關於佛教最初傳入吐蕃的問題，特別在時間上迄今仍存在異議。為此，本文主要 依據筆者已搜集到的第一手藏文資料，僅對佛教最初傳入吐蕃的過程作了比較全面的論述。 首先對佛教未傳入吐蕃前的歷史文化背景作了介紹。認為隨著吐蕃社會的文明進步和傳統宗 教苯波教的不斷發展或日益成熟，為佛教傳入吐蕃打下了良好的思想理論基礎。但是佛教傳 入吐蕃的時間大大晚於周邊國家或地區。吐蕃第一次接觸佛教是在公元四世紀左右。當時吐 蕃的確得到了一些佛教物品，然而，這些物品對當時的吐蕃社會沒有產生佛教所具有的任何 宗教影響。故此時不可視為佛教在吐蕃傳播的開端。可以肯定的是，佛教開始在吐蕃傳播的 具體時間，應在松贊干布時期，即公元七世紀中葉。同時又值得提出的是，松贊干布時期， 雖然創制藏文、翻譯佛經，以及興建佛殿，正式拉開了在吐蕃傳播佛教的序幕，但是當時吐 蕃不僅沒有產生本族出家僧尼，而且從外地迎請的佛僧數量也極其有限。說明純正的佛教在 當時的吐蕃社會尚處勢不兩立的境地，未獲獨立自主的權力，只是遵循苯波教的儀軌或習俗 才得以生存，並沒有真正發揮佛教自身特有的宗教功能。

　　　　　Controversies remain to this day over when Buddhism was first disseminated in Tibet. This article is a comprehensive study of this dissemination process. First, the article gives an introduction to Tibet's pre-Buddhist history and cultural background. It is believed that through Tibet's cultural development and the uninterrupted growth of the traditional Bon religion, a good foundation was laid for the dissemination of Buddhism. However, Buddhism was introduced to Tibet much later than it was to the neighboring countries and regions. Tibet first came in contact with Buddhism around the 4 �� Century A.D. The Tibetans did receive some Buddhist objects at that time, but these objects did not wield any religious influence over Tibetan society. Therefore, they should not be seen as the beginning of Buddhism's dissemination in Tibet. It can be affirmed that solid dissemination of Buddhism began in mid-7 �� Century during the reign of Songtsen Gampo. Thus a prelude was opened for the dissemination of Buddhism by the creation of the Tibetan script, the translation of Buddhist Sutras, and the building of Buddhist shrines. However, it is also worth noting that these developments did not generate ordained monks and nuns at that time. The number of monks and nuns invited from abroad was also small. It indicates that pristine, orthodox Buddhism was incongruous with Tibetan society at that time and was not able to establish an independent influence. Having survived only by incorporating the rituals and customs of the Bon religion, Buddhism was not able to assert its unique religious influence.