Ghosts in Tibetan culture
Encyclopedia
There is widespread belief in ghosts in Tibetan culture. Ghosts are explicitly recognized in the Tibetan Buddhist religion as they were in Indian Buddhism
, occupying a distinct but overlapping world to the human one, and feature in many traditional legends.
When a human dies, after a period of uncertainty they may enter the ghost world.
A hungry ghost
(Tibetan: yidag, yi-dvags; Sanskrit: preta, प्रेत) has a tiny throat and huge stomach, and so can never be satisfied.
Ghosts may be killed with a ritual dagger or caught in a spirit trap and burnt, thus releasing them to be reborn.
Ghosts may also be exorcised, and an annual festival is held throughout Tibet for this purpose.
Some say that Dorje Shugden
, the ghost of a powerful 17th-century monk, is a deity, but the Dalai Lama
asserts that he is an evil spirit, which has caused a split in the Tibetan exile community.
state, from which they may be reborn in this world in a human or animal body, in the ghost world in a ghost body, in one of the paradise realms or in one of the hells. But eventually, the person will die in this after-death world and be reborn as a human or other creature unless they achieve Nirvana
, where they are beyond all states of embodiment.
Hungry ghosts have their own realm depicted on the Bhavacakra
and are represented as teardrop or paisley-shaped with bloated stomachs and necks too thin to pass food, so that attempting to eat is also incredibly painful. Some are described as having "mouths the size of a needle's eye and a stomach the size of a mountain". This is a metaphor for people futilely attempting to fulfill their illusory physical desires.
Sometime individuals have a predominance of hungry ghost in their makeup. They can never get enough, and are always hungry for more.
The Tibetan word for the emotional state of the hungry ghost, ser na, literally means "yellow nosed", and could be said to mean "meanness" or "lack of generosity". The person in this state is constantly seeking to consume and to enrich themselves, but can never be satisfied.
A tulpa
is a type of ghost or being that is created through mental effort, purely from the thoughts of its creator. A very skilled Buddhist practitioner or sorcerer may have this ability, and in some cases a Tulpa may be created from the collective thoughts of the villagers. Such a ghost is not self-aware at first, but may gradually acquire awareness and go on to become a normal human being.
: ཕུར་བ, Sanskrit: kīla) is a ritual dagger used by a tantric
practitioner to release an evil spirit from its suffering and guide it to a better rebirth. Such a spirit (ghost) is a being which lingers in confusion between different realms. By plunging the dagger into it, it is thrown out of its confusion and gets the chance to be reborn, probably as a lower kind than human.
A spirit trap may also be hung in a tree.
The series of interlocking threads is thought to ensnare the spirit, and is burnt when the job is done.
, with its focus on driving out the ghosts and misfortunes of the past year and starting the new year in a peaceful and auspicious way.
The temples and monasteries throughout Tibet hold grand ghost dance ceremonies, with the largest at Potala Palace
in Lhasa
.
Families clean their houses on this day, decorate the rooms and eat a special noodle porridge.
In the evening, the people carry torches, calling out the words of exorcism.
Dorje Shugden
is the ghost of a powerful 17th-century monk who was murdered in his palace in Tibet. His adherents consider that he is a deity. However, in the late 1970s the Dalai Lama
reconsidered his faith in Dorje Shugden, and decided that the wrathful spirit was working against him, hampering his goal of seeking autonomy for Tibet with minimal interference from Beijing. This has caused a split
between Tibetan exiles, with often bitter arguments between those who follow the Dalai Lama and those who continue to revere Dorje Shugden.
The Western Shugden Society
is one of these organizations.
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, occupying a distinct but overlapping world to the human one, and feature in many traditional legends.
When a human dies, after a period of uncertainty they may enter the ghost world.
A hungry ghost
Hungry ghost
Hungry ghost is a Western translation of Chinese , a concept in Chinese Buddhism and Chinese traditional religion representing beings who are driven by intense emotional needs in an animalistic way....
(Tibetan: yidag, yi-dvags; Sanskrit: preta, प्रेत) has a tiny throat and huge stomach, and so can never be satisfied.
Ghosts may be killed with a ritual dagger or caught in a spirit trap and burnt, thus releasing them to be reborn.
Ghosts may also be exorcised, and an annual festival is held throughout Tibet for this purpose.
Some say that Dorje Shugden
Dorje Shugden
Dorje Shugden , "Vajra Possessing Strength", or Dolgyal Shugden , "Shugden, King of Dhol" is a deity in Tibetan Buddhism, especially its Gelug school, who is regarded as a Dharma Protector or "guardian angel." The practice of Dharma Protectors is central to most religious Tibetans and...
, the ghost of a powerful 17th-century monk, is a deity, but the Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
asserts that he is an evil spirit, which has caused a split in the Tibetan exile community.
Nature of ghosts
Tibetan Buddhists believe that when a person dies, they enter the intermediate BardoBardo
The Tibetan word Bardo means literally "intermediate state" - also translated as "transitional state" or "in-between state" or "liminal state". In Sanskrit the concept has the name antarabhāva...
state, from which they may be reborn in this world in a human or animal body, in the ghost world in a ghost body, in one of the paradise realms or in one of the hells. But eventually, the person will die in this after-death world and be reborn as a human or other creature unless they achieve Nirvana
Nirvana
Nirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...
