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Tantric Buddhist empowerments San Francisco area by Lama Tharchin Rinpoche ( January - June 2010 )

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 23:02:53 GMT

Tantric Buddhist empowerments San Francisco area by Lama Tharchin Rinpoche ( January - June 2010 )

Keywords: tantric empowerment, Tibetan Buddhism / Nyingma lineage, Guru Padmasambhava as Wealth Lord Padmasambhava / Orgyen Khandro Norlha, Lama Tharchin Rinpoche, Orgyen Dorje Den Alameda CA, Vajrayana Foundation Corralitos CA, Heart Teachings audio video resources for tantric Buddhist practice.

Tharchin Rinpoche's coming to town!
Tharchin Rinpoche's coming to town!
Tharchin Rinpoche's commminnnng to towwwn!

. . . And he is giving a large cycle of tantric transmissions and retreats this January through June, in San Francisco East Bay and at his home center in Watsonville ( down the coast from San Francisco ).
Tantra means magic and yoga, in this case in the definite context of Buddhist ethics and practice. ( I provide context and substantial information on these below. )

These tantric practices are mainly focused on the lineage of Guru Padmasambhava i.e. the Nyingma school, and lead towards or incorporate the central Awareness Yoga known as Dzogchen, the Great Perfection. To do any of these practices, personal initiation is required. That is why the teacher is of central importance.

For more background on the Great Perfection and Dzogchen, see the book
"The Crystal and the Way of Light", by Namkhai Norbu
also
"Dakini Teachings", by Padmasambhava
and view the extensive materials at
http://keithdowman.net/dzogchen/index.htm

For background on Guru Padmsambhava see
http://www.rangjung.com/authors/padmasambhava.htm
"Padmasambhava : A Short Biography by Jamgon Kongtrul the First"

The home center for Lama Tharchin is
The Vajrayana Foundation
web site
www.vajrayana.org
contact info:
Phone: (831) 761-6266
Email: office@vajrayana.org
Address: 2013 Eureka Canyon Rd., Watsonville,CA 95076

Lama Tharchin Rinpoche is a teacher of Buddhist tantra, extremely gentle and open, yet also profound and powerful. I first began taking teachings and transmissions from him in the early 1980s. This is one of my most favorite people on the entire planet. Just to see him brings real gladness to one's heart, just to remember him is greatly comforting. Please note that I do not represent him in any official sense.

I use texts and practices from his fellowship, the Vajrayana Foundation, which principally focuses on the lineage transmissions of HH Dudjom Rinpoche. HH Dujom Rinpoche was a profound Nyingma lineage holder whose efforts were of central importance in saving major parts of the Buddhist tantra during the destruction of Buddhist Tibet by the Chinese. HH Dudjom Rinpoche trained and authorized Lama Tharchin as a vajra master. Lama Tharchin can train westerners to become full fledged tantric Buddhist gurus - on a basic but functionallevel - in the Nyingma lineage of Guru Padmasambhava.

See also
http://heartteachings.com/index.html

"Heart Teachings by Lama Tharchin Rinpoche"

"The Friends of Lama Tharchin Rinpoche have put together this site for Lama Tharchin Rinpoche's video series. The video series is the main vehicle Rinpoche uses to disseminate his vast knowledge of Buddhist teachings. Each month Rinpoche records a 1-2 hour long video.

"Anyone interested can purchase any of the past Series as an individual set, or subscribe to the Series in progress on an ongoing basis. There are also a few teachings offered as individual DVDs or DVD sets."

Note - many of these recordings require specific authorization, i.e. empowerment.

From the above site
"Turning the Three Wheels of Buddhadharma: Learning, Practice, and Teaching
Lama Tharchin Rinpoche is a Dzogchen (Great Perfection) master of Vajrayana Buddhism. He is the tenth lineage holder of the Repkong Ngakpas. This is a family lineage of yogis, or householders, and was the largest community of non-monastic practitioners in Tibet. Rinpoche was trained in His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche's monastery, engaged in five years of solitary retreat and then completed the three year retreat with three others under Dudjom Rinpoche.

"In addition to Dudjom Rinpoche, his main teachers have been Chatral Rinpoche, Lama Sherab Dorje Rinpoche, and Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche. Rinpoche left Tibet by foot with his family in 1960.

"Many of the early years of Rinpoche's life were dedicated to intensive study, practice and retreat. Mastering the many traditions of his lineage under the guidance of His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, Lama Tharchin Rinpoche benefited countless beings through the purity of his heart and his compassionate dedication to all beings. Through many years of practice and retreat, Rinpoche developed the skills and qualities most needed to bring maximum benefit to beings in this lifetime.

"Fulfilling the request of his teacher, Lama Tharchin Rinpoche came to the West with the intention to protect the holy Buddhadharma and to plant authentic seeds of dharma in the West. With an incredible flurry of enlightened activity, Rinpoche's blessings and accomplishments have flowed like rich wisdom nectar. Founder of the Vajrayana Foundation, Rinpoche has established the College of Tibetan Buddhist Studies (Shedra), and the three-year retreat program (Drupta). He has directed study and practice retreats, given us bountiful empowerments and pure Dzogchen teachings, and he has shown us the true nature of our own minds."

From the home page of
www.vajrayana.org
with some notes and commentary

•Orgyen Khandro Norlha Wealth Empowerment and Teaching: January 23rd
Orgyen Dorje Den, Alameda,CA

Orgyen Dorje Den
2244 Santa Clara Ave
Alameda, CA 94501
www.orgyendorjeden.org

"Lama Tharchin Rinpoche has offered to give the empowerment and teachings on the Orgyen Khandro Norlha wealth practice at Orgyen Dorje Den in Alameda as a benefit for the Vajrayana Foundation. “I not only want to benefit Pema Osel Ling,” he said, “but to share this with all the sangha with my love, care and aspiration for positive results for all of us. As the whole world, and I am thinking especially of our country and sangha, are having a difficult time financially, so I would like to share Guru Rinpoche’s wisdom and compassion solution to remove obstacles; how to get success not only for short term material results but long term enlightenment."

•Namchak Putri (Vajrakilaya) Gutor and Losar Retreat: February 5 – 14
2013 Eureka Canyon Rd., Watsonville,CA 95076

Note - this is an ultimate wrathful Vajrasattva practice, commonly practiced to clear away negativity and obstacles in preparation for the Tibetan New Year, 14 February 2010.

•Spring Retreat: April 2 - 4
2013 Eureka Canyon Rd., Watsonville,CA 95076

Lama Tharchin Rinpoche to teach on Shabkar's Flight of the Garuda
Note - this is a primary dzogchen text. See part of the text online at
http://keithdowman.net/books/fg.htm

'Dzokchen, the Great Perfection, is the quintessence of the tantric paths to Buddhahood. This book contains the translation of four Dzokchen texts belonging to the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism. These sacred revealed texts, never before freely available, provide inspiration and instruction for the Dzokchen aspirant. The Flight of the Garuda, which gives the collection its title, written by Shabkar Lama in the nineteenth century, comprises a series of twenty-three songs designed to inspire and instruct the yogin practising Dzokchen trekcho meditation. Secret Instruction in a Garland of Vision is one of three texts said to have been written by Padma Sambhava, Tibet's great Guru, himself, who visited Tibet in the eighth century. It belongs to the lam rim genre, a stage--by--stage description of the path to Buddhahood. An extract from Emptying the Depths of Hell, revealed by Guru Chowong in the thirteenth century, provides a Dzokchen confessional liturgy, and The Wish-Granting Prayer of Kuntu Zangpo, revealed by Rikdzin Godemchan in the fourteenth century as part of an extensive Dzokchen tantra, is a prayer for attainment of the Dzokchen goal.'

This collection includes four shiningly clear and starkly beautiful Dzogchen texts. Their common denominator is the soaring freedom of the Dzogchen viewpoint as symbolised by the Garuda -- the divine eagle that is said to fly as soon as it breaks free of its egg.' Robin Cooke in The Mirror.

•Summer Retreat: May 22- June 21
2013 Eureka Canyon Rd., Watsonville,CA 95076

Dorje Drolod: May 22 – 30
Note- this is wrathful Padmasambhava guru yoga

Throma Nagmo: June 1 – 9
Note - this is a profound and comprehensive great goddess cycle of the Buddhist Kali

Shitro Nakso: June 11– 12
Collection of Seven Treasures Drupchen: June 13 – 21

Note - This is a comprehensive cycle of Great Perfection teachings, but I cannot comment on it. The drubchen means intensive ( day and night ) practice.

------------------------------------------------

. . . And from Orgyen Dorje Den, more upcoming events

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Gutor & Losar coming soon, February 11th-14th, 2010

On February 11, 12 & 13, we will practice Vajrasattva at the request of Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche. (Just like Vajrakilaya can be done to remove negativity from the past year, so can Vajrasattva be done to purify our negativity & obscurations from the last year. Same result.)

Ven. Lingtrul Rinpoche will preside as the Vajramaster and we will practice the sadhana of Dorsem Lama Chodpa from the Dudjom Tersar tradition.
There will be 3 sessions per day and all are welcome to join.

February 14th is Losar, the New Year, according to the Lunar & Tibetan calendar.
On this day we will also practice Vajrasattva, although we will use a more concise sadhana.

Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche may join us and offer a Vajrasattva empowerment if he is available, in other words, if we have the merit!

Orgyen Dorje Den
2244 Santa Clara Ave
Alameda, CA 94501
www.orgyendorjeden.org

Dedication:

Sarva mangalam!
Siddhi rastu!

May this be greatly beneficial to all!
May the lineage of the Dudjom Tersar and of Lama Tharchin long endure!

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Your Experience of the Eightfold Path

Aron — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:37:04 GMT

Hello.

What have your experiences with the eightfold path been?
What do they mean to you?

The Right View,
The Right Intentions,
The Right Speech,
The Right Action,
The Right Livelihood,
The Right Effort,
The Right Mindfulness,
The Right Concentration.

You are experiencing. What is that?

posted in Bodhisattvas - 2 replies

For those interested in memorizing the Bodhicharyavatara - The Entrance To The Path of the Bodhisattva (Shantideva)

Aron — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:38:26 GMT

Here is a key to an anki ( http://ichi2.net/anki/ ) flashcard deck I am creating, for the book.

f945c524bbf715f0

My body, thus, and all my goods besides,
And all my merits gained and to be gained,
I give them all away withholding nothing
To bring about the benefit of all beings.
(Bodhicharyavatara, Commitment chapter, 11th stanza)

Blessings on your breathing.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Sept 20th global community peace building event: United Nations International Day of Peace, Peacebuilding & Global Mala Yoga For Peace Project

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:41:30 GMT

Title:
Sept 20th global community peace building event: United Nations International Day of Peace, Peacebuilding & Global Mala Yoga For Peace Project

Keywords : Event notice, United Nations International Day of Peace, "Peacebuilding", GLOBAL MALA YOGA FOR PEACE PROJECT, Community Building, International Green Movement and Rio Earth Summit Greens, Mahayana, generalized humanitarian and spiritual co-operation.

Summary: Here is a basic introduction to two related efforts. The first is the United Nations International Day of Peace, an annual September event. The second is The Global Mala Yoga for Peace Project, a worldwide set of spiritual cultural event directly supporting the UN Day of Peace through yoga sadhana.

> > > > > Hi to tribe Bodhisattvas
This post went out as a listing to over 30 tribes.
Evidently I missed you. But you have not been left out. Best, KT
< < < < <

“We need more light about each other.
Light creates understanding.
Understanding creates love.
Love creates patience, and patience creates unity.”
Malcolm X

“When I give thanks, I give thanks for everything. When I pray, I pray for all that live.”
Chief Dan George

“We are all connected through the human spirit.”
HH the Dalai Lama

“Love builds inner strength.”
HH the Dalai Lama

http://www.internationaldayofpeace.org/

All Our Relations . . . .

JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE

The United Nations' International Day of Peace - marked every year on September 21 - is a global holiday when individuals, communities, nations and governments highlight efforts to end conflict and promote peace.
Established by U.N. resolution in 1982, "Peace Day" has grown to include millions of people around the world who participate in all kinds of events, large and small.

For 2009, this new Web site makes it easy to find and promote Peace Day events anywhere in the world. Just click on "Participate!" to locate an event or post information. And explore the rest of the site to learn more about Peace Day and how to get involved.
May Peace Prevail On Earth!

http://internationaldayofpeace.org/about/background.html

About International Day of Peace, September 21

The International Day of Peace ("Peace Day") provides an opportunity for individuals, organizations and nations to create practical acts of peace on a shared date. It was established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly. The first Peace Day was celebrated in September 1982.
In 2002 the General Assembly officially declared September 21 as the permanent date for the International Day of Peace.

By creating the International Day of Peace, the UN devoted itself to worldwide peace and encouraged all of mankind to work in cooperation for this goal. During the discussion of the U.N. Resolution that established the International Day of Peace, it was suggested that:
"Peace Day should be devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples…This day will serve as a reminder to all peoples that our organization, with all its limitations, is a living instrument in the service of peace and should serve all of us here within the organization as a constantly pealing bell reminding us that our permanent commitment, above all interests or differences of any kind, is to peace."

Since its inception, Peace Day has marked our personal and planetary progress toward peace. It has grown to include millions of people in all parts of the world, and each year events are organized to commemorate and celebrate this day. Events range in scale from private gatherings to public concerts and forums where hundreds of thousands of people participate.

Anyone, anywhere can celebrate Peace Day. It can be as simple as lighting a candle at noon, or just sitting in silent meditation. Or it can involve getting your co-workers, organization, community or government engaged in a large event. The impact if millions of people in all parts of the world, coming together for one day of peace, is immense.

International Day of Peace is also a Day of Ceasefire – personal or political. Take this opportunity to make peace in your own relationships as well as impact the larger conflicts of our time. Imagine what a whole Day of Ceasefire would mean to humankind.

http://internationaldayofpeace.org/participate/events_calendar.html

http://internationaldayofpeace.org/your_peace_day.html

Plan a Peace Day Event!

Each year, events take place all around the world for the International Day of Peace. Every Peace Day event provides an opportunity to inspire individuals and empower communities to celebrate victories for peace that have been won throughout the year, and to rededicate our commitment to work for a more peaceful, just and sustainable world all year long.

A Peace Day event can be as simple as lighting a candle or meditate on Peace on September 21. It can be as complex as organizing a Peace Concert for thousands of people. In between, there is a whole scale of events on different levels that might fit your family, group, class, or community.

Be seen. Be visible. Let the world know you care about peace.

http://internationaldayofpeace.org/peacebuilding_101.html

Peacebuilding 101

Peacebuilding is different from "peacemaking" and "peacekeeping" in that it focuses on creating a long-term culture of peace, rather than solving existing conflicts or preventing old ones from re-occurring. Peacebuilding activities aim at building understanding and tolerance between individuals, communities and societies and establishing new structures of cooperation. Peacebuilding activities range in scale from personal acts of kindness toward others to global inter-governmental programs.

Definitions of Peacebuilding

Peacebuilding is the construction of new environments and new cultures which transform deficient structures and capabilities which unite the strengths of emerging innovations in all pathways of our local-global planetary life. Peacebuilding creates and maintains beneficial conditions for sustainable (life-enhancing) social, economic, political and spiritual development of all peoples.
(Adapted from speech given at UN by PTP and "An Agenda for Peace", a UN Report of the Secretary-General, 1992)

Unlike peace-making and peace-keeping, which are related to warfare and settlement of conflicts, "...the concept of peace-building (is) the construction of a new environment --- the transformation of deficient national structures and capabilities, and --- the strengthening of new democratic institutions."
(Excerpted from "An Agenda for Peace", a UN Report of the Secretary-General in January 1992, which globally and officially recognized the emerging field of peacebuilding.)

"We need to build not only geographical but spiritual bridges between people and strengthen the intellectual, cultural and communication linkages between our societies. (Let us) stand ready to participate in the effort to promote social integration and create a culture of peace."
(From UNESCO PRESS Report at World Summit for Social Development by Director-General UNESCO, Frederico Mayor)

"Where there is peace, there is culture; where there is culture, there is peace."
(Nicholas Roerich)

"Positive creativeness is the fundamental quality of the human spirit. Let us welcome all those who, surmounting personal difficulties, --- propel their spirits to the task of peaceBuilding, thus ensuring a radiant future."
(Nicholas Roerich)

The UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC)

The Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) is a new intergovernmental advisory body of the United Nations that supports peace efforts in countries emerging from conflict, and is a key addition to the capacity of the international community in the broad peace agenda.

The Peacebuilding Commission plays a unique role in
1. bringing together all of the relevant actors, including international donors, the international financial institutions, national governments, troop contributing countries;
2. marshalling resources and
3. advising on and proposing integrated strategies for post-conflict peacebuilding and recovery and where appropriate, highlighting any gaps that threaten to undermine peace.
The concurrent General Assembly and Security Council resolutions establishing the Peacebuilding Commission also provided for the establishment of a Peacebuilding Fund and Peacebuilding Support Office, which together form the United Nations peacebuilding architecture.

The PBC is mandated to: "marshal resources and to advise on and propose integrated strategies for post-conflict peacebuilding and recovery." The PBC focuses attention on reconstruction, institution-building and sustainable development, in countries emerging from conflict. It is specifically mandated to:
• Propose integrated strategies for post-conflict peacebuilding and recovery;
• Help to ensure predictable financing for early recovery activities and sustained financial investment over the medium- to longer-term;
• Extend the period of attention the international community gives to post-conflict recovery;
• Develop best practices on issues that require extensive collaboration among political, security, humanitarian and development actors.

For more information about the UN Peacebuilding Commission, please visit:
http://www.un.org/peace/peacebuilding/index.shtml

----------------------------- end section INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE ------------------

----------------------------- begin global mala yoga for peace ---------------------------

http://www.globalmala.org/pressrelease2009.php

GLOBAL MALA YOGA FOR PEACE PROJECT UNITES YOGA COMMUNITY IN SUPPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE

Yogis Throughout the World Cross the Borders of their Mats to Raise Consciousness and Funds for Important Causes.

LOS ANGELES — (March 17, 2009) — On September 19 and 20, the Global Mala Yoga for Peace Project, whose purpose is to unite the global yoga community, will implement events throughout the world in honor of the United Nations International Day of Peace. Forming a “mala around the earth” through collective practices based upon the sacred cycle of 108, the mission of the Global Mala Project is to raise both funds and consciousness for some of the most pressing issues facing the world today. Global Mala Yoga for Peace is a featured event during National Yoga Month 09.2009.

Thousands of yogis will practice 108 sun salutations at hundreds of event across the nation. Taking its name from the sacred prayer beads called “mala” used in India and Tibet as meditation guides, the Global Mala Project will benefit the Yoga Health Foundation and numerous other charities and projects being supported by local community leaders. Composed of 108 beads, the mala is symbolic of the prayer for peace, hope and charity the Global Mala Project will be sending to the world.

“With the rising threat of Global Warming, the illusion of separateness is dissolving around the world,” said Shiva Rea, world renowned Yoga teacher and catalyst for the Global Mala Project. “Yoga is one of the few common denominators for millions of people around the world; together we are creating a circle around the earth and dedicating our energy to peace.”
Global Mala Yoga Project in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, San Francisco and many other cities worldwide will include 108 sun salutations, live music, and fellowship with likeminded yogis interested in creating the peace they wish to experience in the world.

For more information, please visit www.globalmala.org or www.yogamonth.org.

From
http://www.globalmala.org/about.php

The Global Mala Yoga for Peace Project: Uniting Yoga, Seva and Collective Consciousness
Namaskaram!

This site and the Global Mala Project belongs to the global yoga community. This is a seed of a world-wide experiment into the power of meditation in action.
The purpose of the Global Mala is to unite the global yoga community from every continent, school or approach to form a "mala around the earth" through collective practices based upon the sacred cycle of 108 on Sept. 19th or 20th, Fall Equinox as the yoga world's offering to further the UN International Peace Day.

Each center offers their form of a Yoga Mala according to their yoga tradition and inspiration:
• 108 Sun Salutations (or variations of 27, 56)
• 108 rounds of mantra such as the Gayatri or Maha Mrityanjaya
• 108 rounds of a kriya
• 108 minutes of meditation, kirtan or movement meditation

Each Global Mala event can be dedicated to practice or to practice and seva - service by integrating local action, and raising funds for the organization of their choice.
Global Mala Yoga for Peace are featured events during Yoga Month 09.2009. Coordinators please signup here or learn more about the Yoga Month-Global Mala Yoga for Peace partnership and support.

May all beings experience the blessing of unconditional happiness!

Om Shanti,

Johannes R. Fisslinger
Shiva Rea
Michael Spitzer
Jacqueline Stolte

http://www.globalmala.org/support.php

Global Mala Yoga for Peace 2009 - Support Materials

Supportive materials, brochures, posters and graphics for Global Mala Yoga for Peace 2009 and National Yoga Month are available inside the coordinators login area. 2009 Coordinators signup here or login.

After you have logged in, please ADD YOUR EVENT in our global directory and use brochure, poster templates and other support materials (see links after you have logged in).

----------------------------- end global mala yoga for peace ----------------------------

Peace Quotes
"On this International Day, let us promise to make peace not just a priority, but a passion. Let us pledge to do more, wherever we are in whatever way we can, to make every day a day of peace." — U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon

"Simply the absence of war is not peace" — Anam Prem, India

"Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal." — Martin Luther King Jr.

"Peace is not a thing to be achieved or a commodity to be stored." — Anam Prem, India

"Peace is not the absence of war; it is respecting and accepting each other and promoting human rights." — Miss Nida Ashfaq, International Young Catholic Students (IYCS), Pakistan

"I feel peaceful when I'm on the rollercoaster." — Anonymous child, Marin Peace Projects, USA

"…all religions of the world teach us to respect man, regardless of color, race, gender and faith." — Jahangir Piara, Organization for Peace and Development, Pakistan

"Peace is possible; when there is Peace is each of us." — Mr. Kamran, MARS Organization, Pakistan

"Peace is one of humanity's most precious needs. It is also the United Nation's highest calling." — U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon

"Peace begins with a smile." — Mother Teresa

"There is no such thing as a good war and there is no such thing as a bad peace." — Benjamin Franklin

"Nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man." — Mahatma Gandhi

"Peace is its own reward." — Mahatma Gandhi

"Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace." — Buddha

"There are only two forces in the world, the sword and the spirit. In the long run the sword will always be conquered by the spirit." — Napoleon Bonaparte

Dedication: this outreach effort is dedicated to the broader work of Mohandas Gandhi, Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King, the Dalai Lama, and Aung San Suu Kyi, the International Green Movement, and All Our Relations.

Sarva mangalam. May All Beings Benefit. Om shanti shanti shanti.

In partial fulfillment of various community and teaching responsibilities,

KT

N.B. : KT is not formally associated with these organizations and does not formally represent them. Some of the above items are copyright, and provided here as a combined set through what is called "fair use", with some original content.

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posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Audio Lectures/course: Path of the Bodhisattvafree

Divine Tantra — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 01:16:38 GMT

check this out if you are serious about exploring and gaining knowledge to assist you path to liberation!

http://gnosticradio.org/lecture-directory/courses/path-of-the-bodhisattva/

Love,
DivineTantra.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Question..when they who do not want to change..upset the teaching

Kalonapossessorofpeace — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:21:30 GMT

In the last 6 months I have seen people (who claim spirtuality) become mean and in denial..so I am lost as to what to say to them. Can an enlightened person be blocked by an opposing force which renders them unamble to "get through" to people?
Is this a time to pause and be still? a time of reflection and to let things unfold..without interaction?

posted in Bodhisattvas - 22 replies

Hi gang!

moses — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:10:29 GMT

Hi everyone,

I'm the co-founder of OneTantra, and I wanted to invite all of you to what is now becoming the hottest social network in the tantra community.

OneTantra is a multi-faith, inspirational and motivational new spirituality website. Through its community and significant teaching body (over 25 core faculty instructors including Charles Muir, Mantak Chia, Deb Anapol, Michael Mirdad, etc - and over 50 workshop leaders in the adjunct program), it provides information, community and services on a wide variety of topics, and with a focus on the art of tantra, love and spiritualizing relationship. It is slowly becoming the largest and most vibrant online community in the tantra world.

OneTantra is an all-loving, all-accepting, exploratory, fun, edgy and bold place where anybody curious about, or on the path can meet, learn, grow, deepen, play and love more fully. It's the ultimate tantric learning community -- you will be blown away by the depth and spiritual beauty of the people who have already joined. Plus, the social network will blow you away - and this isn't marketing hype - there are people talking about everything from the neurobiology of tantra to ecstatic poetry to qigong to non-violent communications to sexual healing & tantric case histories to "all about amrita" and slow food and then there are all the regional groups... just about anything you can imagine. You can ask questions, learn new practices and meet like-minded others. Lots of them. It's truly a rich and fulfilling multi-conversation, all about tantra and its impact on the world.

So come to http://onetantra.com/bliss to learn more. And email me at moses@onetantra.com if you need anything. It's a paid premium social network, but we have fun work study programs and stuff so anyone can join.

We're hosting an online workshop with Mantak Chia this week!

Love & light,

Moses

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

"Love All, Hurt No One, Trust A Few" : Thoughts on Buddhism in the West and Spiritual Community ( repost from tribe Tibetan Buddhism )

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:01:29 GMT

"Love All, Hurt No One, Trust A Few" : Thoughts on Buddhism in the West and Spiritual Community
by KT

Response to "I have some fear of sangha [ Buddhist fellowship ]".

"Love all, trust a few. Do wrong to none."
William Shakespeare, "All's Well That Ends Well", Act 1 Scene 1

"This is no flattery: these are counsellors
That feelingly persuade me what I am.
Sweet are the uses of adversity. . ."
William Shakespeare, "As You Like It", Act 2 Scene 1

It is perfectly reasonable to be cautious about any religious or spiritual fellowship. This does not mean you have to be in any way concerned about same. There are general principles to be followed.

The most basic principle, which was stated by both Confucius ( Kung Fu Tse ) and Guru Sakyamuni Buddha, has always been this:
"Do not do unto others as you would not be treated by them."

In other words, live and let live. Things get complicated sometimes, so we have to consider the content and contexts of communication. I'll do that here, specifically with regard to Buddhist fellowships in the West. The basic approach is very simple, but I really haven't seen it articulated or demonstrated in concrete terms. So I'm writing this to help people through what can be a rough spot in social and cultural relations: how to deal with unknown people and fellowships.

The basic model is that of the humble samurai, or sometimes, the "peaceful warrior". With that in mind, the following is written as a response to a tribe.net thread "I have some fear of sangha [ Buddhist fellowship ]".

It is different to be concerned ( or cautious ) about an individual Buddhist practitioner than to be concerned about a Buddhist group. These should be separable issues.

You have fear of judgement by others. But others judge us all the time, at work or at school or in public or whatever. But what are the risks of social judgement, for any of us?

Remember that other Buddhist students are just that, other Buddhist students. They don't necessarily have the authority to lay down any law or challenge anyone on anything. Certainly not as a snap judgement, nor based on mere hearsay.

There are some basic rules for Buddhist gatherings, such as
1) Don't arrive unwashed, drunk or drugged at a Buddhist gathering.
2) Don't smoke in front of a Buddhist teacher or at a Buddhist gathering.
3) Don't interrupt a Buddhist teacher when he or she speaks.
4) Don't cause problems for any one individual, group or teacher. If there is a legal or financial or psychological problem area to address, try to find a balanced outcome, by a third party, or by drawing appropriate interpersonal boundaries. You can even resort to police help or litigation or kung fu if necessary. But as I will show later, I don't think such recourses will ever be needed.

Most Buddhists that I have seen tend to be shy, quiet, fairly withdrawn, and often tend towards the less social or nonsocial. Nonsocial meaning socially disengaged, the opposite of antisocial aggression. If there is a problem with Buddhist communities in the West, it relates more to the way these can be "dissocial aggregates", collections of more-or-less strangers who do not know or care much about engaging other Buddhists. But that is changing, as I have seen.

Buddhists are often emotionally weary, and quite often can be depressed or frustrated or self-conflicted people. A typically Buddhist characterological response is to emotionally disengage from others, hence the common introversion. The trend overall however is towards healthier engagement of oneself and others, for a fair number anyway. We have a lot of good teachers, practices, and some really cutting edge psychologists.

Basically, you're more likely to get into problems walking through a college campus than going to a Buddhist fellowship, Tibetan or otherwise. U Cal Berkeley has some risks, particularly for women, as do college campuses in general. But Oakland California is no doubt extremely dangerous as it was many years ago. I wouldn't get out of the BART tube there for any reason. Too much gunfire!

. . .At the same time, I have repeatedly found many Buddhists to very judgemental and some are extremely judgemental. And there can be problems, and these can escalate. But most often these problems are based on real ignorance of others, on jumping to conclusions. This happens quite commonly when a far less experienced "Buddhist" has condemning thoughts towards a far more experienced and far more capable Buddhist. This in fact happens all the time. I really get sick of it, and as a western-born teacher, I have to always be very careful, but I think overall that ignorant attacks are more self-limiting and self-defeating.

Here is the very simple "secret" to dealing with such problems. If someone criticizes you, or even yells at you or outright attacks you, relax and focus and listen. That's it, just relax and focus and listen. This works almost all the time, and it works in really difficult situations. The principle is just the same as "defensive driving". It is classical Buddhist kung fu as well. ( If a police officer were to yell at me, my response would automatically be
"Good afternoon, officer. What can I do for you?" )

I once relaxed and focused when attacked and challenged to a duel, by a Buddhist teacher I did not know. It happened like this. One day in the late eighties I was walking down the road just outside a large Buddhist temple, where I sometimes taught as vajrayana guru ( on a rotating basis ) for a couple years. Some guy, while washing the car of the tantric lineage holder, turned around, straightened and snarled at me "I know you!" and started yelling at me.

Never met him before in my life. He was from London England. Apparently a tantric guru AND a kung fu instructor. Uh oh. . . I stopped and listened, certain this was a complete stranger. Completely baffled, I did the intelligent thing : I listened some more. He handed me his card, which mentioned London, his teaching credentials and so forth.

I said nothing, trying to get the measure of this fellow. My immediate thought was this : This is a formal challenge! Dont know why. He gave me his card, which means, classically, that he expects to duel!

Maybe this guy somehow didn't understand what he was literally saying by presenting me his card in a direct challenge. ( Even more absurd. And reckless: odds disfavor casual duellers. ) Soo. . his "kung fu" was ( unknowingly ) to call for a duel. MY kung fu was to not duel, and instead quietly walk away.

See how easy that was? The next step *could* have been for him to escalate, to grab at me for example. But no one gets to do that. Given the foolish presentation of the card, that means a full duel has begun, leaving me free to defend myself By Any Means Necessary. This is western law and also Buddhist law. I would have then fought this "fellow Buddhist guru", with a first goal of twisting his arm and forcing him to his knees. Some body parts would soon break, his and/ or mine. That's classical, it's called "trial by fire". The point is that the test is mutual, not a one way street!

All of this is encapsulated in the perspective of President Theodore Roosevelt, who said "Speak softly but carry a big stick." That is very classical Buddhist perspective in Tibet, China and Japan. In the Chinese Buddhist kung fu, we speak of the "peaceful warrior", who is
like "a well tempered sword wrapped in soft cloth".

A sword is a crucial metaphor. A sword can block many attacks. A sword can also maim and destroy adversaries. So the etiquette is to not jump a swordsman, whether you are unarmed or whether you are a swordsman. In a real swordfight, your chances of dying are one in three or even two in three. Often both swordsmen die. The basic rule of thumb therefore is: Don't fight unless absolutely necessary, then fight to decisive victory.

This guy from London - a fellow tantric Buddhist guru - somehow thought he was a samurai and I was a peasant. He thought wrong. I saw him many months later at the same temple - and he looked badly shaken up and extremely fearful of me, from eighty feet away. Why? Seems like the Guardians Upstairs ( like, say, Mahakala ) evidently decided to teach him a lesson.

There is also a woman teacher who falsely accused me of "not helping with the translation work." But she never sent me the texts to work on, and I never received them from anyone. What was the outcome? Well, she was very sick for a good many months. And she was a western medical professional to boot.

I distrust these two fellow Buddhist teachers twenty years later, and there has no apology to accept. Very simple, except I ended up with an undeserved bad reputation all the way across the Pacific, in Taiwan. Example: A PhD psychologist from Taipei gave me some grief and treated me with contempt over a dinner table in a Buddhist teacher's house! For a few minutes, anyway. But he didn't prove capable of a simple psychological intake nor did he set up an argument. It was just a knee jerk emotional attack.

So the moral here is simple: just because someone is a PhD psychologist or a Buddhist teacher, don't think they will never make stupid mistakes. They do. Real intelligence means not making the mistakes, like these people.

Therefore don't fear the Buddhists ( or anyone else, whatever they may be called ). Respect everyone to the extent called for, relying on caution and awareness and inner balance and integrity, not social positions.

You need not fear any kind of aggression from Buddhists, not physical aggression, not emotional aggression, not psychic aggression.

These levels of aggression are all pretty much nonexistent among Buddhists in my experience. And I have personally seen about 8,500 Buddhists. What kinds? Chinese, American, Vietnamese, Japanese, Native American Buddhist etc., since about 1980. Where? In Hawaii, on the West Coast from Los Angeles up through San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver BC. In Chicago, and in France, on a month long retreat.

I have yet to see or hear of a psychic attack or psychic aggression of any kind by any tantric Buddhist. Anywhere. In theory this *could* be a real concern, and in Tibet it really was: some Tibetans actually died as a result of pure psychic attacks or combat, Buddhist or non Buddhist Bonpo. This however is simply not a problem in the West.

Basically 99.9% of my experience tells me that Buddhists don't know how to fight, don't want to fight, and don't want to learn to fight. ( Big mistake, especially for women anywhere. ) I also have a definite sense that, overall, Buddhists don't really know how to argue effectively on the interpersonal level. When they argue, it is over abstract philosophy. Most traditional Buddhist culture is against public argumentation, and matters are resolved in private to "save face".

Despite your fear, there is basically no "pressure to assimilate" in Buddhist fellowships.

Major social psychology studies show that a conscious sense of "connectedness", of healthy community, is strongly predictive of a long and healthy life, no matter what your faith or social status. It's best to take an "ecological" perspective. See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_psychology

At the same time, there are many great Buddhist practitioners and teachers who kept mostly to themselves and even spent most of their lives on strict retreat, alone or with a very few other practitioners, e.g. as in Shakespeare's outcasts found in "As You Like It", who are
"exempt from public haunt" and find "tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
sermons in stones and good in everything".

Social or nonsocial - either way can work. But the point is to give oneself the choice, to consciously choose and not be psychologically limited or emotionally crippled by fear and doubt. The main priority is a positive one: make the best possible use of your time "to live for that which is highest in oneself and others".

For me that really means Mahayana in a literal sense, so community is critically important to me and I have to handle things very effectively. Otherwise my thirty years of practice is a complete waste, right?

Without Buddhist transmission and empowerment you cannot do any of the key yogas or inner practices. Lacking effective human contact there is no connection to the Mahayana Buddhist practice, nor even entrance to the basic outer sangha fellowship. To have no mahayana guru, means all the many books will be of no help : you cannot practice what is not transmitted.

The good news is that overall the western Buddhist communities are quickly evolving towards really healthy principles and models of sacred fellowship and practical co-operation. Western Buddhists are now far more articulate and psychologically capable than they were thirty years ago.

A key point is that western Buddhists strongly emphasize respect for women, and we have women teachers ( scholars and gurus ). This is a much better and more authentic version of Mahayana Buddhism than was typical of Asia, where dharma opportunities for most women were very meager: Confucian social forms and expectations pervaded Eastern Asia and most women were severely oppressed for close to two thousand years. It's different here!

Everything looks to be going in a good direction in the the West. I would say that we have evolved in a few decades to a sense of Buddhist community that took many generations in traditional Asian societies. And we are just beginning. There have been some severe problems in some Buddhist fellowships, but when the smoke clears these do not cripple the fellowships.

Yes, there is a lot of confusion about Buddhist doctrine among many inside and outside the refuge-holding sangha, but these points are easily addressed, and the Buddhist doctrine will not be lost to mass delusion and external belief systems. Instead, Buddhist teaching is working on society, through such teachers as the Dalai Lama, and others.

The simple and crucial issue and measure comes down to this: We are basically all new to the practice here in the West. We have therefore to prove ourselves to ourselves, to others, and to society. This means that people who claim to prioritize Mahayana Buddhism have to live it, they have to be functional, and the Buddhist fellowships have to prove their worth to society in order to last, to carry on.

This is very doable. It has everything to do with communication and co-operation and resources that cannot be taken for granted, but which must be cultivated.

At the same time, I would not say that Buddhists are in general "reliable and mature." Its not that I definitely distrust them as a group. Much experience has taught me the importance of NONTRUST. I short I don't expect problems from Buddhist individuals, but in my own life I expect little or nothing from them in the way of help or reciprocity.

