Tibetan Buddhism in Latin America

Introduction

The term “Tibetan Buddhism” refers to the form of Buddhism that emerged in Tibet and in neighboring regions posterior to the establishment of the South and Southeast Asian Theravada tradition and the East-Asian Mahayana. Its early development falls in the so-called “first dissemination” period (seventh to ninth centuries) in which the Buddhist school Nyingmapa evolved. During the “second dissemination” period (from the eleventh century onward), the lineages Sakyapa, Kagyupa, and Gelugpa were founded. The actual heterogeneity of Tibetan Buddhism exceeds this fourfold subdivision. Besides further internal ramifications, for example, within the Kagyupa-school, and the “nonsectarian” Rimed movement founded in the nineteenth century as a universalistic Buddhist path, there are lamas whose religious repertoire reflects their former spiritual training across clearly defined school boundaries. Furthermore, due to the forced globalization of Tibetan Buddhism resulting from the...