Kham Region, Eastern Tibet
20th century
Kham Region, Eastern Tibet
20th century
A vehicle for the preservation and transmission of knowledge. The Buddha’s teachings were originally passed down through oral transmission and storytelling, and stories of the Buddha’s past lives are considered an important source of inspiration and guidance.
The continuous cycle of life, death, and rebirth known as samsara. Buddhists believe that it is possible to exit this cycle if one achieves a state of awakening or nirvana by following a prescribed path.
The functioning of cause and effect across time. Buddhists believe that everything we experience is the result of past actions, and everything we initiate has future consequences. Karma encourages actions to bring about positive outcomes and a better future.
An awakened being who understands the true nature of reality and is free from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. While there are many buddhas, Siddhartha Gautama is the historical Buddha, whose teachings became the foundation of Buddhism.
Today, Tibetans primarily inhabit the Tibetan Plateau, situated between the Himalayan mountain range and the Indian subcontinent to the west, Chinese cultural regions to the east, and Mongolian cultural regions to the northeast. During the 7th to 9th century, Tibetan rulers expanded their empire across Central Asia, and established Buddhism as the state religion.
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