I keep a personal list of Buddhists that I will not speak to nor help. The reasoning? The Apache ( American Indian tribe ) say "Do not help those who fail to help others." To this I would add "Do not help those who cause problems for others." If a claimed Buddhist is clearly disrespectful towards the Buddhist community, then for me to help that one is a fault in my Mahayana Buddhist vows, and self-contradictory, pure and simple. Better for me to help some one else instead.

Yes, most of history teaches us to be extremely wary of religious groups in general. Yes, much of the course of religious history is basically rivers of bloodshed and oppression and opposition to humanitarian values. But you simply cannot find much to blame in Buddhist history, or in western Buddhist fellowships in the new century. Buddhists are very quiet in terms of world political history. Mostly they have fled war and oppression. Extreme politics and cultural destruction are more found in Communism and Islam, not in Buddhist history.

Many basic issues that have really challenged western Buddhists in the last century have moved into the right tracks, quickly and effectively ( which is the opposite of China, Burma, Tibet and so forth ). Here in the West the Mahayana dharma is, overall, respected ( or at least peacebly ignored ) and not trashed by modern society. Buddhist fellowships and individuals are *not* being derailed, internally or externally. The western model of Buddhism is decidedly sane and multicultural, a real benefit to western society, well founded in both depth and breadth, and mostly functional. We'll show the whole world how it's done!

I can't tell you how crucially important this mostly functional western Buddhism is for the survival of Buddhist practice in the world today. We have so very much to be thankful for, and a lot to look forward to. Much more than you could think possible! I am *very* surprised and thankful to be able to say this, and I say it with *real* confidence born of experience and comparative history, not mere pious abstract faith.

In other words, don't be afraid. Instead, go with the Bard and
""Love all, trust a few. Do wrong to none."

I hope this helps you and others as general perspective and guidance. Sarva mangalam.

Long live the Mahayana!

KT, mage guardian, inner medical tantrika and so forth

From Shakespeare's "As You Like It", Act 2 Scene 1:

DUKE SENIOR

Now, my co-mates and brothers in exile,
Hath not old custom made this life more sweet
Than that of painted pomp? Are not these woods
More free from peril than the envious court?
Here feel we but the penalty of Adam,
The seasons' difference, as the icy fang
And churlish chiding of the winter's wind,
Which, when it bites and blows upon my body,
Even till I shrink with cold, I smile and say
'This is no flattery: these are counsellors
That feelingly persuade me what I am.'
Sweet are the uses of adversity,
Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head;
And this our life exempt from public haunt
Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones and good in every thing.
I would not change it.

AMIENS

Happy is your grace,
That can translate the stubbornness of fortune
Into so quiet and so sweet a style.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 2 replies

Meditation Retreat, New York August 12-16th

Divine Tantra — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:45:28 GMT

The very purpose of the Gnostic wisdom is personal experience of the truth, which cannot be retrieved through the five senses, but must be accessed through the development of other senses that are latent within us. The abilities to imagine and to dream are merely the seeds of a greater ability that can be developed when one learns the precise method. In other words, reading books and listening to lectures is but preparation for the skill you must develop in yourself: the skill of real meditation.

Now is your chance to conquer laziness and fear, and learn to meditate. From August 12 to 16, 2009, a community of serious spiritual aspirants will gather at Padmasambhava Buddhist Center in New York in order to work intensely on developing meditation skills. In group meditation, a powerful sense of inspiration and dedication arises, whose force helps us to push aside obstacles and reach the vital experience we need in order to develop spiritually. A few days of meditating with a group can advance your meditation practice in a dramatic way.

more info here...http://gnostic-community.org/retreats/2009-gnostic-retreat/

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

great article what do you think? http://www.engaged-zen.org/articles/Kobutsu-New_Age_Legacy.html

Kalonapossessorofpeace — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 04:20:01 GMT

Narcissism and Spiritual Materialism: The New Age Legacy
by Kobutsu Malone

Recently, I went for a walk with a close friend in a nearby town. It was a beautiful day and the town was one of those places where there is an abundance of antique stores, craft shops, book stores and the like. As we walked along I spotted a sign in a window that said "Zen" and "Tai Chi." Curious what the "zen" reference involved, we entered the establishment.
Immediately we were assailed by the distinctive "odor" of New Age -- that sweet smell of candle perfume combined with cheap, saccharine Indian incense. The ubiquitous CD was playing in the background, permeating the store with a soothing rather mysterious ambient music, very "spacey." The store was filled with books, posters, crystals and assorted materials.
We spent some time looking at the books, a large assortment of topics ranging from angels to zen. Their selection of Buddhist books was fairly decent. A copy of Chogyam Trungpa's "Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism" was prominently displayed. I could not help flashing on the sly little smile that would have crossed Rinpoche's face had he been there and seen his book displayed in such an establishment.
Leafing through the books and looking at the titles, I was struck by the heavy emphasis on the notion that the vast majority of them were offering people something other than reality. The theme of altered, higher, better states of consciousness occurred repeatedly. I was surprised at the number of books dedicated to "angels." The recurrent thread throughout was that of personal entitlement, getting something, reaching or attaining something. All of it seemed demeaning in a way, a tacit acknowledgment that there was something missing, that an individual could find and possess by reading the book. I could not help noticing some of the customers browsing the titles, most appeared to be dissatisfied people desperately seeking some sort of answers.
There was a bulletin board, covered with advertisements for dozens of "healers," "body workers" and various "schools" of "mystical arts." This was very much what Trungpa Rinpoche used to refer to as "the Spiritual Supermarket" a plethora of offerings appealing to our sense of spiritual poverty, offering relief in the form of spiritual commodities, "higher" states of consciousness, travel to higher realms, secrets of the universe. All of it appealing to the underlying diaspora of separateness and disconnectedness that is all pervasive in the human condition.
The overriding theme in this spiritual supermarket was that there was something missing which could be provided by the products being sold. Nowhere was the notion evident that perhaps the real problem was that we had too much to begin with, and what we really needed was to let go. Everywhere the message was self centered, me, me, mine... achievement, gain, and ego reinforcement seemed all pervasive. I could not help but wonder how many people had come into such places in search of peace of mind. Someone discovering an offered technique which seemed appealing, purchasing the available books, tapes and materials, taking them all home to begin their new life of spirituality. They would find out in a short time after the fascination wore off that they were still deeply dissatisfied. One could imagine people going back to the supermarket, getting all the stuff for a different "modality" (they seem to like that word "modality") and starting the process again. I would imagine that this could become an endless occupation, jumping from cosmic consciousness to crystal healing to channeling to pyramidology to energy vibrations, to out-of-body experiences, to déjà vu, to ESP, to Atlantis, to reincarnation to endless other "ologies" and "isms." Truly a never ending story.... always searching, trying to find something, anything, to fill the perceived need that something is missing.
The theme of selfishness appears to exist throughout the New Age trip, it is on the whole supported by middle class white people who are dissatisfied with their lives and uncomfortable in their relationships and surroundings. Invariably it is a money making scene, the books, crystals, bells, incense, oils, aromas, the tapes and CD's all sell like hotcakes.
I could find no information in the store that had any reference to the sign in the window advertising "zen" the clerk did not offer an explanation, there seemed no reason for the sign other than the novelty of the word "zen." This is a common occurrence in materialistic America. Over the years I have seen numerous advertising campaigns offering "zen" this and "zen" that. Books have been written with the word "zen" in the title that have nothing to with zen at all. "Zen" is a "pop" word that sells.
From this perspective, there is no relationship between zen and "New Age," in fact, they are diametrically opposed. Zen does not cater to selfish notions of self improvement or egoistic narcissistic spiritual entertainment. If any thing, zen is about destroying utterly such preconceptions. There is nothing "New" about zen, it has been around for 2500 years. Whatever preconceived ideas may be proffered by so called "New Age" gurus, have nothing to do with formal traditional zen practice.
New Age notions of "love n' light, peace and harmony, and we are all one" are in no way aspects of zen training. To think otherwise is childlike and ignorant. Zen is a far more realistic and sophisticated than that, more down to earth and ordinary. To lump zen in with the myriad of New Age endeavors is completely erroneous. Zen is a method for becoming sane not a self-indulgent hobby for bored rich white people.
The "New Age" movement, if indeed it can be referred to as a movement, appears to be a desperate effort of people attempting to find the spirituality that is totally lacking in the dominant culture. Dominant here means more than mainstream, for domination is an integral element of the pervasive materialistic and conquest based culture of the West. The power-over dynamic and materialistic nature of Western culture is a product of conquest and subjugation that grew out of European feudalism, patriarchism, theocratic dictatorship and opportunistic desire to wield power over other beings. The entire history of what we are taught is "civilization" is in short a story of conquest, written by the conquerors with their purposes in mind. This element of conquest is the backbone of materialism and the materialistic psychology that enables people to visualize their entire world as objects that can be manipulated for selfish gain, this manipulation includes people. Materialism and the principle of conquest are driving forces in the efforts of groups to control the lives of others. Efforts to legislate morality, attempts to mold society to arbitrary standards developed by religious groups based on belief systems all rely on the conquest principle, the subjugation of others.
What is perhaps no so apparent, is the degree to which this paradigm permeates our personal lives on a day to day basis. The conquest paradigm has disconsciously been incorporated into our psychology in ways that are far from apparent.
The conquest paradigm by its nature is diametrically in opposition to spirituality, and when practiced leaves no room for the freedom of spirituality, no room to breathe. The root of spirituality is "spiritus" the Latin word for breath, the essence of life itself.
In our Western society materialism has become so all encompassing that we have no clue as to any alternatives, since our foundation, our psychology, our spiritual leanings have all been contaminated by materialism.. We have no way to relate to things other than materialistically. The New Age phenomenon is very much a materialistic approach in fact it is a thinly disguised system of conquest applied to what we perceive as the spiritual. In so many cases, our thirst for meaning, our need for fulfillment, can only manifest in terms of wanting to appropriate more "stuff." In the New Age this means appropriating the spirituality of other cultures because we are so impoverished and have squandered our heritage and fatally polluted it with our materialistic attitude of conquest and ownership.
We blithely in our search seek to appropriate the wisdom of ancient masters, we adopt the spirituality of other cultures as though they were ours for the taking.. Our spiritual search has turned into spiritual conquest, we have become rapists, pillagers and looters of other cultural legacies. We are exercising our conquest psychology by stealing the cultural spiritual heritage of other cultures because we have destroyed our own. This goes on and on..... go into the new age book store and look around -- consider what has just been said here when you do.
We may buy a book on indigenous shamanism, we may gather the feathers, the drum, the medicine bag, the herbs, the pipe, all the "required" paraphernalia... and pretend to be a shaman. We may go to someone who claims to be such a person to learn from them. But after we've done all that, after we've read everything that can be read on the subject, acquired all the props, dressed ourselves in the native clothes, painted our faces -- when we look in the mirror -- we are still a white person pretending to be someone other than who we are. We are a clumsy approximation of a shaman at best. If we study an Asian tradition we can never become an Asian person, we can not undo our past and somehow recreate a cultural heritage. In short, we are who we are and need to become used to the idea that we do not have the right to steal the heritage of another culture to satisfy our unbridled greed and arrogance.
You see, what is really needed is not what is offered for sale, advertised for money and acquired through materialistic gain. What is needed, is to look at our motivations, to examine our present condition, to study our history to learn about how we function. We can do none of this if we are involved in looking outside ourselves for answers, if we are looking for "higher" states of consciousness.
What is a "higher" state of consciousness? Higher that what? We are not even aware of our present state of mind other than that we are in pain, feel a lack and want to feel complete. We behave as if spoiled children who want their situation "fixed" and taken care of right away. We have not really looked at ourselves, we have not deeply examined the nature of our feelings, the root causes of those feelings, the social structure, language and culture that has produced our world views. In short we are so busy wanting to escape that we have not taken the time to understand the nature of our imprisonment. What sense does it make to trade one jail cell for another, when the prison walls are in reality our own forgotten creation?
The real truth is that things are not as bad as we thought.... In fact, they are much worse! This is the real work of spirituality, this is the grist for the mill. The notion that we can somehow look into the mirror of our selves and see some magical vision of purity and light is mere wishful thinking, an attempt to escape from the pain of our collective social karma.
The real truth is that there is no escape, no way out. There are temporary, highly entertaining "trips" we can go on in an attempt at escape, but ultimately they all wind up back at the same place, we are left feeling the fundamental dissatisfactoriness that is all pervasive.
Until we are brave enough to face the truth, to recognize the dire nature of the problem, to see that we are not alone in feeling dissatisfaction we have no hope of coming to any sort of insight and wisdom. So long as we are totally wrapped up in planning our own personal escape, we can not see the real problem, we can not see that there are others who are just as stuck, in just as much pain as we are.
There is no escape in the New Age, it is a mere product of the culture of materialism, a fantasy woven to cater to our neurotic obsession with ourselves and our personal angst. New Age is for those who have money, idle time and nothing better to do. Check it out -- How many poor people struggling to put food on their tables, living lives far more uncomfortable that our own are in the New Age stores seeking answers to their problems?
Are we not really looking to heal our selves in all of this? We are in a peculiar dilemma, we know that something is wrong but we are so absorbed in escaping from the pain that we do not take the time required to learn the true nature of the disease. Our materialistic psychology prevents us from seeing the big picture. We remain entranced with our individual problems and can not see beyond the immediate issue to the much wider picture of how we exist in a state of interbeing with all our sisters and brothers and all our fellow sentient beings.
Big picture consciousness involves weaning ourselves from our petty concerns with personal development, personal enlightenment and addressing societal healing as a collective endeavor.. We need to learn to adopt a vision of history, the story of our collective past that extends far beyond the "Reader's Digest" version of history we are taught in school. We need to learn about the history of oppression, the history of materialism, the history of the thought patterns and value structures which combined to form the power-over dynamic which permeates our present culture. We need to develop a critical eye, a sensitivity to how we came to be where we are and how we can recognize the themes and attitudes which we have carried with us as a society and how they influence us as a whole and as individuals.
A comprehensive look at history from the perspective of the common people is available in Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States. This is not a history written by conquerors about conquest and the exercise of power over others. It is about our past, the past of the common people. It covers in detail the legacy of oppression which we carry as a society that has produced our current isolated culture and self absorption based society. It tells of the oppression, genocide and slavery which are the foundations of our heritage. It tells of the lives of the people who suffered under the yoke of tyranny for the sake of the profit and control motives which are the basis for our social and economic legacy.
The study of this sort of history enables us to develop a profound understanding of who we are and how we got to be in the position we find ourselves today. It also gives us a connection with our fellow beings and brings us the realization that we are not isolated individuals on a mission for personal salvation, but instead presents us with the vista of all of us together, as a community, engaged in the endeavor of building an alternative circle of societal healing.
It is through the big picture perspective, and the adoption of a long range, a thousand year view, what indigenous people of America call "the seven generations," that we can fully develop an understanding of our true nature. Our intrinsic, true nature reveals us as individuals and as a community of people actively walking together on the path of a fully awakened state of mind. In dynamic peace,
Kobutsu

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

2009 U.S. Teaching Schedule/ Introduction For H.E. Gochen Tulku Sang Ngak ( Tibetan Buddhist Nyingma lineage )

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:24:23 GMT

2009 U.S. Teaching Schedule For H.E. Gochen Tulku Sang Ngak ( Tibetan Buddhist Nyingma lineage )

Keywords: Nyingma, Great Perfection / Dzogchen, tantric transmissions and retreats, H.E. Gochen Tulku Sang Ngak, Ewam USA.

Here I provide details on the current 2009 teaching schedule, practice centers, and background for H.E. Gochen Tulku, a most accomplished Tibetan yogi.

His Eminence is a major teacher and incarnate guru in the Earlier Transmission ( Nyingma ) of Buddhist tantra into Tibet from India, as established by the Great Guru Padmasambhava, in particular of the Primordial Awareness Yoga known as "Atiyoga", that is, the Great Perfection, a.k.a. "Dzogchen" in Tibetan ).

For more information on esoteric Buddhist tantra in the form of Nyingma and Dzogchen materials, see Snow Lion Publications online
http://www.snowlionpub.com/
and the book
"The Crystal and the Way of Light", by Namkhai Norbu.

For current information on H.E. Gochen Tulku, his Evam USA organization and their projects and teaching schedules, see
http://www.ewam.org/

H.E. Gochen Tulku is a lineage holder and has even transmitted a major tantric / atiyoga cycle TO H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinbochay, but is not yet well known in the West. He is nevertheless a very important teacher in several western Nyingma fellowships such as Chagdud Gonpa Foundation and the Dudjom Yeshe Nyingpo.

I have seen this teacher several times from 1997 to 2000, and received numerous major transmissions, including some that are both extremely rare and very powerful. He is truly extraordinary and I strongly recommend him to those who wish to connect with the inner Early Transmission and the Great Perfection.

This year he is teaching in Montana, Colorado, and California ( see below ). This schedule includes extraordinary healing practice ( Vajra Armor ), and extraordinary goddess yoga ( White Dakini ). Note that I do *not* represent this teacher, and schedule details are subject to change.

The merit of sharing this teaching is dedicated to the life and spiritual work of H.E. Gochen Tulku, with great gratitude, and to the continued development of these tantric lineages, with the hope that it will be profoundly beneficial to many.

Sarva mangalam. Siddhi rastu!

KT

"Tulku Sang ngag Rinpoche, the sixth Gochen Tulku, is an incarnation of Gyalwa Chokyang, one of the close disciples of Padmasambhava. Recognized at the age of three, Rinpoche began learning religious rituals and liturgies, as well as traditional Tibetan medicine, at an early age.

"Rinpoche met his root guru, Tulku Orgyen Chemchok, in a Chinese prison where he was held for nine years. Here he received teachings and secret transmissions. Upon release, Rinpoche met his other root teacher, H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, with whom he traveled, studied, and practiced intensively for nearly fourteen years.

Rinpoche teaches worldwide and oversees his two retreat centers in Pharping: Yuloko Nunnery and Phurpaling, a dharma center in Taiwan and his U.S. retreat center, Ewam Sang-ngag Ling, located in Arlee, Montana."

Contact info

- - Ewam USA - -

Sang-ngag Ling - Arlee, Montana
406-726-0217

PO Box 330
34574 White Coyote Road
Arlee, MT 59821
ewammontana@blackfoot.net

Samten Ling - Tuolumne, California
(near Sonora)
209-928-1326
michaelirw@mlode.com

- - Ewam Nepal - -

Phurba Sang-ngag Ling
Phone: 977-1-4710-093

Turquoise Leaf Nunnery/Yuloko
Phone: 977-1-4710-094

To contact Nepal Centers:
P.O.B. 7032
Devi G.B.S. Pharping
Kathmandu, Nepal
e-mail for both: ewamnepal@hotmail.com

- - Ewam Asia - -

Ewam Phurba Ling Taiwan
Dr. Choeji Lodoe Tashi
1F and 4F, No. 76, Sec 1. Hsiu Lang Rd
Yung Ho City, Taipei Hsien, Taiwan
Phone: (02)2928-7993 - (02)2920-5294

Ewam Taichung
Dr. Choeji Lodoe Tashi
F3, No. 105 Nan Yang Rd
Feng Yuan City, Taichung, Taiwan
Phone: 886-4-2529-5973

Ewam Hong Kong
Flat F, 18/F. Block 1, Pierhead Garden
Tuen Mun, NT, Hong Kong

-------------------------------------------------

Schedule for H.E. Gochen Tulku Sang Ngak for 2009

Buddhahood Without Meditation

Sept 8-15th, Arlee Montana
http://www.ewam.org
http://www.ewam.org/pages/directions.php

Please register by August 1st, to register and pay for this retreat, click here, see below for retreat costs. This is a restricted retreat so please contact Devi in the office for more information at 406-726-0217.

Widely known by its subtitle, Nang-jang (Refining Apparent Phenomena), presents the view of the Great Perfection through the approach known as t'hreg-chhod (cutting through solidity). The nineteenth-century master Dudjom Lingpa received these teachings in visionary dialogue with fourteen enlightened beings, including Avalokiteshvara, Vajrapani, Longchenpa, and Saraha.- The Dudjom lineage, based on the terma, or hidden treasures, revealed by Dudjom Lingpa and his immediate rebirth, His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche (1904-1987), late head of the Nyingma school of Buddhism, is one of the principal modern lineages of Dzogchen Transmission.

RETREAT COSTS:
Non-Member $560.00
Non-Member/Camping $505.00

Member $476.00
Member/Camping $428.00

White Dakini Drub Chen
with Tulku Sang ngag Rinpoche & Lama Tsultrim Allione
August 23 - 31, 2009

Tara Mandala Colorado
See http://www.taramandala.org/

White Dakini Drub Chen. For the first time in the West a Drub Chen (Great Accomplishment Ceremony) of the White Dakini ( White Goddess ) practice from Do Khyentse’s Dzinpa Rangdröl (Self-Liberation from Fixation) treasure cycle will be performed. This lineage comes directly from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche to Tulku Sang ngag who will be the Vajra Master at the Drub Chen.

We will experience a traditional empowerment given by Tulku Sang ngag, and we will be lead through an in depth process of learning and practicing the White Dakini mandala. This White Dakini practice is the union of Machig Labdron and Yeshe Tsogyel surrounded by the dakinis of the five families. During the retreat, in addition to the precious teachings from Tulku Sang gnag, Lama Tsultrim will help frame the experience through discussion and further teachings.

The White Dakini practice will be established as a key practice at Tara Mandala and links directly to Machig through Yeshe Tsogyel, her previous incarnation. This is an opportunity to be in the first group receiving this lineage transmission and is open to anyone interested. In addition, it is a strictly closed retreat and requires intensive practice and the ability to hold the container.

During the Drub Chen traditional instruments will be played, a mandala will be created, and continual mantra recitation will occur. The participants will experience deep immersion in the Vajra world. This is an exciting deepening of the tradition at Tara Mandala and we encourage everyone drawn to be here to come. Mipham Rinpoche said, ”One Drub Chen is equal to seven years of solitary retreat.”

Price
Double: $1,553 - $965
Queen Double: $1,575 - $1,080 - SOLD OUT
Queen Single: $1,685 - $1,190 - SOLD OUT
Camping: $925 - $650
Suggested Dana: $160 - $320

Guya Garbha ( Hundred Deities / Bardo ) – Shedra Retreat

Sept 20-27th
Arlee Montana
http://www.ewam.org
http://www.ewam.org/pages/directions.php

Prerequisites for these teachings are the prior Shedra retreats on the first part of a commentary on the Treasury of Precious Qualities - A Commentary on The Root Text of Jigme Lingpa. This book presents the entire Buddhist path according to the Nyingma School. Tulku Sang-ngag began giving these retreats at Ewam in 2002 and finished the text in 2007 which are available on CD. , Lama David Curtis also taught this text over the course of 3 years. This year Rinpoche's brother, Khenpo Ngawang Gelek, will continue these teachings and Rinpoche will give the empowerment. There are no translations of this part of the text yet.

If you are interested in this retreat, please contact Devi in the office as soon as possible at 406-726-0217 or via email.
( It is important to get an idea of how many people are coming to this retreat to plan accordingly. )

RETREAT COSTS: Non-Members $500.00
Non-Members/Camping $450.00

Members $425.00
Members/Camping $382.00

The Nature of Mind ( Great Perfection )
Root Text by Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche

October 14th - 19th
Ewma Samten Ling, Tuolumne California ( near Sonora )
Contact phone 209.928.1326
Email
michealirw@frontiernet.net

Vajra Armor Retreat

November 5-8
Mt. Shasta, CA
please contact John Cashman at (530) 926-5196.

"The Vajra Armor Mantra (Tib. Dorje Go-Drab), is among the most powerful healing practices in Tantric Buddhism. Long held as a secret practice, it has been practiced for over a millenium by tantric adepts and Tibetan physicians as an effective method for treating diseases, purifying negative energies and protection from misfortune.

"The Vajra Armor Mantra was first introduced into Tibet in the eighth century by Padmasambhava, who had collected various teachings and practices on this mantra from the ancient Indian Buddhist tradition. After teaching his close disciples in Tibet, he hid the Vajra Armor teachings in 124 places, to be discovered by future ‘treasure finders’ as prophesied in his writings.

"Padmasambhava predicted that a time would come when there would be a great need for this mantra and to preserve the integrity of the teachings and lineage, he hid different versions of this practice in many different places for safekeeping, until the designated treasure finder would reintroduce them to the world.

Over the past one thousand years, there have been numerous major teaching cycles of the Vajra Armor Mantra that have been revealed, including those of Dorje Lingpa, Mipham, Dudjom Lingpa, and Trak-t’hung Namkha’I Jigme. These teachings outline a deep and profound path to realization and ultimately to Buddhahood through the practice of healing and rebalancing the outer and inner elements."

----------------------------------------

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Spirtual Progress and what is realative to this concept

djsouljourn — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:30:55 GMT

I start simply by offering The respect of perfect to Perfect(we are good enough here and now(2009) & yet there is better here and now(2009) with the request of the addition of a possible better perfect; in other words; the offer; that; the exclusion of eating meat(is good) for the most part at this day and age for humans is not a necessity and thus to let it go is spiritual progress and i ask for you to relate or agree to a Vegetarian diet and decide or agree that this diet is relative and good to spiritual progress. I offer this video to you here and now(2009)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6fe6VBG3e0 I believe this is a good piece to the Peace of Bodhisattvas and is also relative to spiritual progress but it is not the only spiritual quality but I ask the it be one of yours.

Now I await your reply, agreement, discussions or if you choose an addition to this value, discussion, or other qualities worthy of mention to be called better than worse and worse is good enough but progress implies better.

Peace & Blessings
Hare Bol

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Glory of annadaana & Powerful and Rare Homas

rakesh — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:23:54 GMT

The glory of annadaana

Anna daanaat param daaann na butham na bhavishyati

Naatra paatra vichaa roshti nakaala niyamastaa

Among all the virtues annadaana is the highest virtue.

Annam prajapathi sakshat Vishnu shiva swayam

Tasmaat anna samam daanam na bhutham na bhavisyati

“there is no virtue like annadaana. Among all the various daanas annadaana is the most highest.’ . its verily the form of shiva and Vishnu

The merits of performing severe tapas, millions of japa and devata pujana are attain by just feeding a hungry person. The person who feeds the needy is like a person who gave them life.

Every single anna (rice ) contain in the food given to the poor and the needy will destroy the sin done in one birth!

The vedaas hail anna (food) as the form of Brahman as it’s the source of life. ( annam bramhethi vyajaanaat)This can be seen in thaitiriya Upanishad

Gaja duraga sahasram gokulam koti daanam

Kanakha rajata paatram medhini sakharantham

Upaya kula vishuddham koti kanya pradaanam

Nahi nahi bahu daanam annadaanam samaapa

The merit obtained by doing one single annadaana cannot be compared even to the daana phala of thousand elephants, horses and cattels, by giving a way thousands of gifts made of gold and silver, by giving the whole land and sea on earth, by conducting kanya daana (wedding) for 1 crore kanyas.

This shows the greatness of annadaana.

Annadaana is a very important part in mantra purascarana . where one has to perform dashamsa homa, dashamsa tarpana and dashamsa annadaana. Without annadaana mantra siddhi is not achieveable and the purascarana is incomplete.the whole benefit of the mantra siddhi is obtained through this annadaana. The reason behind this is, annadaana removes the shortcomings in the purascarana karma and makes it complete.it removes the bakti lobha, mantra lobha and kriya lobha.. And bestows perfection.

Our guruji always say “…. If u ask me whether a person who has done millions of japa and did severe tapas is higher or the person who has fed 100 people in his lifetime….. the answer will be the person who fed the 100 persons”

all the punya phalas promised in the scriptures are attained easily by feeding the poors and the sadhus. Normal persons who don’t know how to do worship, japa etc can get the similar benefit in multiple folds by just feeding the needy and the sadhus.

If u give money to a person he will not be satisfied, if u give gold, vastra etc… still the same…. He will want more…….but he can only eat until his stomach gets full. He himself will say enough and goes home satisfied.

Feeding the sadhus and shiva baktas ia a great blessings for mankind. Its like feeding shiva himself , as they are the human form of shiva. Its very rare to get an opportunity to feed a holy men. If got…. It shouldn’t be missed. Feeding a holy men can remove all our obstacles in life and spiritual path, and it blesses with wisdom. All past karmas are washed away the moment you feed a sadhu. Thats the power of annadaana!

Annapoorne sadha purne sankara praana vallabhe nyana vairagya siddhyartham biksham dhehi cha parvathi!

Please click the following link and join us in our annadaana seva in kashi.Various rare homas being conducted to raise funds for the annadaana programe. Devotees may participate in the homas and gain the benefit of the homa and doing annadaana in kashi kshetra. We need lots of helping hand in making this seva a success , as this cant be done by a single person.

http://jdayal2000.startlogic.com/store/index.html

hara hara mahadeva !!!!!!

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

tantric Buddhist empowerments this June & July in San Francisco and Oregon: His Holiness Lama Getse ( Nyingma tradition )

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:51:13 GMT

tantric Buddhist empowerments this June & July in California and Oregon: Lama Getse ( Nyingma )

Keywords : tantric Buddhist transmission, Nyingma lineage, Orgyen Dorje Den, Oregon, 2009 tour for His Holiness Getse Rinpoche.

From Orgyen Dorje Den ( San Francisco ):

"HH Getse Rinpoche will be visiting the U.S. in the next few weeks ( June - July 2009 ), and has been invited to Orgyen Dorje Den in Alameda, Dorje Ling in Portland, and Tashi Choling in Ashland to give empowerments and teachings. A general schedule is listed below; as details of times and events become available, we will pass them along by email. Stay tuned!

"H.H. Katok Getse Rinpoche is a highly esteemed incarnate lama of the Katok branch of the Nyingma lineage. He was recognized as a tulku by His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa, the previous Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, and Adzom Gyalsé Rinpoche. From a very early age, he received teachings and empowerments from Dudjom Lingpa’s son Tulku Nyida, Khenchen Jigmé Puntsok Rinpoche, Adzom Drukpa, Katok Moktsa Rinpoche, Khenpo Ngakchung, and H.H. the Dalai Lama. H.H. Getse Rinpoche has done many years of retreat, taught widely throughout Asia and is well known for his mastery of the Dzogchen approach. Fulfilling a request made by Chagdud Rinpoche, Katok Getse Rinpoche serves as the head lama of Katok Ritrod, Chagdud Gonpa’s retreat center in Parping Nepal."

See
http://www.orgyendorjeden.org/contact.html

N.B.: I do not represent this center nor do I know this teacher, but Orgyen Dorje Den hosts amazingly good tantric Buddhist teachers, sometimes on very short notice. These are typically of the Nyingma lineage, and the transmissions are of very high quality and power in my own experience. The transmissions may well include full Great Perfection Awareness Yoga ( atiyoga, dzogchen ) authorization.
I do have transmission in the Kathok tradition through Kathok Tulku, and this is a very powerful and effective lineage, for which I have the highest respect.

See the books
(1) "Crystal and the Way of Light"

"Crystal and the Way of Light
Sutra, Tantra & Dzogchen
Crystal and the Way of Light"
Author(s) : Namkhai Norbu

ISBN : 1559391359

Publisher : Snow Lion Publications
Published : 2000
Category : Bon and Dzogchen
Category 2 : Tibetan Buddhism: Dzogchen
Synopsis:
Namkhai Norbu examines the various levels of the spiritual path of Tibetan Buddhism from the point of view of Dzogchen - said by many to be it's highest teaching, in which the "self-perfected state" that is the individual's own nature is directly introduced by the master to the disciple from the very beginning of their relationship.

By interweaving his own life story with the teachings, he sets Dzogchen in its traditional context and reveals its powerful contemporary relevance. He discusses the base, path and fruit of Dzogchen practice and describes his education and how he met his principal teacher who showed him the real meaning of 'direct introduction to Dzogchen.' He describes Dzogchen in relation to the various levels of the Buddhist path including sutra and tantra.

"One of the most significant contributions to the understanding of Tibetan Buddhism to have appeared in recent years."The Middle Way.

and

(2) "Tantric Practice in Nyingma"
Author(s) : Khetsun Sangpo Rinpoche and Hopkins, Jeffrey
ISBN : 0937938149

Publisher : Snow Lion Publications
Published : 1986
Category : Tantra: Vajrayana Buddhist
Category 2 : Tibetan Buddhism: Nyingma
Synopsis:
The essential internal and external preparatory practices required before entering the path of Great Perfection (Dzogchen), in the form of an accessible and lucid commentary on the first part of Patrul Rinpoche's "Words of My Perfect Teacher". Also included is a section on daily meditations and recitations. Khetsun Sangpo Rinpoche's commentary contains the classical Nyingma presentation of the tantric practices that lead to the realization of Buddhahood.

At this time the Oregon centers do not have information available on this tour of HH Getse Rinpoche.

May this be beneficial.
Sarva manglam! Siddhi rastu!
KT

Preliminary schedule

Orgyen Dorje Den, Alameda, California: June 20-21
www.orgyendorjeden.org

Saturday: Vajrasattva empowerment and teaching
Sunday: Vajrakilaya empowerment and teaching

Orgyen Dorje Den 2244 Santa Clara Avenue Alameda, CA 95401 Phone: (510) 337-1163 Email: orgyendorjeden@gmail.com

Dorje Ling, Portland, Oregon: June 27-28
www.dorjeling.info/

Tashi Choling, Ashland, Oregon: July 3-5
www.tashicholing.org

Each dharma center will need support before, during, and after each event--if you are able to contribute time, funds, or other resources, please contact the centers through their websites listed above. Your assistance is vital in order for these unforeseen, auspicious transmissions to manifest!

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

A spontaneous nirvikalpa samadhi

ed — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 22:50:02 GMT

My account might be of interest for anyone exploring non-dual consciousness or Kaula Tantra. My Maya Gaia website (begun in 1997) geocities.com/maya-gaia/mysticalexp.html is a chronicle of my efforts to integrate a spontaneous Nirvikalpa Samadhi experience which I had back in 1970. At the time, I was almost completely naive regarding religious, mystical, metaphysical or paranormal epiphenomena - a critical factor in lending credibility to the episode - but the experience started my search for explanation that is still ongoing. My research over the years has led to the conclusion that I experienced a classical episode of Cosmic Consciousness with features remembered in extraordinary detail. I'm assuming anyone well-read on the subject would find my subsequent speculations after-the-fact of less interest as they are simply extrapolations of my limited perspectives on a compedium of non-dual resources on the Internet- selected through a process of passing them through the filter of my intuitive samadhi insight to see what sticks.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 2 replies

Lama Mingyur Rinpoche: tantric Buddhist teaching and empowerment tour June - August 2009 / Avalokitesvara teaching

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:24:20 GMT

Lama Mingyur Rinpoche: tantric Buddhist teaching and empowerment tour June - August 2009 / Avalokitesvara teaching

Keywords : meditation practice ( tantra devayoga sadhana ), Mahayana Buddhist transmission, mantra yoga, Heart Sutra, Karma Kagyu lineage of Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, 2009 Tour, Portland, deity of "Liberating Compassion" Avalokitesvara empowerment ( a.k.a. Kuan Yin, Kannon, Chenresig etc. ).

Summary: His Eminence Yongey Mingyur will be giving a tantric Buddhist empowerment ( highest yoga tantra ) for Avalokitesvara in Portland this June 19, and later, other cities as well. This major tantric guru of the Karma Kagyu lineage is on international tour through August. Background references and a key book reference are provided.

" If we try too hard, meditation becomes difficult. But it is so easy... Meditation is resting in our own natural awareness. "
His Eminence Yongey Mingyur Dorje Rinpoche

His Eminence Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche is a younger yet also major teacher in the Indo-Tibetan tradition of vajrayana and tantra, specifically as a retreat master in the Karma Kagyu lineage. He is the son of the great Nyingma master Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, and his main residence is Sherab Ling, the seat of His Holiness Khentin Tai Situpa, a principal Kagyu guru.
http://www.mingyur.org/biography/index.html

Although quite young, HE Yongey Mingyur is an accomplished master of both the Great Seal ( Mahamudra ) and Great Perfection ( Dzogchen ) traditions of pure awareness yoga. I have received from His Eminence both the Tsik Sum Ne Dek ( Great Perfection Breakthrough ) and Karma Pakshi Great Seal guru yoga empowerments some years back, and both transmissions were quite powerful.

His Eminence is also establishing fellowships in North America ( e.g. San Jose CA and Phoenix AZ ) and participating in western scientific studies on mind science. He is the author of two well received books on meditation, including the recently released "Joyful Wisdom - Embracing Change and Finding Freedom".

This young teacher is clearly one of the most important of the new generation of tantric Buddhist gurus teaching in the West, in terms of the quality and quantity of his teaching work, and the deep and broad impact he is beginning to have. ( See "Yongey Foundation Links" at http://www.mingyur.org/links.html ).