, where they are beyond all states of embodiment.
Hungry ghosts have their own realm depicted on the Bhavacakra
Bhavacakra
The bhavacakra is a symbolic representation of samsara found on the outside walls of Tibetan Buddhist temples and monasteries in the Indo-Tibet region...
and are represented as teardrop or paisley-shaped with bloated stomachs and necks too thin to pass food, so that attempting to eat is also incredibly painful. Some are described as having "mouths the size of a needle's eye and a stomach the size of a mountain". This is a metaphor for people futilely attempting to fulfill their illusory physical desires.
Sometime individuals have a predominance of hungry ghost in their makeup. They can never get enough, and are always hungry for more.
The Tibetan word for the emotional state of the hungry ghost, ser na, literally means "yellow nosed", and could be said to mean "meanness" or "lack of generosity". The person in this state is constantly seeking to consume and to enrich themselves, but can never be satisfied.
A tulpa
Tulpa
Tulpa is an upaya concept in Tibetan Buddhism and Bon, discipline and teaching tool. The term was first rendered into English as 'Thoughtform' by Evans-Wentz :...
is a type of ghost or being that is created through mental effort, purely from the thoughts of its creator. A very skilled Buddhist practitioner or sorcerer may have this ability, and in some cases a Tulpa may be created from the collective thoughts of the villagers. Such a ghost is not self-aware at first, but may gradually acquire awareness and go on to become a normal human being.
Phurba
The phurba (TibetanClassical Tibetan
Classical Tibetan refers to the language of any text written in Tibetan after the Old Tibetan period and before the modern period, but in particular refers to the language of early canonical texts translated from other languages, especially Sanskrit...
: ཕུར་བ, Sanskrit: kīla) is a ritual dagger used by a tantric
Vajrayana
Vajrayāna Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and the Diamond Vehicle...
practitioner to release an evil spirit from its suffering and guide it to a better rebirth. Such a spirit (ghost) is a being which lingers in confusion between different realms. By plunging the dagger into it, it is thrown out of its confusion and gets the chance to be reborn, probably as a lower kind than human.
Spirit traps
Families often mount ghost-traps on the roofs of their houses, spindle-like contraptions wound with colored yarns.A spirit trap may also be hung in a tree.
The series of interlocking threads is thought to ensnare the spirit, and is burnt when the job is done.
Exorcising-Ghost day
The Tibetan Ghost Exorcism Festival ("Guoduojie") is held on 29 December each year in the Tibetan CalendarTibetan calendar
The Tibetan calendar is a lunisolar calendar, that is, the Tibetan year is composed of either 12 or 13 lunar months, each beginning and ending with a new moon. A thirteenth month is added every two or three years, so that an average Tibetan year is equal to the solar year.The Tibetan New Year...
, with its focus on driving out the ghosts and misfortunes of the past year and starting the new year in a peaceful and auspicious way.
The temples and monasteries throughout Tibet hold grand ghost dance ceremonies, with the largest at Potala Palace
Potala Palace
The Potala Palace is located in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. It was named after Mount Potala, the abode of Chenresig or Avalokitesvara...
in Lhasa
Lhasa
Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of , Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world...
.
Families clean their houses on this day, decorate the rooms and eat a special noodle porridge.
In the evening, the people carry torches, calling out the words of exorcism.
A folk tale
A story tells of a man who met a ghost while out walking. The ghost started walking with him, which made him very frightened, although he hid his fear and pretended that he too was a ghost. They came to a town. The ghost left the man resting, entered the town and stole the soul of the king's son, tying it up in a yak hair sack. Returning to the man, the ghost left the sack in his care for a while. The man took the sack into the town, where the king was in great alarm because his son was dying. The man promised to revive the boy, conducting rituals and at the same time releasing the boy's soul from the bag. When the boy revived, the king gave the man half of all his property as reward.Dorje Shugden
Dorje Shugden
Dorje Shugden
Dorje Shugden , "Vajra Possessing Strength", or Dolgyal Shugden , "Shugden, King of Dhol" is a deity in Tibetan Buddhism, especially its Gelug school, who is regarded as a Dharma Protector or "guardian angel." The practice of Dharma Protectors is central to most religious Tibetans and...
is the ghost of a powerful 17th-century monk who was murdered in his palace in Tibet. His adherents consider that he is a deity. However, in the late 1970s the Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
reconsidered his faith in Dorje Shugden, and decided that the wrathful spirit was working against him, hampering his goal of seeking autonomy for Tibet with minimal interference from Beijing. This has caused a split
Dorje Shugden controversy
A controversy arose in the late 1970s when the Fourteenth Dalai Lama started to speak out against the propitiation of Dorje Shugden, which has intensified since 1996 when he issued an "explicit ban", suppressing the practice within the Tibetan exile community....
between Tibetan exiles, with often bitter arguments between those who follow the Dalai Lama and those who continue to revere Dorje Shugden.
The Western Shugden Society
Western Shugden Society
The Western Shugden Society is a campaigning group established in 2008 to protest against the 14th Dalai Lama's ban of the practice of Dorje Shugden within the Tibetan exile community....
is one of these organizations.