by Jim Osborn

Created on: May 19, 2010

Buddhism is among the most prevalent and widespread religions practiced in the world with its origins dating back to ancient India. It is widely practiced in China, Tibet, India, and many other nations across the globe. Unlike many religions, the modern premise of Buddhism centers around spiritual “enlightenment” which is when a Buddhist discovers the truth about life through meditation and clearing of the mind, also known as emptiness.

At the core of the ancient Buddhist cultural beliefs and folklore was the worship and reliance upon supernatural beings they called (Lha) or gods and (Dre) demons. The (Lha) were seen as “deities” of the world who were protectors of religion and the (Dre) as tempters who distract humans from their spiritual life and attempted to make the negative seem positive. Deities varied and are innumerable throughout the different diverse cultures and sometimes took on different names and purposes.

Modern Tibetan religious practices and rituals still venerate and include the observance of deity worship and preserving the cultural history of earlier practices dating back to the 8th century when King Trisong Detsen (755-797) officially declared Buddhism as the official religion of Tibet.

It was common to associate gods and demons with geographic locations such as lakes and mountains which interestingly has garnered comparisons in some ways to “Native American” beliefs in gods of the sky and earth, Ect.

“Sham-Po” was the premier mountain god in Tibet who was seen as a benefactor of mankind and provider of fertile lands and a pure supply of water derived from the snowy mountain-tops.

Lake Namco (heavenly lake) in China is the highest and biggest salt water lake in the world and is thought of as one of the holiest places on earth by the Tibetans, and ritual visitors pay tribute to “Lu” king of the water deities by offering expensive herbs and sacrificial items which they toss in the water. There are also two antique pillars standing thirty-meters high and eight meters apart next to the lake that are called “The Gate Gods.”

In modern day Tibet the culture is still shaped and largely influenced by their history and belief in gods and demons. Daily worship and practices in Tibet revolve around rituals and meditation. Many forms of modern Buddhism rely upon understanding one’s self and less on the primeval worship of deities.

The significance of early Buddhist beliefs in deities form Tibet’s foundation of understanding of the world and structure the convictions to which they adhere without waver or question. Very few present day countries and populations are as stead-fast and devoted to their way of life and faith as the Tibetans.

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