Fri, 03 Feb 2012
God and Buddhism
Yes, it's been another long absence. This time my excuse is that I've been sick. I had a bad habit of clenching my jaw when under stress. It eventually caught up with me and set off a facial neuralgia. It felt like the whole right side of my face was on fire. It didn't go away simply by stopping the jaw clenching. But time and some homeopathic medicine have resolved the problem. I found the most helpful remedy was Coffea Cruda, though it took me a while to find it. The remedy that came out tops in the repertorization was Rhus Tox, which helped, but not as much.
What prompts tonight's post is a comment Brad Warner made on his blog,
"I'm writing a whole book about why I think Buddhists believe in God."
Which I don't agree with and will say here why. The central idea of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy is emptiness. And the most important thing to understand about emptiness is that it is a non-affirming negative, which means that it denies that one thing is so without affirming that its opposite is so. This can be seen in the Heart Sutra where both a property and its opposite are denied. "Here Shariputra, all dharmas are marked by emptiness: they are not produced or stopped, not defiled or immaculate, not deficient or complete." (Edward Conze's translation.) Applying this to the practice of meditation, insight cuts through the false idea of self, starting with its coarsest manifestation and then ever finer manifestations. Though what is perceived is an absence, because it is an awareness, it also is a positive phenomena. If not clearly understood, this awareness of an absence can be misunderstood as a perception of a positive but indescribable phenomenon. But this is a misunderstanding of insight. In asserting insight as a positive phenomenon and calling it the awareness of God, one loses the distinctive character of Mahayana Buddhism and strays into the view of Advaita. To anyone who thinks otherwise, here is another quote from the Perfection of Wisdom in 8000 Lines (also Edward Conze's translation.)
Even Nirvana, Holy Subhuti, you say is like an illusion, is like a dream?
Even if perchance there could be anything more distinguished, of that too I would say it is like an illusion, like a dream. For not two different things are illusion and Nirvana, are dreams and Nirvana.
What is indicated here is that for Mahayana Buddhism ultimate reality is not a positive phenomena or quality, it is just seeing the illusory nature of phenomena. This is not just an intellectual quibble, it goes to the heart of what Mahayana Buddhist practice is all about. If Nirvana were a positive phenomenon, it would have a cause, like any other phenomenon. And when that cause ceased, so would Nirvana. But Nirvana, not being a thing, is unproduced and unceasing. It is not eternal in the way God is asserted to be eternal, instead it is the absence of what could not possibly be so. I could go on, but hopefully this is enough to explain the difference between the view of emptiness and the view that asserts the existence of God, even a God that transcends all description.
Mon, 16 Jan 2012
Unfabricated
Clearing up my backlog of old notes, here is an extract from a teaching by Lama Gursam on mahamudra.
I will try to explain this word, unfabricated (ma cho pa). It means the mind and body are relaxed, just as they are. The body becomes so relaxed and sleepy. But you have to wake up from that. The breathing is natural and unforced. But the breath has to be a little stronger when you are sleepy, but it should be silent. Once the sleepiness goes away you can go back to the natural breathing. So the body is very important. So sleepiness is one of the obstacles to meditation and enlightenment. If the body is too tight or relaxed, that is not a good idea. Between the two is the essence of meditation. If the body is too tight the mind will be agitated. Beginners often try to control the mind too tightly.
Our minds are strongly bound by afflictive emotions. Afflictive emotions are like clouds covering the sky. Because of them we cannot experience the true nature of mind. Sometimes bodily exercise is helpful to the meditator. Yoga can release all the tightness of the body. The nature of mind always stays the same. So what we work with in meditation is afflictive emotions.
If someone can relax and let go of the afflictive emotions, the mind becomes free. Tilopa says if you let go of afflictive emotions, there is no doubt you will be liberated. When we look at space, the seeing is free of seeing. The same is true when we look at mind. It is free of afflictive emotions and conceptual thoughts. Gradually this leads to enlightenment. When practitioners know how to look at the nature of mind, it is freed. Then you see the true nature of mind. Everything that appears to us is conceptual thought.
Tilopa says that the accumulation of merit and wisdom go together. All the prayers and offerings we make are the accumulation of merit. The accumulation of wisdom is the practice of meditation. To achieve enlightenment, you cannot separate them.
