Religion of Tibet

Religion here has a strong Tibetan cultural flavor, while keeping the original basic doctrines of Buddhism.

Tibetan Buddhism has a great influence in the daily life of the Tibetan people. There were many different schools of the Tibetan Buddhism in history.

From Lhasa, the capital of Tibet Autonomous Region, to the pastoral villages spread throughout the grasslands, there are many temples with golden roofs shinning under the sun.

Another important symbol of Tibetan Buddhism are the pilgrims who prostrate themselves every nine steps on their way from their hometowns to the holy city of Lhasa. Pilgrims can also be seen throughout Tibet visiting religious sites to erase their sins and accumulate virtue.

The monasteries are also the places where monks study Buddhism and where religion, art and customs have coalesced into one whole in Tibet.

For example, in the first month of 1409 according to Tibetan calendar, Zongkapa initiated the Grand Summons Ceremony in Lhasa's Jokhang Monastery. The ceremony remains in practice even today. This effort was closely followed by the construction of the famous Gandain Monastery and the founding of the Gelug Sect which was famous for its strict adherence to commandments.

The Tibetan language meaning of Gelug is "commandments''. Zongkapa and his followers wore yellow hats, and thus the Gelug Sect is also known as the Yellow Sect. Since its founding, the Yellow Sect has built the Zhaibung, Sera, Tashilhungpo, Tar and Labrang monasteries, which join the Gandain Monastery as the six major monasteries of the Gelug Sect. The Yellow Sect is also known for formation of the two largest Living Buddha reincarnation systems - the Dalai and Bainqen systems.