Taiwan Today

Buddhism has long been a major part of religious life on the island. Now, the religion's Tibetan incarnation is drawing adherents through the teachings of Tibetan masters and those they have inspired.

Never before in the recent history of Taiwan has the island's culture been so avidly taken by an outside culture. Walking down the streets of Taipei, one is now likely to run into maroon-robed Tibetan monks, many of whom have set up Buddhist centers in this predominantly Han Chinese city. Buddhism has been part of Chinese civilization at least since the sixth century, and arrived in Taiwan in the late 16th century with immigrants from the Chinese mainland, but Tibetan Buddhism has lately been giving a new dynamism to an old faith for Buddhists in Taiwan.

What is it then about Tibetan Buddhism that has sparked a rekindling of faith among Taiwanese? "After practicing Chinese Buddhism for nearly 20 years, Taiwanese followers are now asking for more," says Daojung, a Buddhist nun, who first came into contact with Tibetan Buddhism in the US. "They're looking for some concrete answers in terms of practice," she said.

Tibetan Buddhism has two notable attributes that distinguish it from the Buddhism traditionally practiced in Taiwan. For one, it is relatively new, and therefore offers a path that diverges from the well-established institutions that have laid down roots in Taiwan. Secondly, Tibetan Buddhism places much greater stress on actual methodical practice as a means to reach enlightenment. For Taiwanese followers then, it offers an almost therapeutic simplicity, helping them lead a mentally healthier life, mainly through meditation, sometimes at getaway retreats. Such methods are different from the academic study of Buddhist sacred texts, known as sutras, a practice highly emphasized in Chinese Buddhism.

The Arrival of the Dalai Lama

While many Taiwanese had followed Tibetan Buddhism in Taiwan in the past, this religious interest is gathering pace- -a phenomenon that many observers credit partly to the two highly successful visits to Taiwan since 1997 of the Dalai Lama, Tibetan Buddhism's spiritual leader.

Reviled by Beijing, he received a hero's welcome in Taiwan--unparalleled by any foreign visitor in recent memory. On his first trip, in March 1997, the Dalai Lama established the Tibetan Religious Foundation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. (The Dalai Lama paid another visit in 2001, and drew an audience of more than 20,000 during two days of religious festivities.)

The Taipei City Government estimates that there are now over 100 Tibetan Buddhist centers in Taipei alone. And the number of Taiwanese currently studying or practicing Tibetan Buddhism is estimated at a quarter million, and the number is growing by the day. "Tibetan Buddhism is no longer considered as something odd," says Cheng Chen-huang, Mandarin translator of Sogyal Rinpoche's the Tibetan Book of Living and Dying , widely regarded as a modern classic. (The Chinese translation of the book has sold more than a quarter-million copies in Taiwan.)

And for the Tibetan monks, prosperous Taiwanese followers have provided them with generous financial support. Ironically, as a result, the faith, which had suffered so much under hard-line rulers in China, has found a spectacular following among the Taiwanese.

The Latest Turn of the Wheel

One of the most commonly encountered questions when discussing Tibetan Buddhism is: How is it different from other forms of Buddhism? Tibetan Buddhism, widely considered as Buddhism's most recent innovation, is less philosophical and far more practical than other forms of Buddhism. Tantra refers to certain writings that are concerned not just with philosophical niceties, but also with the basic how-tos of enlightenment. And not just enlightenment after several rebirths, but enlightenment here and now.

In order to reach a state of enlightenment, or nirvana, dramatic methods are needed, ones which to the uninitiated may seem bizarre as they involve the use of various sacred texts and ritual objects, including mandalas, mantras, and mudras. Mandalas are paintings or other representations of higher awareness, usually in the form of a circular pattern of images, which may provide the focus of one-pointed meditation. Mantras are words or phrases that serve the same purpose, such as the famous "Om mani padme hum." Mudras are hand positions that symbolize certain qualities of enlightenment. These sacred texts, images, and rites, as well as the rich mythology that surrounds them, give color to the Tibetan belief system and furnish some of its most easily recognizable images.

Tibetan Buddhism can indeed be an effective mode of reaching enlightenment, practitioners believe. They often point to the example of Milarepa, the great 11th-century Tibetan saint who gained enlightenment after years of intense meditation in a cave, establishing the precedent for the attainment of nirvana within a single lifetime.

Robert Thurman, flamboyant professor of Tibetan religion at Columbia University, uses another example to illustrate the uniqueness of Tibetan Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhism, he says, is like getting on the Airbus to enlightenment. "If you want to go to New York from Taipei, one option is that you can first swim to Mexico, then walk up to America, and then slowly to New York, which could take you a couple of months," he says. "Or, you could take the China Airlines flight to New York from Taipei."

Tibetan Buddhism and Its Origins

Tibet's first encounter with Buddhism occurred in the eighth century AD, when an Indian Tantric master, Guru Rinpoche, or Padmasambhava, traveled from India to defeat the demons of Tibet. Legend has it that the demons submitted, but they remained forever a part of Tibetan Buddhism--as its protectors. During the ninth and tenth centuries, Tibet went through a "Dark Age," during which Buddhism declined. But, in the 11th century, it returned with greater potency.