When you look at the mind, all conceptual thoughts disappear. It is like looking directly at space, you don't see anything. When you meditate on the natural state of mind, all you thoughts are transformed and you see the true nature of mind. When we meditate, thoughts cover the mind like clouds cover the sky. But one day the clouds can disappear. Where do they go? There is no place they can go, there is no place they abide. Likewise all the conceptual thoughts rise from the mind. But they do not abide anywhere. Space is beyond color and shape and unchangable. Likewise the essence of the mind its is beyond virtue and non-virtue. That is in its true nature. The essence of the sun is clarity and luminosity. The clouds cannot change that nature. Similarly the nature of the mind is clarity. It cannot be changed by eons of confusion and negative emotions. Afflictive emotions are temporary. But to realize the true nature of mind requires a lot of effort and patience.
Fri, 13 Jan 2012
No Self and True Self
I answered a question on reddit and might as well get double duty out of it by posting my answer here as well.
Q: I am curious about your experiences of the true nature of yourself, I have been told that its similar to me asking what an orange tastes like and hoping to truly find out from descriptions. I don't understand how anybody can say that their self doesn't truly exist, if you can experience the buddha nature then surely that means that you exist as an experiencer?
A: Think for a moment and you'll see that in the experience of your true nature there can be no separation between the experience and the experiencer. It's like the tongue tasting itself. The Tibetan term for this is rang rig, which literally means self awareness.
The experience only happens when your conceptual idea of self drops away. It's only when the idea of who you are (any idea) drops away that the truth can be seen. For that reason the experience is not opposed to selflessness, the intellectual understanding of selflessness clears the way for it. Buddhist philosophy is not like building a house, it's like demolishing one, so that you can play on the empty ground.
Tue, 10 Jan 2012
The Importance of Lam Rim
Here are my notes from a short teaching Lama Gursam gave last October on Lam Rim.
Lam Rim means the stages of the Path of Tibetan Buddhism. Everything goes stage by stage. Trying to reach the final level is like jumping into space. Many Tibetan masters have written on how to practice stage by stage. Even though there there are many different texts, the meaning is the same. Tibetan Buddhism came from India. The Indian master Atisha, in order to establish Buddhism in Tibet taught most compassionately. His teachings were the basis of all the schools of Buddhism in Tibet. He was a great scholar at Nalanda. He was called "the refuge master" because he taught that extensively, despite knowing all the high and profound teachings of Buddhism. His main text on Lam Rim is "lamp on the Path to Enlightenment." Even though it is a short book, the commentary by learned masters on the text is extensive. Many Tibetan wrote similar texts, such as Gampopa's Jewel Ornament of Liberation. It was written almost 1000 years ago. It is important to receive teachings and transmission on the Jewel Ornament. It is mainly a Kagyu text. The Nyingma equivalent is Words of my Perfect Teacher. And in the Gelgpa there is the Lam Rim Chenmo. We must study all the traditions in order to liberate our heart. I was asked to teach by a Gelugpa center in Mexico on the songs of Milarepa. They had not heard of other lam rim texts than the Lam Rim Chenmo. We should study all the traditions, including the ngondro of other traditions.
We all need wisdom. So how can we get it? We start with academic study. Then we continue with analytic investigation. There is a saying in Tibet: "the wisdom of study is the antidote to ignorance." It is lighting a candle in the darkness. It is also said that study is the best wealth. That is because it cannot be stolen from you, and sharing it only increases it. It is also said that study is the best friend. Nehru, the first prime minister of India, always carried a bag of books with him when he traveled. Whatever we study we must think about what he have studied. Finally, we must put it into practice with meditation. Even though we say meditation is so important, that doesn't mean only meditation is important, we need a balance of study and practice.
Within academics we start with short texts like The 37 Bodhisattva Practices, then study the short Lam Rim texts, then Shantideva, then Abhidharma, then Madhyamika, and then the Prajnaparamita texts. Monastics study the Vinaya. And in the Kagyupa they study the texts of Maitreya.