This year he teaches coast to coast and also in Brazil. For information on the North American Tour continuing through August, see
http://www.mingyur.org/schedule.html

The main event of the Portland visit is a major empowerment for the meditation deity Avalokitesvara. See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokitesvara

and many book titles and other resources from Snow Lion Publications. See
http://www.snowlionpub.com/

and the Kagyu bookstore for the Karma Kagyu lineage seat in North America at Woodstock New York:
http://www.namsebangdzo.com/

Avalokitesvara is a primary and pre-eminent deity and practice for Buddhists worldwide. Avalokitesvara is the renowned deity of "Liberating Compassion", known in many parts of the Far East as Kuan Yin ( China ), Kwannon ( Japan ), Kwan Seeum ( Korea ), Kwan Theum Botat ( Viet Nam ), etc. This is a major practice for both general Mahayana ( Great Way ) Buddhists and also for esoteric / yogic ( tantric ) Buddhists, and thus unites and helps all schools of Buddhist practice in many different cultural contexts, both Asian and Western.

This is a most well known and quite universally practised pagan / polytheistic deity yoga of Sanskrit origin, Hindu or Buddhist. For example, it has become incorporated into some Hindu practice lineages, such as that of Swami Nikhilesvarananda. It is very similar to or overlaps the practice of Blue Throated Siva, as shown in one of the mantras for Blue Throated Avalokitesvara.

The influence of Avalokitesvara is vast throughout the world, and in different Buddhist lineages. Several of my teachers are considered to be emanations of Avalokitesvara including ( the late ) HE Deshung Tulku Rinpoche ( Sakya ), HH the Seventeenth Karmapa Urgyen Trinley Dorje and the Karmapa lineage, HH the Dalai Lama and the Dalai Lama lineage, and so forth.

His Eminence Dzongsar Rinpoche ( Sakya and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism ), who teaches worldwide, has stated that Avalokitesvara is the most broadly and most commonly practised of all Buddhist mantras worldwide. This is consistent with my experience in Japanese, Chinese, Tibetan, and Vietnamese traditions. Apparently there is a book on Avalokita practice in the Sri Lankan traditions, which are mostly Theravadin Buddhist.

The esoteric yoga traditions of Buddhist tantra are based on ritual empowerment and the practice of self-empowerment, and these include placing points of light at the Brow Cakra ( White Light ), Throat Cakra ( Red Light ), and Heart Cakra ( Blue Light ). Some forms of Avalokitesvara practice include a full kundalini yoga / psychic heat method, known in the Buddhist tradition as Completion Stage Yoga. N.B. One important example is the transmission of Red Avalokita / Vajrayogini. However, I do not know what form of Avalokita is being given by HE Mingyur Rinpoche.

Avalokitesvara is without doubt the most well known Buddhist ( or other ) esoteric spiritual practice in the West ( either as "OM MANI PADME HUM" or as the "Heart Sutra" or as other variants, see below ).
Many tens of millions of Buddhists recite daily either a Sanksrit formula for Avalokitesvara or a meditation text associated with this deity, as in (1) and (2) following.

1) One of the root mantras ( esoteric invocations or evocations ) of Avalokitesvara is
"OM MANI PADMA HUM", which is discussed at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Om_mani_padme_hum

2) Avalokitesvara is the source of the primary Buddhist text Prajna Paramita Hrdaya, the Heart or Essence of Transcendent Wisdom, which is recited daily in many Buddhist countries, such as in the Chinese and Japanese Zen traditions. See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_sutra
This is a primary and central and definitive text for many of the Mahayana Buddhist schools, both outer and inner.

A good source of teaching on Avalokitesvara in the East Asian tradition is
"Bodhisattva of Compassion: The Mystical Tradition of Kuan Yin"
by John Blofeld.

There is also
"The Origins of Om Manipadme Hum: A Study of the Karandavyuha Sutra"
by Alexander Studholme, Ph.D.

An example of a deeper and essentialized practice focused on Avalokitesvara is given in the book
"The Union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen"
by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche
ISBN 962-7341-13-9
Rangjung Yeshe Publications

This is a commentary on "The Direct Instructions of the Compassionate One" originally given by Karma Chagmey Rinpoche the First.
See
http://www.snowlionpub.com/html/product_6174.html
THE UNION OF MAHAMUDRA AND DZOGCHEN
by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche
240 pp.
# UNMADZ - $ 18.00

"Teachings on the complete path to enlightenment in 8 songs by the 17th century yogi/poet Karma Chagmey explicated with Rinpoche's trademark brilliance and humor.
'This advice spoken through personal experience embodies the quintessence of the Dharma.'--Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche"

Please note that I do not formally represent this teacher nor the fellowship hosting him in Portland.

Sarva mangalam! May it be beneficial!
Siddhi rastu! May there be accomplishment!

KT

Hosted by Portland Dharma Group
www.portlanddharmagroup.org
503.341.7776

From
http://www.portlanddharmagroup.org/Mingyur2009/Mingyur.html

schedule

16 June
7:30 pm
Book signing at Powell's Books for
"Joyful Wisdom - Embracing Change and Finding Freedom"
http://www.mingyur.org/book/joyful_wisdom.html

17 June - 18 June
Public talks 7 - 8:30 pm
First Congregational Church
1126 SW Park Ave, Portland OR

19 June
7pm
Avalokitesvara [ Chenrezig ] empowerment
First Congregational Church
1126 SW Park Ave, Portland OR

[ end listing / article ]

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

HH the Dalai Lama article / venue dates etc. ( slightly edited )

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 21:46:42 GMT

This article ( now slightly revised ) has gone out to a lot of tribes, including political tribes, environmental tribes and so forth.
It's a community building exercise and also a bodhisattva practice, but clearly framed as inclusive and secular.

We are one world.

KT

Keywords : HH The Dalai Lama, public Dalai Lama talks on world peace, Dalai Lama resources and current schedule, Nobel Peace Prize, universal human [ secular ] ethics, deep permaculture ethics.

Summary: Provided here is (1) the current tour schedule for His Holiness the Dalai Lama [ for California, Massachusetts, New York, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, India, Germany ], (2) an introduction to the life and work of HH the Dalai Lama, (3) book references and resources, and (4) curriculum vitae.

HH the Dalai Lama:
“Never give up.
No matter what is going on.
Never give up.
Develop the heart.
Be compassionate.
Not just to your friends but to everyone.
Work for peace in your heart and in the world.
Work for peace and I say again:
Never give up.
No matter what is happening.
No matter what is going on around you.
Never give up.”

Introduction:

All Our Relations. Mitakuye Oyasin.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is one of the pivotal figures of our time. He is, more than anyone else that can be presently named, a world citizen and world teacher.

His work in ethics, human rights,world peace, psychology and education, Buddhist teaching and East West relations, is second to none in our generation.

In addition to a Nobel Peace Prize and the US Congressional Gold Medal, HH the Dalai Lama has received scores of honorary Doctorates ( in Laws, Philosophy, Human Letters, Divinity, Buddhist Philosophy, and so forth ) from major teaching centers worldwide. These include Columba, Brandeis, Universite de Paris, Benaras Hindu University, Hebrew University Jerusalem, U California San Francisco, and Rissho University Tokyo. He is an honorary citizen of Canada, of Roma Italia and so forth.

He speaks worldwide and has published more than seventy two books.

He is one of the most respected and revered persons on the the planet. On one visit to New York City some years back, forty thousand people turned out to see the Dalai Lama in the park.

When the Dalai Lama gives the Highest Yoga Tantra initiation ( abhisekha ) of Kalacakra, the attendees sometimes number 100,000 or even 200,000. HH the Dalai Lama has given this initiation thirty times in different parts of the world. In addition to being a master of the Great Seal ( Mahamudra ) lineage of Buddhist tantra, he also gives initiations of the Great Perfection ( Mahasandhi, Atiyoga ), for example in London, in San Francisco, and Paris.

You can see him this year at public talks in several areas, such as California, Massachusetts, New York, Europe, and India. A current schedule is provided below.

I have seen HH the Dalai Lama give extremely worthwhile empowerments in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and represented him to the State Legislature of Hawaii in 1993, where he was invited to give a talk, and did. I have listened carefully to him conferencing with Hawaiian elders in public and was struck by the care and attention he gave in listening to others, and in asking questions.

HH the Dalai Lama has written extremely important books on psychology and ethics, and I recommend these to the general public for self-help purposes, and also recommend some of his books to those committed to public service, especially in the area of multiculturalism, international human rights work, and the international Green Party movement.

Because of the profound confluence of modern events, global economics, environmental issues and human cultures, the importance of broader and deeper human co-operation becomes ever greater.

To obtain a broader and clearer understanding and principles for working with these issues, studying the secular works of the Dalai Lama is of great value.

Similarly, His Holiness is one of the few people who can and does speak for the diverse Buddhist populations and traditions worldwide. He has taught senior Japanese tantric Buddhist gurus of the Shingon lineage in their country, for instance. His Holiness is a paragon of the Buddhist renunciate order ( bhiksu-sangha ), of Buddhist scholarship, and of the Mahayana Great Way lineages, all of which are profoundly universal.

This teacher is one of our very very best, be you a psychologist or academic, a diplomat, a tantric yogi, or a Buddhist practitioner. He has completely revolutionized Buddhist teaching, parts of popular modern culture, the understanding of international diplomacy and so forth in our lifetime.

This is someone who actually embodies many of the key principles of the United Nations treaties on human rights, and also the key Buddhist Mahayana principles and teachings. It is important to note that the Mahayana Buddhist principles and the principles of the UN human rights work are essentially identical. There are universal principles that take us all forward, individually and together. In Buddhist Sanskrit these terms are, for instance pratitya-samutpada and karma. Now you know.

The final point I wish to put forward to all is this: the Dalai Lama believes in all of us as people who *already* have sensitive human hearts that can be educated and developed, and he shows all of us a very real and practical way forward, a way based on self-understanding, listening and mutual respect, and patient co-operation.

You could do worse, and please remember that due to impermanence, this master teacher will not live forever. It is not clear how anyone anywhere can replace him.

I see no real alternative to respect and co-operation for the common good, because we are one world. For this broader and deeper reason, and not specifically because he is a Buddhist guru, I support this teacher. He was not allowed by their government to attend a recent peace conference in South Africa, but he is available to you, and he is here for All Our Relations. May he live long and may his brilliant consciousness reach many many more.

Thank you,
KT, Rio Earth Summit Green Party organizer and so forth

In partial fulfillment of my formal Mahayana teaching responsibilities.
Sarva mangalam! Siddhi rastu!
[ May it be auspicious! May there be accomplishment! ]

John David Bartoe, Challenger 8 NASA space mission, July 1985:
“As I looked down, I saw large river meandering slowly along for miles, passing from one country to another without stopping. I also saw huge forests, extending across several borders. And I watched the extent of one ocean touch the shores of several continents. Two words leaped to mind as I looked down on all of this: commonality and interdependence. We are one world.”

Some of the following materials are taken from
www.dalailama.com/
Published books and multimedia materials are available at libraries throughout the world, and from Snow Lion Publications at
www.snowlionpub.com

From the official web site:

“Universal Recognition

“His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a man of peace. In 1989 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle for the liberation of Tibet. He has consistently advocated policies of non-violence, even in the face of extreme aggression. He also became the first Nobel Laureate to be recognized for his concern for global environmental problems.

“His Holiness has travelled to more than 62 countries spanning 6 continents. He has met with presidents, prime ministers and crowned rulers of major nations. He has held dialogues with the heads of different religions and many well-known scientists.

“Since 1959 His Holiness has received over 84 awards, honorary doctorates, prizes, etc., in recognition of his message of peace, non-violence, inter-religious understanding, universal responsibility and compassion. His Holiness has also authored more than 72 books.

“His Holiness describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk.”

“Three Main Commitments in Life
“Firstly, on the level of a human being, His Holiness first commitment is the promotion of human values such as compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline. All human beings are the same. We all want happiness and do not want suffering. Even people who do not believe in religion recognize the importance of these human values in making their life happier. His Holiness refers to these human values as secular ethics. He remains committed to talk about the importance of these human values and share them with everyone he meets.

“Secondly, on the level of a religious practitioner, His Holiness second commitment is the promotion of religious harmony and understanding among the world's major religious traditions. Despite philosophical differences, all major world religions have the same potential to create good human beings. It is therefore important for all religious traditions to respect one another and recognize the value of each other's respective traditions. As far as one truth, one religion is concerned, this is relevant on an individual level. However, for the community at large, several truths, several religions are necessary.
“Thirdly, His Holiness is a Tibetan and carries the name of the Dalai Lama. Tibetans place their trust in him. Therefore, his third commitment is to the Tibetan issue. His Holiness has a responsibility to act as the free spokesperson of the Tibetans in their struggle for justice. As far as this third commitment is concerned, it will cease to exist once a mutually beneficial solution is reached between the Tibetans and Chinese.

However, His Holiness will carry on with the first two commitments till his last breath.”

Upcoming Schedule
2009
Lecture in Santa Barbara, CA, USA on April 24: His Holiness will give a lecture on The Nature of Mind organized by the University of Santa Barbara at the UCSB Events Center. Contact Website: www.religion.ucsb.edu/dalailama/
Public Talk in Santa Barbara, CA, USA on April 24: His Holiness will give a public talk on Ethics for Our Time organized by the University of Santa Barbara at the UCSB Events Center. Contact Website: www.religion.ucsb.edu/dalailama/
Public Talk in Berkeley, CA, USA on April 25: His Holiness will give a public talk on Peace Through Compassion organized by the University of California, Berkeley at the Greek Theater. Contact Website: www.berkeley.edu

Public Talk in Boston, MA, USA on April 30: His Holiness will give a public talk to the Harvard University Community on Educating the Heart organized by Harvard University at the Memorial Church. Contact Website: www.harvard.edu
Inauguration of The Dalai Lama Center on April 30: His Holiness will inaugurate The Dalai Lama Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) by giving a talk on Ethics and Enlightened Leadership. Contact Website: www.thecenter.mit.edu
Panel Discussion in Boston, MA on May 1: His Holiness will participate in a panel discussion on Meditation and Psychotherapy – Cultivating Compassion and Wisdom organized by the Harvard Medical School Department of Continuing Education at Boston Park Plaza Hotel. Contact Website: www.cme.med.harvard.edu/index.asp
Teaching in Boston, MA on May 2: His Holiness will give a teaching in the morning on What Is Buddhism & Commentary on The Four Noble Truths organized by the Tibetan Association of Boston at the Gillette Stadium, Foxboro. Contact Website: www.bostontibet.org
Public Talk in Boston, MA on May 2: His Holiness will give a public talk in the afternoon on The Path to Peace and Inner Happiness organized by the Tibetan Association of Boston at the Gillette Stadium, Foxboro. Contact Website: www.bostontibet.org

Public Talk in New York, NY on May 3: His Holiness will participate in a conversation with Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and moderated by Pico Iyer on Wisdom & Compassion for Challenging Times and organized by The Tibet Fund at The Town Hall. Contact Website: www.tibetfund.org

Teaching in New York, NY on May 4: His Holiness will give a teaching on The Quintessence of Compassion organized by The Tibet House at The New Beacon Theater. Contact Website: www.tibethouse.org
Public Talk in Albany, NY on May 6: His Holiness will give a public talk on Compassionate Ethics in Difficult Times organized by the World Ethical Foundations Consortium at the Albany Palace Theater. Contact Website: www.worldethicalfoundations.org

Teaching in Copenhagen, Denmark from May 30 & 31: His Holiness will give a day and a half teaching on Nagarjuna's Commentary on Bodhicitta (jangchup semdrel) & Kamalashila's The Middling Stages of Meditation (gomrim barpa) at the Bella Center. Contact Website: www.dalailama.dk
Public Talk in Copenhagen, Denmark on May 31: His Holiness will give a public talk on Peace Through Inner Peace at the Bella Center. Contact Website: www.dalailama.dk

Public Talk in Reykjavik, Iceland on June 2: His Holiness will give a public talk on the topic on Values, Attitude and Happiness at the Laugardalsholl Sporting Arena. Contact Website: www.dalailama.is

Teaching in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on June 4: His Holiness will give a teaching on Shantideva’s Chapter 6 on Patience from A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life at the Rai Congress Center. Contact Website: www.dalailamanederland.nl
Public Talk in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on June 4: His Holiness will give a public talk on The Power of Compassion At A Turbulent Time at the Rai Congress Center. Contact Website: www.dalailamanederland.nl

Teaching in Kaza, H.P., India from July 10 to 12: His Holiness will give three-day teachings at the request of the Sakya Monastery in Kaza. On July 10 His Holiness will give a Buddhist teaching (topic yet to be decided). On July 11 and 12 His Holiness will confer the Avalokiteshvera Initiation (chenresig wangchen).

Teaching in Frankfurt, Germany on July 30 & 31: His Holiness will give a day and a half teaching on Kamalashila's The Middling Stages of Meditation (gomrim barpa). On the morning of July 31 he will confer an Amitabha Empowerment (opakmey jenang). Contact Website: www.dalailama-frankfurt.de

Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech
[ University Aula, Oslo, 10 December 1989 ] :

Your Majesty, Members of the Nobel Committee, Brothers and Sisters.

I am very happy to be here with you today to receive the Nobel Prize for Peace. I feel honored, humbled and deeply moved that you should give this important prize to a simple monk from Tibet I am no one special. But I believe the prize is a recognition of the true value of altruism, love, compassion and non-violence which I try to practice, in accordance with the teachings of the Buddha and the great sages of India and Tibet, I accept the prize with profound gratitude on behalf of the oppressed everywhere and for all those who struggle for freedom and work for world peace.

I accept it as a tribute to the man who founded the modern tradition of non-violent action for change Mahatma Gandhi whose life taught and inspired me. And, of course, I accept it on behalf of the six million Tibetan people, my brave countrymen and women inside Tibet, who have suffered and continue to suffer so much. They confront a calculated and systematic strategy aimed at the destruction of their national and cultural identities. The prize reaffirms our conviction that with truth, courage and determination as our weapons, Tibet will be liberated.

No matter what part of the world we come from, we are all basically the same human beings. We all seek happiness and try to avoid suffering. We have the same basic human needs and is concerns. All of us human beings want freedom and the right to determine our own destiny as individuals and as peoples. That is human nature. The great changes that are taking place everywhere in the world, from Eastern Europe to Africa are a clear indication of this.

In China the popular movement for democracy was crushed by brutal force in June this year. But I do not believe the demonstrations were in vain, because the spirit of freedom was rekindled among the Chinese people and China cannot escape the impact of this spirit of freedom sweeping many parts of the world. The brave students and their supporters showed the Chinese leadership and the world the human face of that great nation.

Last week a number of Tibetans were once again sentenced to prison terms of upto nineteen years at a mass show trial, possibly intended to frighten the population before today's event. Their only 'crime" was the expression of the widespread desire of Tibetans for the restoration of their beloved country's independence.
The suffering of our people during the past forty years of occupation is well documented. Ours has been a long struggle. We know our cause is just Because violence can only breed more violence and suffering, our struggle must remain non-violent and free of hatred. We are trying to end the suffering of our people, not to inflict suffering upon others.

It is with this in mind that I proposed negotiations between Tibet and China on numerous occasions. In 1987, I made specific proposals in a Five-Point plan for the restoration of peace and human rights in Tibet. This included the conversion of the entire Tibetan plateau into a Zone of Ahimsa, a sanctuary of peace and non-violence where human beings and nature can live in peace and harmony.
last year, I elaborated on that plan in Strasbourg, at the European Parliament I believe the ideas I expressed on those occasions are both realistic. and reasonable although they have been criticised by some of my people as being too conciliatory. Unfortunately, China's leaders have not responded positively to the suggestions we have made, which included important concessions. If this continues we will be compelled to reconsider our position.

Any relationship between Tibet and China will have to be based on the principle of equality, respect, trust and mutual benefit. It will also have to be based on the principle which the wise rulers of Tibet and of China laid down in a treaty as early as 823 AD, carved on the pillar which still stands today in front of the Jokhang, Tibet's holiest shrine, in Lhasa, that "Tibetans will live happily in the great land of Tibet, and the Chinese will live happily in the great land of China".

As a Buddhist monk, my concern extends to all members of the human family and, indeed, to all sentient beings who suffer. I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction. Yet true happiness comes from a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood. We need to cultivate a universal responsibility for one another and the planet we share. Although I have found my own Buddhist religion helpful in generating love and com¬passion, even for those we consider our enemies, I am convinced that everyone can develop a good heart and a sense of universal responsibility with or without religion.

With the ever growing impact of science on our lives, religion and spirituality have a greater role to play reminding us of our humanity. There is no contradiction between the two. Each gives us valuable insights into the other. Both science and the teachings of the Buddha tell us of the fundamental unity of all things. This understanding is crucial if we are to take positive and decisive action on the pressing global concern with the environment.

I believe all religions pursue the same goals, that of cultivating human goodness and bringing happiness to all human beings. Though the means might appear different the ends are the same.
As we enter the final decade of this century I am optimistic that the ancient values that have sustained mankind are today reaffirming themselves to prepare us for a kinder, happier twenty-first century.

I pray for all of us, oppressor and friend, that together we succeed in building a better world through human under-standing and love, and that in doing so we may reduce the pain and suffering of all sentient beings.
Thank you.

[ end posting ]

posted in Bodhisattvas - 2 replies

Hi, I'de like to meet you!

CLMTYKD — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 05:24:02 GMT

I have come here to help in building a stronger online community. Through building a community electronically via the internet, we are one step closer to uniting the world. My hope is that this is a big step in the right direction, one toward peace and understanding among the people of the world. Let us build bridges of understanding together! I firmly believe it is up to all the people of Earth to create a better world, not corporations, politicians, and other demagogues. Now we have the means to do so and make no mistake this is truly the dawning of a new age!

So visit my profile if you like, say hello, add me to your friends, and just communicate in general. I am also contributing to a blog if your interested; www.riseupforthenewday.net. Remember there can be no community without communication!

posted in Bodhisattvas - 1 reply

I was busy doing my job here on earth when a (not so ) funny thing happened

Kalonapossessorofpeace — Fri, 01 May 2009 03:21:45 GMT

When I joined this tribe, many years ago things were going fine I had a large community around me, work and the work I do here on earth..then BAM! something hit...Now I am somewhat isolated and unable to perform my duties.....the empathy is still alive but ... I have heard that others have been recently isolated ..anybody know why? or what is going on?

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Find out how to use your voice to save your life

KailashBruder — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:53:23 GMT

What if you had a device that would reliably produce peace of mind, elevate your mood, and support your growth into who you most wish to be?
Good news: you have just such a device. It's your voice!
The ancients understood that our voice is the steering wheel of our thoughts and feelings. When you focus your attention on the sound of your own voice while repeating time-tested mantras ("mind-protectors"), you lead your mind and heart in an Ultimately True, Beautiful, and Healthful direction. And because we all live in the atmosphere of our thoughts, your quality of life will be dramatically improved.
Kailash (Kurt Bruder, Ph.D., M.Ed.) provides you with the tools you need to take up or deepen a life-saving practice of devotional chanting in his groundbreaking book & CD set, Following Sound into Silence: Chanting Your Way Beyond Ego into Bliss (Hay House).
To discover what several leading figures in sacred sound and spirituality have to say about this extraordinary resource, please use this URL link:

http://OmKailash.com/fsis_testimonials.html

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Quan Yin

Loose — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 01:49:14 GMT

I was wandering how do we work the Bodhisattva(s) into our daily life? I'm new to all of this stuff. I want to work with Quan Yin.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kannon

posted in Bodhisattvas - 1 reply

The Sacred Rose

twilightening — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 07:05:58 GMT

http://thesacredrose2012.com/index.php?page=contents&pg_no=1

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

New Mantra

elegantunity — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:20:38 GMT

I've been developing this for some time and it is working, so I share it with you:

"God now provides us with lives we love living."

My chosen goal is to support the birthing of Heaven on Earth in whatever small ways I am able through personal change and daily kindness. This mantra supports everyone's right to define for themselves what constitutes a loved life and we will gravitate to where we vibrate as in Heaven. I've gained so much insight from this website: www.near-death.com/

Namaste
Angel-face

posted in Bodhisattvas - 42 replies

Ganesh ( Ganapati ) the Hindu Buddhist Deity : practices references and transmission

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:40:20 GMT

Ganesh ( Ganapati ) the Hindu Buddhist Deity : practices references and transmission

Keywords : Ganapati / Ganesh the Elephant Headed God of Classical India, Mantra and Praise of Ganapati, Deity yoga, Tantric empowerment, Overlapping Hindu / Buddhist mantra culture, Vedacarya Thomas Ashley-Farrand, Sakya Lineage and Sakya Monastery, Seattle Washington.

“To those for whom these village fires still have meaning:
Oh, may your own most beautiful Animal of Light come safely to you!”
from the Last Whole Earth Catalog

On 13 July in Seattle Washington a Ganapati empowerment will be offered at Sakya Monastery of Tibetan Buddhism. The guru bestowing this empowerment is the tantric master of Sakya Monastery, His Holiness Jigdal Dagchen Sakya Rinbochay. See www.sakya.org for more information.

For this reason it is timely and appropriate to provide some basic teaching and perspective on Ganapati, and in particular an esoteric Hindu Ganapati mantra and also a Sanskrit Buddhist praise of Ganapati. Many diverse teachings on this deity in Hindu form are available on the internet ( under both Ganapati and Ganesh ).

An excellent introductory summary for Ganapati / Ganesh is available online at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesha

The Buddhist Ganapati is also referenced in the Tibetan Buddhist traditions of the Nyingma ( e.g. Longchen Nyingtik ) and Gelugpa lineages ( see practice texts for www.fpmt.org ). There is also Buddhist practice of Ganapati in the esoteric Buddhist Japanese tradition known as Shingon, which came East via China and not Tibet.

Briefly, Ganapati means Lord of the Troop, and Ganesh basically means Elephant Headed One. Ganapati is known by the title “Remover of Obstacles” or “Lord of Obstacles”. He carries or represents the enormous power of the Elephant. He is often accompanied by two female consorts Riddhi and Siddhi ( Magical Accomplishment and Spiritual Accomplishment ).

Ganapati is very prominent and even central in Hindu practice and is often evoked at the beginning of important engagements or projects, such as making a journey or starting employment, or beginning a meditation practice session. I have seen dance evocation of Ganapati at the beginning of a Hindu temple dance concert. Ganapati is one of the main practices of Hindu business people for success in their commercial ventures.

Ganapati is strongly associated with the “national spirit” or Mother India as well as her earliest roots. In the distant past elephants were used throughout India to clear land for agriculture, and also as war elephants. More recently, public Hindu celebrations were banned by the occupying British and the outlawed Ganapati ceremonies were brought forth, successfully, to rally India against foreign rule.

It is said that the long “History of India” was transcribed by the deity Ganapati as given by Rishi Visvamitra. Many of the key texts of Sanatana Dharma ( Hinduism ) were written down by Ganapati. So, this practice is a primary connection to Vedic Culture. Due to this, Ganapati is also practiced by students to help with their secular school exams.

Ganapati has a very ambivalent status in Buddhist tantra, the esoteric form of Buddhist meditation which relies on yoga, deity recitations and mystic practices in general. On the one hand, Ganapati is often considered unfriendly towards Buddhist practitioners in general, and propitiated or banished or subjugated so as to not cause problems. Thus, a subjugated Ganapati serves as the throne for the deity Mahakala in his Six Armed form. This reflects the fact that some but not all Hindu practice / culture affirms Buddhist teachings.

On the other hand, there are specifically Buddhist practices for Ganapati, as for other Hindu deities such as Shiva, Sarasvati and so forth. The Sakya lineage carries Buddhist deity yogas for the Hindu deities Uma Devi / Parvati and Garuda, as well as Ganapati. ( In Southern Buddhism, such as in Sri Lanka Theravada monasteries, it is common to propitiate the Hindu deity Visnu for outer or worldly benefits. )

More broadly, many Buddhist schools share with the Sanatana Dharma ( i.e. Hindu practice and culture ) a significant focus on Ayurveda, or spiritual medicine. The Buddhist deity Bhaisajyaguru, or Medicine Buddha, is a deity of Buddhist spiritual medicine and Ayurveda in both Hindu and Buddhist forms is more or less identical in practice, not just similar.

In the classical Sakya tradition, this Twelve Arm Ganapati is actually an emanation of Avalokitesvara, the beloved and universal Buddhist deity of liberating compassion. Thus, it is reasonable to view this empowerment as being a definite connection to Avalokitesvara and the general practices of Avalokitesvara.

It is also very important to note that with this ( or any ) tantric Buddhist empowerment comes the general set of universal Buddhist vows, such as the Ten Precepts ( rejection of harmfulness, theft, dishonesty, ill-will and so forth ), and the Bodhisattva vows. The Bodhisattva vows focus on active humanitarian service in the most broad and deep and long term ways, starting with rejection of limiting ideas such as racism, sexism, tribalism, and all cultural divisiveness.

For some basic teachings on Buddhist theory and practice, see the following at Asian Classics:
http://www.asianclassics.org/research_site/webdata/education.html

The Principal Teachings of Buddhism
Buddhist Refuge
The Vows of the Bodhisattva

For an excellent general introduction to Buddhist practice, with a focus on Buddhist tantra, see the following book by Kalu Rinpoche:
The Dharma: That Illuminates All Beings Like the Light of the Sun and the Moon, State University of New York Press, 1986, ISBN 0-88706-157-5

http://www.amazon.com/Dharma-Illuminates-Beings-Impartially-Light/dp/0887061575

This book is short, direct, accessible, classical and effective. It should be. It was transcribed as spoken directly to westerners by one of the greatest Buddhist masters of the last century.

To take the tantric Buddhist empowerment of Ganapati or any other is to take Mahayana Buddhist vows, as well as to become authorized to do magical kinds of practice, such as mantra recitation to develop the power of the deity. The point is that in this case, the Hindu/ Buddhist deity Ganapati is practiced within a classical Buddhist context, not otherwise. Thus the above mentioned Buddhist references are of central importance in this transmission and practice.

As a brilliant red deity aspect, Twelve Armed Ganapati is not only a remover of obstacles and disharmonious circumstances, but also a magnetizing deity, i.e. a deity that “warms up” social situations, and develops strongly positive interpersonal engagement.

On a yogic level, this deity ( in Buddhist deity yoga ) develops strength and power at the level of the navel point of the psychic energy body ( svadhisthana cakra ), although I cannot say more without transgressing tantric vows of secrecy. Note that the Hindu Ganapati is girded by snakes, representing kundalini energy, and is similarly associated with the energy at the base of the spinal column. All tantric transmissions are private, and their contents not to be discussed following initiation.

This is one of many specifically obstacle-removing diety yogas in Buddhist tantra. There are many others, but this one is definitely recommended for those who have a more Hindu-oriented background in culture and/ or personal karma. And as noted earlier, it is a connection to Avalokitesvara practice specifically, and to the outer Mahayana practices in general.

This can also be viewed ( speaking very unofficially ) as a connection to Hindu transmissions. ) For this reason I will now provide a specifically Hindu mantra for Ganapati, which has been confirmed. It is quite reasonable to say that on obtaining a Twelve Arm Ganapati empowerment, one may practice the following Hindu mantra as well.

Maha Ganapati Mantra
"Aum shrim hrim klim glaum gam
ganapataye vara varada sarva
janamme vashamanaya svaha"

Vedacarya Thomas Ashley-Farrand, from whom I have Laxmi transmission, has many introductory and also detailed teachings on Hindu mantra practice. See his website at
http://www.sanskritmantra.com/

The following is not an official representation, but I do have the Sakya lineage Ganapati transmission some twenty years back from HE Luding Khen Rinbochay. This Sakya initiation is for a Twelve Arm Red Ganapati, equivalent in many respects to the Hindu deity Ganesh or Ganapati. Many diverse teachings on this deity in Hindu form are available on the internet ( under both Ganapati and Ganesh ). The Buddhist Ganapati is also referenced in the Tibetan Buddhist traditions of the Nyingma and Gelugpa lineages.

From www.sakya.org :

07/13/2008
GANAPATI INITIATION
Offered by H. H. Jigdal Dagchen Sakya
Sunday, July 13
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Shrine Room
Suggested Donation: $30 Public, $25 Members
Translator: Dr. Jeff Schoening
Ganapati made the commitment to help all beings to uphold the 3 trainings—moral behavior, meditation, wisdom— and, in particular, to provide the necessary materials and provisions for practitioners.
He protects one from obstacles at the beginning of any enterprise and also helps to increase wealth and power for the benefit of the Dharma.
His Holiness Jigdal Dagchen Sakya, head lama of Sakya Monastery, was born in Tibet in 1929. He continues the great Sakya lineage which began with Khon Konchok Gyalpo (1034—1102). He received teachings of the unbroken Khon lineage, the Sakya Vajrakilaya, the Hevajra and the complete Lamdre Tsogshe, from his father, H.H. Trichen Ngawang Thutop Wangchul, the last Sakya throne holder in Tibet. He also studied with many other great Buddhist teachers, including Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi and Dingo Khyentse Robsal Dawa.
In 1960, H.H. J.D. Sakya was invited to work on a University of Washington research project on Tibetan civilization which was sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation. At the request of students, he co-founded with H.E. Dezhung Rinpoche Sakya Tegchen Choling, a center for the study of Tibetan Buddhism and culture. In 1984, the center became the Sakya Monastery of Tibetan Buddhism.

The following is copyrighted material from The Digital Sanskrit Buddhist Canon, at
http://www.uwest.edu/sanskritcanon/index.html
specifically
http://www.uwest.edu/sanskritcanon/Stotra/Roman/stotra30.html

The source text is “ Source: Pandey, Janardan Shastri ed. Bauddha strotra Samgrah. Varanasi : Motilal Banarsidass, 1994”.

This is provided as a necessary and specific demonstration that classical Indian Buddhist culture incorporated Ganapati deity yoga as a tantric practice, and not for other purposes.
Ga?esastotram

kharvam sthulataram gajendravadanam lambodaram sundaram
vidhnesam madhugandhalubdhamadhupavyalolagandasthalam|
dantodghatavidaritahitajanam sindurasobhakaram
vande sailasutasutam ganapatim siddhipradam kamadam|| 1||

herambah paramo devah karyasiddhividhayakah|
saibhagyarupasampannm? dehi me sukhasampadam|| 2||

ekadantam mahakayam lambodaram gajananam|
sarvasiddhipradataram gangaputram namamyaham|| 3||

vande tam ga?anathamaryamanagham daridrayadavanalam
sundaadandavidhuyamanasamalam samsarasindhostarim|
yam natva surakoyayah prabhuvaram siddhim labhante param
sindurarunavigraham paripataddanambudharahrtam|| 4||

uccairbrahmandakhandadvitayasahacaram kumbhayugmam dadhanah
presannagaripaksapratibhatavikatasrotratalabhiramah |
devah sambhorapatyam bhujagapatitanusparddhivardhisnuhasta-
strailokyascaryamurtirjayati trijagatamisvarah kuñjarasyah|| 5||

ganapatisca herambo vidhnarajo vinayakah |
deviputro mahateja mahabalaparakramah || 6||

mahodaro mahakayascaikadanto gajananah|
svetavastro mahadiptastrinetro gananayakah || 7||

aksamalam ca dantam ca grhnan vai daksine kare|
parasum modakapatram ca vamahaste vidharayan|| 8||

nanapusparato devo nanagandhanulepanah |
nagayajñopavitango nanavidhnavinasanah || 9||

devasuramanusyanam siddhagandharvavanditam|
trailokyavidhnahartaramakhvarudham namamyaham|| 10||

sumukhascaikadantasca kapilo gajakarnakah |
lambodarasca vikato vidhnarajo vinayakah || 11||

dhumraketurganadhyakso bhalacandro gajananah |
vakratundah surpakarno herambah skandapurvajah || 12||

sodasaitani namani yah pathecchunuyadapi|
vidyarambhe vivahe ca pravese nirgame tatha|| 13||

samgrame samkate caiva vidhnastasya na jayate|
vidhnavallikutharaya ganadhipataye namah || 14||

sriga?esastotra? samaptam|

Sarva mangalam! Siddhi rastu!

In partial fulfillment of vajrayana teaching responsibilities,

KT

posted in Bodhisattvas - 8 replies

love Poems , from Rumi ,for this valentine

sina(i'm Love ) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:36:41 GMT

To all of you that feel the call to explore the endless potential of love, journey now with love’s greatest student – and master – the 13th century mystic poet of Persia : Jelaluddin Rumi. Rumi’s incredible, profound verses invite us to experience a love beyond our senses, beyond time, beyond language: a love that removes all boundaries and answers all desire.
Sina Yasavolian recites selections of Nader Khalili’s translations in a graceful, lyrical dance to an original musical score by Hamoon Tehrani . His music awakens our hearts as Sina’s soothing voice and Rumi’s sensitive words transport our spirits to a place of union with the infinite divine presence. In her readings, Sina exhibits a deep respect and understanding of Rumi’s writing, which she generously shares with us. Do more than listen to this poetry and music; let it color your soul. You can buy and download these music, directly from this site. hope you enjoy it.
you can visite these web site for the CD.

http://trueloverumi.com/shop.html

http://cdbaby.com/cd/sina2

http://www.dailyom.com/articles/3/2009/17069.html

http://www.amazon.com/Rumis-Love-Sina/dp/B0012DKIBU/ref=sr_1_35?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1233635484&sr=8-35

love and light

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

love

sina(i'm Love ) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:34:16 GMT

~`~`~`~`~`~` ~`~`~`~`~ `~ ~`~`~`~`~`~` ~`~`~`~`~ `~

Gamble everything for love,
if you're a true human being.

