I’m a Buddhist from a Southeast Asian country, where Buddhism is deeply rooted in our society and culture. The government and elite often try to frame Buddhism as the national religion, though they can’t officially designate it as such, as our constitution protects freedom of religion and recognizes the diversity of beliefs in our country. In my hometown, Buddhism often feels quietly woven into the kindness of the people around me, creating an atmosphere that is uniquely comforting.

Recently, I began studying Vajrayana Buddhism, which isn’t very common here. For guidance, I often turn to Western Sanghas, and studying with them has been an eye-opening experience. It has made Buddhism feel more accessible and personally meaningful than what I encountered in state-sponsored religious classes, which all children in my country are required to take. These classes mostly focus on traditional aspects of Buddhism that emphasize its role as a cultural foundation rather than as a path for personal spiritual growth. Here, Buddhism is tightly linked to our social and political identity, with central Buddhist institutions operating as government agencies. While this brings a level of organized administration, it also raises challenges, especially for the younger generation, who increasingly feel disconnected from Buddhism.

One of the reasons for this disconnect, in my view, is that Buddhism is often used by the elite as a way to monopolize “goodness.” Dissent or disagreement can be met with a label of being morally wrong, simply because it challenges this constructed image of what it means to be “good.” This has contributed to a form of religious nationalism where karma, a core Buddhist concept, is misused to judge people's worth and life situations in harmful ways. For example, if someone identifies as LGBTQ+ or faces mental health struggles, it's sometimes dismissed as "bad karma" or a lack of self-discipline. Instead of Buddhism being a path to inner growth and Dhamma, it is sometimes wielded as a tool of social control, losing its openness and essence.

In contrast, the form of Buddhism I’ve been studying with the Western Sanghas feels like a fresh perspective. It’s an approach that has been adapted to include values from psychology, physiology, and personal development, creating a more inclusive space to explore spiritual growth. This modern approach to Buddhism feels transformative and deeply relevant to my life, offering me a new understanding of the Dhamma beyond social expectations or traditional constraints.

I wanted to share my journey as someone navigating the different forms of Buddhism I’ve encountered. I would love to hear from others who have explored different Buddhist traditions or perspectives. Let’s keep our discussion respectful, open-minded, and rooted in mutual respect for learning.

Hello friends!

After a few days of grueling confusion, anxiety, and exploration, both of myself and the various schools of TB (during which I asked some questions regarding HYT that might have been inappropriate, for which I’m truly sorry), I have decided to go ahead with practicing within the Dudjom Tersar lineage. I have managed to contact both Vajrayana Foundation and Mayum Mountain, and things seem promising. I am now in talks with them over what path and practice will suit my conditions and needs.

One of the practices I’m interested in is the Dudjom Tersar Lama cycle that is the Tsonkyi Thukthik. I know that ngöndro is usually seen as the preliminary before this, but I’m also planning on doing the Lamrim anyway, and I may go with the Longchen Nyingthik Ngöndro associated with that, as WOMPT really is, in many ways, a very comprehensive step-by-step guide along the path.

Either way, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to ask about Tsonkyi Thukthik resources while I am trying to figure out what to do. Are there any teachers of the Dudjom Tersar lineage online that are particularly known for this practice? And where would I be able to find texts belonging to this practice and/or giving information about it? I’m not going to be reading any restricted material, but if I am given the necessary empowerments, these resources could be very helpful. If posting in public may not be the best, please feel free to DM me these resources, I will greatly appreciate that 😊🙏🏾. I know that I would usually be better off asking my teachers, but they are a bit slow to respond, as they are, understandably, quite busy.

Edit: I would also like resources and teachers for Dorje Drolö as well, since the teacher I’m talking with does not hold that Terma. Again, feel free to DM me.

Another thing I wanted to ask about concerns the Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo and WOMPT. Firstly, I was suggested some videos of a seminar on the Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo by Erik Pema Kunsang on DharmaSun. But, it seems like the videos have been removed. I just wanted to know if there is anywhere else I could find these videos, or other free courses related to this Lamrim text. I also realized that the Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo seemed to require an empowerment to practice, which I wasn’t aware of. Is this the same with WOMPT, or every other lamrim btw? I also wanted to know if the Chetsun Nyingthik ngöndro follows WOMPT the same way the Longchen Nyingthik ngöndro does?

As always, thank you all very, very much for your answers in advance 🙏🏾😊.

Namo Buddhaya. May you all be free of pain and suffering!

Hello everyone, do you know if in Europe there are Nyingma centers related to Dilgo Kyentse (I looked at Shechen site of Rabjam Rinpoche but i didn't find centers with resident Lamas). I did't find any center realated to Mindrolling Trichen Rinpoche, to Penor Rinpoche and to Dudjom Rinpoche. Do you know centers related to this great Masters of Nyingma?

Specifically, I have received direct introduction to Dzogchen teachings via online webcast despite never having completed the Ngondro accumulations. I also communicate with my teacher and receive empowerments and transmission from him exclusively online.