The Jewel Ornament is divided into five sections: The first section is the cause of enlightenment, buddha nature. Then it talks about the conditions necessary for enlightenment. The most important condition is the teacher. The teacher can be many people, including parents. To be a good teacher one must have knowledge. Then what is the fruition? it is enlightenment, free of afflictive emotions and all pain. It also means to realize the nature of compassion and love, not just to one being, but to all beings.
The path starts with refuge practice. Sometimes people cannot practice ngondro, and they do sadhana. My mother did ngondro many times. Then follows vajrasattva, and so on. Sometimes Westerners can't do the ngondro and do calm abiding meditation, and I think that is wonderful. Trungpa Rinpoche especially emphasizes calm abiding meditation. Many of his students don't hear about other practices for five or six years. Some of his older practitioners are very strong. I love to go to a center in New Hampshire. Every day we do one or two hours of sitting, followed by a talk. They ask many questions about meditation. We need to take care of both our body and mind. Meditation is especially important for when we die. At that time only what is in our minds and hearts can help. There are many different types of calm abiding meditation, with object and without object. Many are described in the mahamudra texts. There are also many stages in the Vajrayana. You complete the yidam practices, such as Tara or Chenrezig, before starting the Highest Yoga practices.
So it is good to study the Jewel Ornament of Liberation and Atisha's Path of Enlightenment. The Dalai Lama has taught extensively on the Lam Rim Chenmo. After studying, you need to bring them all into one. For me that is the mahamudra. And we need to practice kindness and love. This a very hard practice, Your practice is not tested in the mountains, it is tested by other human beings. My teacher said, if you want to be in a relationship, you had better be good. Another teacher told me, now is your time to study, so study hard. When you leave school, it will be too late.
Sun, 08 Jan 2012
Notes on Mind Training
Khenpo Tsultrim Tenzin taught on the Seven Points of Mind Training over the Christmas to New Years break. I took notes, but much of what I wrote is not very comprehensible. Here are the best bits from my notes.
To develop strong relative bodhicitta, you need strong love and compassion. You need to understand the reason why you need to develop bodhicitta. So first you need to meditate on love. When meditating on love, you start with a person who was kind to you, usually your mother. She gave you life, fed you, and educated you. When you think of this, love will come naturally. When you love someone, care, sympathy, and compassion will come naturally. But before you help others, you must attain enlightenment. So for that reason, we vow to attain enlightenment. I'm sure you've heard this before, but knowing and really practicing are different.
We should repeat the sayings of past Kadampa masters. But first we should understand their meaning. If we repeat these sayings, it will be beneficial to us. If your compassion is not stable enough, the practice of thonglen is going to be difficult. If some negative result comes to you, you will regret practicing thonglen. But if you have strong compassion, you will not give it up, any more than a parent will abandon their child.
What is the source of samsara? Ignorance. From that comes self grasping. Then we do all kinds of crazy things. All the bad things that happen to us are the result of our self-cherishing. Shantideva said self cherishing is like a wound we don't want others to touch. Ego clinging is not your friend, it is your enemy.
We should be grateful to everyone. Just look in your house and think how few of the things in there you could make yourself. In your life you need to rely on many others. And as a Mahayana practitioner, you cannot become enlightened without other beings. Shantideva said Buddha and sentient beings are equally kind to us. Witheout Buddha we cannot receive the teachings and without sentient beings we cannot practice them.
Because this is a degenerate age, emotions are increasing. The outer environment and inner mental state are connected. If our good karma is strong, outer conditions cannot hurt us. Sometimes people practice deities, hoping to remove their problems. But we have to be fit vessels to receive their blessings. Karma is not punishment. But if we develop merit, our lifespan and happiness will increase. We should understand the source of our unhappiness is our self-cherishing. Self-cherishing is looking for the short term benefit rather than the long term benefit. The long term benefit is to seek budhahood. So we need to differentiate between the two. If we seek anything for this life's benefit, even meritorious acts, it becomes negative. And actions usually considered negative if done for the sake of future lives are virtuous. We should be grateful to others because we all depend on each other and need to support each other. You cannot accumulate merit without the help of others. Many dharma practices can't be done unless you have any enemy.
It is said that wisdom is like fire and merit is like firewood. The more you aquire merit, the greater the wisdom. Aryadeva said, even doubting that emptiness is true requires great merit. In old days there was a debate between Kamalashila and Zen over the necessity of merit to develop wisdom. There are a very few people who get realization without practice, but this is rare.
