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Buddhism in Ladakh
Buddhism in Ladakh
Mostly people in Ladakh are the followers of Buddhism and Ladakh has been deeply
influenced by Tibetan Buddhism, In the forms of Mahayana and Vajrayana of Buddhism,
Buddha is worshipped here as a deity who attained Nirvana (freedom from the
cycle of birth and death). Buddha is also worshipped in the Gompas in Ladakh.
His Holiness Dalai Lama, the spiritual and political leader of Tibetan Buddhist
community is believed to be the Living Buddha by his followers and devotees.
Due his resistance to the Chinese occupation Tibet, the Dalai Lama became an
icon of political as well as spiritual leadership for the Tibetans. The Dalai
Lama left Tibet and came to India in March, 1959. Ever since, he has led an
international campaign against the Chinese occupation of Tibet. Along with preaching
Buddhist philosophy and participating in spiritual and ethical discussions,
he approached United Nations and urged the world leaders to help him in attaining
independence for Tibet. However, in 1988, he made a major compromise in the
form of 'Strasbourg Proposal', where he agreed upon genuine autonomy for Tibet,
if not independence. Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for
his patient peaceful struggle for Tibet. You can find common Buddhist terms
everywhere in Ladakh. Some common terms of Buddhism are :
Gompas The spiritual community where monks or nuns live and practice their religion is called Gompa. For the local community Gompas or monasteries also play role as educational institutions. Ladakhi Gompas are more than just monasteries and many have museums where tourists can view collections of Buddhist art. Every Gompain Ladakh has its annual festival where one enjoy dances and religious ceremonies. Chortens and Stupas The dome shaped structures built over a square base in memory of a Buddhist monk or religious teacher are called as Chortens and Stupas. Thangka Rich in symbolism and Buddhist imagery, the Buddhist religious paintings that depict episodes from the life of Buddha or various Boddhisatvas are called as Thangkas. Mandala A Mandala is a symbolic representation of the Universe according to Buddhist iconography. A colorful design made from sand on the floor of a monastery or painted on a wall or screen, a mandala is believed to have mystical powers that aid in meditation concentration and prayer. |
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