Tibet

Tibetan Buddhist monks from the Drepung Gomang Monastery demonstrate the chanting of Chöd and the chanting of Nyurzema in Indiana.

Duration : 0:1:3

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A Brief history of Tibetan Buddhism explaining the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Nyingma, Kadampa Sakya, Kagyu, and Gelug Schools. A well rounded Dharma lecture on how Buddhism influenced Tibet.

Duration : 0:9:11

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Technorati Tags: Buddhadharma, Buddhism, Dharma, Gelug, History, Kagyu, Nyingma, Rinpoche, Sakya, tibetan, Tulku, Ven, Yeshi

This is my first time at a temple, and I have no clue on what to wear. Do I wear a suit? Normal clothes?

Normal, plain clothes are no problem. The only thing you should think of is not having to "revealing" clothes, so better avoid bare legs and bare shoulders (short sleeves are ok) – especially if you’re going for a teaching, meeting a lama or attending a ritual. If it is a festive celebration of course you can choose more festive clothes, but I wouldn’t say you have to if you don’t want.

In the West (and in India) you usually take off your shoes when you enter the temple (and leave them outside), whereas they usually keep their shoes on in Tibet. I noticed this is changing also in Tibet, however, maybe because of influences from China or the exile Tibetans in India, so if you’re going to Tibet yourself, just check how the others are doing with their shoes and then do the same. Take off your hat also.

Other tips, if you want to make an extra effort, might be (but don’t be too afraid if you forget the details, your intentions are far more important!):
* stand up if the lama or teacher enters, keep standing until he (or she) is sitting. If you want to blend in, you stand bowing slightly forward, keeping your eyes lower than the lamas, and hold the hands palms facing each other in front of your chest.
* don’t stretch your legs and show the soles of your feet towards the altar, lama or buddha pictures
* don’t step over other people, sacred texts or other sacred things
* don’t put texts or other sacred objects on the floor or on the sitting cushions

* if you’re a buddhist or at least don’t feel uncomfortable with it (you don’t have to be a buddhist to do it!), you can make three prostrations in front of the altar at entering the shrine room. If you go for a teaching you similarly make three prostrations to the teacher after he/she has taken his/her seat at the beginning. Again, only if you feel comfortable with it.

Read more here: http://www.drogmi.org/resources/shrineroom_etiquette.html

Edit:
Of course kaileym below is right that there is no "ban" on bare legs or shoulders. This (everything in my answer above!) is advice, not rules. If you want to be careful to show respect you can think about following it, but surely no one would throw you out if you don’t. And by the way, the respect you show is part of your own mind training more than for the sake of others in the temple. By showing respect for the buddhas, the buddhist texts, the lamas, and so on, you ultimately train yourself in seeing them as an important part of your life, not just as any book, picture or person. In other words, it is part of your practice in the refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. On the other hand, by showing the respect you also inspire and help others in their practice of showing (and feeling) respect, so you also help them in their practice in the refuge!

Sanskrit: “Om Mani Padma Hum” (mantra of Avalokiteshvara)

Tibetan: “Om Mani Peme Hung” (mantra of Chenrezig)

http://www.nj.org/tv/buddhism.html

Tibetan Buddhist chanting, Venerable Drupon Thinley Ningpo Rinpoche (Rin – Po Che) chants “Om Mani Padme Hum.”

The Meaning of the Mantra in Tibetan Buddhism
http://www.dharma-haven.org/tibetan/meaning-of-om-mani-padme-hung.htm

Duration : 0:0:48

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Technorati Tags: Buddha, buddhist, Chanting, chillout108, Hum, Mani, music, Om, Padme, Tibet, tibetan, world

I am attending a Sakya Tibetan Buddhist temple tonight… I understand what I’m supposed to wear, but I was wondering am I allowed to wear makeup? Thanks.

Yes of course you are allowed to wear make-up. You are a lay follower, not a nun. However its probably best to keep it subtle and not to wear too much!