If not, leave
this gathering.

Half-heartedness doesn't reach
into majesty. You set out
to find God, but then you keep

stopping for long periods
at meanspirited roadhouses.

- Rumi

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche Visits Dallas 12/19-12/21

VoiceOfMind — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 02:57:46 GMT

Venerable Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche
Spiritual Director, Palyul Changchub Dargyeling Dallas
Dallas~December 19-21, 2008

7 Line Prayer Teaching / Rigdzin Düpa Empowerment

"When a disciple calls upon me with devotion and the yearning song of the Seven-Line Prayer, I shall come at once..."
-Guru Rinpoche

The Seven Line Prayer is said to be the most majestic of all prayers to Guru Padmasambhava, and is the most powerful way to invoke his blessings. In a very special three part teaching series, Rinpoche will explain the profound meaning of the outer, inner and secret aspects of this sacred prayer. Rinpoche will also confer the empowerment of Rigdzin Dupa, the inner aspect of Guru Rinpoche. Rigdzin Dupa, "The Gathering of Awareness Holders", is a very powerful practice for dispeling obstacles, and is one of the three root sadhanas in the Longchen Nyingthig tradition.

Fri 12/19
7PM-9PM Teachings on the Seven Line Prayer Part1

Sat 12/20
10AM-Noon Teachings on the Seven Line Prayer Part2
2:30-4:30PM Teachings on the Seven Line Prayer Part3
4:30PM Refuge Ceremony

Sun 12/21
10AM-Noon Rigdzin Dupa Empowerment
2:30-4:30PM Teaching on the practice of Rigdzin Dupa

Location of events:
320 Terrace Drive, Richardson, TX. 75083
For driving instructions, please visit www.pcddallas.org

Suggested Dontation:
Fri. evening $20
Sat (all day) $40 ($20 per session)
Sun(all day) $40 ($20 per session)
PLEASE NOTE: Scholarships available. No one turned away due to lack of funds

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Am I Mettayya

Sun, 07 Mar 2004 15:31:58 GMT

If you see me dead
I will then live forever,
I come to you in peace
I come to you as a teacher
I do not come as an officer of church or sect
I come to you as a man
I do not come as a God
I come to bring you wisdom
I come to bring you all that Lord Buddha would have you know
of life, Earth and Man
I come to you with freedom
I come to you with science
I come to teach you
I come to help you
With complete attention
with arduous study
with interest and love
You will all, in very few years, some in months
Become Bodhi
What I say has to do with self
It has no concourse with the political
He who would rule, support him
He who would govern, assist him
Those who would have Political Philosophy applaud them,
for they, are at least, not beasts
If a ruler rules well assist him
If he rules with violence, do not assist him
and let that be his penalty.
Give sanctuary to those who having ruled now fail, and are oppressed by peoples or the Governments of other lands. And rule no more, but flee, For this is but the chance of rulers all, Give sanctuary so.
Give sanctuary too, to those who have been ruled unjustly and oppressed. Judge not their crime, but if they reach the confines of your place, or even touch your robe, secure for them a peace.
Deliver them not but by the wisdom which I give, Bring to them an honesty they have not known.
In such a way handle then, the problems of politics, and go no further in.

Has anyone heard this poetry before? the author (now deceased?) was and remains a very controversial personality.

There is more, and I will type it in if anyone is interested.

Lux E Tenebris,
Louis

posted in Bodhisattvas - 1 reply

Women's empowerment? Yes and No.

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 02:20:03 GMT

Re: women's empowerment? Yes and no.

Re Adya on tribe Dark Goddesses:
"Do you think that women as a group are more empowered today?"

Depends very much on the context.

Under Islam, the answer is an emphatic NO. Benazir Bhutto was recently killed in Pakistan. That is a key example and key indicator. Under the Afghan mullahs, girls could not even attend school to learn to read. Taking education away from girls was not progress.

Within the Buddhist fellowships throughout the West, the answer is a resounding YES. Women from all walks of life now have incredible access to powerful and crucial Buddhist teachings and transmissions in many parts of the West. Some are becoming real spiritual doctors, and everyone respects this ( unlike in traditional forms of monotheism ).

The difference is HUGE.

The future is here, it is just not so well recognized . . .

Women under the yoke of Islam will have to free themselves. Let's wish them the best.

Re Lynne:
"I think women have always been empowered."

No, of course not. For the most part, women have been chattel, treated more as properties rather than as independent and worthwhile in themselves.

The Buddhist teaching clearly says "All beings have Buddha nature." This is a truly revolutionary statement, especially for women!
Free your minds. . . and the rest will follow.

"This precious human lifetime is an opportunity to be seized!"
--H.H. Chetsang Tulku Rinbochay

Acarya KT

posted in Bodhisattvas - 1 reply

resource links

tashidorje — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:09:02 GMT

http://siddharthasintent.org/pubrequest.html

and if you go to the bottom of this site..

http://tralvex.com/pub/spiritual/index.htm

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Differnece in Arhata and Bodhisattva's

shiva — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:49:40 GMT

Osho Discourse on Arhata and Bodhisattva
http://www.messagefrommasters.com/Enlightenment/arhata_and_bodhisattva.htm

enlightenment experiences of Buddhas- Osho, jiddu krishnamurti, Ramakrishna at
http://www.messagefrommasters.com/Enlightenment/Enlightenment_Experience.htm

posted in Bodhisattvas - 2 replies

An invitation to our dream

nareshlove — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 12:48:11 GMT

tribes.tribe.net/walkaboutlove

We invite you to watch, smell and taste our dream!
From all over the world we need to come together and understand the common humanity that is in all of us, if we are to share life on this planet Earth.
People from everywhere are called upon to share a community experience, by walking together across a misunderstood land – Israel.
You are called upon to show the world how seeds of understanding and human brotherhood can be planted in the land of Israel, with all people living, working, walking and sharing as one.
Israel and the world need you, your love and your humanity more than ever. These are critical times – an emergency. Seeds of understanding are the way to make a better world.
We aim to walk the entire length of the land of Israel from south to north, to show the rest of the world that it is possible for people of different races, colors and nations to understand each other. Gathering together with all of our different cultures and languages, we will share a demanding challenge.
A One Thousand Kilometer Walk In Three Months
Our mission is to demonstrate that coming together in harmony is possible.
This protest is a heart felt cry for connection and unity. We are but tourists passing through this world for a short time. Lets not waste our time.
Come together and enjoy a true connection as one human family – living, working, walking, singing and dancing together. The sharing of our beautiful differences towards the common goal of Global Brotherhood will enrich us all.
Walk About Love is firstly a universal musical festival featuring artists and musicians from all over the world. This exchange of musical cultures, we believe, will create a universal understanding. Dancing together we will learn to love and accept each other.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Bodhisattva Spin Jam skill share in Ashland OR

liquidfiremantra — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:37:50 GMT

Bodhisattva Spin Jam

Focussed Creative play space for Bodhisattva's to share skills, wisdom and community. Conscious music guiding our exploration. Come practice skill toys like poi, staff, hula hoop, juggling, and explore movement arts like, contact dance, martial arts, free form ecstatic dance, also musical synergy with, drumming, didgeridoo, etc.. You get the idea. :)
A on going event every Tuesday, 8:30pm till 11:00
Located at the Oak Street Dance studio.
1287 Oak Street, Ashland, OR.
$5-10 sliding scale

mail@liquidfiremantra.com
www.liquidfiremantra.com

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Who Has "Mastered" the Following?

Shanti ♡☀♥ — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:28:25 GMT

The Eight Lojong Verses of Geshe Langri Tangpa (Dorje Senge)

1. With the thought of attaining enlightenment for the welfare of beings, who are more precious than a wish-fulfilling jewel, I will constantly practice holding them dear.

2. Whenever I am with others, I will practice seeing myself as the lowest of all and from the very depth of my heart, I will respectfully hold others as supreme.

3. In all actions, I will examine my mind and the moment a disturbing attitude arises, endangering myself and others, I will firmly confront and avert it.

4. Whenever I meet a person of bad nature who is overwhelmed by negative energy and intense suffering, I will hold such a rare one dear, as if I had found a precious treasure.

5. When others, out of jealousy, mistreat me with abuse, slander and so on, I will practice accepting defeat and offering the victory to them.

6. When someone I have benefited and in whom I have placed great trust hurts me very badly, I will practice seeing that person as my supreme teacher.

7. In short, I will offer directly and indirectly every benefit and happiness to all beings, my mothers. I will practice in secret taking upon myself all their harmful actions and sufferings.

8. Without these practices being defiled by the stains of the eight worldly concerns, by perceiving all phenomena as illusory, I will practice without grasping to release all beings from the bondage of the disturbing, unsubdued mind and karma.
---------------------------
I sure aspire to these values but still have certain limits. Number 3,4,5 and 6 are challenging at times. Well, that is why it is a practice! It's a practice of taking responsibility, hopefully with much compassion not just for others but oneself. Sometimes I do have a hard time always catching my mind and redirecting it. I don't know how I could even attempt to do that without a basic spiritual practice. The mind can be like a monkey when in turmoil and even the best of spiritualists, so I have seen, have often disturbing thoughts and emotions.

What is your challenge... if your wish to share?

I hope you all have a blissful Summer.
--------------------------

posted in Bodhisattvas - 5 replies

"A beautiful friend.. brutally murdered..." : trauma, transpersonal psychology and soul work. And Dhammapada.

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 19:50:38 GMT

Title: "A beautiful friend.. brutally murdered..." : trauma, transpersonal psychology and soul work. And Dhammapada.

Key phrases : existential pain, suffering and impermanence, murder of a friend, the way the universe does or should work, soul work and liberation, transpersonal psychology and existential psychology.

Summary : Personal emotional freedom is an inside job. So what is important on the basic human level is to learn to listen to and understand ourselves, and to recognize we have to be bigger than our problems.

KT says
The following is excepted from a tribe post. Following this post, I have given two responses to reframe the issue.
It is possible to say a lot more, from the standpoints of existential psychology and Buddhist psychology alike. For the moment the basic goal is to talk about "being brave" + developing a self-dialogue, as a response to severe emotional challenges ( such as irrational violence in the world ), and as a main means of facing personal pain and existential crises in our lives.

Also, the Guru Sakyammuni said
"Everything that is conditioned passes. Be your own light."
There are good translations of the Dhammapada, the sayings of Sakyamuni Buddha. Keeping a copy at hand in a time of deep personal pain is a remarkably helpful therapy in itself. I first read and reread the Dhammapada in seventh grade, and have never outgrown it.
http://www.amazon.com/Dhammapada-Classics-Indian-Spirituality/dp/1586380206/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219518048&sr=8-2

The teaching of Guru Sakyamuni is well established as a main way people learn to work with suffering and impermanence, so it is reasonable to mention Buddhadharma in this context, as well. It has been shown repeatedly that non-Buddhists or people with no specific religious orientation can benefit greatly from the Dhaammapada in times of emotional distress or debilitating personal disorientation. You could classify it under "transpersonal psychology" and "logotherapy", or existential psychology. It is both.

See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logotherapy
and
http://www.logotherapyinstitute.org/
as a formal bridge between modern psychology and the psychology of Guru Sakyamuni Buddha.

It is important to keep in mind that the personal tragedy that someone faces is *never* the right time for proselytizing any religious belief or promoting some money-making operation. Instead, what is most helpful, at a basic human level, is simply to listen, to ourselves and to others. There is an extraordinarily helpful book on this:
"Focusing", by Eugene Gendlin, PhD.
http://www.amazon.com/Focusing-Eugene-T-Gendlin/dp/0553278339/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219517728&sr=8-1

Please note that what is said here is In No Way a substitute for either yoga sadhana or individual counseling or whole person wellness care, such as acupuncture, herbal medicine and so forth. In a difficult situation use a broad spectrum of modalities. The goal here is to provide some perspective for those who experience deep emotional vulnerability or wounding resulting from a devastating life event.

Every authentic Buddhist teacher is, one way or another, a capable psychologist, and I am hopefully of some help. I have in fact worked effectively with some brutalized and traumatized individuals, women in particular. In the dharmic lineages ( Hindu or Buddhist ) it is emphasized that one of the most important ways to "help oneself" is to be of service to others, i.e. good karma. This is also very much true on a basic psychological or intrapsychic level.

May this be beneficial. Sarva mangalam.

-KT

P says
"I had a beautiful fairy friend....
She was a shining spirit - full of life and creativity....
But most of all - she was the embodiment of Pure, Unconditional Love....
She loved everybody - always smiling - always saying "hello Love", "goodbye Love"...
Always singing "Love, Love, Love"....
Her life was a work of art and her being was pure inspiration and joy....
I loved her - everyone she ever met loved her....

"Then I found out she was brutally murdered....
She was in Asia - home alone - someone tried to rob her - she fought back and was stabbed to death....
Grief, shock and disbelief overcame me....

"I could not get my head around it - I could not believe that this could happen to one of the most wonderful people on this earth....
she did not deserve to go like this....
I could not imagine the fear and terror she must have felt with her last breath....
the thought of it made me physically ill....

"I understand that we all must die....
and yes, it's tragic that she had to pass - her time had come - etc....
But NOT like this - how could someone so peaceful and full of unconditional love and light suffer her last day of life like this....
This can not be the way - this is just not fair - this can't be the way the universe works - it just can't.....

"A week had passed after I heard the news...
I couldn't come to terms with it....
I was listening to a Pema Chodron discourse on audio....
I was deep in a meditative state...
Then Pema Chodron said "whatever you choose to be aware of - the universe will serve up the opposite to help you become more aware...
if you want to practice patience - the universe will give you irritating situations so you can become aware of your impatience....
if you want to practice mindfulness - the universe will give you mind-less situations so you can become more aware...."

"At that moment I received a download from the universe....
My friend was murdered because she believed in unconditional love.... she WAS the embodiment of Unconditional Love...
so she was killed in the worst way in order for her soul to practice and forgive and unconditionally love her killer....
This was her soul lesson...
If she did - her soul would not come back to this earth plane as a human - but ascend to the next realm of Angels and Muses....
The universe always unfolds for our greatest good - to bring our souls closer to source....
The universe only gives you what you can handle.... and her soul must have been so close to pure that she could handle it....
otherwise it wouldn't have been so....

"This was the message I received....
and at that moment I felt like I understood....
and an awesome presence of peace came over me....
"she can do it" - I thought... she can transcend....!
I wholeheartedly believed this message - I truly believed that she was liberated from the mortal bondage of death and re-birth and that she has now gone to somewhere higher - where her love and light could do so much more profound work than on this human realm...

"Today they found her killer....
he sold the things he had stolen from her home for $300...
that was all her life was worth... 300 dollars....
And instantly, that peace I had felt before vanished....
Instead I heard a voice in my head telling me that what I had realized before - what I thought was a download from the universe - was just my mind's way of rationalizing this heinous crime.... because I could not emotionally handle her death....
The voice said that there is no justice in this universe....
and that my friends death was just a cold, cruel, accident - it could happen to anybody - it just happened to be one of the most precious creatures on the planet....

"If this is true - if there really is no rhyme or reason - if it just happened to be wrong place - wrong time - then I am not sure I can go on...
Then this whole world is pointless.... and everything is just random....
and there is no use to try to love - to try to help - to try to heal....
if this could just "happen" - then there is no karma - no wrong or right....

"I want to believe that what my insight from the universe revealed was real - that there is some sort of order to this universe - some sort of soul evolution - some sort of kind universally all-loving spirit that guides us for our highest and greatest good....
but my mind is telling me that it's just a big rationalization and that the universe just exists - it is indifferent - and doesn't really care one way or the other...
it just goes on....

"I don't know which one is real anymore...
I don't know what is real anymore...
I don't know what the point of this existence is....

"I am feeling confused, cynical and a bit schizophrenic by all of this....
any insights from this tribe will be a great help in helping me to sort this tragedy out and come to some sort of terms....
Thank you for just letting me blurt this all out..."

Re the above post:
"I want to believe that what my insight from the universe revealed was real - that there is some sort of order to this universe - some sort of soul evolution - some sort of kind universally all-loving spirit that guides us for our highest and greatest good....
but my mind is telling me that it's just a big rationalization and that the universe just exists - it is indifferent - and doesn't really care one way or the other...
it just goes on.... "

Namaste.

Okay, I will respond on a basic level. Not as a vajrayana guru in particular, but on a simple existential level, using the pop culture vernacular.

This is from Spiderman 3:
"Whatever comes our way, whatever battle. . . we always have a choice. . .
It's the choices that makes us what we are, and we can always choose to do what's right."

Soul evolution is a choice. It is a possibility that can always be engaged. We have to be bigger than our problems. We have to live for that which is most worthwhile, not throw away our human possibilities due to small or large obstacles on the way.

Life is a journey. Go forward, go up.

The Dalai Lama says "Work for peace." Sometimes you have to fight for it, too. The fight may be primarily an internal fight for higher consciousness, it may be a fight on some outer level as well. But we all do need emotional strength, so we all have to develop that, each individually.

"We can't abandon our responsibilities or the people we need to protect. This is who we are."
Jessica Alba, in "Fantastic Four"

Acarya KT, inner medical tantrika

And a second post ( part 2 )
"I don't know what the point of this existence is....

"I am feeling confused, cynical and a bit schizophrenic by all of this....
any insights from this tribe will be a great help in helping me to sort this tragedy out and come to some sort of terms....
Thank you for just letting me blurt this all out... "

The point of life is learning, and growing, and becoming more aware and responsive and able.
Major setbacks and heartaches can serve as important challenges to goad us towards greater awareness and responsibility.
In the classical Mahayana Buddhist perspective, the goal ( and the path also ) is the development of Wisdom, Compassion, and Power.
Or, as is said in Sanskrit, "Jnana Karuna Bala".
These are ennobling and liberating potentials that *natively* exist within each person, but they must be developed through classical yoga sadhana.

On a more personal level, what is clearly necessary here is personal daily journaling for some period of time, some weeks or maybe months. We are all responsible for understanding ourselves and sorting ourselves out. When we can listen to and understand our own thoughts and feelings and situations, it then becomes more possible to deal with the larger world and bigger issues.

On the specific matter of violence and victimization and personal responsiblity, I have written an article on Albert Camus, which you can find at my tribe home under the picture for Albert Camus. Camus, the great French Nobel Laureate and member of the French Underground in World War 2, said that one should be neither a victim nor an executioner.

He also said,
N'attends pas le jugement final, mon ami, par ce-que il se passe chaque journee.

That means,
Do not await the "final judgement" my friend, because it takes place every day.

So I have given answer on three levels, the dharmic, the psychological, and the existential. I do all three, obviously.

More can be said, but this establishes the basics. Beyond these points, it is necessary to do a formal practice of some kind.
Please note in this regard that poor and oppressed people who have authentic spiritual discipline can show much greater personal equilibrium and emotional stamina under severe conditions than wealthy people in free countries who lack sadhana and dharma.
Freedom is in large measure an inside job.

Live for that which is highest in yourself and others. Go for light and freedom and the truly liberating human values.

Best to all,
KT, inner medical tantrika, dagger priest and pipe carrier of the Lakota Sioux

All My Relations. Sarva mangalam!

posted in Bodhisattvas - 1 reply

conflict

blissananda — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 08:21:03 GMT

theres some one id like to scalp. naturaly as a bodisatva, doing the best he can, this brings up an internal conflict. should i act on my instinct, and liberate him and others from the chains of his ego? or simply detach and let kharma unfold as it should. have you been in a similar situation? this person really needs scalping.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 15 replies

basic breath practice and basic mantra practice : nadi shodhana pranayam and White Tara mantra

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:58:11 GMT

Re: what to engage in yoga - breath practices and mantra

Re Jennifer on tribe tantra
"What is a good form of yoga to get into for beginners? "

Hi Jennifer.
A simple and profound practice is "pranayama", or breath modulation.
It is used by yoga practitioners at all levels.
It requires no specific religious philosophy.

It is used for many purposes, such as psychological balance, energy balancing, mind-body co-ordination, physical workout warm-ups and warm-downs, kundalini yoga, and as a key practice in Buddhist yogas of primordial pure awareness, such as Great Perfection and Great Seal.

There are also Buddhist kung fu breath modulation practices for martial arts which are sophisticated and powerful.

There are many excellent books available on pranayama.
A basic and most useful pranayama practice is alternate nostril breathing, which is taught in many variations, among the Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists. In Sanskrit this is known as nadi shodhana pranayam.

As with most yoga practices, be careful regarding sensitive times such as pregnancy or illness and do not practice when the stomach is full.

A major source of teaching on pranayama is the 3H0 Sikhs and Yogi Bhajan, who brought a tremendous amount of this material to the West. Do a google search for "kundalini yoga" + pranayam + "yogi bhajan". You can get 3H0 books on kundalini yoga from Ravi Singh and Guru Rattan Khaur Khalsa.

I have and use many texts on tantra and yoga as practitioner and as guru, and pranayama is always of enormous importance in the different lineages, and in my own practice. I began doing pranayam in 1980, and on at least one occasion it has saved my life.

Another major and most useful kind of practice is Sanskrit recitation, or mantrayana.
You can find a basic description of the Vajrasattva mantra at my tribe home, under the picture for "Hundred Syllable Mantra".

The primary source for transmissions of this kind of yoga is the esoteric Buddhist tantra, known to the public under the name "Tibetan Buddhism."

I have completed ten thousand hours of mantra.

A most basic and openly available mantra for healing and developing inner spiritual connections is the Buddhist goddess mantra for Tara:

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE MA ME AYU PUNYA JNANA PUSTIM KURU SVAHA

This is for wisdom ( jnana ), long life ( ayu ), noble qualities ( punya ), and spiritual energy ( pustim ). This is a good mantra for protection, for removing obstacles, and cleansing the magnetic field.

A basic practice would be to recite this 100,000 times, and it works better with visualization, pure intention and so forth.

There are many Buddhist books and practice texts for Tara, for example from Snow Lion Publications, at
http://www.snowlionpub.com/

See the book
"Skillful Grace: Tara Practice for Our Time"

at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Skillful-Grace-Tara-Practice-Time/dp/9627341614

If you can do some effective pranayama and some effective mantra then you are a functional yoga practitioner.
If you lack both pranayama and mantra, your practice will remain very very very limited.

Best,

Acarya KT

Sarva mangalam! Siddhi rastu!

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

HH Phakchok Rinpoche and the Chokling Tersar Lineage of the Great Perfection : An Introduction and 2008 Tour Notes

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:42:31 GMT

HH Phakchok Rinpoche and the Chokling Tersar Lineage of the Great Perfection : An Introduction and 2008 Tour Notes

Keywords: Esoteric Buddhist yoga ( buddhatantra ), Great Perfection / AtiYoga / dzogchen i.e. primordial awareness yoga, tantric Buddhist empowerment, non-sectarian tantric Buddhist practice ( Rimay ), HH Phakchok Rinpoche Tendzin Jigmey Drakpa, Orgyen Dorje Den Center ( San Francisco ), Chokling Tersar lineage ( Nyingma / Ancient School transmission of Indo-Tibetan vajrayana ).

NAMO GURU SRI PADMAKARAYE
Homage to Guru Padmasambhava.

This summer ( 2008 ) His Holiness Phakchok Rinpoche, a primary tantric Buddhist lineage holder, is on a major tour ( see below for events ), giving tantric Buddhist transmissions and teachings in the USA, Canada, and Europe. He is a younger major teacher in the Chokling Tersar tradition of Nyingma and Dzogchen ( see below ).

This lineage derives directly from Guru Padmasambhava, a most extraordinary Indian guru and a principal cofounder of the Buddhist tradition in Tibet. Today six million or more people practice teaching deriving from from Guru Padmasambhava, in for example the Tibetan traditions such as Sakya, Kagyu and Nyingma, including some millions of East Asians ( Chinese Buddhists of esoteric Buddhist lineage ).

This is a very magical, very powerful, and very yogic style of transmission, especially in terms of the inner practices. It is well supported by many independent practice lineages, of which the Chokling Tersar Foundation is an important example both in the USA and Europe. It is well established in California and Denmark, and several major teachers of this tradition give teaching tours.

This sangha ( spiritual fellowship ) is of major importance because Chokling Tersar Foundation has a translation / publishing organization called Rangjung Yeshe. This is one of the main sources worldwide for core Nyingma and dzogchen publications. I have and use quite a few Rangjung Yeshe practice and teaching texts. They are highest quality and indispensible for all Nyingma and dzogchen practitioners in particular, and broadly useful.

One of the most important books ever published for tantric Buddhists is
"Dakini Teachings", by Padmasambhava, and this is from Rangjung Yeshe.
Another key example, from the same source, is
"Light of Wisdom", by Padmasambhava and Jamgon Kongtrul.

For a general background on dzogchen, or "primordial awareness yoga", it is well worthwhile to obtain the book
"The Crystal and the Way of Light: Sutra, Tantra and Dzogchen", written by another important master of a parallel Nyingma lineage, Chogyal Namkhai Norbu. This is about the best place to start for a book introduction to the inner teachings, which is descriptive only, and not practice per se.

Esoteric Buddhist yoga ( buddhatantra ) and Great Perfection ( dzogchen awareness yoga ) depend fundamentally on transmission, and so it is necessary to see a real teacher. Without a major transmission from an authentic guru, much or most of the teaching - and all of the yoga sadhana - does not work. Therefore I take this opportunity to make an important introduction.

( Please note that I DO NOT have any authority to represent Chokling Tersar Foundation, HH Phakchok Rinpoche, or any activity associated with this line of transmission. I am simple conveying what I know in a clear and definite way, to support this lineage and those who may benefit from it. I cannot make any promises that any of what is said here, or this kind of transmission, will solve any particular problem or give any particular result. The results are very personal and individualized. )

HH Phakchok Rinpoche Tendzin Jigmey Drakpa is not yet well known to the public, but is already having a great influence in transmitting key innermost teachings of tantra and dzogchen. Therefore it is auspicious and appropriate to make known this teacher and the availability of these teachings.

The qualifications of HH Phakchok Rinpoche are vast and profound ( see below for his autobiography ). He has highest-level authorization to give primary transmissions in both the Nyingma and Kagyu lineages, and is one of the few people who has a complete cycle of Sakya School tantric empowerments.

Two years ago I received a major dzogchen empowerment from this teacher, from within the Chokling Tersar, and personally confirm that his transmission is powerful and effective, not only as a tantric blessing / psychic cleansing, but also as a functional teaching and transmission. He is very direct and engaging and extraordinarily generous in his teaching. He is here to teach core precepts, not just bestow blessings. That means actual, whole person practice.

HH Phakchok Rinpoche gave me his card at the one time I was able to attend his transmission, so he is willing to personally engage students in a longer term sense. At that time he did lay on those present the general but significant requirement to Do A Daily Tantric Buddhist Practice, which is in fact the requirement of Guru Padmasambhava.

A daily practice typically means mantra recitation, as well as upholding ethical precepts of the Mahayana and Tantra. ( See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva_vows or better yet, the above book "Dakini Teachings" for teaching on outer and inner Buddhist ethics. ) A primary example of mantra discipline is Vajrasattva deity yoga, for which a short teaching is given at my tribe.net home under the Sanskrit picture for Hundred Syllable mantra.

A specific event listing for the Yangdak Heruka transmission and teaching to be given August 16, 17 & 18 follows. Orgyen Dorje Den can host at least 200 participants. This is a remarkably important group, and a "home fellowship" for me, though I have not seen them in many years. Their center teacher, Ven. Gyaltrul Rinpoche, is a great gift to the West. I have and use and recommend his books.

Basically, it is from the Eight Herukas Cycle which is associated with the Guhyagarbha Tantra, which was propagated as one of the primary practices of Guru Padmasambhava. This fully confers Vajrasattva, a key basic and continung practice, and *may* fully confer Great Perfection / Breakthrough as well ( no guarantee ).

Significant mantra teaching on the Eight Herukas is given in the remarkable book
"The Tibetan Book of the Dead: First Complete Translation (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) (Paperback)", Publisher: Penguin Classics; Deluxe edition (January 30, 2007 ),# ISBN-10: 0143104942.

This is written in partial fulfillment of mahayana and tantric Buddhist teaching responsibilities, in support of His Holiness Phakchok Rinpoche, Orgyen Dorje Den and Ven. Gyaltrul Rinpoche, the Chokling Tersar lineage, and the benefit of as many people as possible.

Sarva mangalam! Siddhi rastu!

Acarya KT

http://www.phakchokrinpoche.org/events.htm
Events
H.H. Phakchok Rinpoche's 2008 Teaching Calendar
For more information on any of the below programs, please e-mail us at office@phakchokrinpoche.org.

San Francisco, California: Aug 15-19
Empowerments: Yangdak Heruka & Sangtik Korsum (Teaching and Advice)
Teachings: Advice and teaching on general Development Stage
Meditation Training - at Orgyen Dorje Den, Directions to Orgyen Dorje Den
Public Talks: The Great “I” (Berkeley Shambhala Center)
Great Longchenpa
E-mail: office@phakchokrinpoche.org

Toronto: August 27-Sept 1 – with H.E. Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche
Empowerment: Sangye Won
Teachings: Jewel Ornament of Liberation
Taklung Thangpa
Public Talk: The Great “I”

H.E. Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche
Empowerments: Vajrakilaya & Tara
Prosperity Vase Blessing & Tsok
Visit: Riwoche Society, riwoche.com
E-mail: pema@riwoche.com

Vancouver: September 5-7
Teaching: VajraYogini Program [ this is restricted to those who have the empowerment ]
Public Talks: The Great “I”
Meditation and Happiness
E-mail: Mara Shnay, mshnay@telus.net

Salt Springs Island: September 7-9
Empowerment: Medicine Buddha
Meditation Retreat
E-mail: Matthew, matthewphyllis@telus.net

Europe: Poland & Germany

Hamburg, Germany: Sept 20-21
Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo (Light of Wisdom)
E-mail: Arne Schelling, arne.schellingatgmx.de

Menz, Germany: Sept 22
Public Talk on The Great “I”
E-mail: Arne Schelling, arne.schellingatgmx.de

Berlin, Germany: Sept 23-24
Life Stories of Yeshe Tsogyal and Machig Labdron
The Aspiration Prayer of Samantabhadra
E-mail: Anne Siml, annesiml@yahoo.de

Greifswald, Germany: Sept 25-27
Public Talk on Compassion
Mind Training
E-mail: Anne Siml, annesiml@yahoo.de

Rangjung Yeshe Gomde – Denmark: Sept 29-30
Lotus Essence Tantra
Heart Sutra
Questions and Answers for Meditators
Website: www.gomde.dk
E-mail: Erik Pema Kunsang, erik@gomde.dk

Warsaw, Poland: October 2-5
Kunzang Thuktig Preliminary Practice
Mind Training
E-mail: Julia E. Wahl, karmayeshetsomo@gmail.com
Mobile: +48 608 079 909

The following events will be at:
Orgyen Dorje Den
2244 Santa Clara Ave
Alameda, CA 94501
http://www.orgyendorjeden.org/
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coming this weekend, August 16, 17 & 18:
H.H. Phakchok Rinpoche, head of the Taklung Kagyu lineage and son of H.E. Chokling Rinpoche, nephew of H.E. Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, and grandson of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, is coming to the San Francisco Bay Area from August 15-19 to give teachings and empowerments. Please plan to attend and spread the word regarding these precious teachings.
See phakchokrinpoche.org.
And for biographical info: http://phakchokrinpoche.org/lineage.htm
http://phakchokrinpoche.org/historyofpresentPK.htm

HH Phakchok Rinpoche will be giving the following empowerments and teachings at ODD.
Yangdak Heruka empowerment and teachings.
August 16 from 10 am to 12 pm and 2 to 4 pm.
When asked for some brief info about Yangdak Heruka, Rinpoche, translating from a text, replied the following in a phone call:
"Yangdak Heruka is the secret heart essence practice of Mahapandita Vimalamitra & Guru Padmasambhava. As a method to repair mistakes, purify broken samaya and reverse bad karma it is greater than even Vajrasattva. According to Ratna Lingpa, it is a supreme method for yogis to fulfill the root & branch samaya of vinaya, mahayana & vajrayana precepts & it will enable the practitioner to receive the 2 siddhis and have a long life. It requires accumulated merit from past lives to meet with these teachings and through practice you will see how fast the siddhis will be received. This terma is a revelation of Chogyur Lingpa--it is a short lineage--he revealed it on Guru Rinpoche Day from a Big Boulder. It is part of the Sangtik Korsum, which is a cycle of practice which also includes Vajrasattva & Vajrakilaya." This is the first time Rinpoche is giving the Yangdak Heruka empowerment in the USA.

Teachings on Sangtik Korsum cycle of empowerments, instruction on general development stage, and meditation training:
August 17 from 10 am to 12 pm and 2 to 4 pm
August 18 from 10 am to 12 pm and 2 to 4 pm
These teachings will relate to the specific cycle, Sangtik Korsum, but will also be applicable to whatever sadhana practice one is engaging.

The suggested donation is $100 for the three days, $35/ day & $20 per session.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Orgyen Dorje Den
2244 Santa Clara Ave
Alameda, CA 94501
www.orgyendorjeden.org

From
http://www.riwoche.com/phakchok_rinpoche.html

Phakchok Rinpoche's emanation-basis is the Lord of Secrets Dharmevajra, the compiler of the teachings of the Great Secrets (Vajrayana) of all buddhas; the arhat Ananda, the foremost disciple of our teacher (Buddha Shakyamuni); Lhalung Palgyi Dorje, the direct disciple of the Second Buddha of Uddiyana (Padmasambhava); (Rechung) Dorje Drakpa, the lord of siddhas; and many others.
. . .
The reincarnation of this sublime master was the seventh Phakchok Rinpoche, Tendzin Jigmey Drakpa, born in the Year of the Iron Bird, 1981, of the seventeenth year cycle. The family he was born into is, among the six original clans, the Nangchen Tsangsar of the Khepaga line which were chiefly holders of the Barom Kagyü Dharma lineage, a family line who maintained an unbroken tradition of combining Kagyü and Nyingma.
. . .

Due to his outstanding brightness and inherent qualities from former training, he comprehended reading and writing, and when he later studied the topics of knowledge with Kungo Kalzang, Karma Urgyen Rinpoche's younger brother, he gained effortless understanding by simply hearing what was said.

Here is a description of the ripening empowerments and liberating instructions Phakchok Rinpoche has received from masters of the Sarma and Nyingma schools of all traditions:

From Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche he has received longevity empowerments, the Six Volumes of Jatsön Nyingpo, Gyachen Kadzö (of Jamgön Kongtrül).

From Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche he has received the empowerments of longevity.

From Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche he has received the empowerments for the Rinchen Terdzö, the complete empowerments and reading trans-missions for the Chokling Tersar, the Dzogchen Desum, the empowerments, reading transmissions and instructions for the Kunzang Tuktig, the empowerment of awareness-display and mind-instruction for Dzogchen, the complete empowerments and reading transmissions for the Root Volumes of Nyingtig, the Hundred Chö Empowerments, and the Namkha Gojey.

From Kyabje Taklung Shabdrung Rinpoche he has received the complete empowerments and reading transmissions of the Taklung Kagyü, and the complete empowerments and reading transmissions for the collected works and terma teachings of Jedrung Rinpoche.

From Kyabje Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche he has received the empowerments and reading transmissions for the Gyüdey Kündü.

From Sakya Dagtri Drölma Podrang he has received the complete Drubtab Kündü.

From his father, Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche, he has received the complete empowerments and reading transmissions for the Chokling Tersar.

From Dzongsar Khenchen Kunga Wangchuk he has received the reading transmission for the collected works of the Five Sakya Forefathers, the Prajñamula, Madhyamikavatara, and the 400 Verses, Sakya Pandita's Tsema Rigter, Tsema Namdrel, the Higher and Lower Abhidharma and other works.

From Kyabje Tenga Rinpoche he has received the reading transmission for the Tenngyur, the Great Collection of the Translated Treatises.

From Kyabje Penor Rinpoche he has received the complete empowerments for the Rinchen Terdzö.

From Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche he has received the complete reading transmissions for the Rinchen Terdzö.

From Arik Khenchen Petse Rinpoche he has received explanation to the Guhyagarbha Tantra and the Manjushri Nama Sangirti, as well as mind-instruction.

