Form of Mahayana Buddhism that evolved from the 7th century in Tibet.
Based on Madhyamika and Yogacara philosophies, it incorporates the rituals of Vajrayana , the monastic disciplines of early Theravada , and the shamanistic features of Bon . The predominant Tibetan sect for the past three centuries has been Dge-lugs-pa . Its spiritual head is the Dalai Lama . The Tibetan canon is divided into the Bka'-'gyur ("Translation of the Word"), consisting of canonical texts translated mostly from Sanskrit, and Bstan-'gyur ("Transmitted Word"), consisting of commentaries by Indian masters. After the Chinese communist takeover in 1959, Tibetans began a massive emigration that has spread Tibetan Buddhism around the globe.