I am wondering how common and or well-received such engagements with Vajrayana practice are? Would I be considered a phoney in some circles?

I'm an American Nyingma teacher who lives in California. I've written a warm, informal, guide to the foundation practices of Tibetan Buddhism, with people who are interested in knowing more about them and also people who have started practicing. It's called Clearing the Way to Awakening, and is general, not tied to a particular text or tradition. There is nothing else exactly like it, written in plain English, addressing our twenty-first century doubts and concerns. It was released today as a self-published published book, and—to my delight—it is doing well in the rankings. There are a lot of scholars and serous practitioners on this sub, but in case there are any practitioners out there, I want to let you know it is available. I've made the e-book available to Hoopla, a library service, so Americans can look into checking it out for free if you can't afford it. —Loppon Yudron Wangmo

Hello everyone.

Thank you for all of your advice on my last post on Guhyasamaja. I know all of your advice meant well, even though I wouldn’t say I agree with all of it. The reason I went around asking about Yidams was because, when I encountered the practice, I felt a profound urge within myself to enter into that practice, even more than Dzogchen/Mahamudra, which got me in to actually wanting to start a Vajrayana practice. I intend to slowly learn Mahamudra/Dzogchen through meditation, and I’ve already decided on a place for that (meditationonline.org), as well as the lamrim(I’m looking at Erik Pema Kusang’s videos on the Nyingma lamrim text, as well as Je Tsongkhapha’s middle length lamrim). These I have made up my mind to definitely pursue, while also looking seriously for good teachers (ofc, Lama Dawai is one). The Yidam practice is something I’m going to look into before actually committing, but I’m going to try my best to do so. As for the why: in all honesty, my life is chaotic at the moment, with a lot of obstacles to practice. This was one reason why I didn’t jump into Dzogchen/Mahamudra meditation, as I had too many things on my mind. An important part of this chaos is of course the result of my perception, especially negative emotions, such as fear, anxiety and self hatred. The Yidam practices draw me, because they are practices that are very much intended to transform these feelings. I know there may be other practices in TB that do this as well, but the Yidam practices have the stronger hold on me. I have always been a visual person, visualizing things soothe me a lot, and it’s been a favorite form of escapism for me since my childhood. Not to say that Yidam practices are a form of escapism, of course not, but rather, the Yidam practices especially seem to me like a path towards using this innate tendency to visualize and imagine that I have in a way that can cause some real good in my life. And apart from that, I think there maybe a more karmic reason for my attraction to Yidam practice as well, specifically Yamantaka/Vajrabhairava, as today, in a situation where I’d usually feel very stressed, I felt a sudden, out of nowhere bliss, as a result of some random thoughts in my mind connecting to eachother to form this sudden, profound understanding in my mind that every living thing is related to eachother (one thought I got: the worm is my mother, since it came before us) and that we are in the universe, but so is the universe in us, and that it’s all a fleeting image in a void, a void full of images. This sudden feeling of bliss only lasted for a few minutes, but it’s the first time something like this has happened. After years of not feeling good about the world and the people in it, I was filled with a feeling of untainted compassion for everyone and everything, and it was not forced in any way. Rather, the only thing preceding this, was my mind being occupied with thoughts and images of Yidams, specifically Yamantaka/Vajrabhairava (Vajrabhairava was the form mostly appearing, sometimes with consort).

Yamantaka/Vajrabhairava seems to also be connected to some of the teachings I’ve been interested in since I was first taught Buddhism, emptiness, or particularly in Madhyamaka philosophy, Sunyata, which seems to be connected to Prajnaparamita sutra, which, though I haven’t really read it, seems to be connected to two other practices I like, Chöd (which I’m not going to practice until I can practice in person with a teacher) and Lojong. The concept of death and overcoming death in Yamantaka also resonates with me a lot, following some recent health issues (in fact, it resonated so much, that it was a looking into phowa that led me to the Dudjom Tersar lineages’ ngöndros at first).

Either way, I’m not here to ask about resources or programs for the empowerment or sadhana for Yamantaka/Vajrabhairava here. Anyone willing to share such resources with me can do so privately, and I thank them greatly in advance, but that is not the intention of this post.

I want to know some resources for reading about Yamantaka, Vajrabhairava and his symbolism, history etc. I also want to know what other, simpler practices are associated with him, as I heard somewhere that a lojong was connected with him.

That’s all. Thank you everyone for your answers in advance 🙏🏾.

Namo Buddhaya, Namo Dhammaya, Namo Sangaya.

Hello, im 19 from Lithuania. I wish to spend my life as a yogi, practicing in nature. I have been wanting to live this way since 15. I have nothing else to do with my life whatsoever, no other interests, no talents. I dont have any friends or girlfriend so nothing is holding me back really. I have went solo camping in the forest for a few days, and i think i would be happy to live my life like that. I want to spend my life walking the spiritual path. Im not interested in being a monastic but it would be okay if there is no other choise.