From Kyabje Trülshik Rinpoche he has received the complete empowerments for the Collected Works of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

From Kyabje Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche he has received the Tögal Cycle of Khenpo Ngakchung's Hearing Lineage, as well as mind-instruction.

. . .

This was translated by Erik Pema Kunsang, at Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery, February, 2000.

www.choklingtersar.org

http://www.rangjung.com/gl/Chokling_Tersar.htm
Chokling Tersar, the New Treasures of Chokgyur Lingpa ( copyrighted )
During the ninth century, Buddhism was introduced from India into Tibet and its literature and culture has since been preserved in a way that has been unique in accuracy and truthfulness to tradition. Four decades ago, the occupation of Tibet by Communist China began an era of repression and systematic destruction of this thousand year old Buddhist culture. Shreds of this tradition reached the countries on the southern slopes of the Himalaya ranges - India, Nepal and Bhutan - in the hands of the few refugees who managed to escape alive. During the following years these areas have been the meeting-point and a forum of exchange between a large number of people from all countries of the world.

In response to the heart-wish of Kyabje Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, the Chokling Tersar Foundation was established. It is in the spirit of wishing to protect and preserve one of the important contributions to the world's cultural heritage, as well as responding to a growing demand within North America, that the members of Chokling Tersar Foundation support the foundation through donations of effort, money and prayers.

Chokling Tersar literally means the 'new treasures of Chokgyur Lingpa' and owes it name to the great Tibetan Buddhist master of the 19th century. Chokgyur Lingpa lived from (1829-1870) and was regarded by the most reputable living masters of his time as one of the major tertons (revealer of hidden treasures) in Tibetan history. His teachings are widely practiced by both the Kagyu and Nyingma schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

The collection of treasures revealed by Chokgyur Lingpa together with its connected teachings are contained in the Chokling Tersar, a body of literature filling more than forty large volumes. In English translation each of these volumes would be between seven and eight hundred pages and the total would amount to approximately 30,000 pages. The connected teachings included in these forty volumes were written over the last 150 years, chiefly by his contemporaries Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and Jamgon Kongtrul, as well as by the subsequent upholders of the lineage down until today.

Kangyur - the TripitakaThe Chokling Tersar literature is meant to be studied and practiced as an addition to the traditional canonical scriptures of Tibetan Buddhism. These traditional scriptures are found in the Kangyur and Tengyur, the written words of Buddha Shakyamuni and their commentaries by learned Indian Masters. These two collections occupy respectively 104 and 273 large volumes.

In these scriptures are found detailed instructions on how to take full advantage of and imbue human life with its fullest meaning. These revealed scriptures were concealed by the 9th century Buddhist saint Padmasambhava with the expressed wish to be uncovered at specific times in the future. Many of them contain predictions for those times and which particular spiritual practices would be most beneficial for the people of those times.

Centers practicing the New Treasures of Chokgyur Lingpa:

Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling monastery, Boudha, Nepal.
Lamas: Tsikey Chokling, Gyurme Dewey Dorje; Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche; Phakchok Rinpoche

Pema Ewam Chogar in Bir, Himachal Pradesh, India.
Lamas: Neten Chokling and Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche.

Tsikey Gompa in East Tibet.
Lamas: Chokling of Tsikey, Tsang-Yang Gyamtso; Tersey Tulku

Chokling Tersar Foundation, USA.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

"The Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life" (Bodhicharyavatara).

oncewaslost — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:14:51 GMT

May I be a guard for those who are protectorless
A guide for those who journey on the road;
For those who wish to go across the water,
May I be a boat, a raft, a bridge.

May I be an isle for those who yearn for landfall,
And a lamp for those who long for light;
For those who need a resting place, a bed;
For all who need a servant, may I be a slave.

May I be the wishing jewel, the vase of plenty,
A word of power, and the supreme remedy.
May I be the trees of miracles,
And for every being, the abundant cow.

Like the great earth and the other elements,
Enduring as the sky itself endures,
For the boundless multitude of living beings,
May I be the ground and vessel of their life.

Thus, for every single thing that lives,
In number like the boundless reaches of the sky,
May I be their sustenance and nourishment
Until they pass beyond the bounds of suffering.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 1 reply

How Is Selfless Love Possible?

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 14:48:51 GMT

LOVE
Definition: Wishing others to be happy.
Near enemy: Conditional love (attachment).
Opposite: Wishing others to be unhappy: hatred --or-- not wishing others to be happy: which is indifference or egotism.
Main qualities: Unconditional, no self-interest, but based on self-acceptance.

COMPASSION
Definition: Wishing others to be free from suffering.
Near enemy: Sorry for someone, pity.
Opposite: Wishing others to suffer: cruelty.
Main qualities: Sorry with someone, com-passion means with-feeling, urge to help.

- "Love with attachment consists of waves of emotion, usually creating invisible iron chains." Ordinary love tends to create bonds that may turn very unpleasant.
- Ordinary love is based on selfishness: attraction to others because they help us.
- Ordinary love is often based on opinions like beauty and status, which may be quite irrelevant or even obstacles for being able to live happily together with the person.
- Exaggeration and projection are the main reasons that ordinary love leads to disappointments. To illustrate this some words from M. Scott Peck on "ordinary love":

To summarize: our own projections, selfish expectations and exaggerations are the foundations of attachment and the unavoidable disappointment.

We want to get love, rather than give love.
We seek understanding, rather than trying to understand.
We seek self-confidence, rather than respecting others.
We seek praise and encouragement, rather than giving praise and encouragement .
We don't like criticism, but like to criticise others.

http://buddhism.kalachakranet.org/attachment.html#2

Perhaps all these unpleasant points can easily be dealt with honesty and the sincere sharing and by celebrating each others fortune, even if we wished it would have been our own. When people are sincerely open and affectionate, it's so easy to be happy for them. It's much harder to live up to the ideals of 'lovingness" when there is a sense of possessiveness and secretive "withholding." This creates all kinds of unnecessary challenges, complications and assumptions which tend to cloud the mind into possible turmoil.

To really love takes much maturity. Being happy for our own condition and the unfolding situation of others can be much easier when there is a climate of open sharing and affection. Celebration and rejoicing the of love of others is actually really beautiful especially when observe their happiness in a climate of caring.

Anyway: Love sure can bring out the best and the worst in people.

Quote "Real love would ask: What can I do for the OTHER?" So says the author of above link... It is hard to imagine not wanting to go beyond "ordinary" love but I imagine it is not always easy to love the right way... which increases happiness for all... ultimately!

posted in Bodhisattvas - 18 replies

Daily Zen.

lodha — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 23:34:47 GMT

The more you talk and think about it,
The further astray you wander from the truth.
Stop talking and thinking,
And there is nothing you will not be able to know.
To return to the root is to find the meaning,
But to pursue appearances is to miss the source.
At the moment of inner enlightenment
There is a going beyond appearance and emptiness.

- Seng Ts’an (d. 606 )

Note:-No comment , a blank is good enough.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 12 replies

Reality Sandwich

Maya — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 21:13:21 GMT

Reality Sandwich is a cutting-edge Internet magazine and community forum aimed at "evolving consciousness bite by bite." We publish news, essays, interviews, videos, and podcasts for those seeking fresh perspectives and new possibilities of living. Our subjects run the gamut from sustainability to shamanism, alternate realities to alternative energy, holistic healing techniques to the promise and perils of new technologies. Our central theme is transformation, as we study how a shift in personal awareness relates to the global challenges we face today. Unlike traditional media, Reality Sandwich encourages a dialogue between contributors and readers, featured in the comments section under each piece. We see ourselves as a visionary think tank, helping to generate new ideas on important subjects of our time.

New articles posted daily at www.realitysandwich.com.

Also, join the Tribe:
tribes.tribe.net/realitysandwich

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Cooks needed for youth meditation retreats, 6/6-13 and 6/14-21

j!m — Sat, 10 May 2008 03:24:19 GMT

Have you ever had one of those jobs where you worked hard knowing you were part of something deeply meaningful, even transformative? This could be one of those jobs.

The Buddhist Peace Fellowship’s Youth Program seeks an experienced kitchen manager and 1-2 cooks with a love of service and a sense of adventure to prepare healthful, delicious vegetarian meals for a meditation retreat for teenagers (ages 15-19), June 14-21, at a Tibetan Buddhist retreat center near Cazadero, Calif. (Sonoma County coast). We also seek an experienced cook for a meditation retreat for young adults (ages 18-30), June 6-13, at the same location.

The kitchen manager’s and cooks’ duties include:
- cooking healthful vegetarian meals and snacks using mostly organic ingredients
- working collaboratively with other cooks and kitchen volunteers
- keeping the kitchen clean and organized

The kitchen manager is also responsible for:
- coordinating menu planning, including the accommodation of special dietary needs (i.e., food allergies and sensitivities, vegan diets)
- ordering wholesale groceries and produce and coordinating retail shopping (we have sources)
- developing and managing the work schedule for cooks and kitchen volunteers

We need you to have:
- experience cooking for groups of 50-60 in a retreat or camp setting
- current, relevant references
- your own reliable transportation

You’ll be a great fit if you also have:
- a passion for building healthy communities with likeminded others
- a commitment to open, responsible communication and mature, respectful, collaborative problem-solving
- the ability to respond to the unexpected with ease, humor and creativity
- experience or familiarity with meditative practices such as mindfulness, yoga or qi gong
- experience working with/around teenagers

We offer:
- a $500 stipend and a private room for the kitchen manager
- a $300 stipend per retreat for each cook (one cook could work at both retreats)
- a comfortable, quiet shared lodging for the cooks
- all meals
- opportunities to meditate and participate in the retreat
- a week in a beautiful setting with mountain-top views of the ocean
- the gratitude of the community you work with and feed

To learn more, contact Jim Brown, retreat manager, at one_more_jim@yahoo.com or 916-508-7578 no later than May 16.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Mayan return ~ Return of Quetzalcoatl ~ Kukulkan

truthgathering — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 08:08:39 GMT

~~~~~~~~~

Extracts from 'Fingerprints of The Gods', by Graham Hancock, Mandarin Paperbacks, 1996

'Surely the most impressive and scholarly piece of work on the subject ever produced ... I suspect this book will come to be regarded as one of the intellectual landmarks of this decade.' - Literary Review

Note, Graham Hancock quotes many sources in this book. In the extracts below, Hancock quotes from: 'South American Mythology', by H. Osborne, and, 'An Introduction to the Study of Maya Hieroglyphs', by S. G. Morley.

VIRACOCHA - Description
Page 51 ....
A bearded man of medium height, dressed in a rather long cloak ... He was past his prime, with grey hair, and lean. He walked with a staff, and addressed the natives with love, calling them his sons and daughters. As he traversed all the land, he worked miracles. He healed the sick by touch. He spoke every tongue even better than the natives. They called him Thunupa or Tarpaca, Viracocha-ripacha, or Pachaccan ...
-- Graham Hancock

QUETZALCOATL - Description
Page 109 ....
'... the bearded, white-skinned deity named Quetzalcoatl, who was believed to have sailed to Mexico from across the seas in remote antiquity. Quetzalcoatl was credited with the invention of the advanced mathematical and calendrical formulae that the Maya were later to use to calculate the date of doomsday. He also bore a striking resemblance to Viracocha, the pale god of the Andes, who came to Tiahuanaco 'in the time of darkness' bearing the gifts of light and civilization.'
-- South American Mythology, H. Osborne, Hamlyn, 1968, page 74

~~~

QUETZALCOATL - His Return
Pages 111/112 ....

'The great god Kukulkan, or Feathered Serpent, was the Mayan counterpart of the Aztec Quetzalcoatl, the Mexican god of light, learning and culture. In the Maya pantheon he was regarded as having been the great organiser, the founder of cities, the former of laws and the teacher of the calendar. Indeed his attributes and life history are so human that it is not improbable that he may have been an actual historical character, some great lawgiver and organizer, the memory of whose benefactions lasted long after death, and whose personality was eventually deified.'
-- An Introduction to the Study of Maya Hieroglyphs, S. G. Morley, Dover, 175

All the legends stated unambiguously that Quetzalcoatl / Kukulkan / Gucumatz / Votan / Izamana had arrived in Central America from somewhere very far away (across the 'Eastern Sea') and that amid great sadness he had eventually sailed off again in the direction whence he had come.

The legends added that he had promised solemnly that HE WOULD RETURN ONE DAY - a clear echo of Viracocha it would be almost perverse to ascribe to coincidence.

