Expert: Bodhicitta - 7/10/2008

Question
Here are a few questions which I would really like to know the answer to:

1. Who are the Tibetan buddhist gods? Names? What do the respresent? What do thet take form in and were is each one?

2. Can tibetan buddhist gods change things in peoples lives and interfear with the happening of the world like the god in christianity, judaism and islam?

3. did the gods become gods or have they been around since the beginning of exitstance?

Thanks,
Elliott

Answer
Hi Elliott (again :-) )

Good to hear from you. You should introduce yourself. Where are you
what do you get upto? Always interesting to know who I am chatting
with if your become a regular!

<<
1. Who are the Tibetan buddhist gods? Names? What do the respresent? What do thet take form in and were is each one?
>>
I think your over focusing on Tibet if you don't mind me saying. Buddhism originated in India and then moved into Tibet. So anything
you might ask about Tibetan Buddhism you could ask about Indian Buddhism, Nepalese Buddhism, Chinese Buddhism and Japanese Buddhism.
The Mahayana schools mainly in North Asia.

Tibetan Buddhism (or Buddhism) has a vast array of dieties which represent aspects of enlightenment. If you see photographs of statues
or pictorial representatives they often appear as strange god like figures in heaven, or as very fierce figures with many heads. These figures are called "Yidams". They are aspects of enlightenment.
Each aspect of enlightenment is a specific response to some aspect
of human personality, positive or negative it might represent love, compassion, hate. According to Tibetan Buddhism it is possible to
practice using these forms to become enlightened ourselves very
quickly. Choosing the right form to practice is important and a
Lama or teacher would help with this.

You might ask are they Gods? Well they do not exist in the confused
world but are alive and are enlightened. They are in Tibetan Buddhism
thought to be gods but enlightened gods. All very complex and subtle
stuff. They are also aspect of our own enlightened minds. They
exist both inside us and outside as something external. They are
beyond words, concepts, ordinary thought, they are empty! But they
could be experienced! So that covers Yidams. They are Yeshe (enlightened)....You asked about their names. Tchenrezi is the Yidam
of compassion. Tara is another etc.

As I mentioned before there are worldly (Loka) Gods. These
could be mountain spirits or they could be Great Gods of the world,
solar system , universe. They could be very powerful.However
they live for a finite time - even though it is a very long time.
They are subject to birth and death.Buddhism would say that they are
in samsara the confused six realms of birth and death. These
beings could be human in one birth, a god in the next, an animal in the next. It is like roulette.

<<
2. Can tibetan buddhist gods change things in peoples lives and interfear with the happening of the world like the god in christianity, judaism and islam?
>>
Yes they can and often do. It is a bit like the stories of the Greek Gods who enjoy the sport of playing with human destiny.In India
and Tibet alot of time and energy is spent making offerings to these
worldy gods in order to create good harvests and good fortune.

Similarly Buddhas, Bodhisattvas , and Yidams could intervene in the world. But that is perhaps more difficult for us to work with unless
we are skilled on the Buddhist path.

<<
3. did the gods become gods or have they been around since the beginning of existance?
>>
The worldly Gods became Gods at some point in time. They live a long
time but not for ever. Brahma the greatest God in the universe
has been alive since the Universe began and will die when it dies.
But that is just a small event in the Buddhist unverse which
has countless parallel universes all being born and dying simultaneously.

Hope that helps - good questions!

Bodhicitta