Buddhism

If someone shows interest in Buddhism, immediately the question appears: "What is Buddhism?" This is not so easy to answer even for experienced Buddhists. The main reason for this is the fact that "real" knowledge in Buddhism comes from practical experience. This means to study buddhist texts, to meditate and to accept a teacher.

With approximately 500 million disciples around the world, Buddhism is the fourth biggest religion on earth and origins in North India, where the historical Buddha lived 2500 years ago. He was not worshipped as a god but as a human being who fulfilled his highest potential.

The Buddha, formerly known as Siddharta Gautama, was a son of a king. He left his fathers palace and his family as a young man, to search for the ultimate truth and the final relief from all suffering. Six years he wandered as a beggar-monk through the ganga valley, listened to famous teachers, and practised their rigid systems and methods. After all, this was not satisfying for him and so he followed his own path.

In his 35th year, he reached complete enlightenment (bodhi) in a place which today is called Bodhgaya. The following time until his death at the age of 80 years he taught and supported his disciples in many ways.

After the death of the Buddha, his teachings were interpreted in many ways. They spread around all Asia and became part of the culture of many different countries, for example Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, China and Japan. Caused by these circumstances many different schools and traditions developed, despite the fact that they all share the same essence.

In the eighth century Buddhism was widely distributed by the great tantric master Padmasambhava. Tibetan Buddhism is divided in four schools and lineages: The Nyingma-, Kagyü-, Sakya- and Gelug- School.

The Nyingma Tradition, which Chamtrul Rinpoche belongs to, is the oldest  of the four schools and roots directly in the teachings of Padmasambhava.