-- Graham Hancock

~~~~~~~~~

posted in Bodhisattvas - 8 replies

Seeking the event horizon of intergenerational wisdom

Yosef — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 14:36:50 GMT

In the centripetal madness of the current chaotic explosion of dysfunctional society, we sense the nexus of a great change.

The ever-expanding breakdown in political, social and economic decomposition combined with the prophetic traditions across a religious, cultural spectrum are declaring cataclysmic change. Violence, perdition, slavery, and the most barbaric human characteristics are increasing across the globe at a geometric rate. We are beginning to expose of the global elitists and there reptilian puppet masters who methodically planned a chess game of complete subjugation of humanity, all of which points to great change.

The loss of environmental stewardship has resulted in the devastating half hydrological cycle, resulting in both flood and drought across the planet. The alarming removal of the earth's lungs (rain forests) coupled with the ever thinning ozone layer brings us to a hot, breathable threshold just above asphyxiation. Even the catastrophic stress and rupture of the geomagnetic envelope__ that earth pulse that is a synchronization clock for biological systems__ all point to rapidly approaching crisis of change and realignment.

Whether by external observation or through deep intuitive sense mechanism, we have not been anesthetized, by the word crafting of politicians and media who run around putting Band-Aids on the sinking Titanic. There are those who are not lost in the shallow maze of sensation, using television, sports, and entertainment to negate their cognitive abilities. There are those who have chosen to not adhere adhering to religious and cultural perceptual models that are dissolving by harmonic dissidents of contrary thought forms, creating a phase cancellation of “reality” constructs. The information age has obliterated the safe nesting of “reality” thought constructs. The “reality” egg, is cracking at every seam, for transcendent consciousness, is bursting through the Maya boundary layers.

To you who not part of the broad delusional, illusion matrix, there is a deep sense, an internally guided questing, to find the event horizon of transcendent wisdom that will envelop these chaotic forces into the deep vacuum of surrender, this implosion, this transmutation of chaos into the evolutionary spiral of human consciousness.

In this questing, several souls were drawn to an intergenerational council that met on Meditation Mountain in Ojai, California. And no doubt across the planet others such councils are forming.

As the awakening to intergenerational wisdom brings us to the event horizon, the deep void of antimatter, that place were the time/space constructs no longer have relevance or effect, we will find the gateway to transcendent wisdom . Here is a place of absolute surrender to the center of centers where, we re-seed “the humanity consciousness experiment” with the photonic clarity, necessary for the next evolutionary step. Yes, through the black hole, we mankind emerge as a radiant sun.

I will attempt to translate this down into more workable language. Throughout the “humanity consciousness experiment" evolutionary shifts have taken place as a result of resonating with the core meaning of family, as a multigenerational communal human that embodies wisdom across time. Each generation holds a phase relationship to the entire frequency wave this information domain.

When there is multigenerational honoring of transcendent wisdom within individualized souls across the time spectrum, all the embodiments of wisdom holding their phase portion in each of us are able to fully unpack, thus the entire message of consciousness can manifest the whole hologram necessary to cross the event horizon.

We find remnants of this reality in the spiritual lineages of the East; the power of enlightenment transmission is a result of a lineage that is not bound by time constructs.
To lock into the lineage that the individual guru carries is to access experiential transformational grace that catapults the aspirant into the remembering process (hence enlightenment) without the existence of family: Sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, friends and mothers, and ancestors this enlightenment Grace could not propagate.

The ancient Hebrew accessing of the divine was always couched in the multigenerational model; the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, which rings throughout the Torah. In other words, divinity is found when multiple generations express together a picture, an understanding that is beyond individual conception, due to the time space limitations of a specific vessel.

Because of the breakdown in the genetic model and the dysfunction of natal families, we miss the fact that all the great luminaries through time were only able to radiate their wisdom into the human consciousness stream as a result of linking up with their spiritual family. The activation of the avatars, of Christ's and Buddhas years only evident when their multigenerational family was in place. They simply were the fulcrum point of expression.

Humanities evolution never needed individual embodiments of transcendent wisdom, but instead sought a consolation of souls expressing interdependent and intergenerational connectivity from which emerges a boundary layer for this event horizon to form. History is quickly rewritten to marginalize, the necessary interconnectedness (family) for consciousness to step up in the evolutionary spiral. That no other time in history have we more needed to find this communal Buddha, this constellation of luminaries, this assemblage of Messiah.

To see the avatar in each other, to have such deep honoring of the light in our kinship, Fuels us with the necessary compassion and kindness to dissolve the shadowed separation constructs that limit the divine within us from fully flowering.

Surely out of these generational councils will come passionate desires to immediately do something proactive? Those who are determined to tightly grasp dualistic delusions, of good and bad, right and wrong, them against us, will only be designing sandcastles on the beach of this intensifying tide, this tsunami of magnanimous proportions.

If instead we choose the path of surrender, deepening our love for each other, honoring the wisdom embedded in our shared souls, every note locked within our hearts, from the youngest to the oldest will emerge as a symphony of transcendent music. Music that encompasses the discordant noise of humanity and translates it to a higher order of harmonic perfection. We must find the perfect resonance of our shared humanity no longer feeling the sense of exclusion, separation, or polarization; instead we find the deep inner connectivity, loving beyond time and spatial exclusivity.

We can become passionately angry and militantly violent at anything within us that blocks this compassion and unconditional love for finding each others light. We can obliterate the sense of separation that our forgetting and disconnection have created. At last we come to the realization we are one human in the eternal moment that has chosen to express itself across the span of humanity time and space.

We must continue to meet until the dialogue needs no facilitator, until wisdom is so honored and intuitively felt that we acknowledge in mental silence and total hearing, whoever it is correctly holding the torch of this inspiring humanity flame. Learning to receive, in deep gratitude and to give forth in great humility becomes the new paradigm and model of communication. When accomplished, this intergenerational gateway, __ the event horizon of eternal wisdom__ is accessible to make the quantum leap into the next octave of the evolutionary spiral.

Learn to honor the “least” amongst us, and we bring out the greatest to all of us.
The maelstrom of material disassociation is upon us, the radioactive decay of social order, is here to liberate, matter back into light.

Let us enroll in the surrender process, and together we can co-create__ the event horizon__the gateway to change that even the darkest forces cannot stop.
For light always overcomes the darkness

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Animals are Bodhisattvas too :-)

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 21:04:18 GMT

Unconditional love and altruism here... Crow... cares for kitten, it brings tears into my eyes watching this. :-)))

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JiJzqXxgxo

posted in Bodhisattvas - 9 replies

Tibet Help

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:01:20 GMT

After gaining 1.5 million signatures on the petition it is time for the next step:

send a letter to your head of state to take action about Tibet!

http://www.avaaz.org/en/tibet_report_back/7.php/?cl=69966565

posted in Bodhisattvas - 1 reply

Chinese Propaganda Against Tibet on YouTube

maximilian — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:56:08 GMT

Chinese comounist Propaganda on YouTube!!
If you watch carefully are 15 channels (by the moment)With exactly the same videos in Opposition to Tibet and the Dalai Lama.. Please help me to FLAG these invaders "SPAM CHANNELS"(CCP)Propaganda From Youtube

These are the channels in a organized way (those found recently included)

TsewangRigzin
newyorktenzin30

Tibetlife
TIBETisfuckingGAY
FuckTIBET
nusub
Fromtibet2000

jzyoud
zysc
yzy19880801

minzh422
cmforum
northeasternchinese
Maohammet

And please, if you can ,send this message to more people
Maximilian

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Engaged Ethics and Democracy Vs. the Total Society and the Rule of Arbitrary Law : Examples and References ( from Tribe Ethics and Morals )

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 22:15:14 GMT

Title "Engaged Ethics and Democracy Vs. the Total Society and the Rule of Arbitrary Law : Examples and References" ( from Tribe Ethics and Morals )

Keywords : universal human rights and "well-ordered societies", John Stuart Mill, United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and related treaties, Total Society ( Medieval Christianity, Radical Islam, Stalinism, Fascism, etc. ), internationally oriented democracy, Nobel Peace Laureates HH the Dalai Lama and Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, Rio Earth Summit, Dr. Vandana Shiva and sustainable environmental democracy, prosocial behavior, Aquarian Conspiracy.

Summary: This is an brief overview of some of the main principles in universal human rights as related to Total Societies, with some key references to significant people and books. It is based on the concept that arbitrary and oppressive social order, whether politically or religiously based, is self-contradictory, unstable and irresponsible by definition, and that history shows Total Societies to be inherently dangerous and destructive, and that they can and must be fought when overly aggressive.

A counterpoint is outlined in terms of John Stuart Mill, key United Nation treaties and the necessity of balancing shared human and social concerns based on global interdependence and "inalienable" human rights ( as advanced primarily by references and citations to be followed up by interested readers ). The basic ideas of universal rights and responsibilities and "sustainable environmental democracy" are then put forward together. These are promoted as a necessary alternative to any and all total societies and as an alternative to advancing social and cultural destruction throughout the planet.

“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759; (b1706 - d1790)

"Concepts such as truth, justice and compassion cannot be dismissed as trite when these are often the only bulwarks which stand against ruthless power."
Aung San Suu Kyi, elected leader of Burma ( presently imprisoned by military junta ), Nobel Pease Laureate

"No defeat baby, no surrender."
Bruce Springsteen

"Whenever I despair, I remember that the way of truth and love has always won. There may be tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they may seem invincible, but in the end, they always fail. Think of it: always." -- Mohandas K. Gandhi

"Today's world requires that we accept the oneness of humanity. . . In the context of our new interdependence, considering the interests of others is clearly the best form of self-interest." HH the Dalai Lama, Nobel Peace Laureate and Mahayana Buddhist teacher

Re TMIbo on Tribe Ethics and Morals:
"Evil is as evil does. I would define evil as that which seeks chaos over order. Or destroys order to create chaos, take your pick."

K T answers
Democracy is a kind of "social chaos", compared with Fascism, Stalinism, Medieval Roman Catholicism, and "Radical" Islam ( e.g. Afghanistan under the Taliban ), and the People's Republic of China. Those latter systems are all about social control of the many by the few, and their capabilities for crushing human rights are renowned throughout the world and throughout history. They also don't work, as history has shown again and again by the collapse of totalitarian regimes.

Know this: where books are burned or banned, individuals and groups are or will be jailed or banned or tortured or even burned to death. The Christian Middle Ages were also known as the Dark Ages, and a lot of the history represented the subjugation of pre Christian beliefs and lifeways, including the Burning Times, and also official Ex Cathedra opposition to scientific thought and research.

Thus, there is an obvious and inherent set of problems in elevating social order AS SUCH over AND ABOVE basic human freedoms such as democracy and freedom of speech, and that clearly includes so called moral or idealistic systems of belief or "faith based societies". . . even though basic freedoms are also problematical in practice.

So, a social system based on psychological or cultural control of private persons, one which opposes freedom of thought or belief( intellectual anarchy etc. ), will eventually progress towards tyranny unless opposed. It has happened all over the world in different ways. This is a now a major problem in the world today, with the rise of broadly based low-intensity to medium intensity paramilitary attacks on democratic societies and institutions worldwide.

We all have to pay attention to this, or eventually humanity can lose much or most that has been gained in progressive human culture and society, because progressive society and culture can be restricted or banned outright, as happens in one party or one religion states and social orders.

The first problem is
What is the social recourse for mistakes or bias or unlawful behavior by a ruling social order?
The second problem is
Who shall decide which kind of social order shall prevail?
The third problem is
What shall be done when a ruling social order determines to make war on another, outside social order?

After all, every one can see that Fascism, Stalinism, Medieval Roman Catholicism, and Sunni Islam, and Post-Marxist Chinese "Communism" are all fundamentally incompatible! Who then is to rule? "There can be no agreement on the basis of exclusivist dogmas. Each excludes the other." ( K T )

So to this we can add a fourth problem: Isn't it true that while claiming to support and maintain order, totalitarian systems actually create massive chaos and destruction?
This is clearly demonstrated in Cambodia under Pol Pot, in Afghanistan under Mullah Omar and the Taliban, in Germany under Hitler and the Third Reich, in Russia and Eastern Europe under Stalin, and in China under Mao during the Cultural Revolution.

And that is why the United Nations, following World War II, in 1948 approved the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. ( See http://www.unhchr.ch/udhr/lang/eng.htm ) This reads in part,

"Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people. . ."

The "order over chaos" social alternatives to democratic society and human freedom, whether derived from religious or nationalist or internationalist dogma, ALL fully fit the definition of Total Society, in which the individual has few or no rights, and the state claims basically arbitrary control over the most essential aspects of human life and freedom.

This is a crucial point : absolutist or primarily one-sided social control is a form or mechanism that can be "religious", or "nationalist", or "internationalist". The *process* is what matters, *not* the dogmatic content per se. Such a process is what distorts and even destroys human society, specifically and especially while claiming to promote "coherence" and "order" and "harmony". Violent and arbitrary oppression of many diverse people both near and far is by definition the opposite of those claimed values.

That is, an authoritarian-leaning society or Total Society, to the extent that it is authoritarian or Total in practice, is
a) NOT well-ordered society
b) NOT designed to advance the good of its members and
c) NOT effectively regulated by a ( truly ) public conception of justice.

"Justice" means "rights" and the balancing of rights through corresponding responsibilities among people. This is well developed in the writings of John Stuart Mill. But a Total Society is one in which rights are arbitrarily abridged. It was not so long ago that the Civil Rights movement ( 19th and 20th C. ) brought upheaval to the American South.

Ironically, it was a broad and ever larger set of American citizens who worked for peace and freedom for blacks in the Southern states for blacks ( often illegally or under direct attack by police ), and many blacks were Christian but still oppressed by a basically Christian society / slave system that was clearly worse than Imperial Rome. In Rome, slaves could read and write, and some were Greek scholars. In the American South, black Christian slaves were not allowed to learn to read and write ( the Bible, etc. ) by their Christian masters. So that is an example of a Total Society in recent American history, and one that was conclusively overthrown.

In the above example, it is clearly unfair and therefore unreasonable that some Christians were allowed to go to school and some were not. That's arbitrary abridgement. Basic rights means no arbitrary abridgement, i.e. that the laws and basic rules of fairness apply throughout society, to all human beings.

The main point here is that laws and social systems are always distorted in total Societies, that basic rights are arbitrarily abridged so that the few apply law to the many, while basically remaining above the law. And that is the opposite of a reasonable civil society, whether it is Medieval Catholicism or Nazi Germany or black slavery in the American South or Stalinist control of Eastern Europe.

Rights fundamentally opposed by large scale religious and political organizations can include some or all of the following: Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Association and Assembly, Freedom of Worship, Freedom of Political Self-Determination through Elected Representation. ( In fact, the Vatican did not formally acknowledge the legitimate rule of democracy until 1962. )

A key example of abridged rights is the "establishment" of Nazi rule in Germany. This was *not* authorized in the national German legislature, as many think. In fact, the National Socialist regime came to power in significant part by literally holding the German legislature hostage until that body resigned to Nazi rule. It was a state coup. How is that so called "order" IN ANY WAY legitimate? Since it is not, we can all agree that order and law are *not* the same thing as legitimacy, and can in fact promote the opposite.

Thus, a total society can be established by a social force that works like organized crime, and since large scale crime is inherently antisocial, this is contradicts the most basic notions of a well-ordered society.

When TMIbo ( on Tribe Ethics and Morals ) says "I would define evil as that which seeks chaos over order", this is a deep self contradiction. Clearly, the National Socialists sought "order", and their appeal to the German people was to lead the people from economic chaos and national weakness to strength and power. The Nazis represent an evil will to power, a power that claimed to protect the people from weakness and anarchy, but evil and self-defeating because universally destructive.

Historical perspective matters greatly in this discussion, and so do the perspectives of those who have worked long term and very effectively for peace and freedom, such as Mohandas Gandhi and Albert Einstein.

Dr Einstein said:
"Politics is a pendulum whose swings between anarchy and tyranny are fueled by perpetually rejuvenated illusions."
"The unlimited desire for ever greater power seeks to become active and aggressive wherever and whenever the physical possibility offers itself."
"Democratic institutions and standards are the result of historic developments to an extent not always appreciated in the lands that enjoy them."

TMIbo publically and clearly elevates "order" over "chaos", and we can all agree that the problem is not limited to Nazi Germany or to any one specific time or place. Feudal Totalitarian Christianity, Total Society in many Islamic Nations, National Socialism and Stalinist Dictatorship of the Proletariat emphasize "order" over "chaos" ( i.e. non-Christians or Freethinkers, the so-called "International Jewish Conspiracy", feminists and those who seek freedom from Islamic rule or jihad, etc. ).

We know this because all these institutions historically have emphasized war and bloodshed to subjugate or completely eliminate opposing positions, individuals, groups and even whole societies. Up through and including wholescale genocide. The Twentieth Century was largely largely dominated by Total Societies and their massive efforts to reshape the world into their own images, up through and including unlimited warfare ( along with contervailing forces such as the Allies in World War II ).

A casual, rough estimate of the 20th Century destruction of unarmed civilians under Communist rule ( in Russia, China, Cambodia ) runs from fifty million lives to eighty million lives, perhaps more. How is that "well-ordered" ? Yes, there is a strong sense of "order" in Marxist Stalinist rule, but the cost is astonishingly severe. And Communism still failed in Russia, throughout Eastern Europe, and so forth.

The same is true of Fascism in Spain and Germany. Yes, the Fascists ruled ( established and maintained complete "social order" ), but The Third Reich fell most spectacularly, even after amazing efforts to establish control over all of Europe, and so forth. Even after all the bloodshed of World War II, which claimed over thirty million lives.

Thus we can see the repeatedly demonstrated truth of Gandhi's statement that tyrants eventually fail. This means, more generally, that no Total Society ( such as Medieval Roman Catholicism, or Fascism, or Stalinism, or Radical Islam ) is inevitable, stable, or unassailable.

I argue the reverse: I will argue that all total societies, including Post Marxist Chinese Communism and Radical Islam, are inherently unstable and are doomed to failure. One basic reason for this is very simple: the more a violent social order succeeds, the more other societies will become concerned and seek to counterbalance naked aggression.

Another fundamental reason is that oppressive social orders fail to develop the potential of many or most of their members. For example, about 51% of the world's population is female, yet women are oppressed by Total Societies. ( See "The Trouble with Islam Today: A Muslim's Call for Reform in Her Faith", by Irshad Manji, and "Infidel" by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. )

That total societies are inherently unstable is demonstrated by much historical evidence. This is true of Ancient Rome and Medieval Spain, which were based on continuous conquest, which cannot always proceed. It is structurally true today becasue of fundamental ( and basically unresolvable ) problems within Post Marxist Communism and within Islam ( e.g. the Sunni Shia divide as seen historically, as well as in present day Lebanon, Iraq, and so forth ).

It has never been shown that any culture based on war or conquest is ever really sustainable as a whole. Although Sunni Islam and Shia Islam are both quite powerful today, they are not unified, and for many centuries they have fought each other. Thus to a significant extent, they weaken themselves and each other in overall terms.

Devolution of imperial power is well demonstrated in major cases, with the development of near democracy or effective democracy asa replacement. Witness the development of self-rule in India and the many countries which became free of 16th century Spanish rule ( see http://encarta.msn.com/media_461518061/spanish_empire.html ), or free of the British Empire and so on.

It is quite clear that the overall progression of human societies from the time of the Protestant Reformation to today is characterized by several trends:
1) the breakdown of large scale total societies, such as Medieval Catholism and royalist rule;
2) the breakdown of colonialism and international imperial rule;
3) the tremendous and widespread development of human rights efforts and organizations ( including nongovernmental organizations, or NGOs ) and progress towards universal human rights as principle, as model, and as main priority for large scale societies.

This is due to many major economic, cultural, and international factors, including the global rise of literacy and freer more powerful forms of communication and networking ( e.g. the internet ). It is also based on tested working models of democracy that balance rights and responsibilities through transparent and equitable means. These social models are in turn based on well developed definitions of "social contracts" as advanced by John Stuart Mill and others.

The point is to find and uphold a balance based on freedom and responsibility, consciously and mutually addressed. The claim is not that people and groups will in general come to "mutual understanding and consonance with other people" ( Einstein ), but rather all will have to come to terms with fair and reciprocal standards of rights and responsibilities which favor nor one group and which are as little arbitrary as possible, paricularly in terms of negative rights ( non-interference ).

But Non-interference is the opposite of social control as defined by any Total Society. Therefore it is in the interest of the many to seek the opposite of any one model for a total society. When the many can and do work together effectively, or at least begin to work together, then movement towards a total society can be slowed, or reversed, and basic freedoms strengthened or reestablished.

This means negotiated rights and responsibilities through a civil order that
a) accords equal rights to all individuals by default as a matter of course;
b) is negotiated through a system of law that is always independent of any specific political party ( e.g. the US Bill of Rights and the US Supreme Court );
c) is always independent of any specific religious system ( separation of church and state ), i.e. that fundamentally rejects Judaism, Christianity, Islam etc. as foundational to society and social agreements;
d) actively promotes peace and co-operation and democracy in all parts of the world
( e.g. the United Nations and interventions by democracy-backed peacekeeping forces - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peacekeeping ).

Furthermore, it also means, in our time,
e) the basic idea of "sustainable environmental democracy" as an alternative to any and all total societies based on squandering resources needed for future generations. This basic concept is called "intergenerational equity", or equity between generations. This has been developed by for example the Rio Earth Summit ( 1992 ) and environmental democracy has been advanced in particular by Dr. Vandana Shiva ( see following references ).

"Universal responsibility" and "universal human ethics" have been well communicated by for example HH the Dalai Lama, a Buddhist teacher awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He says
"Human beings by nature want happiness and do not want suffering. With that
feeling everyone tries to achieve happiness and tries to get rid of suffering, and everyone has the basic right to do this. In this way, all here are the same, whether rich or poor, educated or uneducated, Easterner or Westerner, believer or non-believer ... and so on. Basically, from the viewpoint of real human value we are all the same."-- His Holiness the Dalai Lama, from "Kindness, Clarity, and Insight."

( See also The Global Community & the Need for Universal Responsibility - by H.H. the Dalai Lama, Wisdom Publications, Boston, 1990. )

The point is that this kind of ethic is strongly prosocial, it actively seeks peace and freedom for all, not just this group or that. The alternative, isolationist viewpoint fails, just as failing to address the Nazi threat would have been a tragic failure for the US and others, just as failing to address the threat of Taliban style Islamic rule can become a major problem for any and all democratic societies.

HH the Dalai Lama belives in and works for peace. But peace is very different than pacifism. The Dalai Lama makes it very clear that he definitely supports the war effort that destroyed National Socialism in Germany. So did Dr. Albert Einstein.
Peace therefore is not the absence of war per se, it is the active promotion of freedom and democracy, including sometimes, acts of defensive warfare.

This is acceptable by definition at the United Nations, and it is only fair. It is universally agreed theat there is a need to fight for peace and freedom. This has major implications today in dealing with long-term aggressive and expansionist social orders that develop by swiftly or incrementally burying human rights. These must be dealt with using "scalable response".

There are several principal sets of documents that frame and illuminate the issues of negotiation based civil society. These include
1) "On Liberty and Utilitarianism" by John Stuart Mill
( see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Stuart_Mill and http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/mill/ ) ;
2) the founding documents and historical development of democracy in the American Colonies, esp. the sources of American style democracy in the Iroquois Confederacy;
3) the founding documents and historical development of the United Nations
( see http://www.unhchr.ch/map.htm );

To these I would add several additional current sources:

1) information on Nobel Peace Prize Winner Aung San Suu Kyi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aung_San_Suu_Kyi
see also the book "Freedom From Fear and Other Writings", by Aung San Suu Kyi
http://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Fear-Other-Writings-Revised/dp/0140253173

2) information on the Nobel Peace Prize Winner HH the Dalai Lama
( e.g. "The Global Community" http://www.dalailama.com/page.75.htm )

3) The Rio Earth Summit documents and process
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Summit

4) information and books related to Dr. Vandana Shiva
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandana_Shiva

5) Aquarian Conspiracy, by Marilyn Ferguson
http://www.amazon.com/Aquarian-Conspiracy-Marilyn-Ferguson/dp/0874774586

But politics is not something that happens "out there". Professor Todd Gitlin famously pointed out that "politics isn't where you stand on the issues, politics is how you live your life". And that necessarily involves personal principles, models and priorities, not mere acknowledgement of social "realities" and "concerns". This is why I claim that the Dalai Lama and Aung San Suu Kyi are relevant. I will offer some words from Aung San Suu Kyi and Marilyn Ferguson on the inner ethic of progressive social change.

Freedom From Fear Speech, by Aung San Suu Kyi
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Burma/FreedomFromFearSpeech.html

". . .Within a system which denies the existence of basic human rights, fear tends to be the order of the day. Fear of imprisonment, fear of torture, fear ofdeath, fear oflosing friends, family, property or means of livelihood, fear of poverty, fear of isolation, fear of failure.

"A most insidious form of fear is that which masquerades as common sense or even wisdom, condemning as foolish, reckless, insignificant or futile the small, daily acts of courage which help to preserve man's self-respect and inherent human dignity. It is not easy for a people conditioned by fear under the iron rule of the principle that might is right to free themselves from the enervating miasma of fear. Yet even under the most crushing state machinery courage rises up again and again, for fear is not the natural state of civilized man.

"The wellspring of courage and endurance in the face of unbridled power is generally a firm belief in the sanctity of ethical principles combined with a historical sense that despite all setbacks the condition of man is set on an ultimate course for both spiritual and material advancement. It is his capacity for self-improvement and self-redemption which most distinguishes man from the mere brute.

"At the root of human responsibility is the concept of perfection, the urge to achieve it, the intelligence to find a path towards it, and the will to follow that path if not to the end at least the distance needed to rise above individual limitations and environmental impediments. It is man's vision of a world fit for rational, civilized humanity which leads him to dare and to suffer to build societies free from want and fear. Concepts such as truth, justice and compassion cannot be dismissed as trite when these are often the only bulwarks which stand against ruthless power."

. . . . this is . . . For All Our Relations, and not least for the Dalai Lama and Aung San Suu Kyi. Sarva mangalam.

K T

"Our past is *not* our potential. In any given hour, with all the stubborn teachers and healers of history who have called us to our best selves, we can re-choose, to awaken. Awakening brings it's own assignments, chosen by us, unique to each of us. But whatever you have thought about yourself, and however long you may have thought it, you are not just "you". You are a seed, a silent promise. You are the conspiracy."
Marilyn Ferguson, the Aquarian Conspiracy

posted in Bodhisattvas - 6 replies

more info

tashidorje — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 01:30:38 GMT

Dear friends,

In just 36 hours, 253,553 of us have supported the Dalai Lama's call for dialogue and human rights in Tibet. This is an incredible response--if each of us can get 4 more of our friends to sign the petition, we'll hit 1 million this week! Just quickly forward the email below to your friends and family with a personal note from you-

---------------------------

Dear friends,

After decades of suffering, the Tibetan people have burst onto the streets in protests and riots. The spotlight of the upcoming Olympic Games is now on China, and Tibetan Nobel peace prize winner the Dalai Lama is calling to end all violence through restraint and dialogue--he urgently needs the support of the world's people.

China's leaders are lashing out publicly at the Dalai Lama--but we're told many Chinese officials believe dialogue is the best hope for stability in Tibet. China's leadership is right now considering a crucial choice between crackdown and dialogue that could determine Tibet's--and China's--future.

We can affect this historic choice--China does care about its international reputation, and we can help them choose the right path. China's President Hu Jintao needs to hear that the 'Made in China' brand and the upcoming Olympics in Beijing will succeed only if he makes the right choice. But it will take an avalanche of global people power to get his attention. Click below now to join 250,000 others and sign the petition--and tell absolutely everyone you can right away--our goal is 1 million voices united for Tibet:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/tibet_end_the_violence/21.php

China's economy is dependent on "Made in China" exports that we all buy, and the government is keen to make the Olympics in Beijing this summer a celebration of a new and respected China. China is also a sprawling, diverse country with much brutality in its past, so it has good reasons to be concerned about stability -- some of Tibet's rioters killed innocent people. But President Hu must recognize that the greatest danger to Chinese stability and development today comes from hardliners who advocate escalating repression, not from those Tibetans seeking dialogue and reform.

We will deliver our petition directly to Chinese officials in New York, London and Beijing, but it must be a massive number first. Please forward this email to your address book with a note explaining to your friends why this is important, or use our tell-a-friend tool to email your address book--it will come up after you sign.

The Tibetan people have suffered quietly for decades. It is finally their moment to speak--we must help them be heard.

With hope and respect,

Ricken, Iain, Graziela, Paul, Galit, Pascal, Milena, Ben and the whole Avaaz team

Here are some links with more information on the Tibetan protests and the Chinese response:

Crackdown in Tibet, but protests spreading:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/19/tibet.china
http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/crackdown-on-protests-widens/2008/03/17/1205602289349.html

Dalai Lama calling for dialogue and restraint, and an end to violence:
http://www.dalailama.com/news.216.htm
http://www.agi.it/world/news/200803191258-pol-ren0032-art.html

Leaders across Europe and Asia starting to back dialogue as the way forward:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7300157.stm

Chinese Prime Minister attacks "Dalai clique", leaves door open for talks:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/18/content_7813194.htm

Other Chinese signals:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/China_looks_at_India_to_talk_to_Dalai_Lama/articleshow/2875142.cms
---------------------------------------------------

ABOUT AVAAZ
Avaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global campaigning organization that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz means "voice" in many languages.) Avaaz receives no money from governments or corporations, and is staffed by a global team based in London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Paris, Washington DC, and Geneva.

Don't forget to check out our Facebook and Myspace pages!

To contact Avaaz, please do not reply to this email. Instead, write to info@avaaz.org. You can also send postal mail to our New York office: 260 Fifth Avenue, 9th floor, New York, NY 10001 U.S.A.

If you have technical problems, please go to http://www.avaaz.org.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 3 replies

FOR POST 667!!!!

Destabilized — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 02:31:25 GMT

who would care to wear t-shirts with a tree on the front and a tree on the back, with peace signs on the sleeves ?

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Taking political action for Tibet- Write a Letter

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 20:37:55 GMT

There is a specific link on the Students For a Free Tibet site which provides you with a letter template addressing the crisis in Tibet. The website automatically locates and sends your email to congress and reps when you give your name and location:

http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/supporttibet

It seems there's a fair amount of outcry but not yet a well articulated vision of how to intervene and support on a national level. The letter on the Students for a Free Tibet website has a number of good action points but they are buried a bit in the template, so I highlighted them as follows, in case you want to use/build on..

Dear Congress Critter,

I am urging you take a stand on the following issues which would greatly help the people of Tibet who have endured 60 years of violence and oppression by the Chinese while the world has stood by and watched.

As the situation in Lhasa is now critical and the world media is trained on the actions of the Chinese, please follow the moral obligations of our country's commitment to freedom and democracy by:

1) Speaking out forcefully against China's brutal crackdown in Tibet.

2) Strongly supporting the Dalai Lama's call for a United Nations team of investigators to go to Tibet as soon as possible.

3) Urge China to withdraw military and security forces, release those detained, allow peaceful protest, cease house-to-house searches and refrain from any further arrests of Tibetan protesters

4) Demand that China immediately allow foreign journalists back into all Tibetan areas (Tibetan Autonomous Region as well as the Tibetan areas of Gansu, Qinghai and Sichuan). "

Please speak out now to help ensure that further violence against Tibetans is stopped."

posted in Bodhisattvas - 3 replies

URGENT! PLEASE HELP TIBET! SIGN THIS PETITION!

JuBaL — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 22:00:10 GMT

URGENT! PLEASE HELP TIBET! SIGN THIS PETITION!
PLEASE REPOST!

> Dear friends,
>
> After decades of repression under Chinese rule,
> the Tibetan people’s frustrations have burst
> onto the streets in protests and riots. With the
> spotlight of the upcoming Olympic Games now on
> China, Tibetans are crying out to the world for
> change.
>
> The Chinese government has said that the
> protesters who have not yet surrendered "
> will be punished". Its leaders are right
> now considering a crucial choice between
> escalating brutality or dialogue that could
> determine the future of Tibet, and China.
>
> We can affect this historic choice--China does
> care about its international reputation. China’s
> President Hu Jintao needs to hear that the ’Made
> in China’ brand and the upcoming Olympics in
> Beijing can succeed only if he makes the right
> choice. But it will take an avalanche of global
> people power to get his attention--and we need
> it in the next 48 hours.
>
> The Tibetan Nobel peace prize winner and
> spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama has called for
> restraint and dialogue: he needs the world’s
> people to support him. Click below now to sign
> the petition--and tell absolutely everyone you
> can right away--our goal is 1 million voices
> united for Tibet:
>
::: SIGN THE PETITION! :::
http://www.avaaz.org/en/tibet_end_the_violence/6.php
>
> China’s economy is totally dependent on "
> Made in China" exports that we all buy, and
> the government is keen to make the Olympics in
> Beijing this summer a celebration of a new
> China, respected as a leading world power. China
> is also a very diverse country with a brutal
> past and has reason to be concerned about its
> stability -- some of Tibet’s rioters killed
> innocent people. But President Hu must recognize
> that the greatest danger to Chinese stability
> and development comes from hardliners who
> advocate escalating repression, not from
> Tibetans who seek dialogue and reform.
>
> We will deliver our petition directly to Chinese
> officials in London, New York, and Beijing, but
> it must be a massive number before we deliver
> the petition. Please forward this email to your
> address book with a note explaining to your
> friends why this is important, or use our tell-a-
> friend tool to email your address book--it will
> come up after you sign the petition.
>
> The Tibetan people have suffered quietly for
> decades. It is finally their moment to speak--we
> must help them be heard.
>
> With hope and respect,
>
> Ricken, Iain, Graziela, Paul, Galit, Pascal,
> Milena, Ben and the whole Avaaz team
>
> PS - It has been suggested that the Chinese
> government may block the Avaaz website as a
> result of this email, and thousands of Avaaz
> members in China will no longer be able to
> participate in our community. A poll of Avaaz
> members over the weekend showed that over 80% of
> us believed it was still important to act on
> Tibet despite this terrible potential loss to
> our community, if we thought we could make a
> difference. If we are blocked, Avaaz will help
> maintain the campaign for internet freedom for
> all Chinese people, so that our members in China
> can one day rejoin our community.
>
> Here are some links with more information on the
> Tibetan protests and the Chinese response:
>
> BBC News: UN Calls for Restraint in Tibet
> http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7301912.
> stm
>
> Human Rights Watch: China Restrain from
> Violently Attacking Protesters
> http://hrw.
> org/english/docs/2008/03/15/china18291.htm
>
> Associated Press: Tibet Unrest Sparks Global
> Reaction
> http://ap. google.
> com/article/ALeqM5gSSpPcDOPMoAiRLhPUyezuCRiXBQD8VFDD680
>
> New York Times: China Takes Steps to Thwart
> Reporting on Tibet Protests
> http://www. nytimes.
> com/2008/03/18/world/asia/18access.html?ref=world
>
> --------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> ABOUT AVAAZ
> Avaaz. org is an independent, not-for-profit
> global campaigning organization that works to
> ensure that the views and values of the world’s
> people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz
> means "voice" in many languages.)
> Avaaz receives no money from governments or
> corporations, and is staffed by a global team
> based in London, Rio de Janeiro, New York,
> Paris, Washington DC, and Geneva.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

The Legend of His Holiness Paya Halin, the Story of the Forest Monk Martial Systems

ton-ton — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 19:54:48 GMT

as told by
His Holiness the Venerable Homalin Sayadaw, Abbot of the Homalin Monastery, Burma 1921.
Translated and Reorganized for Western Readers by Dr. M. Gyi, Chief Instructor American Bando Association.

A. General Background
Every major religous tradition has extensive records of monks, priests and holy men who ventured into the wilderness to find answers to the mysteries of life.

Ancient Prophets
In the judeo-Christian tradition, prophets such as Abraham, Moses, Jesus and many others went into the mountains alone to seek union with God. They fasted, prayed and meditated for many days, weeks and even months. They endured hunger, thirst, cold, heat, exhaustion and many other stresses to seek God. In the Muslim tradition the prophet Mohammed and Sufis led ascetic lives in the wilderness to find and to commute with God. Similarly in Asia, Hindu, Taoist, Shinto, Bhuddist, and Shaman priests and monks ventured into the jungles or forested mountains to find answers to the mysteries of the universe, the meaning of life and death, the spirit world and other philosophical questions.

B. Hermits and Forest Monks
For centeries, forest monks and hermits traveled and lived in the wilderness in search for meaning.

Dangers in the Wilderness
Many died from starvation, disease, over exposure and natural disaters (such as earthqaukes, volcanoes, floods, fire, from lightning storms, etc). Some were killed by wild animals (such as tigers, leopards, wolves, wild dogs, snakes, insects, etc). Others were attacked by hostile tribes living in the jungle. Some went mad. It was extremely dangerous to live alone in the jungle, yet some survived to share their experiences.

C. The Legend of Paya Halin
The following is a story of one of the famous forest monks of ancient Burma in the 9th century AD.

Nameless Boy
One nameless boy was treated for his wounds at the Halin Monastery in north central Burma. He had lost his family, friends and home during one many regional wars. His village also was destoyed. After he recovered from his wounds hebecame a monk to deal with his emotions of grief, anger and fear, and to search for inner peace.
He wasan extremely quiet boy, but was ver diligent and hard working. He studied Dharma, showed his total devotion to the Sangha and found refuge in the Buddha.

Ordination
After many years of hard work, he finally recieved ordination around the age of 25. At this time invaders came again and attacked the region. The Halin Monastery was destroyed. The abbot and several monks were killed. Many fled into the mountains.
This young nameless monk survived by hiding in the caves with novice monks. He decided to take on the Buddhist name 'Paya Halin' in honor of the monastery, which had cared for him during his time of need. earlier in his youth, the war had destoyed his family. Now, it had destoyed his monastery which had given hime refuge. He continued to wrestle with his grief, fear and anger.

Into the Wilderness
He decided to become a hemit and wandered away from the war torn region into the jungle of Manipura (northern border of India and Burma). He had little or no knowledge of jungle craft. He learned to survive through trial and error and with the help of many friendly villagers.
He did not stay in one place long. He travelled to the thick wooded regions of southern Tibe, the forest covered mountain ranges of northeastern India and the deep jungle valleys and hills of northern Burma.

D. Transformation of a Hermit
After living in the jungle for many years, the monk Paya Halin did not look like a monk anymore.

Physical Transformation
His hair had grown long and become matted. His face had become gaunt and rugged. His robe was worn and torn by daily work and the color faded. His body was lean and wiry. His skin was dark and brown from the sun, rain and wind.
His whole physical being had been transformed. His face could still show serenity and sorrow, but his voice was thick and harsh.His body had become rugged. His posture and gait had also changed. VIllagers who did not know about his existence were threatened or frightened by his physical appearance.

Survival Tools
The attire of Paya Halin consisted of his ragged discolored robe, short dha (sword), bamboo staff,long rope, river stones, bamboo cantiene, bamboo cup, cotton bag, straw mat and bamboo slippers.

Visiting Remote Villages
During his long and arduous journey, he had visited many villages in the jungles of Tibet, India and Burma.Their followers of many belief systems in these villages including Hinduism, Brahnmanism, Tantricism, Buddhism, Mysticism, Spiritualism, Shamanism and Animism among others.

Hostile Villages
The villagers, who embraced animistic traditions, did not recieve him well. They were threatened by his strange appearance. Children ran away in terror. Women screamed in fright and called the men for help. The men picked up swords, spears and sticks to defend the village and drove him away. He had to depart in haste to avoid injuries and death.

Friendly Villages
However some villages openly welcomed him, fed him, and attended to him with kindness. They shared their knowledg of jungle crafts and survival and defensive skills. He shared with them the teachings of Buddha.

E. Basic Skill Development
The following list is a brief outline of skills he learned from the people who lived in the jungles of Burma, India and Tibet.
1. Survival Skills
Finding shelter, food and water

2. Healing Skills
Daily yoga practice to maintain health and endurance.
Herbal plants to prevent and restore from illness and cuts, and for body cleanliness and hygiene.
Structural manipulation to mend broken bones, dislocations and muscle stress.

3. Relational Skills
Taming or communicating with animals and people.
Understanding the environment and using the trees hills and streams.
Appeasing the jungle spirits (forest nats).

4. Cultivating Skills
Making tools from bamboo, vine and rocks.
Digging wells or irrigating water from streams.
Growing plants and fruits.

5. Spiritual Skills
Meditation (mantra and pranayama to achieve Samadhi)
Tantric ritual (to commune with dieties)
Nat ritual (to commune with the spirit world of nature)

6. Martial Skills
Protection from wild animals (without maiming or killing)
Protection from hostile tribesman (without maiming or killing)
Protection from demon spirits (without creating mortal enemies)

F. Martial Skills of a Forest Monk
In the dense jungles of Burma, any form of threat - man or animal - was dealt with quickly and without hesitation. Delay meant death. Some would flee. Some would freeze and conceal. Some would charge and fight. Living and moving in trhe jungle needed special skills not to alarm or threaten the animals, birds, snakes, men or spirits.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 1 reply

Hello Bodhisattva Tribe

Frank — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 01:45:25 GMT

I'm trying to achieve salvation for all sentient beings, including my & your self, in the best way I know. So please let me know what you think of my new blog at http://mountain2stars.blogspot.com Don't know how to transfer it over to Tribe...... Thanks. Changes gotta come.......

posted in Bodhisattvas - 3 replies

Hatred - A disease of self-loathing

khechari — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 06:19:02 GMT

http://iseyz.com/2008/02/11/hatred-a-disease-of-self-loathing/

posted in Bodhisattvas - 3 replies

Soul Majestic

khechari — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 22:00:57 GMT

http://iseyz.com/2008/03/11/soul-majestic/

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Journey back from Nirvikalpa Samdhi to ego-conciousness

OnlyNow — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 10:04:00 GMT

While many struggle on the journey to expansion and realization of the one-ness, "i am-ness"... for those of us who have made it to the other end through yogic practices... in my experience, there is a very difficult struggle to climb back down into ego-conciousness. It is often not documented and there is little procedure about it.

This journey back is something I haven't found much information about in books. It has been one of the most difficult struggles for me.

I've developed many of my own technique, and have picked up from other energy workers methods to localize/ground my conciousness into the local mind.

This is a 'struggle' because in today's life its rather difficult to hold a regular job which uses the logical/local-mind on a daily basis when one is in constant states of expansion.

I'm curious if other's are familiar with this struggle back?

...

another note is that I realize in majority of spiritual paths today, awakening and nirvikalpa samadhi is made into this impossible to reach ideal. It's a bit sad. though, on the other end, I'm beginning to see a trend of new teachers without robes, special titles etc who can demonstrate these states and realizations like Ken Wilber, Eckhart Tolle, Adya Shanti and many others.

I would like to encourage those who have made the journey to awakening, share the challenges of learning to express being within our day-to-day life.

I have a lot to share, though I want to first put this out and just get an idea of what kind of open-ness and participation exists out there.

thanks

posted in Bodhisattvas - 15 replies

Sometimes Words affect me

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 03:59:43 GMT

I observe that words are not just words and require much descernment and discrimination to be understood in their deepest sense. Depending who speaks, words can become trivial when used too often - as in manipulative speech - for instance.