When you have a good thought, aspire that all beings have the same and even greater. When you have an evil thought, think that it removes all the negative thoughts of others. When you are sick, think that it removes all the sickness of others.
Both relative and absolute bodhicitta are important. Relative bodhicitta is the source of the absolute. It is like firewood and fire. So for that reason we must accumulate merit. The main practice is bodhicitta. The other practices are supports. That is why they are called the path of method. Atisha discovered that developing the two bodhicittas are most important factor, As Maitripa said, the teacher's instuction is essential. Without this, dharma is like reading a cook book.
It is important to have confidence based on wisdom and not just blind faith. Without understanding you cannot dedicate your body, speech, and mind to enlightenment.
Every action you do should be done with the intention of developing bodhicitta. We can't do everthing, but we can do what we can, and that is enough. When you wake up, develop the motivation of bodhicitta and try to be mindful of it the entire day. At the end of the day review your day and see if you have kept it. If so, rejoice, if not, confess.
Sat, 07 Jan 2012
A Single Taste
I'm back again with two more translations of quotes. Both are on the topic of the single taste of samsara and nirvana. I have mentioned Saraha before. Shankarakshita was the abbot of the first monastery in Tibet, Samye Ling.
sa ra ha sa/
'khor 'das kun gyi rtsa bar gyur la sems rtogs nas sgom du med cing lhug par zhog/ rang la bzhag nas gzhan la 'tshol ba a re 'khrul/ 'di yin 'di min med do thams cad gnyug ma'i ngang/ zhes dangFrom Saraha: Rest naturally and meditate repeatedly in the mind’s recognition that the root of everything, both samsara and nirvana, does not exist. How foolish that I took on the project of looking for something other than this! It is incorrect to think it’s this and not that. Everything is the natural state. And also was said:
zhi mtshos/
mnyam nyid dbyings las mi ga cho 'phrul sna tshogs ston/ chu phran sna tshogs rgya mtshor gcig go ba tshA'i ro/ du ma ro gcig 'di la tha dad yod ma yin/ thams cad thams cad gnyug ma'i ro yi khyab pas bde/ zhes dang/From Shankarakshita:
Upon the unmoving expanse of equality the activity of the various apparitions manifest. The varied tributaries when flowing into the ocean are understood to taste of salt. In this single taste the varied phenomena do not exist, everything is the genuine nature with the taste of all pervading bliss.
Mon, 02 Jan 2012
Rebirth Prayer for Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
Thinly Norbu Rinpoche died last week. He was a Nyingma lama, the son of Dujom Rinpoche and the father of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. He lived in New Yark State, but did not teach widely. I knew him for a book he wrote on the lives of the Sixteen Karmapas. One of his sons wrote a prayer for his swift rebirth, which I have phoneticized and translated.
OM SVA STI OR GYEN PE MAY GYAL TSAP PEL NGA WA
Om Svasti. You are the glorious regent of Padmasambhava.
KU SUM LHUN DRUP NGON GU GYUR WAY KU
In your person the three kayas spontaneously manifest.
KYAP CHOG GANG GI THUG LAY MI DOR WAR
The supreme refuge, who does not abandon enlightened activity.
LAR YANG THRUL PAY DO GAR TEN DU SOL
We request you reveal the display of your incarnation again.
Sun, 25 Dec 2011
Have a Very Kagyu Christmas
Tonight I have translated two quotes quotes from Tilopa, the Indian siddha who sands at the head of the Kagyu tradition.
te lo las/
nam mkha'i rang bzhin kha dog dbyibs las 'das/ dkar nag dag gis ma gos 'gyur ba med/ de bzhin rang sems snying po kha dog dbyings las 'das/ sdig dkar nag chos kyis gos mi zhes dang/zhes dang/
nam mkha' stong par tha snyad rab btags sakyad/ nam mkha' la ni 'di 'drar brjod du med/ de bzhin rang sems 'od gsal brjod gyur kyad/ brjod pas 'di 'drar grub ces tha snyad gdags gzhi med/ sems kyi rang bzhin gdod nas nam mkha' 'dra/ chos rnams ma lus de ru ma 'dus med/ gsung/From Tilopa:
The nature of space transcends color and shape. It is changeless and untainted by good or bad. Similarly, the expanse of the mind’s essence transcends color, virtue or non-virtue, and good or bad. It is unveiled through the dharma.Also he said:
Space is devoid of the conventions and exagerations of speech. Just as with the sky, this cannot be expressed. The natural clarity of mind is beyond speech and without change. So it is said in terms of verbal convention that the basis of designation is unestablished. From the beginning the nature of mind has been like space. All phenomena without exception are included in that. So he said.