In 1578, the Mongol overlords named the head of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism the Dalai Lama, meaning "guru as great as the ocean." The title was made retroactive to two earlier heads of the school, and by the time of the fifth Dalai Lama, all of Tibet was brought under central political and religious control, with the Dalai Lama as the supreme leader. The current Dalai Lama, however, lives in exile in India and tries to spread the faith outside of Tibet, where the religion operates under tight restrictions of the Beijing authorities.

Buddhist Centers

To see how deeply Tibetan Buddhism has taken root in Taiwan, I went to a Sunday gathering of Sidhhartha's Intent International, a Buddhist group directed by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. (Rinpoche, a well-known filmmaker, is recognized as an incarnation of the Great Dzongsar Khyentse Wangpo Rinpoche, who is respected as one of the most influential Tibetan masters of the 20th century.) The meeting was held in Hsintien, on the outskirts of Taipei, in a Japanese-style house, which was not surprising given the founder's proclivity for Japanese aesthetics, including haiku poems. The rooms were decorated with Tibetan thangkas, or Tibetan scroll paintings, and statues, with floors covered by neatly fitted tatami mats. Seated on the floor, I saw students from all walks of life participating in meditation seminars.

The experience seemed to provide the devotees with a welcome change of pace from city life in Taipei, especially for the young, for it offered another option to spend time on the weekend. "It is much better than singing karaoke or dancing in the pubs," says one follower. "You get tired of that after a while, but not with this practice, which you can use for a lifetime."

At these Buddhist centers, students can get together and listen to Tibetan teachers from India, Nepal, and even some from Tibet, who guide them through their practice. Interestingly, women clearly outnumbered men. "Women are more emotionally sensitive; they need religion more than men do," remarks Cheng, the translator who is also the spiritual director of the Torch of Wisdom, a Buddhist group in Taipei. He also added that the compassionate nature and humble manner of Tibetan teachers are what generally attract the local practitioners.

Jeffrey Hopkins, a professor of Tibetan Buddhism at the University of Virginia, says that Tibetan Buddhism has a tremendous history of analyzing the conflict between appearance and reality: the conflict between how things appear and how things are. "It also has a therapeutic power of penetrating or undoing that false appearance and ceasing to believe in it," says Hopkins, who's How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life , coauthored with the Dalai Lama, has been translated into Mandarin and has recently hit local bookshops. According to Hopkins, the number of serious students is increasing, though they have difficult struggles to overcome.

One of those obstacles is language, for the nuances and subtleties of instructions are sometimes lost in translation. Although more Taiwanese are taking up the Tibetan language, interpreters well versed in both Tibetan and Mandarin are still few and far between as the burst of the followers has outgrown the supply of proficient translators. Many teachers, therefore, resort to translation, first from Tibetan to English and then to Mandarin, and sometimes even a step further into the Taiwanese dialect (especially in southern Taiwan). However, the increasing publication of Tibetan Buddhist literature in Mandarin translation is helping Taiwanese students access the writings of the early Tibetan visionaries in their own language.

This display of Tibetan Buddhas was set up at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall plaza during the annual lantern festival. Signs of Tibetan Buddhism are now a common sight in Taiwan.
 

Spiritual Materialism?

These difficulties in passing on the spiritual doctrine have led some people to become attracted to the more easily comprehensible aspects of the faith, resulting in a number of believers who look only for practical benefits from Tibetan Buddhism. Some Taiwanese, for example, take refuge in the graces of Mahakala, a Tibetan protection deity, or turn to the Zambala, the Buddha of wealth, and the medicine Buddha to help solve their worldly problems. Some also turn to Tibetan teachers for divinations and fortunetelling to solve questions ranging from marital affairs to real-estate investments.

The Taiwanese are not alone in their reliance on the supernatural for both premonition and protection. Tibetans too seek spiritual solutions to the mundane matters of daily life. Indeed, many seek instant gratification in Tibetan religion, which they regard as more powerful and effective than the Chinese equivalent. Such curiosities sometimes lead to major gaffes, such as one during the Dalai Lama's trip to Taipei in April 2001, when a Taiwanese television journalist asked him to display his supernatural powers, sending the Tibetan leader gushing in his trademark laughter.

Kao Tien-an, a student of Tibetan Buddhism for more than two decades, points out that the Han Chinese are a very practical people, even when dealing with God. "They usually say, you scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours," says Kao, who now teaches English literature at National Taiwan University.

Caveat: The Right Motivation

Beware, experts say because careless practice of Tibetan Buddhism without the right motivation may be dangerous. While Tibetan Buddhism's ritualized magic can be attractive, followers should keep a good balance between the actual practice and believing in the various rituals. Motivation is of utmost importance. "If one practices or uses mantras to get rich, get powerful, or overcome somebody else, the motivation is not sound. If one persisted in doing such things, it could be harmful," says Jeffrey Hopkins, illuminating one of the many traps on the road to enlightenment. But the good news is that many students do, at least, seem to have begun their journey to enlightenment.

Copyright (c) 2003 by Tsering Namgyal.