There are three words which I observed particularly challenging for me at this point.

1. "virtuous"
2. "wisdom"
3. "love"

Although those are good words and I really love them - it seems when they are used too much - I notice myself grinch with a sense of cynicism - I don't want to hear them. It's as if they turn into the opposite in my mind when overused.

So, I carefully observe my own negative reaction towards the over-usage of good words in my life and I just wanted to share this in all honesty - perhaps then - I can "LET GO" of this apparent "lack of awareness."
I have long ways to go - and that too ... I want to share. I am truly SO NOT enlightened and relatively unevolved.

So, now I can be myself :-) - It feels good to be where I am at in all honesty. Now - I can grow. Thanks for listening.

Perhaps you too have good words which create a slight sense of unease when overused. Share your words of discomfort and perhaps we can transmute this energy into true positivity - with honest sharing.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 2 replies

Lets Unite/Synchronize to Anchor Pillars of Light, Heaven on Earth

Mario (RaShu) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:12:40 GMT

Hello beautiful souls,.Namaste,,I envite everyone here to anchor a pillar of light with me on feburary 24th,.at 8:08pm (feb2+2+4=8). I beleif in the power of the collective. If we all meditate at the same time, anchor ourselves in the Earths Starry Core and beam ourselfs to the highest dimensions we can reach with the help of Ets, Archangels and Ascended Masters, we can have a significantly beneficial impact on the Energy Grid of Mother Earth and the Collective Human Consciousness. There are many ways to climb up to through the dimensions, I find the merkaba the most effective but if you simply connect to your I AM Presence (in your chest), ground yourself, invoke your guides, angels, et's of light and the ascended masters plane, then visualize a little version of you standing in your pineal galnd on a glowing lotus, connect a string from the top of your head your head all the way up to the Infinite source of All that Is and vizualize yourself on the lotus shooting up the string as high as you can and into the Great Galactic Sun, bathe in the Awesome Light for a few minutes and then bring it down with you all the way to the Earths core,, this will anchor a massive pillar of light,, vizualize it comming down and sinking deep into the earht,, shinny, pearly and radiant white. You can also speak to the dimensions themself and ask them to anchor into our planet and help heal and raise our frequencies,., they cannot help with out our asking (law of free will).. Please tell your friends,, the more te better,,, ideally this is done in a clean sacred place with a group of people holding hands in a cirlce,, Om'ing together helps to tune in with each other,.,but this can be done anywhere and by yourself,., please reply if you intend on participating, thank you all very much,., Love and Bliss., AUM.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 2 replies

Buddhism and Climate Change

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 03:59:07 GMT

What are your thoughts?

"As many religious people view it, Buddhist reality is profoundly ecological, and Buddhism itself is an ecological religion. It powerfully expresses human identification with nature. Buddhists believe that all things, including humans, exist by their interrelationship with all other parts of nature To think of one's self as isolated from the rest of nature is be unrealist.

José Kalapura said:

"The Buddha taught that respect for life and the natural world is essential. By living simply one can be in harmony with other creatures and learn to appreciate the interconnectedness of all lives. The simplicity of life involves developing openness to our environment and relating to the world with awareness and responsive perception. It also enables us to enjoy without possessing, and mutually benefit each other without manipulation."

Buddhist teachers and masters constantly remind us of the importance of living in tune with nature and respecting life.

Buddhist precepts direct the faithful to seek a right livelihood, an essential dimension of which is concern for the life of all creatures. This puts emphasis on "ahimsa" (avoiding injury to any sentient creature) .

Note that the Buddhist king Asoka the Great established hospitals for both human and animals. He insisted on kindness to animals, and forbade their killing even for food.

Buddhism teaches that if we wish to save the environment, we must .first analyze our lives to determine how our self-deification is destroying the world by depleting, overpopulating, and polluting the environment. This sure would fall under the category of "self-cherishing."

The Buddhist approach to solving the global ecological crisis then includes :

1. Compassion is the basis for a balanced view of the whole world and of the environment.
2. The use of the "save and not waste" approach means that nothing in nature is spoiled or wasted. Wanton destruction upsets the vital balance of life.
3. Ecology is rebuilt through the philosophy of Sarvodaya (uplift of all), which is based on loving kindness, compassionate action, and altruistic joy.

Some folks suggest even a modification of the four noble truth to include ecological aspects.

see here>>>>>>>>>
http://www.religioustolerance.org/tomek20.htm

posted in Bodhisattvas - 7 replies

Eckhart Tolle: holding space

zigo — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 03:38:30 GMT

great content, funny video..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx526pO9UV0

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Are you empathetic? If so....

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:52:26 GMT

Are you as a Bodhisattva empathetic? If so, how do you personally use your power of empathy? I'm looking for personal experiences rather than a sermon ;)

:D

Across whatever distance, I send my love,

Baba Mike

posted in Bodhisattvas - 2 replies

Question on Thoughts...

ZTM — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 03:00:32 GMT

I suppose this tribe is for those who are concerned with the virtues of Buddhism.

I love buddhism because it is a very deep understanding of psychology and the mind.
I'm more of a Taoist than Buddhist however. But since Buddhism seems to deal with issues of thoughts
desires and the idea of karma (which I don't think i fully understand except in a little beyond the pop culture understanding)

Anyhow, my question is this:

How should one deal with undesirable thoughts, negative thoughts, or thoughts that are rather I would say profane?
I mean... sometimes when i'm in turmoil... I get this itch to think something really appalling (to myself)...
and sometimes I really regret doing it.
I know when meditating mostly the technique is to use equanimity and not judge or try to resist the thoughts or punish yourself for having it. But once you get this down, one can still have a thought that is disturbing, and entirely degrading.

There a teaching of the Buddha to have:

"Right Thoughts"

Buddha is expressing a value on thoughts as right and wrong.
So therefore everything is not right. Somethings are wrong.

That in itself is a very profound idea that I think is very difficult to understand, and is furthermore deceptively simple minded in appearance.

Now we live in a world where ideas of right and wrong are getting very ambiguous.
There certainly is not a consensus on right and wrong, and I suppose thats why someone thought up the idea of laws.
But only fools make up laws, what is right and wrong has nothing to do with laws.
Ignorant people would say that they do.

The secular and atheistic nihilism of culture is providing allot of doubt and ambiguity to right and wrong...

Obviously disturbing thoughts are not right
what does the Buddha advise for a nasty ugly thought that contradicts yourself and your values?

I guess I already know the answer to this question but want to discuss it anyway.

discuss.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 11 replies

Calling So.Cal Buddha's

riverbird — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:45:45 GMT

Hey all ~ we’re on a mission, and wondering if you have any ideas / contacts that might be helpful:

We’re trying to help a Buddhist Nun from Burma. She was supposed to return to Burma when her visa ran out, but because of the strife and danger in Burma right now, she cannot go home. She has been granted refuge status in California, so she can remain here in America for awhile longer. But, she is in need of a place to live somewhere in the Southern California area. They are able to pay about $500 a month, and we’re hoping to connect with someone who might be willing to rent a room to her for a few months (maybe longer if it all works out). She cannot come to Oregon because her refuge status is only granted in California.

It would be ideal to find someone who was connected with the Buddhist community; but anyone who is spiritually minded and willing to engage with someone like her would also be greatly appreciated. She does speak English, is 36, has been a nun her entire life, and does have a car.

Please respond with any thoughts/idea/avenues to pursue that might occur to you. Many thanks for any help.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 3 replies

to the network of love and light

lookinglasssky — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 18:28:30 GMT

i have recently applied for a volunteer/student position at the Ratna Ling retreat center in Sonoma County
California. If accepted, and they're reviewing my application this week, i'll be helping out with the Tibetan Aid
Project binding sacred books whilst taking classes and getting that much for a long time needed healing retreat
on 110 acres of wooded landscape... I have been recently praying for an opportunity like this to enter my life but
also know that i can't really achieve it without an infinite amount of grace... sooo, i thought that i would reach out
to the network of Devas and Lightworkers out here in dream land and ask that they keep me in they're prayers,
i really need as much of a karmic boost as i can get... thank you sooo very much...
namaste and many blessings...
matthew

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

i feel a dhillema in my life

SatNam — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:39:38 GMT

recently the last 2 or 3 days i have been feeling frustration. a wierd energy. similar to anger. a tension. i dont know why. i think i am not doing enough wiht my energy and it is getting to built up, needs to flow..
i love my wife. i dont know if she wants me anymore. she says no, but there are many times when shell call me sweetie and when i look in her eyes i see the most beautiful love.
but she is not so helpful. if i tell her about some conflicts i am having i feel like she will judge instead of help. i am being patient i guess i just need to vent to some selfless people.
i live at home with my mom but she is a ciggarette addict, gets angry and is very nervous. i feel her energy becoming mine, even a little is not good.
i feel very bi polar one minute i can be extremely happy and free lauging at the maya, the next i will be caught up in it. like today i was laughing detachedly about how things are always going up and down and its so crazy it seems like a movie- things going from oppisite poles
i had 2 ideas this morning that were really liberating but i didnt write them down and i forget them and now i feel bad. but is this attachtment then?
my life is really missing something.. love. i love this girl so much. have such a strong desire to love others, to help others. but what what am i doing? i need a spiritual community.
i dont know what to do. i dont feel respected or loved...
maybe then i should respect and love myself.
thanks for listening and any insights

posted in Bodhisattvas - 4 replies

Dedications

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:22:38 GMT

Dedications

The Sangha of Pagoda Phat Hue would like to help you or a loved one by sharing the power of the mantras and recitations we perform during our daily ceremony.

If you wish for this help for yourself or another, whether the person is living or has passed away, is ill or is tormented with problems, we will ask for healing energy to be sent to them.

We chant the Medicine Buddha mantra every day, and through this mantra implore for the healing of illness and the resolution of illusion. We direct our energy to the Medicine Buddha because he represents the ability to overcome physical suffering and spiritual obstacles created by ill-will, greed, or ignorance.

To request a dedication, please email us at widmung@phathue.de Include the first and last names of the person.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

What your your keywords to guide you?

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 15:27:02 GMT

Yesterday
I shattered the ICE
to draw water-
No matter, this morning
Frozen just as solid

Otagaki Rengetsu

No matter what we have done before, each day we face ourselves. We hear calm acceptance of this condition, the persistence of patterns, and a steady commitment to keep breaking up the ice, to keep working on stuck places. We observe that this steady practice of breaking the ice leads to awakenings.

Compassion, simplicity and humility are keywords to guide me...

What are your keywords to guide?

posted in Bodhisattvas - 26 replies

What do you do when you lose your hold??

LaurieSiegel — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 20:09:46 GMT

Every once in a while I lose my grip and feel the swirling nature of being like being in a giant spin-cycle washing machine. I am momentarily overcome and spun around and around chasing the tail of realitiy which, as we all know.... is a many-tailed beast. Usually I am at peace with these things, but a few times in my life I have been whipped into that many tailed spin...samsara....I'm there now. I know it is temporary but it is quite painful....any advice on taking care of my mind so that I can continue my work???

posted in Bodhisattvas - 17 replies

Multiples Consciousness Levels Perception

q-b — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 15:30:24 GMT

Multiples Consciousness Levels Perception

Who is aware of the plurality of what one can call One's Own Soul.

Already the word Own, a sign of possession limits the view,skews the understanding.

It's like saying that the water in our body is our own.

That is the tendency which reflects that we forget that we take in and expel water continuously while alive.

It's like saying that our cells are our own.

When cellular renewal is based on new materials intake as food, birth of cells, death of cells...

The regeneration process for the Soul is Enduring and Pervasive and all Encompassing for the Consciousness of Matter.

How many of you can recall beyond being reincarnated as beliefs would have us think from one vessel (body) to another.

And how many can recall being a junction of reincarnation from many perspectives that have intersected to form your present state ?

posted in Bodhisattvas - 1 reply

Oh gurl, do tell!

sati — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 05:54:51 GMT

It’s night out… warm wind, cold air. Feeling duality as a sense rather then an idea is nothing short of bliss. I stand far away from the laughing hearts and drinking minds. The golden light makes the shelters a warm ember on the floor of a fireplace. Mountains fragment the sky, beckoning me large scissors to cut and separate the earth from the heavens. I smile. Everything in its right place.
Under dime store Christmas lights they sit and play. They forget even their own script they are so deep undercover. It saddens me to know they are trapped. I am more saddened to know that I still too haven’t read my script.
The sand below my feet speaks- soft grains brushing past each other all locomotion and hush. I bend down to touch its old wisdom. Hair falls on my cheek, its nosey, it too wants to hear the sands tale. Like I, it too desires to be regaled with more mystery and magic. My palm connects to the earth, my fingers spread open wide, ready to grasp in my web each and every morsel of its side of the story.
The sand has an ancient voice coupled with tones of pitch from the vast catalogue of tongues it carries bites of. I close my eyes and the let the blackness of my lids seep in. For a moment, I am here, there, and everywhere all at once and the instant I am confused by the sensation, I remember my lids and my brain sends lines of light upon its black screen to comfort my infant soul. I lay down prostrate, stomach first chilled by the sudden temperature change, then soothed by the waves of sand. Ear, thigh, to toe I touch the ground. Like a child at story time, I wiggle about to make myself comfortable for the tale ahead.
It begins like this…
Strangely it seems I’ve been doing this my whole existence. Nothing much else really. Telling this same tale to you people on countless occasions, truly thinking you’ll hear it properly and get the whole blasted thing right. Sometimes I change the characters, sometimes I change the scenery, sometimes I even play around with the plot elements on a very elementary level- and still you don’t get it. I presume its because you don’t hear well, or perhaps much truth is lost in translation… maybe this time I’ll teach you my language. At any rate, it is what it is, and what ever it is, is good.
But that’s not what you wanted to hear now was it? That isn’t the story you want told. All right, let us start over then, shall we:
Bright night start light, it begins all over again, this dove takes a phoenix flight. Hear the motionless dreams of deep sky objects footfall so swift past our cold twelve am noses. Let your lips turn upward in their joy knowing the strangeness of the times. Sit back and allow the work begun upon this collage. You’ve earned that degree in level one hundred and forty four jigsaw- that kind of prowess doesn’t need the top of the box.
Music from far away snaps me out of my daze. Did I do it again? Did I hear the right tale, or did I imagine that I did? Did I hear the beginning and daydream through the rest? Where you even speaking at all? I open my eyes to the star bathing granules in my wake. My fingers inch near my face and begin drawing circles in the sand. I hear in my head, words being dictated as if I am at a computer back home months from now, or years ago, I really can’t tell anymore. Of what place my body truly is, I don’t know… it only seems that my mind is intact and sealing in this certain moments of travel. My pointer finger makes an indent in the sand, a small deepening crevice. Tiny granules fall down its cliff side into the valley below. I imagine myself straddling one, a cowboy hat in one hand, I have roped a grain of sand and riding it in its own world. Tiny me looks at big me and wonders why I need to be so big? Big me looks down and wonders why I need to be so small.
“All the better to see all things with,” my sand grain whinnies below my eyes and my thighs. All me’s smile, with our cold noses and hair wild. Our eyes meet and we share something, a memory I think, then it fleets away as fast as the shooting star in the sky that catching my ADD eye.
Again pulled back. Oh sand what are you trying to tell me? Really now! This is absurd! I can’t keep doing this! Sliding in and out and in and out and in and out! Why can’t you just speak loud and clear enough so I don’t fade away from your story? I struggle with translation! I trouble with sitting still!
It was quiet.
My mind, I kept it still.
I kept it blank.
I kept it from dream.
It was quiet.
My mind, I kept it still.
I kept it blank.
I kept it from dream.
It was quiet.
My mind, I kept it still.
I kept it blank.
I kept it from dream.
It was quiet. The music from earlier changed. No longer loud and menacing, it was a single violin caressing its strings to sing a song of loss and hope. Two ideas/emotions that reoccur: so many archetypes to keep track of, to de-feather into their skinny naked selves. What does a naked archetype look like? I imagine superman, as though he lost his powers and spent a year in a Auschwitz. All pale-skin and bones, clinging to a filthy ragged red cape crying out, “I am Superman, I am Superman!!!” No, you’re not, not anymore. Large gloved hands break through the ceiling and pick up the writhing piece of humanity by the nape of its neck. Those same large hands are joined by more large hands. They hold down the deflated Superman. A large syringe enters from above, all green and blue goo in its chamber. In it plunges into the stomach of the defeated Superman. One thumb of the giant hand is all it takes to push the fluid in. Held upon the counter, Superman’s eyes go brilliantly wide, he tries to fight as he tries to scream- his once powerful voice a gaspy rush of dead air. The goo pounds through his veins and body, leaving in its wake something different. Once dry opaque skin turns warm, full, and taught again. All features changes, Superman has transformed-
Oh-

Oh.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

HHDL sydney 2008

tashidorje — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 21:14:09 GMT

http://www.dalailama.org.au/

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Milarepa

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 21:06:26 GMT

Indomitable perseverance
is the highest offering to my Guru.
The best way to please Him
is to endure the hardship of meditation!
Abiding in this cave, alone,
is the noblest service to the Dakinis!
To devote myself to the Holy Dharma
is the best service to Buddhism --
to devote my life to meditation,
thus to aid my helpless, sentient fellow beings!
To love death and sickness is a blessing
through which to cleanse one's sins;
to refuse forbidden food helps one to attain
realization and enlightenment;
to repay my Father Guru's bounties
I meditate, and meditate again.
Milarepa

This makes me feel all whoozy...

posted in Bodhisattvas - 2 replies

Albert Camus - Nobel Laureate, Resistance Fighter and Humanitarian

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 22:05:58 GMT

Albert Camus - Nobel Laureate, Resistance Fighter and Humanitarian

Keywords : Albert Camus, humanitarian ethics, universal responsibility, conscious engagement, struggle & freedom & redemption.

"Courage for our friends, Merry!"
Eowyn, in film production of Lord of the Rings

Albert Camus was one of the great thinkers and writers of the 20th Century, and made a profound and lasting contribution to the modern understanding of the human condition in terms of basic personal ethical responsibility and broader social relations. His long novel "The Plague" is one of the great modern stories which explores what it means to be a thinking, feeling human being in times of suffering and oppression, and shows through character development and story arc the meaning of life from a humanitarian viewpoint.

In a time when the world was polarized into different camps, Camus emphasized the inherent value of human freedom and conscious choice and shared existential issues. He also spoke and worked against totalitarian regimes and criticized or rejected their proponents in the free societies, such as the Marxist JP Sartre. Camus represented and embodied what is called "L'Homme Engage'", the Committed Man.

Here I reproduce one of his essays on human relations and social conscience, which is just as strikingly clear and relevant as today as when written in the Nineteen Forties.

Along with Dr. Martin Luther King, Albert Einstein, and the Dalai Lama, Albert Camus is one of the Great Voices for hope and for a commitment to humanity which is both broad and deep. Like these others he represents and teaches a kind of universal responsibility. His words and actions show people a real alternative to one-party totalitarianism, blind religious belief, mere nihilism and unevolved personal self-obsession.

It's not about belief or dogma, it's not about "god" or money, it's about freedom and responsibility, which is what we all must engage, whatever our paths in life. This is because we are all human beings who must learn to live with ourselves, and with others. The point is to do so consciously, to live as though human life really matters, both our own and that of others.

Camus emphasized that slavery and coercion and lies and propaganda must be rejected on all levels for people to become authentic and conscious and free. This simple idea is one of the most radical and important steppingstones to a more human world and to more broader-based cooperation among the peoples of the world. That's what matters.

As a humanitarian social-change agent and Buddhist teacher, I will tell you that almost no-one has made a more profound difference in my understanding of what it means to be a human being than Albert Camus. This was true thirty years ago and it remains true now.

"The Plague" is a long book about struggle and suffering, it is true, but that's what life is, both for those who do not care for others, and for those who do. The question is how each of us faces struggle and suffering, alone or together. The answer Camus gives is that we have to give a damn.

"Giving a damn" for everyone's sake is one of the great themes in literature, and also for several schools of spiritual practice and classical philosophy. One finds that theme driving other books of existential challenge, war and personal struggle, such as The Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter series. Not surprisingly, these are some of my favorite works. Along with some of the principal documents of the United Nations.

In his song "Passing Through", Leonard Cohen says

"I was at Franklin Roosevelt's side
The night before he died.
He said 'One world must come out of World War II'.
Be you yellow white or tan,
A man is still a man.
We're all on one road and we're only passing through."

Ours is very much a time of accelerating careless or even destructive intent and increasing consequences of same. There are not many effective voices for free and peaceful co-operation, but those who call for blood and highjacking or even tearing down civilization are emboldened. This has severe implications for human societies everywhere and for the planet as a whole. It's why I sometimes make use of a rather unusual prayer, which is

"Pardon me thou bleeding Earth,
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers."

But it is possible to be, as Camus pointed out, someone who is neither a victim nor an executioner, and to be someone who stands fast in the middle, someone who strongly works for balance on our long road to freedom. There are many stories there, both known and unknown.

To me, it's all the same story. It's a truly human story. It's about struggle and freedom and redemption being really pretty much the same thing, and for all of us at the same time. And that is why we say
"For All Our Relations."

Our past is not a binding condition nor is it our potential. We can re-choose to awaken to our own shared humanity, which is indeed no different than awakening to ourselves and our own hopes and our own lives. For better or worse, probably both, we are all in this together. Carpe diem!

Of course I never met Albert Camus in the flesh. Still he is one of my very few and very dear friends. So then, here I have introduced to you one of my friends.

K T

"Now the only moral value is courage, which is useful here for judging the puppets and chatterboxes who pretend to speak in the name of the people…"
- Albert Camus

From another web site -
Dr. Rieux of La Peste (The Plague), 1947, who tirelessly attends the plague-stricken citizens of Oran, enacts the revolt against a world of the absurd and of injustice, and confirms Camus's words:
"We refuse to despair of mankind. Without having the unreasonable ambition to save men, we still want to serve them".

From Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Camus

Albert Camus (November 7, 1913 – January 4, 1960) was a French author and philosopher who won the Nobel prize in 1957. He is often associated with existentialism, although Camus refused this label; as he wrote in his essay The Rebel, his whole life was devoted against the philosophy of nihilism. His most important phrase for the future was: "All of us, among the ruins, are preparing a renaissance beyond the limits of nihilism. But few of us know it".

http://www.spunk.org/texts/writers/camus/sp001174.txt

Neither Victims Nor Executioners (French: Ni Victimes, ni bourreaux) was a series of essays by Albert Camus that were serialized in Combat, the daily newspaper of the French Resistance, in November 1946. In the essays he discusses violence and murder and the impact these have on those that perpetrate, suffer and observe them.

NEITHER VICTIMS NOR EXECUTIONERS by Albert Camus

Yes, we must raise our voices. Up to this point, I have refrained from appealing to emotion. We are being torn apart by a logic of history which we have elaborated in every detail--a net which threatens to strangle us.

It is not emotion which can cut through the web of a logic which has gone to irrational lengths, but only reason which can meet logic on its own ground. But I should not want to leave the impression... that any program for the future can get along without our powers of love and indignation.

I am well aware that it takes a powerful prime mover to get men into motion and that it is hard to throw one's self into a struggle whose objectives are so modest and where hope has only a rational basis-- and hardly even that. But the problem is not how to carry men away; it is essential, on the contrary, that they not be carried away but rather that they be made to understand clearly what they are doing.

To save what can be saved so as to open up some kind of future--that is the prime mover, the passion and the sacrifice that is required. It demands only that we reflect and then decide, clearly, whether humanity's lot must be made still more miserable in order to achieve far-off and shadowy ends, whether we should accept a world bristling with arms where brother kills brother; or whether, on the contrary, we should avoid bloodshed and misery as much as possible so that we give a chance for survival to later generations better equipped than we are.

For my part, I am fairly sure that I have made the choice. And, having chosen, I think that I must speak out, that I must state that I will never again be one of those, whoever they be, who compromise with murder, and that I must take the consequences of such a decision. The thing is done, and that is as far as I can go at present....

However, I want to make clear the spirit in which this article is written. We are asked to love or to hate such and such a country and such and such a people. But some of us feel too strongly our common humanity to make such a choice.

Those who really love the Russian people, in gratitude for what they have never ceased to be--that world leaven which Tolstoy and Gorky speak of--do not wish for them success in power politics, but rather want to spare them, after the ordeals of the past, a new and even more terrible bloodletting. So, too, with the American people, and with the peoples of unhappy Europe.

This is the kind of elementary truth we are likely to forget amidst the furious passions of our time. Yes, it is fear and silence and the spiritual isolation they cause that must be fought today. And it is sociability and the universal inter- communication of men that must be defended. Slavery, injustice, and lies destroy this intercourse and forbid this sociability; and so we must reject them.

But these evils are today the very stuff of history, so that many consider them necessary evils. It is true that we cannot "escape history," since we are in it up to our necks. But one may propose to fight within history to preserve from history that part of man which is not its proper province. That is all I have to say here.

The "point" of this article may be summed up as follows: Modern nations are driven by powerful forces along the roads of power and domination. I will not say that these forces should be furthered or that they should be obstructed. They hardly need our help and, for the moment, they laugh at attempts to hinder them. They will, then, continue.

But I will ask only this simple question: What if these forces wind up in a dead end, what if that logic of history on which so many now rely turns out to be a will o' the wisp? What if, despite two or three world wars, despite the sacrifice of several generations and a whole system of values, our grandchildren--supposing they survive-- find themselves no closer to a world society?

It may well be that the survivors of such an experience will be too weak to understand their own sufferings. Since these forces are working themselves out and since it is inevitable that they continue to do so,there is no reason why some of us should not take on the job of keeping alive, through the apocalyptic historical vista that stretches before us, a modest thoughtfulness which, without pretending to solve everything, will constantly be prepared to give some human meaning to everyday life.

The essential thing is that people should carefully weight the price they must pay.... All I ask is that, in the midst of a murderous world, we agree to reflect on murder and to make a choice.

After that, we can distinguish those who accept the consequences of being murderers themselves or the accomplices of murderers, and those who refuse to do so with all their force and being. Since this terrible dividing line does actually exist, it will be a gain if it be clearly marked.

Over the expanse of five continents throughout the coming years an endless struggle is going to be pursued between violence and friendly persuasion, a struggle in which, granted, the former has a thousand times the chances of success than that of the latter. But I have always held that, if he who bases his hopes on human nature is a fool, he who gives up in the face of circumstances is a coward. And henceforth, the only honorable course will be to stake everything on a formidable gamble: that words are more powerful than munitions.

[ end document ]

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Gratitude

khechari — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 21:10:43 GMT

iseyz.com/2007/11/22/gratitude/

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Devotion

khechari — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 00:22:33 GMT

Faith is not a matter of unquestioningly accepting the ideas of another person...

http://iseyz.com/2007/11/16/devotion/

posted in Bodhisattvas - 1 reply

Phat Buddhist Chants on Tracks: Vajrasattva and Heart Suttra!!!

aquamarinedreamqueen — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:52:25 GMT

www.lotsawahouse.org/audio.html

posted in Bodhisattvas - 1 reply

Shantideva

Sun, 18 Nov 2007 06:18:07 GMT

May beings everywhere who suffer
Torment in their mind and bodies
have, by virtue of my merit
Joy and happiness in boundless measure

(from the Way of the Bodhisattva by Shantideva)

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

Discipline

Angel_Wylde — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 16:58:09 GMT

Addictive personality, Poor Impulse Control, General Lushiness, these things have been insults and compliments to me throughout my entire life. Generally this hasn't bothered me, because I figured out at a very early age that every passing second was the incarnate potential of the best moment of my life. I've never been nieve in that respect so I'ver remained mostly unapologetic for treating the moment like that.

However, it overshadows some pretty deeply rooted character flaws of mine. When you are the guy that blacks out and starts a fight with a football team at a party, that's what your known as, not the guy that spends the entire next day imploding on himself because he's sworn a million times that he wouldn't get that way again, not the guy that wears grooves in his Mala Beads praying to forgive *himself* because he swore off violence years ago.

And no I'm not looking for sympathy, because I know that it's my own fault. No I'm not bleeding heart about being down, because I'm incredibly happy. Those moments are still relatively few and far in-between, but when they come they remind me of my own weakness, and it's discouraging when I'm in a time in my life when discipline is very important to me. I'm trying to swear off cigarettes, I'm trying to be faithful, I'm trying to succeed.

So I ask for prayers of strength, that despite a faultering nature I can stay the course this time. I pray for the ability to look forward at the potential to succeed at these things, and not dwell on the HUNDREDS of times I've already failed.

I'm throwing my arms up to the universe today and asking for assistance, to draw this line in the sand and claim myself, to be ruled by nothing.

And I write this, because the more eyes that pass over it the more accountable I am...

And I wouldn't mind a tip or two, some kind advise from someone that's been there, if that isn't too much to ask.

Namaste

posted in Bodhisattvas - 14 replies

Prayer of Spontaneous Illumination

tashidorje — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 00:02:52 GMT

Colophon: This prayer was very kindly composed by Lama Thubten Namdrol Dorje in the Western year 2005 on the 10th of July on the auspicious day of the Buddha’s first turning of the Wheel of Dharma. According to the Tibetan calendar, this prayer was composed in the Tibetan Wood Bird Year 2132 on the 4th day of the 6th Tibetan month on the day of Chokhor Duchen. Transcribed by Dorje Namdrol, who accepts responsibility for all errors and omissions.

Om Ah Hung
From the depths of my heart, I request refuge from my Guru and the Triple Gem. Having done so, I humbly invoke your presence. You who are the manifestation of Buddha Vajradhara, I prostrate and make offerings with my body, speech and mind, May you please bless me in all my lifetimes.

I ask also for the presence of my Yidam and the Dharma Protectors;
Please pacify my obscurations and purify my pollutions. Realizing cause and effect, I request all you holy beings to always be by my side,
For if I did not ask I would not have allowed myself to transform.

I request you all to purify me of the effects of fear That I may have absorbed in all dimensions of time. Please enter into my life to purify my pollutions.

I open up my body, speech, mind and heart to you.
Please help me release my pains, limiting beliefs and superstitions That I acquired because of previous experiences since beginingless lifetimes until now; Involving betrayal, rejection, abuse, persecution, abduction, Humiliation, inquisitions, unrequited love, frustration, or stress of any kind.

I confess all negative behavior involving abuse of my body, speech and mind, Including smoking, excessive drinking, excessive eating, drug abuse,
Mistakes that I made with loved ones including my parents, family, children and friends of any lifetime;
Aggressive behavior that I committed to others, Including killing, eating the three polluted meats* , Abusing, molesting or raping others, committing incest, Betraying, persecuting and judging others, Times where I refused to help others when I could have done so and ignored my conscience and intuition.

I request help that I may be released from the effects of vows I may have made In any previous lives of which the effects are projecting obstacles in my current dimension of time.

Please release the vows of poverty, celibacy, suffering, and asceticism.
Please release me of such vows.
Please bless me that I may be able to keep my vows that I made in this life.

Please heal me of all my pains and limiting beliefs that I acquired
By being killed in my previous lifetimes by drowning, burning, hanging, Electrocution, flooding, earthquakes, air disasters, falling, stabbing, beheading, Insect bites, poisoning, bleeding to death, being stoned, shot by weapons, Bombs, killed by hailstones, freezing, war, disease, famines, tsunamis, droughts, Curses and magic, automobile accidents, being sacrificed,
Being killed by torture, rape, murder,
Being killed by kidnapping, suffocation, framed, Depression, starvation, eaten alive, hunted,
Dying of thirst, drowning, quicksand, exhaustion, plagues, illnesses, and old age.

I also ask that you heal the following beings bearing the relationships of being my Parents, guardians, step parents, My lovers and spouses, my children and siblings, my pets, The animals that I have eaten and the insects that I have killed, The living beings in my body, Friends, enemies and members of my Dharma family And all acquaintances in all my lifetimes in all dimensions of time And also all beings that I have yet to connect with in this life.

I ask to be blessed with compassion and wisdom to be released from crippling Fear that is the boundary of my mind and the cause for my self-cherishing. I ask for divine intervention as I now accept the responsibility of my own life with Its previous causes and future effects.

By the force of making this request of divine intervention, May it create the cause and condition for being truly happy and contented in this lifetime. I also request to be blessed so that I may be in control of all situations And be able to realize the three principles of the path.

Please bless me that I do not repeat my previous mistakes And that I will be blessed to realize that all the pain gotten from my previous Mistakes are transformed into the energy for growth And that all negative karmas that I have created in connection with all beings be purified right now.

I ask of you. my Lord,
To surround me with a healing blue light And to heal and release me
Of all my fears and negative karma from all my lives And I ask that the chords of my attachments that drain my energy, life-force and enthusiasm be cut.

[One should visualize oneself being bathed in a healing and blissful blue coloured light]

Being healed,
I now send similar rays of this divine light of healing and love to all beings Who are connected to me since beginningless lifetimes And to my own previous life forms since beginningless lifetimes.

[One should visualize sending healing blue lights out to all beings and to all one’s bodies in one’s previous lives.]

By the power of having made such requests, May all beings who may ever think of me, see me, hear me, touch me or have any contact with me whatsoever, Be blessed as though they have made this prayer themselves.

As such, my conscience and my mind are now clear. My body becomes light and healthy, And my heart becomes filled with love and radiant joy.

May I be a powerful being of Dharma light, Sending rays of happiness and bringing smiles and sunshine to people’s lives.

May the power of this prayer shine through me in all directions Of time, space and phenomena immediately.

Om Ah Hung
Om Ah Hung
Om Ah Hung!

* the three polluted meats are (1) meat from animals you kill or order to be killed (2) meat from an animal whose dying cries you hear or see being killed (3) meat from an animal killed by someone to honor you.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 1 reply

Sweet Quote

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 20:37:34 GMT

"In Buddha-biology, the human being is the being whose heart is naturally inside-out because of his or her empathy. Opportunity comes from our natural empathy. And we live cherishing the happiness of others, whether they are our family, community, our nation, our race, our species, all loving beings, all sensitive beings on all planets. "

by Robert Thurman

posted in Bodhisattvas - 2 replies

Measuring, comparing and judging others.

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 15:59:08 GMT

I'm gonna paste a short transcript of a section of a talk I like alot. He puts the thing very well I think. First, I want to know what you think in general, just loose free flowing response about the whole idea and second, in particular offer some solutions.

------------
You look at your relations with others, in just a very honest way. And you realize that they’re always spoiled by one of three things. Whenever you meet anybody or you spend any time with any of them. You measure and evaluate them instantly, just as a reflex. And you either locate them, as you’re inferior, in some way. You’re equal, which is hard, but in some way. Or, the worst, for a red blooded American (laughter), you’re superior, in some way.

And the minute you do, if you locate them as inferior, you condescend to them, immediately, you kind of little bit, despise them. It sounds harsh, but you do, you don’t account them much, as we say. If you perceive them as you’re superior, in any way, you’re immediately envious. “Well who do they think they are, they got a couple of bucks, or they have a pretty nose, or they have like a diamond earring, or they have a better car, or they live so and so, well I bet they’re not so great. Immediately, envy. And you see them some way equal, then it’s like, how can I elbow them ahead, how can I compete, rivalry and competition, immediately.
True? I’m sorry. We’re trained like that, we’re conditioned like that. The ego habit, not the ego necessarily, but the ego habit makes us do that.

-Robert Thurman

------------

Now the main point I'm looking at here are the 3 ways we habitually and immediately evaluate and categorize others.
I'm superior and you're inferior.
We're equal.
I'm inferior and you're superior.

At least for myself I can see I do exactly as he describes all the time. Often it's just very subtle and hard to notice. But as much as I don't like the habit it just seems to be automatic. And I can tell it really sucks and causes problems. And I really want freedom from this problem.

Here's my observations and thoughts.

These evaluations can be about our self as a whole. Like the way I believe myself to be as a whole is one of these things (superior, equal, inferior) compared to another.
Or it can be about specific qualities.
In the first case it's obviously completely absurd and couldn't possibly be true. (Really I'm not completely superior, equal or inferior to anyone else, but I still get roped into thinking I am)
In the second case it's obviously a fact for any individual quality.
My dad is quite superior at math than I am.
I am quite superior at computer hardware and software stuff than he is, for examples.

Now perhaps it may be dysfunctional to eliminate these quality specific evaluations altogether?
They are a certain component of functional interaction?

Maybe the problem is found in the way we do the first one. Considering a solid absolute 'me' as a whole and then rate and compare that to others?
Maybe the problem is found in this very idea of a 'me'?
'I' am so and so, these are 'my' qualities, and altogether this make 'me' better or worse than 'you'.

So we can have a relative and flexible self that is not a fixed static thing, and not to rate compare and judge it. But how to do this and overcome the habit of believing in a fixed self and comparing and judging it?

Maybe the problem is found in the second set of things he mentioned in the talk. Where we despise, envy or compete with the other person. We can functionally recognize ours and others strengths and weaknesses. The things we are especially skilled in and the things we are ordinary in and the things we are less then capable at. We don't necessarily have to get fancy ideas about these things. We can see the range of qualities and skills of others and our self. But we don't necessarily have to compare and judge, or despise, envy and compete because of it. How to do this?

Despise and Envy are like the opposites of Love & Hate. attraction & aversion, and so on. (not "spiritual" love, but the love we more frequently mean when we say love)

So these are just my thoughts so you can see where I'm coming from.
I'm really just interested in understanding better what it's all about and how can we solve the problems associated with these 3 habitual ways of seeing and dealing with others.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 3 replies

Happy Je Tsongkhapa Day!

i_rabbit — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 16:46:33 GMT

In the Gelug tradition we celebrate today as 'Je Tsongkhapa Day' and remember the great kindness of this great Bodhisattva. Here is more about this very special day excerpted from 'Heart Jewel', by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso:

In Root Tantra of Manjushri Buddha Shakyamuni made a prediction about how Manjushri would later emanate as Je Tsongkhapa:

After I pass away
And my pure doctrine is absent,
You will appear as an ordinary being,
Performing the deeds of a Buddha
And establishing the Joyful Land, the great Protector,
In the Land of the Snows.

This verse reveals the special qualities of Je Tsongkhapa. The third line explains that although he was an enlightened being, a manifestation of the Wisdom Buddha Manjushri, Je Tsongkhapa did not reveal himself to be a special being but always appeared in the aspect of an ordinary practitioner. In particular he never made a public display of his miracle powers or clairvoyance, and he encouraged his disciples to follow his example by not revealing any special powers they might have attained.

Instead of revealing miracle powers Je Tsongkhapa mainly worked to establish pure Buddhadharma throughout Tibet. By giving teachings and showing a good example he led many beings to gain pure, authentic realizations of Sutra and Tantra. This is the meaning of the fourth line of the verse.

The phrase "Joyful Land" in the fifth line is the name of Buddha Maitreya's Pure Land, known as "Tushita" in Sanskrit or "Ganden" in Tibetan, which is where Je Tsongkhapa went after he passed away. During his life Je Tsongkhapa established a great monastery in Tibet called "Ganden Monastery", and he spread throughout Tibet a pure doctrine which became known as the "Ganden doctrine". This doctrine is a special, pure Buddhadharma that comes from Manjushri's wisdom. It is called "the great Protector" because it protects all living beings from the ocean of samsaric suffering. All of this indicates that Je Tsongkhapa is a manifestation of Buddha Maitreya, who is the Protector of the hundreds of Deities of the Joyful Land. These days the tradition of Je Tsongkhapa is known as the "Gelug", or "Virtuous Tradition", and his followers are known as "Gelugpas"; but the original name of "Ganden" came from Buddha Shakyamuni. This is the meaning of the fifth line.

As Buddha had predicted, Je Tsongkhapa appeared in Tibet, the Land of the Snows, where he lived from 1357 to 1419. When he was born a drop of his mother"s blood fell to the ground, and later a white sandal tree with a hundred thousand leaves grew at that spot. On each of the leaves there appeared an image of Buddha Sengei Ngaro, who is the same mental continuum as Buddha Manjushri. This indicates that the child was a manifestation of Manjushri. Later the third Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso, said that this precious tree was an object of offerings and respect, and he moved it to a nearby monastery where he placed it inside a silver stupa with many precious jewels and made extensive offerings to it. This monastery became known as "Kumbum Monastery", or "The Monastery of a Hundred Thousand Assets". Eventually other similar trees grew around the stupa and their leaves also bore special Assets. On some there appeared the letters of Manjushri's mantra, AH RA PA TSA NA DHI, and on others the seed-letter of Manjushri, the letter DHI. These leaves were regarded as very precious, and when they fell in the autumn people would gather them and grind them into powder. Through tasting this powder many people have been able to cure diseases and increase their wisdom.

Je Tsongkhapa showed a perfect example of how to build the foundation for the spiritual path, how to progress on that path, and how to complete it. First he studied the entire Dharma of Sutra and Tantra by relying sincerely upon his Spiritual Guides, and then he put all this knowledge into practice and demonstrated the attainment of all the realizations from relying upon the Spiritual Guide up to the Union of No More Learning, or Buddhahood. Since then thousands of practitioners have attained the ultimate happiness of Buddhahood within one life by following Je Tsongkhapa"s example and sincerely practicing his teachings. Even today faithful practitioners who follow Je Tsongkhapa's pure Dharma can accomplish these results. If instead of giving teachings and setting a pure example Je Tsongkhapa had mainly demonstrated his own good qualities by displaying miracle powers and other forms of clairvoyance, we would have received no benefit from his actions. What we need is not displays of miracle powers but a clear example of how to enter an unmistaken spiritual path, how to practice that path comfortably and smoothly, and how to complete it successfully. This is the actual method for solving our daily problems. Since Je Tsongkhapa provided us with just such an example, we should recognize his immense kindness and develop unchanging faith and respect for him.

More info:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Je_Tsongkhapa
www.trincoll.edu/depts/phi...khapa.html

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Re Shakti and tantra :- the "goddess power" and "spiritual weaving/ continuity" : A Buddhist perspective

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 23:24:27 GMT

Re Shakti and tantra :- the "goddess power" and "spiritual weaving/ continuity" : A Buddhist perspective

Re Austin ( tribe: dark goddesses ):
". . .Now, I'm someone who doesn't even believe in any real difference between Vedic and Tantric religion, so is it just a "tribal" religion completely unrelated to Vedic or Tantric traditions to you? Or a foreign influence of some kind? I don't get it."

In Buddhist Sanskrit, Tantra has several essential meanings. One is "weaving" or "continuity", as in the integrity or interconnectedness of a yoga method. Related to this is the integrity or interconnectedness of the subtle components ( psychophysical aggregates ) of the human energy system. A deeper meaning is "primordial being" in the specifically Buddhist sense of Dharmakaya, as explicitly taught and practiced in the transmissions of the Great Perfection ( Atiyoga ) and Great Seal ( Mahamudra ).

In practical terms, the basic idea of Buddhist scripture and yoga is this: all beings are inherently pure of limitations and obscurations because all beings are natively one with dharmakaya / primordial purity. This is the foundational meaning or basis of Buddhatantra, Atiyoga and Mahamudra. It has nothing to do with a creator god or externalist kind of shakti religion.

There are quite a few translations of classical scriptures on "dharmakaya/ primordial being" and the Buddhist usages of the term "tantra". Of these, one of the most important is the Uttaratantra, the "Sublime Continuity of the Great Way" Explanatory Scripture. See
"Buddha Nature: The Mahayana Uttaratantra Shastra with Commentary by Arya Maitreya (Author)",
Publisher: Snow Lion Publications ( 2000 )