Tue, 20 Dec 2011
Hell Has a Cause
My latest translation is another well known passage, this time from Shantideva's "Engaging in Bodhisattva Deeds." The text is so well known it needs no introduction.
spyod 'jug las/
lcags bsregs sa gzhi su yis byas/ me tshogs de dag gang la byung/ ltar de dag thams cad ni/ sdig sems yin par thub pas gsungs/From the Bodhicharyavatara:
By whom is the burning ground of iron produced? From what do those flames arise? All of them are from the defiled mind. Thus the Conqueror has said.
Mon, 12 Dec 2011
Virupa Speaks
Tonight's quote is from Virupa, an Indian mahasiddha who stands at the head of the Sakya lineage.
bir wa las/
chos rnams sems nyid snang ba gzugs brnyan yin phyir ro/Virupa said,
Because all phenomena are mind, the appearance of external forms is like a reflected image.
Fri, 09 Dec 2011
From the Avatamsaka:
Tonight's quote is from the Avatamsaka Sutra. It is one of the great Mahayana sutras and was much admired in Chinese Buddhism.
phal po che las/
kye rgyal ba'i sras dag khams gsum po 'di ni
sems tsam mo/
From the Avatamsaka Sutra:
Listen, children of the Victors! The three realms are only imaginary.
Thu, 08 Dec 2011
From the Lankavatara
Tonight's translation is a famous verse from the Lankavatara Sutra. The Lankavatara is one of the sutras from the third turning of the wheel of dharma and it teaches the mind-only doctrine and buddha nature. It was the sutra that Bodhidharma brought with him to China.
lang kar gshegs pa las/
bag chags kyis ni dkrug pa'i sems/ don du snang ba rab tu byung/ don yod ma yin sems nyid de /phyi rol don mthong log pa yin/From the Lankavatara Sutra:
The mind is disturbed by habitual tendencies manifesting as objects of perception. Taking vows is of no benefit if the mind is so inclined. The benefit is achieved if you reverse perception away from the external.
Sun, 04 Dec 2011
No Need to Abandon
So tonight I reach down in my quote bag and pull out a translation of a quote by Orgyenpa. Orgyenpa was an teacher in the Karma Kagyu lineage, a student of Gotsangpa and the second Karmapa, Karma Pakshi, and a teacher of the Third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje.
grub thob orgyan pas/
mi rtog ched du btsa mi dgos/ rnam rtog la skyon du lta mi dgos/ nyams len gyi mu ge mi yong bar skye rgyal ki mgo nas zin la yin pas sems gnas gnas po gsal gsal po bde po zhig ma 'tshol bar gang shar la spangs med par nyams su longs shig gsungs/By Siddha Orgyenpa:
There is no need to search for non-conceptuality. It is not necessary to find fault in conceptual thought. It is not suitable to desire spiritual experience. Isn't a person complete from the very beginning? You should practice meditation by familiarizing yourself with whatever arises in the mind and brightly illuminating its non-existence. So he said.
Sat, 03 Dec 2011
The Great Brahmin
Yes, I have been away for a long time. But I'm back, with another translation, this time by Saraha. I have explained who Saraha was before. He is the author of three oral teachings (dohas) explaining mahamudra.
bram ze chen po sa ra has/
sems nyid cig pu kun gyis bon te/ gang la srid dang mya ngan 'dis 'gro ba/ 'dod pa'i 'bras bu ster bar nyed pa yin/ yid bzhin nor 'dra'i sems la phyag 'tshal lo/By the Great Brahmin, Saraha:
Within this single mind is the cause of all the suffering of migrating beings and the bestowal of their every wish. To this mind, which is like a wish fulfilling gem, I bow down.
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