Comment on Jasom C’s Answer
Despite having its roots in the Indian Buddhist thought, Tibetan Buddhism also traces its roots back to Bon, the Tibetan Shamanistic movement (Samuel, 2012). Bon Buddhism is a religious practice that incorporates Shamanism and Buddhism. One of the unique aspects of the Tibetan culture is that it involves spirit worship where a system of oracles helps in the reception of responses from the spirit world. In Tibet, the populace consults the oracles for anything. Research suggests that Tibetans believe in the interconnectedness of things; therefore, divinations and omens are widely considered as things in life. Many synchronicities and coincidences are sought to establish whether an event will be auspicious or not (Samuel, 2012). Offerings and sacrifices are made with the primary aim of clarifying unclear situations. Tibetans maintain that oracles are accurate, but some researchers argue that oracles are unreliable. To date, shamanism still has a substantial influence on Tibetan Buddhism.
Comment on Jordan S’s Answer
Tibetan Oracle is a practice that has its origins in shamanism. It is considered a kind of trance possession whereby a deity enters a body, spirit or psyche mediums and uses the mind and speech of a person to give different predictions and responses. In the Tibetan culture, the oracles are an embodiment of natural spirits that should be respected by the populace (Samuel, 2012). Despite the changes that are happening in Tibet, Tibetans still believe in shamans and oracles. The Oracle obeys certain rules that influence their work, and it is important that ritual procedures are completely followed. On the other hand, Shamans are their own teachers and they learn things such as chants, verses, getting into trance, playing an instrument from their respective guiding spirits which appear to them during their dreams. It is in their dreams that the shamans receive instructions about how to follow the procedures and control themselves (Samuel, 2012).
Reference
Samuel, G. (2012). Introducing Tibetan Buddhism. Oxford: Oxford University, Press.