# ISBN-10: 1559391286

"Enhanced with exceptional and informative commentary by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye, and with additional explanations by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, Buddha Nature is one of the finest, most accessible presentations on the basis and process of enlightenment within Buddhism. A seminal, benchmark publication, no dedicated student of Buddhist enlightenment can omit a careful and reflective reading of Buddha Nature."

This is for Great Way Buddhists a quintessential key to understanding the theory and practice of tantra, Buddha nature and the meaning of realization on the stages of the path ( bodhisattva-bhumi ). It is classical tantra which is not tribal and which is not Hindu, Bonpo, and so forth. So that definitively answers your question.

Having said this, I will turn now to the broader multicultural area which includes both Buddhist and non-Buddhist tantra. In summary, there are diverse streams of tantra, Austin, and these are sometimes interwoven. Examples follow.

1) Sanatana Dharma ( "Hinduism" ) has Shakti cult and devi yoga ( goddess practices ) and tantra woven in.

2) Buddhatantra has shakti cult and devi yoga and tantra woven in.

3) Bon ( pre-Buddhist ) central Asian mysticism has shakti cult and devi yoga and tantra woven in.

4) The 3H0 Sikhs begin their kundalini yoga practice sessions with the evocation "Adi shakti, Adi Shakti namo namo." And some of their sadhanas are claimed to go way way back, to very ancient times. This could be true of their "MAAAA" recitation / asana. The basic point in this respect is that the kundalini yoga parampara, which is a primary and classical shakti cycle of teachings, is very ancient and multiply sourced. This is definitely stated in several of the Kundalini Research Institute publications.

5) Jain dharma has some tantra woven in, but I know little or nothing about it other than historical attestation through their temple imagery.

Therefore it is clear that shakti type practice must be agreed to be trans-religious according to source Indian traditions. It is also clear that there is definite sharing of some of the yogas ( such as Devi mantras and Shiva yogas ) between Hindus and Buddhists, between Hindus and Bonpo, between Buddhists and Bonpos, and more generalized quasi-traditions.

Also we should keep in mind that the Buddhist traditions of internal energy yoga, pranayama and bandha, and devi yoga are INDEPENDENT of the Hindu sources and traditions. The Buddhist teachings and yogas are self-standing and do not depend directly or primarily or even in major usages upon the Hindu theory, practice or culture.

A key example of this is the set of teachings known as the Great Perfection, or Atiyoga. This is a vast and powerful set of teachings and yogas which does not in any way derive from any Hindu teacher or lineage, nor any Bonpo teacher or lineage.

The Great Perfection / Atiyoga incorporates many fairly standard usages as found in Hindu and Buddhist ritual and tantra, including devi yoga. However, the Great Perfection is not based on shakti per se. The Great Perfection is based on the Breakthrough Precepts of Primordial Purity and Spontaneous Presence, in which appearance and liberating wisdom are co-arising. In Buddhist Sanskrit, the key technical term would be translated as "Primordial And Pervasive", not the same thing as shakti or kundalini yoga or devi worship as in the non-Buddhist schools.

The central deity of this transmission-lineage is Vajrasattva / Vajragarvi: this is the primary deity yoga which is transmitted in the Breakthrough ( dzogchen trekcho ) cycle. This is also the root deity from which manifested Joyous Vajra, the original human teacher of ( Buddhist ) Great Perfection ( in this historical time cycle ). Vajrasattva is not a Hindu deity, and the Bonpo do not use the Hundred Syllable Vajrasattva mantra.

It is a common mistake of Buddhists, Hindus, Bonpos and western "scholars" to think ( i.e. expect ) that Buddhist tantra, Buddhist gods and goddesses, Buddhist practices of internal energy yoga, Buddhist mantras and so forth derive mainly or substantially from non-Buddhist sources.

A key example is that of the Goddess Tara. Yes, Tara is both a Hindu and Buddhist goddess. But the Buddhist scriptures and mantras and deity yogas for Tara do not derive from specifically Hindu sources ( although they definitely overlap in secondary respects ). The Hindu tantras and mantras for Tara have distinctively different archetypes and scriptures.

These are not related to the Buddhist scripture, the "Arya Tare Mantra Mula Stottra Nama Skeri Kawing Shatika Nama" and so forth. This is a fairly common misunderstanding. In fact, there may well be more Buddhist Tara practice in Hinduism than there is Hindu Tara practice in Buddhism.

There are significant areas of overlap between Buddhist tantra and non Buddhist tantra. However, the fundamental principles models and practices of Buddhist soteriology, Buddhist scripture, Buddhist yoga and so forth would work the same whether the non-Buddhist traditions such as the Shiva yogas and Bon cho had ever existed or not. This is true from the basic cycles of teaching on pratimokshayana, the bodhisattvayana, the Buddhatantra, up through and including the quintessential doctrines of Great Perfection / Atiyoga and Great Seal / Mahamudra.

Having given a basic overall view of this topic, I will now recommend two important discussion texts, on Hindu goddess yoga and on Buddhist Great Perfection. Both are by major, recognized gurus.

"Tantric Yoga and the Wisdom Goddesses (Paperback)"
by David Frawley
ISBN-10: 1878423177

"The Crystal and the Way of Light (Paperback)"
by Namkhai Norbu (Author), John Shane (Editor)
ISBN-10: 0140190848

Together these three texts convey a great deal about tantra, both Hindu and Buddhist, and about the inner mystical approach to yoga. To actually practice tantra requires, classically speaking, a living lineage connection, a set of tantric vows, and a set of yoga practices. These must be integrated into one's sadhana and one's life to become real and effective.

Thus tantra is not based on philosophy and dogma in the religious or intellectual senses of these terms, tantra is based on the transmission and practice of an esoteric yoga in which the person is already divine by nature, and seeks to integrate all aspects of life with a formal internal discipline of awareness and subtle energy which manifests divinity.

K T

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

misunderstood

twilightening — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 15:20:29 GMT

err i think the hardest part of finding yourself as a bodhisattva is how others misunderstand the abundance of love and sacrifice as "martyrdom" or "attachment"

err, makes me sad that others do not allow themselves to receive freely and have to label and judge the unconditional love.

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I speak heavy dream

sati — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 07:25:09 GMT

I speak heavy dream
Awaken at times to draw this accent from my maw, my pen, my sword, my oath.
I speak heavy dream
Like cool white cream into your black coffee cup sitting lone at diners. Bum on hard stool pressed like a mammogram, necessary and aware.
I speak heavy dream
I’ve carried it from afar put it in my knapsack for safe travels, it slid around bumping into cosmetics and money purses, collecting dust and link, nearly forgotten, except for when my hand- looking for another trinket- would caress its surface.
I speak heavy dream
To all who care to listen, as any dream it wisps so soft by your ear, your nose, to lips, on cheeks, it leaves no mark, only a trace of a thought wrapped in an image of nothing more then a disregarded paper cup found on any common train station floor.
I speak heavy dream
So when you wake you have a burn-stained map in which to review and hold like your blue infant blanket.
I speak heavy dream
Because it is free and not dumb upon even the most silent ears.
I speak heavy dream
Out of love.
Just love.
I speak heavy dream
That is only love.
Our love.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 1 reply

Mahabodhisattva VAJRASATTVA karmamantra, with teaching and references ( repost )

Sun, 14 Oct 2007 23:18:25 GMT

VAJRASATTVA KARMA MANTRA, with teaching and references ( repost )
repost from tribe: teaching yoga

Namaste. Om svasti.

I have uploaded a Sanskrit language text image for Vajrasattva mantra recitation at my tribe home ( "k t" ).

If you do not know about Sanskrit or Buddhist Sanskrit practices, an excellent book is
"Sacred Calligraphy of the East" by John Stevens.

There are online resources for Buddhist mantra in Sanskrit, including
<http://visiblemantra.org/>

Anyway, here is a short, casual teaching on Vajrasattva. I know, I know, it is woefully incomplete. But to actually study this teaching one needs a complete empowerment, a lot of practice, and real instruction from an authentic tantric Buddhist guru, such as commonly come from Tibet and teach in different parts of the West.

This is quite doable. I have received sixty full Vajrasattva empowerments in all different schools. I have not been to India.

Scroll down quite a bit further for several pages of classical tantric teaching. Somebody has to know how this stuff works. Back in India, this is known as "yoga", specifically "guhyamantra yoga".

As one of my many many teachers from Asia once said,
"In the final analysis, all talk is worthless. It is only the exact practice that gives a result."
He also said,
"Dharma eliminates the karma." ( You know, Dharrrrmahhh Heeeleeemeenaaates teee karrrrmmaahhh. )

All my relations! May this benefit all!

K T

Translation of the VAJRASATTVA KARMA MANTRA
( Diamond Being Action Recitation Which Is All-Accomplishing )

". . . Identical to Vajrasattva, the supreme siddhis ( powers ) are perfected in him; he attains the blissful pure land, supreme wisdom becomes his display, and he is an exemplar to gods and men; he is empowered in body speech and mind and whatever he imagines is actualized."
- - from the Thirty First Chapter of the Guhyagarbha tantra, The Chapter on Direct Perception of Vajrasattva

This mantra is quintessential to the foundational practices of Buddhist tantra ( i.e. mystical yoga ), and also is broadly and extensively used at the highest levels of Tantra, up to and including Mahamudra / Great Seal and Atiyoga/ Great Perfection.

The following text and teaching is most sacred.

Vajrasattva is the quintessence of ( all ) the Hundred Families of Buddhist tantra. It is a universal key to all the esoteric Buddhist tantric traditions of India, Tibet, China, and Japan. Vajrasattva practice distinguishes Inner Mahayana / Great Vehicle Buddhism from Outer Mahayana / Great Vehicle Buddhism, for in the latter it is either not found or very hidden.

Vajra has the sense of "indestructible, infinite, immovable, all-encompassing, timeless", ultimate awareness ( jnana ) and skillful means ( prajna ). As one of the Buddha Families it refers either to the Buddha Family of the East, or to the All Encompassing Six Families, i.e. Vajrasattva, the Five Buddha Families plus Vajrasattva.

As a ritual scepter vajra also has the sense of ultimate nobility and royal power, and the union of the Five Buddha Families and the great sacred circles ( mandala ). There are many different kinds of vajra scepters, with one, three, five, or nine prongs, and the vajra is usually part of other tantric implements such as the knife handle and bell handle. It is not realistic to practice Buddhist tantra without both a good vajra scepter and vajra bell: these are required and to be used as part of the tantric commitments.

From a practical perspective, Vajrasattva is one of the most important methods in Buddhist tantra for healing and purification on all levels of Body speech and Mind. ( Of course, no promises can be made for any specific medical condition. ) This includes purification of the practitioner to effectively practice tantra, and also to purify continuing minor infractions and even severely dangerous transgressions of the tantric commitments, which would otherwise be worse than fatal. It also includes psychic heat yoga ( Tibetan: tummo ) and in the Great Perfection full transmission, includes the quintessential precepts of Breakthrough ( dzogchen trekcho mannakde ) for direct liberation of awareness into primordial freedom and purity.

Vajrasattva is also an "All Accomplishing" ( Sanskrit: sarva siddhi ) mantra, as you can see in the translation that follows. Thus, Vajrasattva accomplishes the outer sacred circle magical activities of Purification ( Vajra Family ) , Enrichment ( Ratna Family ), Magnetization ( Padma Family ), and Eliminating Negativity and Obstacles ( Karma Family ). It also accomplishes the primary Great Work of Buddhahood ( Buddha Family or alternatively the Six Great Families, the Five plus Vajrasattva.

The most basic forms of Vajrasattva recitation are these
1) OM VAJRASATTVA AH
2) OM VAJRASATTVA HUM

There is also a basic wrathful form of Vajrasattva known as Vajrapani ( Scepter in Hand ). If one has any major Vajrasattva empowerment, this includes Vajrapani, for which the basic mantra is
HUM VAJRA PHAT
There are also variations of Vajrapani mantra, as Vajrapani is one of the principal angelic guardians ( dharmapalas ) of all the schools of Buddhist tantra across Asia, and also the Shaolin School of Ch'an Buddhist Kung-fu.

There are many images and forms of Vajrasattva, both peaceful and wrathful, and both with and without consort. The consort is for example Vajragarvi ( peaceful ) or Diptacakra ( wrathful consort of Vajrakilaya-Vajrasattva ).

Typically, the Peaceful Vajrasattva is brilliant shimmering transparent clear-white, holding a vajra ( diamond scepter ) in the right hand at the heart, and holding a ghanta ( diamond bell ) in the left hand at the left waist ( bowl up ). This peaceful Vajrasattva may then appear in union with the peaceful consort, or in the heart center of the Ultimate Wrathful Vajrasattva known as Vajrakilaya ( Diamond Dagger ).

As a ritual practice, the seed syllable ( bij mantra ) may be either HUM or AH, and there are other variants as well. The deity is visualized as oneself / an ideal being, atop one's head, and in different forms. So for example, a woman may well see herself as a female Vajrasattva, or as "Reversed Vajrasattva", i.e. as Vajragarvi in tantric union with the masculine aspect Vajrasattva.

Vajrasattva is the source deity of the Great Kalacakra mandala ( sacred circle ), and also the source deity of the Great Perfection ( Atiyoga or "dzogchen" teachings of primordial purity, the most profound, essential, and powerful awareness-yogas of the Early Translation ( Nyingma ) school.

For example, the first human teacher of Atiyoga was Joyous Vajra ( Tibetan : Garab Dorje ), a direct emanation of Vajrasattva. According to the Great Perfection / Atiyoga tradition sourced through Garb Dorje, there are six million four hundred thousand verses of teaching of Vajrasattva and the Great Perfection, of which a worthwhile fraction have been transmitted down to the present day. See for example the following
1) "The Tibetan Book of the Dead: First Complete Translation" ( i.e. the Gyurme Dorje translation and commentary ISBN-10: 0143104942 )
2) "Wellsprings of the Great Perfection", Erik Kunsang
3) many online texts, such as those available from Keith Dowman at
<http://www.keithdowman.net/dzogchen/>
These include
3a) Direct Perception of Vajrasattva ( The text that gave King Dza his enlightenment vision )
3b) The Exalted Spaciousness of Vajrasattva ( Garab Dorje's Source of all Dzogchen Precepts ).

Also, every key empowerment of Great Perfection Break Through ( dzogchen trekcho ), such as the renowned Patrul Rinbochay Tsik Sum Ne Dek ( Striking the Essence in Three Words ) includes the Vajrasattva Hundred Syllable mantra as a key practice. Finally, a greatly wrathful Vajrasattva practice is one of the Three Roots ( primary deity yoga practices of the Nyingma school ), either as Vajrakilaya or as Mahasri Heruka ( the wrathful Samantabhadra-Vajrasattva ).

In addition to the Tibetan Book of the Dead, a crucial and comprehensive teaching with many Great Perfection mantras including Vajrasattva as a primary practice , there is also a rare transmission of Guru Padmasambhava as Vajrasattva. This is the Red ( Padma ) Vajrasattva, which would look superficially similar to other Vajrasattva practices but which has a very different structure and orientation. It is a quintessential restricted practice and requires a specific Red Vajrasattva empowerment. Apart from this, all major Nyingma Great Perfection transmissions, such as Padmasambhava, Yeshe Tsogyel, Tara, Vajrakilaya, Troma, Bardo, etc. include a full Vajrasattva.

In the New Schools of Indo-Tibetan Vajrayana ( i.e. the Sarma, including Gelugpa, Sakya, and Kagyu ), the ultimate Buddha realization is embodied in the Dharmakaya ( Primordial Dimension ) Vajradhara ( Diamond Bearer ). This Buddha Vajradhara is the fully realized Vajrasattva, just as Vajrasattva is the ( sambhogakaya / angelic ) Buddha of the Tantric Path. They are two aspects of the same ultimate teaching, which is known as Mahamudra, the Great Seal.

So for example the great renunciate yogi Milarepa, who was Vajra Family in the Five Buddha, accomplished Buddhahood as Vajradhara. Accomplishing the deity Kalacakra-Vajrasattva also brings one to the level of Vajradhara. ( Accomplishing the deity Yamantaka or Hevajra brings one to this same level. There are many tantric paths to universal awareness. This is known as polytheism. )

There are also many variants of the Hundred syllable mantra, as for Tara Karma Mantra, Mahakala Karma Mantra, Yamantaka Karma Mantra the different Heruka Karma Mantra and so forth. I know directly from having received all these transmissions and the corresponding texts. Thus the Hundred Syllable mantra, like the Hindu Gayatri mantra, serves as a core for many or most other practices.

There are also different extensions to this mantra, including that for "Purifying the Six Realms", and other versions. Most of these are sealed by the oath of tantric secrecy, which must be upheld by all initiates. The many variants of the basic mantra can be summarized in these categories:

a) with and without the optional ending seed syllables HUM and PHAT;

b) with different ordering of phrases, such as SUTOSNYO, SUPOSNYO, and ANURAKTO BE BHAVA;

c) via substitutions of different deities ( angels ) in place of Vajrasattva ( N.B.: not a simple substitution );

d) using basic substitutions for different Buddha families ( i.e. replacing each instance of VAJRA with PADMA to focus more on Lotus Family deities such as Avalokita, Hayagriva, etc. );

e) using the Tibetanization of the original Sanskrit recitation, by substituting for example BENZA for VAJRA. This is also effective as mantra. There is a close Chinese variant of the Tibetan form which is in use by four or five million practitioners.

These different permutations and combinations are all classical and valid, not mistakes in the various publications or traditions you may encounter. Nevertheless, the basic form accomplishes all aspects of spiritual purification and realization.

It is typical for committed practitioners of Buddhatantra to complete a commitment of 100,000 recitations of this long Vajrasattva mantra as a basic daily purification ( 21 x daily or 100x daily ) and as a preliminary to major empowerments and to complete many deity practice sessions ( usually 3x per session to mend mistakes ). Some people do basic Vajrasattva purification practice each full moon, others do extensive retreat entirely focused on this deity, such as for Red Vajrasattva.

Once the basic 100,000 long recitations have been completed, it is possible to go further and perform basic mandala activities ( enrichment, etc. ) or perhaps psychic heat practice or Great Perfection practice ( at some point ). Typically the advanced practices will not even begin to work without completing the long recitations first. I have completed 250,000 long Vajrasattva recitations and intend to do more. It is said that in Tibet good tantric practitioners of different schools quite commonly completed 200,000 long recitations, so this is a major practice for basically every serious tantric yogi.

An excellent text on Vajrasattva in New School Indo-Tibetan Vajrayana is
"The Tantric Path of Purification: The Yoga Method of Heruka Vajrasattva"
by Lama Thubten Yeshe, ISBN-10: 0861710207
This specific mantra authorization ( as well as the one given here ) is included in essentially all major New School Tantric empowerments, such as Kalacakra, Cakrasamvara, Hevajra, Vajrayogini, Yamantaka, Milarepa, Mahakala and so forth. However, the Heruka forms also vary between deity yoga lineages, and the Nyingma versions of Vajra Heruka vary as well.

This translation is partially based on that of the great Nyingma scholar / Dzogchen master Khetsun Sangpo Rinbochay, and also that of the great Dzogchen master Terton Sogyal Tulku Rinbochay. Khetsun Sangpo has provided an excellent commentary which brilliantly summarizes Vajrasattva practice and all the esoteric preliminary practices from the standpoint of the Old School ( Nyingma ) tradition: see
"Tantric Practice in Nying-ma"
by Khetsun Sangpo Rinpoche, ISBN-10: 0937938149

Because Vajrasattva is so important in all schools and all levels of Buddhist tantra, it is quite helpful to have both these books.

The Sanskrit phonetic text following is broken out on a phrase by phrase basis without punctuation. The English interpretation follows between each phrase.

I have provided some clarification and elucidation, mostly within the parenthesized parts.

Translation follows:

> > > Begin Translation > > >

Om vajrasattva samayam anupalaya
Om Vajrasattva ( Diamond Being )! Protect the sacred commitment.

Vajrasattva tvenopatistha
Vajrasattva abide in me.

dridho me bhava
Make me firm.

sutosnyo me bhava
Grant me complete satisfaction.

suposnyo me bhava
Fulfill me ( increase the positive within me ).

anurakto me bhava
Make me compassionate ( or: be loving towards me ).

sarva siddhim me prayaccha
Grant me all siddhi ( powers and attainments, both relative and transcendent ).

sarva-karma su ca me chittam sriyam kuru
Manifest for me all ( noble ) actions. Make my mind wholly virtuous.

"hum"
"hum" ( the bijmantra, the essential vibratory wave-particle of Vajrasattva )

"ha ha ha ha"
"ha ha ha ha" ( the Four Joys, Four Immeasurables, Four Levels of Tantric Empowerment, the Four Dimensions of Sacred Being - Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, Nirmanakaya, Svabhavivakaya )

"ho"
"ho" ( exclamation of joy at accomplishing these sets of four )

bhagavan sarva-tathagata-vajra
Transcendent Lord who embodies ( or: who is together with ) all the Indestructible Realized Buddhas !

ma me munca
Do not abandon me.

vajri bhava maha-samaya-sattva
Make me indivisible, Great and All Encompassing Pledge Being ( great angel of angels ).

"ah"
"ah" ( release into vast primordial pure wisdom-dimension beyond all limitations and obscurations )

(optional : hum phat! )
(hum phat!) Hum here means manifest great diamond power! Phat! has the sense of strike / cut through all confusion, grasping and negativity! I.e. by prajnopaya, the Union of Wisdom and Skillful Means.

< < < End Translation < < <

Sarva mangalam! Siddhi rastu.

In partial fulfillment of my received responsibilities as vajrayana guru, this was set down one as casual chatter by the inner medical tantrika and dagger priest K T, who is of the Vajrasattva ( Sixth of the Fivefold ) family.

AHHH AHHH

Tistha vajra! Samaya ho!

posted in Bodhisattvas - 1 reply

China Urged to Use Clout in Myanmar

j!m — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:19:34 GMT

Morning Edition, October 3, 2007 · The crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Myanmar is prompting calls for China to intervene because of its support for Myanmar's military government. As with Sudan and North Korea, China comes under pressure to use diplomatic influence. Links are being made between these issues and next year's Olympic Games in Beijing.

www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php

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Imprisoned Burmese monks

j!m — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 17:44:35 GMT

http://ko-htike.blogspot.com/

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

S K Y; an inspired poem from daily practice

shaman sun — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 09:48:25 GMT

traveler,
rest your legs a while and sit beside me.
the fire is dim but the warmth may reach you yet.
let me tell you of lives past,
of rivers lost and won,
of treasures that shift from gold to mud,
depending on the age?
we've reached another corner now,
do you see it clearly, or is it hazey?
the tea rises in steam and clears
your weary mind.
quiet, reposed,
you are open,
and listen passively.
do you see the steam dissipate in curls and streams?
going up and out into nothing?
so too can be said for our lives,
in ways we do not see,
busy twirling and curling about the air
we breathe as one.

if this is but gossip to you,
from the spirits,
then come to pass.
your tea will cool,
your bowl become empty,
and be on your way.

if you stay,
i may only tell a tale as ancient as the sun,
no, more!
the sun knows this story too.

ah, so you remain,
so i shall tell.

before you were you,
you were everything.
before you were everything,
you were nothing,
and none of these things end at any point.

they curve, curve like the steam of your tea.
like the rivers outside.
like the thoughts in your mind.

nothing more, nothing more.

let us enjoy the night,
dance in the sunrise,
sing in mid-day,
whisper in the evening,
there is nothing more to say,
and no wisdom could ever usher more or less
than the rustle of cherry trees.

traveler,
you may tell me you are weary,
you are clouded in a fog,
and the steam is all but elusive.

traveler,
you may say that you are angry,
you are clouded in a fear,
and the mindfulness is all but hidden.

traveler,
i tell you only one thing,
who is it that knows the fog?
who is it that knows the hidden?
who is it that knows the unknown?
are you not already aware of these things?
are these things not unlike steam themselves?
why do you hasten your worry?
is that not the true hiding?
from yourself?
you already are, and that is effortless.

you have come into being so very naturally,
remain a while,
sip your tea,
sing and cry,
smile and be of joy,
there is nothing,
just watch the steam rise.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 1 reply

The Burmese people need our help now!

kiddhartha — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 20:33:05 GMT

Burma: A Global Roar from Ricken Patel - Avaaz.org

Dear friends,

Burma's generals have brought their brutal iron hand down on peaceful monks and protesters -- but in response, a massive global outcry is gathering pace. The roar of global public opinion is being heard in hundreds of protests outside Chinese and Burmese embassies, people round the world wearing the monks' color red, and on the internet-- where our petition has exploded to over 200,000 signers in just 72 hours.

People power can win this. Burma's powerful sponsor China can halt the crackdown, if it believes that its international reputation and the 2008 Olympics in Beijing depend on it. To convince the Chinese government and other key countries, Avaaz is launching a major global and Asian ad campaign on Wednesday, including full page ads in the Financial Times and other newspapers, that will deliver our message and the number of signers. We need 1 million voices to be the global roar that will get China's attention. If every one of us forwards this email to just 20 friends, we'll reach our target in the next 72 hours. Please sign the petition at the link below -if you haven't already- and forward this email to everyone you care about:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_burma/t.php

The pressure is working - already, there are signs of splits in the Burmese Army, as some soldiers refuse to attack their own people. The brutal top General, Than Shwe, has reportedly moved his family out of the country – he must fear his rule may crumble.

The Burmese people are showing incredible courage in the face of horror. We're broadcasting updates on our effort over the radio into Burma itself – telling the people that growing numbers of us stand with them. Let's do everything we can to help them – we have hours, not days, to do it. Please sign the petition and forward this email to at least 20 friends right now. Scroll down our petition page for details of times and events to join in the massive wave of demonstrations happening around the world at Burmese and Chinese embassies.

With hope and determination,

Ricken, Paul, Pascal, Graziela, Galit, Ben, Milena and the whole Avaaz Team

posted in Bodhisattvas - 1 reply

New England Buddhists

Sat, 11 Aug 2007 14:54:59 GMT

Trying to start up a new New England Buddhist tribe, please come, post, and get some energy moving to the Northeast

posted in Bodhisattvas - 1 reply

Support the Buddhist Monks and Nuns in Burma .. Two Actions You Can Take

kiddhartha — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 23:05:53 GMT

Buddhist Peace Fellowship Action Alert/News
Two Actions You Can Take to Support the Buddhist Monks and Nuns in Burma

For the last week, thousands of Burmese monks have marched against the repressive Burmese military regime in cities across that nation. They have recently been joined by Buddhist nuns and Burmese citizens. This is the largest public demonstration against the junta in nearly 20 years. Over the past couple of days, the situation is getting more tense as the Myanmar military junta has warned that it is prepared to crack down on the monks at the heart of the protest.

The situation in Burma requires our urgent attention. Your support for the monks and nuns will make a big difference to the people of Burma (Myanmar).

Here are two actions you can take now:

1) Our friends at the Buddhist Channel have initiated a global petition to garner support for the Holy Sangha. Please go to the petition online here http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=70,4945,0,0,1,0 and follow the instructions given. This page also includes address information for the Myanmar (Burmese) Embassy in a number of countries.

2) Light a candle and place it in your window every night this week, along with a sign in support of the nonviolent protest. Click here to visit our website where you can download a sign that reads "The World is Watching -- Free Burma!"
http://www.bpf.org/html/whats_now/2007/burma_peace.html

posted in Bodhisattvas - 8 replies

Need to get away

SatNam — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:00:18 GMT

Anyone know where my girlfriend and i could go for a taoist retreat or yoga retreat, anything like, or even a temple we could stay at in exchange for work thats in the united states? We need to escape the consumer materialism whatever you want to call this system...
thanks

posted in Bodhisattvas - 1 reply

The importance of the Lower Three Chakras at this time

Ramanathan — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 02:44:26 GMT

Dear Great Beings,

We have entered a radically new time! Over the past four days the Reality Structure that this planet rests in has been completely replaced with a new system that I like to call the Ever New Joy system!

In New Creation, everything is gradations of Joy, so that all of Life looks like a rainbow!

Now our lives and the life of the planet can only get better and better!

Now the increasing energies will only increase faster!

With the increase of energy it is now time for us as a planetary culture and a group of Lightworkers to fully re-enter our bodies and reactivate the Lower Three Chakras.

We want a global shift to occur! We want World Peace! We want First Contact! We want Financial Abundance for Everyone!

In order to acheive these very physical, world-oriented goals, we need to have fully empower the Lower Three Chakras of our own bodies and the whole Planet.

The third chakra, the yellow center, relates to government, and personal power. As we reactivate this region as a planet, we will see our government change! The organ of this region is the stomach.

The second chakra, the orange cener, relates to interpersonal interactions as a social group. As we re-empower ourselves in this region we reclaim our sense of self-worth, and begin to see the societal shift we are looking for. Here is where we as a planetary community will unite and love each other and work together to heal ourselves and the planet. The organ of this region is the womb/prostate.

The 1st chakra relates to our Planet, Her state of health, and by focussing here we can heal all pollution out of our bodies very quickly. As the planetary culture re-enters the root chakra, they will begin to realize how they are treating the planet, and how they are treating their own bodies. The organ of this region is the rectum!

As we fully re-empower the lower three chakras OUR POWER TO EFFECT THE PHYSICAL SHIFTS THAT WE ARE STRIVING FOR WILL GROW EXPONENTIALLY.

We are the ones bringing the change, and in order to effect physical shifts in our very physical world, we need to be radiating tremendous energy FROM OUR PHYSICAL BODIES.

As our lower three chakras become fully radiant and powerful, we will see the world around us respond to us where we Are, in the lower three!

For a very long time now the energies of the lightworker community have been in the head and brain, facilitating the LIGHT restore to the planet. This is the DNA restore and the restoration of the sense of Unity among us all. Building a communication network has been an essential part of this LIGHT restore.

Well, I feel that the LIGHT restore, the restoration of the upper three chakras of blue, violet, and gold, has succeeded grandly!

There is now so much LIGHT on the planet that many lightworkers are having trouble properly integrating it!

I feel the Movement of the Lightworkers must shift to ADD IN the lower three chakras.

Now it is time to emphasize the Lower Three, where we can create a PHYSICAL, MATERIAL shift in our daily lives.

As the Lightworkers begin to strongly magnetize their lower three chakras, we as a community will create a VISIBLE TANGIBLE shift in government (3rd), society (2nd), and the health of the planet (1st).

Victory to You Great Lightworkers! Together we must enter the New Phase of our work, and make manifest in our PHYSICAL lives the changes we have so longed for!

VICTORY IS IN THE LOWER THREE!

Rama

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

an actual buddhist joke; pretty good, actually. plus some polytheism and social psychology to boot. -- repost

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 22:17:45 GMT

an actual buddhist joke; pretty good, actually. plus some polytheism and social psychology to boot.

Summary:
"One of the best ways to help people is to be kind and gentle, particularly when someone is badly hurt, alienated, burned out, or somehow has a hard time staying in touch with their inner nature or lacking clear vision for their own life. Turns out that the combination of humor and wisdom can work small miracles when other things don't seem to work at all. The technical name for this clinical strategy is an 'nlp reframe.' Throughout recorded human culture, story telling is a central part of the work of a shamanic healer. Wisdom humor should be part of the curriculum of the bodhisattva, because it supports psychological integration and balance. It's good therapy."

>> The [ cough- cough ] social reality:

After many years in Mahayana Buddhism and tantra, and time spent with Buddhists everywhere from Hawaii to France, I have yet to hear a western Buddhist tell a decent joke. [ Heard one truly disgusting joke during a major tantric empowerment about ten years back here on the West Coast. Will never repeat it. ] I rarely see these people express real warmth or a smile, and would be completely surprised to see any of these people dance. [ Kung fu or tai chi or aikido or reggae would qualify, for sure. Not holding my breath, folks. ]

This is in direct contrast to other pre-contact cultural systems, such as the Lakota Sioux, who have Coyote the Trickster. You can find stories of trickster spirits in a number of indigenous cultures. This is considered an important cultural heritage, and a major means of teaching the young virtues such as caution and humility, and the foolishness of arrogance. Not so with Buddhists. It's a cultural blind spot with Buddhists.

>> "It's all just dollies, you know? " - Humor just doesn't fly with these people. . .it's all about "Being Serious"

A couple years ago I spontaneously made a joke reference to a PhD Buddhist scholar and Tibetan translator. This was downstairs from the main temple hall, while we were all waiting for a Simhamukha empowerment. This wrathful Lion Faced Goddess is Very Scary. I personally met her once some years back, and wanted to leap off the couch and dive for cover. But then again, I really like girls who kick ass, one favorite being the real live human goddess Yeshe Tsogyel . . . and another being "Tomb Raider" Angelina Jolie. [ Like the T shirt at Folk Life said, "Adopt me, Angelina!" You know, it's like "Are we ready to save the universe?" Angelina : "Absolutely!" ]

So anyway, I turned around and told the Ph.D. Lotsawa, while we awaited entrance to the sacred mandala of empowerment, "You know something, it's all about dollies! Ken and Barbie dolls, you know. Simhamukha just happens to be a fierce Barbie, that's all." At home we use this phrase a lot, and for us it means many things in social psychological terms. For example, if a guy likes to date one woman after another, we view him as a Barbie doll collector. "It's all about dollies!" "Look, more dollies!"

I thought the line was funny - and some months later this got immediate laughs from some friends and new acquaintences at a dzogchen empowerment, thank goodness - but the poor PhD translator looked a bit disheartened and disoriented, with a quizzical look like I was somehow trying to mess with his head [ or had temporarily lost it ]. Naaah, it was just a toss off comment. Why? We had first jointly taken a major empowerment together in 1980. In all the time since I'd shared about twenty seven words with him, about one word per year on average. So I was just trying to be sociable. Foolish me. . . at least my luck is consistent, right?

Yes, yes, this *is* very serious stuff, a ferocious lion-headed goddess dancing on a corpse with a chopper knife and a skull bowl filled with blood. And the protector practices are razor sharp. But an intuitive flash had just revealed to me while waiting for tantric deity empowerment # 75 or whatever, that these scroll painting and statues etc. really ARE kinda like Ken and Barbie dolls, and this reframe put dangerous esoteric matters in a broader, more balanced, and therefore more healthy, perspective for me.

My s.o. collects high-end Barbies, including Impressionist Art Barbies, Shamanic and Native American Barbies, Ken and Barbie sets [ King Arthur and Guineve, Lord Aragorn and Lady Arwen ], and like that. I gradually learned that dollies are actually very important to girls *and* women. [ Basically, if you don't know about dollies, you can't even understand female culture. Ever hear the phrase, "She's in the back, getting dolled up. . ." ? ]

So, we have scores of actual Ken and Barbie collector editions here at home . . . plus my tantric statues, real heavy duty stuff: a museum quality Vajrakilaya and Consort, a gilt Ekajati, gilt Padmasambhava, a large Tara, a good sized Vajrapani and a Shiva. Plus all the scroll painting images like the museum quality Milarepa from Nepal, and so forth. So, "Deities. Dollies. What's the difference? It's all just dollies!"

This is completely universal, as it turns out. Check out the movie Gladiator, where Russell Crowe as General Maximus is praying to little doll deities and praying for little doll representations of his wife and child. Maybe they did that in ancient Rome, you know? The Roman gods and goddesses truly embody the key cultural archetypes of their culture. More broadly, Hindus and Buddhists and Wiccans All Have Lots of Dollies. It's called polytheism, and is found everywhere. The Native Americans such as Hopi and Navaho have kachinas and there are the Three Corn Maidens and so forth.

That really distinguishes us from the Christians, the Jews, and especially the Islamists. [ In Islam, you Don't Get Any religious Dollies! They're all illegal. That includes Tara, the White Buffalo Calf Maiden, and everyone else. ] Polytheism just doesn't fly with these people. In fact, almost nothing does. And even if something *does* fly . . . But I digress.

My statement to this PhD is universally well founded in historical terms around the world, all the way back to the Willendorf Venus dolly collection of prehistory. It should have made sense, right? But noooo, nothing is *ever* simple or easy with esoteric types, Buddhist or otherwise. It's alllll gotta be serious and complicated allll the tiiime and, somehow, we've all gotta have difficulty communicating with each other, even in terms of a simple joke. Else we're not sanctimonious enough, I mean, not "proper Buddhists". So if it isn't difficult or serious, we gotta MAKE it difficult or serious, preferably both. Call it spiritual pride, call it psychological alienation, call it self-conflicted masochism, call it poor socialization. Whatever. I just have to ask, "And how is that working for you, anyway?"

>> "Fear and Loathing" and Running The Gauntlet

To me a brittle shut down insensitive attitude really sucks: it's unhealthy and self-defeating on several important levels. Even though I got stuck with being a vajrayana Buddhist spiritual doctor many years ago - Tag!! You're It, White Boy! - I mostly avoid Buddhist gatherings to get some fresh air, do some yoga or tai chi or mantra or whatever. Unless there's a good empowerment, 'cuz I too am really into the Dollies.

Is this dolly collecting - excuse me - continuing stream of empowerments - obsessive compulsive? At this point, I do have twenty eight full Vajrakilaya authorizations, and fifty eight full Vajrasattva authorizations [ they overlap with lots of stuff ], but it never hurts to get another good zap, another catur-abhisekha, or "four-banger" to use the technical term. As Lord Gampopa said, "Ours is a lineage of practice but it is also a lineage of blessings." So it's definitely part of being a good tantric practitioner, and I often invite some people I know to re-take major empowerments, and usually they thank me.

Given the above, I was dumbfounded to learn this year there's a listserv on tribe.net called "Buddhists Just Wanna Have Fun." With a lot of members. I was kinda blown. How wonderful, I thought, this is great! Sure beats having to deal with lots of bad stuff, you know, the standard unsubstantiated attacks, vicious irrationality, clueless experts, gang action and lack of basic human values - or even decent English - often found on various religious fora.

Not that I've failed to adjust mind you. But I will *always* remember that in early 2002 a claimed tantric Buddhist [ a closet Sufi, looks like ] offered physical attack and bloodshed against me on a Buddhist listserv. There were one hundred people on that so-called Buddhist listserv, not one of whom responded to this illegal and sociopathic outburst. That tells you a lot about the emotional and social development of western Buddhists, doesn't it? Think I could make this up? And BTW, the guy was literally vowing physical violence against several million Buddhists in many countries around the world. I was really bitter for some time, and in a sense still am. So I haven't had a word with that dysfunctional crowd in over five years.

It's like Angelina Jolie famously said; "I trust no one." One LA woman asked me by email, what do you mean when you say "I'm on the team and I work alone" ? Well, you have the real answer right here, sometimes known as the Bitter Truth. What I told her was standard Tolkien, all noble and all.

Aragorn [ ‘The Lord of the Rings’, Book V, Chapter 2. ]: "I have no help to send, therefore I must go myself."

See : http://the-stewardship.org/metaphors.htm for more on Tolkien and Stewardship.

So, I'm actually a more serious sort, bookish, a mage guardian, combat shaman [ remember, I have twenty eight Vajrakilaya empowerments ! ! ], sworn protector of the Buddhist Law and so forth. Sometimes it bears down on me, as it certainly would on you. It helps to have much better "technical capabilities", grin grin. But you know the funny thing about survival and karma and social abuse and cultural warfare and all those interesting problems? It really helps A LOT to have a sense of humor, top remain light and flexible in mind and spirit. Sometimes you can even use humor to turn away conflict and physical danger, so it's almost a kind of kung-fu. That's why, last night, feeling a little worn down by some social stuff, we two watched "Almost Famous" on DVD. "It's all happening, it's all happening." If it's a good DVD, it's therapy, you know.

Having said all that, let me introduce the really cool Buddhist joke. The Dalai Lama hasn't even heard this one yet, and he knows a lot. Try this on the next Buddhist you meet, see if you get a good reaction. If not, then try getting a pulse, eh?

>> The remedy: Buddhist humor, from a Republican of all people [ Not from Snow Lion or any other major Buddhist catalog ]

There are, it turns out, good Buddhist jokes - maybe even a dozen or more known to humanity. In fact there is a two-for-one Buddhist joke, which my younger brother sent me as a birthday card. Being a Republican and all, he is even less fun than many western Buddhists, but you know, people can still surprise you sometimes. He likes to tease me about being one of these laughable, barking-up-the-wrong-tree Buddhist types by sending me these cards, and has found two so far. Mom likes to tease me this way also, which helps compensate and distract from her bitter rejection of lifelong Anglican communion and the way it is currently being torn in half. Go ahead and laugh, Mom. Looks like all you got was a religious dead end, so I'll laugh too.

There are Buddhist joke cards in bookstores or stationary stores the Chicago area, somewhere in the western suburbs along the Burlington rail line, more or less. I never saw anything like this in Snow Lion, but there they are, arriving by mail from the Midwest, of all places. As Richard Gere said, "Who knew? WHO KNEW?"

So here's what was on the card:

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Buddha walks up to a hot dog vendor in New York City. He says to the guy, "Make Me One With Everything", and gives him some money. [ Say with complete deadpan expression, then pause for effect. ]

The hot dog vendor makes a hot dog, hands it to Buddha, and says "Here you go."

Buddha says, "Where's my change?"

The hot dog vendor says "Change comes from within."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

So you know, it's all pratitya-samutpada, interdependent origination. As well as dollies, chronic miscommunication and, yes, a *few* Rangers here and there . . . just going out into the wilderness trying to make the world a better place for children and those who will come after. I too am a steward, in a long line of stewards. What we do we do for everyone. That is why spiritual teachers among the Lakota Sioux always begin by saying "All Our Relations." It is a prayer, it is an address to all beings, it is a sacred commitment to the health and well being of everyone.

>> The real road from here: "Kindness is my true religion."

One of the best ways to help people is to be kind and gentle, particularly when someone is badly hurt, alienated, burned out, or somehow has a hard time staying in touch with their inner nature or a higher vision for life. It can be as simple as listening attentively to someone who needs badly to be listened to. As the Dalai Lama said, "Kindness is my true religion." Turns out that the combination of humor and wisdom can work small miracles when other things don't seem to work at all. Story telling is a central part of the work of a shamanic healer. Wisdom humor should be part of the curriculum of the bodhisattva. And by the way, don't forget to stay in touch with your own heart.

Really feel your own heart, and you can thereby feel the hearts of others, and begin to build bridges of humanitarian worth between people. Really open the energetic matrix of your own heart center, and healing energy can flow from your hands to others who are hurt. The resonance of consciousness within your words can then reach people. This is the way to reverse the unconscious movements towards chaos and destruction, to help heal bitterness and loss, to help people find what is of real value in their own and others lives. It is worth your best efforts. This is all I have to say.

K T

posted in Bodhisattvas - 2 replies

Jonny Appleseeds!

sati — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 22:16:28 GMT

How's planting going loves?

posted in Bodhisattvas - 0 replies

help

twilightening — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 04:29:26 GMT

i broke up with someone in April and now in July I finally hooked up with someone new. But i live in community with the old relationship still around
even though the new person doesn't live here the old person is verbally assaulting me publically and threatening me at the risk of a work interest because i "FUCKED" someone as he puts it.

As if I were his property and not free to choose even after breaking up with him and also having him threaten the life of a potential lover in June that didn't even result in becoming a friend!

Even though my path of unconditional love and devotion is very clear to me, this kind of behaviour is raising my alarm system to new heights of patience. I am sort of on a small moon with this person in a town of 60people so its really challenging to live and work together while being yelled at "FUCK YOU!" in public for being honest about my feelings and need for space and freedom.

I am really burning in prayer and would love your reflections because I do not personally feel responsible to this person anymore, not to mention 3 years of treatment this dark and worse, yet i understand very clearly that he's suffering and in pain because he wants to be with me and yet doesn't know how to be. and i can't do anything for him anymore.

I can't even breathe enough to explore the new connection.

posted in Bodhisattvas - 4 replies

Bodhisattvas; A New Tribe's Invitation!

shaman sun — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 14:21:57 GMT

I welcome you to join Kosmos,

Kosmos? With a K? In Integral Theory, Kosmos is interpreted as many spheres of reality: Matter, Life, Mind, Soul and Spirit. Our physical, organic, mental, transpersonal and spiritual realities. So, Why not be creative? Why not dance in the flame of imagination, leave your baggage at the door and come in with an open mind, heart, spirit. It’s time to play, to learn, to know. I'm looking forward to joining new faces and new wisdom.

http://tribes.tribe.net/kosmos

peace and being,

shaman sun

posted in Bodhisattvas - 1 reply

Bodhisattvas's topics - tribe.net

Tantric Buddhist empowerments San Francisco area by Lama Tharchin Rinpoche ( January - June 2010 )

Your Experience of the Eightfold Path

For those interested in memorizing the Bodhicharyavatara - The Entrance To The Path of the Bodhisattva (Shantideva)

Sept 20th global community peace building event: United Nations International Day of Peace, Peacebuilding & Global Mala Yoga For Peace Project

Audio Lectures/course: Path of the Bodhisattva**free**

Question..when they who do not want to change..upset the teaching

Hi gang!

"Love All, Hurt No One, Trust A Few" : Thoughts on Buddhism in the West and Spiritual Community ( repost from tribe Tibetan Buddhism )

Meditation Retreat, New York August 12-16th

great article what do you think? http://www.engaged-zen.org/articles/Kobutsu-New_Age_Legacy.html

2009 U.S. Teaching Schedule/ Introduction For H.E. Gochen Tulku Sang Ngak ( Tibetan Buddhist Nyingma lineage )

Spirtual Progress and what is realative to this concept

Glory of annadaana & Powerful and Rare Homas

tantric Buddhist empowerments this June & July in San Francisco and Oregon: His Holiness Lama Getse ( Nyingma tradition )

A spontaneous nirvikalpa samadhi

Lama Mingyur Rinpoche: tantric Buddhist teaching and empowerment tour June - August 2009 / Avalokitesvara teaching

HH the Dalai Lama article / venue dates etc. ( slightly edited )

Hi, I'de like to meet you!

I was busy doing my job here on earth when a (not so ) funny thing happened

Find out how to use your voice to save your life

Quan Yin

The Sacred Rose

New Mantra

Ganesh ( Ganapati ) the Hindu Buddhist Deity : practices references and transmission

love Poems , from Rumi ,for this valentine

love

Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche Visits Dallas 12/19-12/21

Am I Mettayya

Women's empowerment? Yes and No.

resource links

Differnece in Arhata and Bodhisattva's

An invitation to our dream

Bodhisattva Spin Jam skill share in Ashland OR

Who Has "Mastered" the Following?

"A beautiful friend.. brutally murdered..." : trauma, transpersonal psychology and soul work. And Dhammapada.

conflict

basic breath practice and basic mantra practice : nadi shodhana pranayam and White Tara mantra

HH Phakchok Rinpoche and the Chokling Tersar Lineage of the Great Perfection : An Introduction and 2008 Tour Notes

"The Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life" (Bodhicharyavatara).

How Is Selfless Love Possible?

Daily Zen.

Reality Sandwich

Cooks needed for youth meditation retreats, 6/6-13 and 6/14-21

Mayan return ~ Return of Quetzalcoatl ~ Kukulkan

Seeking the event horizon of intergenerational wisdom

Animals are Bodhisattvas too :-)

Tibet Help

Chinese Propaganda Against Tibet on YouTube

Engaged Ethics and Democracy Vs. the Total Society and the Rule of Arbitrary Law : Examples and References ( from Tribe Ethics and Morals )

more info

FOR POST 667!!!!

Taking political action for Tibet- Write a Letter

URGENT! PLEASE HELP TIBET! SIGN THIS PETITION!

The Legend of His Holiness Paya Halin, the Story of the Forest Monk Martial Systems

Hello Bodhisattva Tribe

Hatred - A disease of self-loathing

Soul Majestic

Journey back from Nirvikalpa Samdhi to ego-conciousness

Sometimes Words affect me

Lets Unite/Synchronize to Anchor Pillars of Light, Heaven on Earth

Buddhism and Climate Change

Eckhart Tolle: holding space

Are you empathetic? If so....

Question on Thoughts...

Calling So.Cal Buddha's

to the network of love and light

i feel a dhillema in my life

Dedications

What your your keywords to guide you?

What do you do when you lose your hold??

Multiples Consciousness Levels Perception

Oh gurl, do tell!

HHDL sydney 2008

Milarepa

Albert Camus - Nobel Laureate, Resistance Fighter and Humanitarian

Gratitude

Devotion

Phat Buddhist Chants on Tracks: Vajrasattva and Heart Suttra!!!

Shantideva

Audio Lectures/course: Path of the Bodhisattvafree