo and successive kings fiercely competed with other nations for domination of Central Asia and laid the foundation of Tibetan Empire in Central Asia 3 • At the sametime Song-Tsen Gampo played pioneering role in establishing Buddhism in Tibet. The written script in Tibetan language was invented during his time to translate the Buddhist sacred books. He introduced legal code for the nation based on the teachings of Buddha. This period is
Selected Articles on Tibetan Religion, 11th-13th c
Contributions on the development of Buddhist and Bon scholasticism, the Shangs-pa bka'-brgyud tradition, Rdzogs-chen and tantra, and two of the great figures in Tibeto-Mongol religious relations: Karma Pakshi and Chos-rgyal 'Phags-pa.
Selected Articles on Tibetan Religion, 18th - 19th c.
Contributions on the Seventh Dalai Lama, the oracles and protectors of the Tibetan State, the Tibetan discovery of world geography, disputes on gter-ma (rediscovered spiritual treasures), trulkuship, the Amdo region, and longevity rituals.