Geoffrey Samuel's study works from direct anthropological and textual research into Tibetan Buddhist societies, tracing how lamas, lineage and tantric transmission actually function, including the tulku system as a documented institutional solution to passing authority and property through a celibate order, and its political consequences, rather than describing Tibetan Buddhism as a fixed doctrinal system alone. That grounding in institutional and social mechanics, checkable against the specific lineages and practices it names, is the study's real evidentiary basis. It also covers Bon alongside the Buddhist schools rather than treating it as a footnote. This record has not independently traced further scholarly disagreement with Samuel's specific claims since 1993. Use it for established facts about Tibetan lineage, tulku succession and tantric transmission; a claim resting on a specific school's own current doctrinal statement needs a source from that school directly.
Facts
Assessment
Reliability Tier1
Geoffrey Samuel's scholarly study of lamas, lineage and tantric transmission in Tibetan Buddhist societies, covering the tulku system and Bon alongside the Buddhist schools, published by Smithsonian Institution Press. NotesOn lamas, lineage and tantric transmission; on the tulku system as a solution to the transmission of authority and property in a celibate order, and on its political consequences. Also covers Bon alongside the Buddhist schools.
Citation
AuthorGeoffrey Samuel
PublisherSmithsonian Institution Press
Publication Year1993
URLhttps://archive.org/details/civilizedshamansbuddhismintibetiansocietygeoffreysamuel_548_Y
Source Typeacademic monograph
Claims Backed By This Source (103 claims)
This source backs 103 claims across the atlas. As facts: 57 well-attested, 2 scholarly debate. As cited relationships: 14 holds, 1 connected. Plus 29 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.
Disposition By Topic
- Religious Roles & Titles, 30 claims: 18 well-attested, 6 holds, 6 general references.
- Denominations, 14 claims: 5 well-attested, 2 holds, 1 connected, 6 general references.
- Sources, 8 claims: 8 well-attested.
- Articles, 7 claims: 7 well-attested.
- Doctrines, 7 claims: 2 holds, 5 general references.
- Figures, 7 claims: 5 well-attested, 1 holds, 1 general references.
- Practices, 7 claims: 4 well-attested, 3 general references.
- Beliefs & Restrictions, 6 claims: 5 well-attested, 1 general references.
- Disciplines, 6 claims: 3 well-attested, 2 scholarly debate, 1 general references.
- Cultures, 3 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 holds, 1 general references.
- Deities, 2 claims: 2 general references.
- Other Writings, 2 claims: 1 holds, 1 general references.
- Regions, 2 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 general references.
- Subtle Energies, 2 claims: 1 holds, 1 general references.
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