BEGINNER’S MIND

BUDDHISM BY THE NUMBERS

WITH SO MANY lineages, practices, and unique terms, the world of Tibetan Buddhism can be confusing. Here is a short primer on the four main schools and some of their key practices.

Gelugpa: Established in the fifteenth century, the Gelugpas are the newest and largest school. The Dalai Lama is always a Gelugpa (although not technically its head). Key practices include the Madhyamika (Middle Way) logics and the Lam Rim (Stages of the Path) system.

Nyingma: The Nyingmas (Ancient Ones) are the original Buddhists of Tibet. Their founder was the legendary Vajrayana master Padmasambhava, who is said to have first