I dont have a teacher as there are none around me, but im drawn to Mahayogi Sridhar Rana Rinpoche, he is very well learned and compassionate, and he made alot of things about the Dharma clear to me. Hes also mainly a Sakya, and after consideration, the Sakya tradition is most close to me. I want to become a student of his. There are no dharma centers in my country afiliated with him, but theres one woman who is his student, i could contact her.

What do i do now? I mean specifically? Is what i want even possible? How do i go about this? Please help 🙏

Please use this thread to discuss random thoughts, discussions and other comments related to Vajrayana Buddhism. This can hopefully de-clutter the front page a bit as this is something users have requested. Let's use it for benefit!

We can use this thread to post upcoming teachings, empowerments, lungs, retreats and other events the community may be interested in. A new thread will be posted each month to keep things up-to-date.

Gampopa was the main student of Milarepa and is one of the five founding masters of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. He is the fifth master in the line of transmission of Mahamudra teachings that began with Tilopa. Early in life he promised his dying wife that he would never remarry, and after her death renounced his life as a physician to follow the dharma. One of his most famous teachings is the "Four Dharmas of Gampopa."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gampopa

Shared so all may benefit:

The Four Dharmas of Gampopa

Grant your blessings so my mind may turn to the dharma

Grant your blessings so that the dharma may become my path

Grant your blessings so that the path may clarify my confusion

Grant your blessings so that my confusion may dawn as wisdom

My personal interpretation, shared for purposes of discussion:

We are truly fortunate if we feel a connection to the dharma. When we realize the truth of the dharma and unsatisfactory nature of Samsara, we realize our only choice is to follow this path. It is ok to struggle on our path and make mistakes, because if we have right motivation, faith, and devotion, the path will clarify our confusion. In fact, confusion itself is the seed of wisdom, and if we persist our confusion will be transformed into wisdom.

For a perspective from a genuine teacher, please see the link below:

https://www.samyeinstitute.org/guru-rinpoche-day/the-four-dharmas-of-gampopa/

I was told not to put holy objects below waist. I have some small things like blessed amulets & mantra scrolls that I want to keep on my wallet.

Hello everyone!

Thank you all for your detailed answers and advice on my earlier post about Yidam practice and Chakrasamvara.

Now, before I get to the questions I have, I think it's best to give a bit of background about my practice and situation. First off, I'm a newbie to Vajrayana and TB, tho I have been a Theravada Buddhist my whole life. I haven't found a teacher yet, tho I'm looking into Vajrayana Foundation and Lama Dawai at meditationonline.org as promising options, and everything is going well with that for now. I am going for free online options at the moment as in my home country, Sri Lanka, there is no presence of TB and my financial situation at the moment is bad. Now, these questions I am asking about Yidam practice are mostly general questions, but I've heard that some Yidam practices are only given once in a while, and that it's normal for practitioners to take Yidam empowerments when they are available, and to start serious practice later. So, I'd also like to know about any free resources for online Yidam empowerments and practices as well.

Now that that's out of the way, I'd like to ask some questions about Guhyasamaja, the other Yidam I've developed interest in apart from Chakrasamvara.

What's the specific purpose behind practicing Guhyasamaja?

What lineages and schools practice it? It seems that Gelug is famous for the practice, but I've heard that it's also connected to Nyingma?

Is it connected or can be connected to Dzogchen/Mahamudra?

Is there a strict daily practice commitment for it, or is it usually more flexible?

Are any prerequisites usually needed for practice?

And, finally, is the practice and empowerment offered online for free, and, if so, where?

Thank you for your replies in advance 🙏🏾.

Namo Buddhaya 🙏🏾.

In Vajrayogini or other deity practices, is it acceptable to focus only on mantra recitation if I’m struggling to complete the full sadhana due to time constraints or challenges with visualization? I want to improve but am feeling a bit discouraged by my current abilities. I’m scheduled to meet with my lama this weekend, and I’ll be sure to bring this up, but until then, I’m wondering if concentrating on the mantra alone still provides meaningful benefits, or if skipping the full visualization and offerings limits the practice’s impact until I improve. Any insights or advice from others who’ve practiced this way?

Hello everyone.

First of all, I’m happy to say that I've managed to successfully contact the Vajrayana Foundation, and I'm currently in discussions with them over what ngöndro suits me. Thank you everyone for your support and advice along this journey, I couldn't have done it without y'all 🙏🏾. Hopefully everything works out this time.

While that's happening, I've been looking into part of Vajrayana practice that I haven't been giving the necessary attention: Yidam practice. Since my main interest originally was in Dzogchen and Mahamudra, I completely overlooked the practice of Yidam. But, since my decision to practice the Troma Nagmo ngöndro, I have started looking a bit more into all of this. I've got a few general questions about Yidams (disclaimer: I am not currently in a rush to get an empowerment for a Yidam practice, as I am currently planning to just concentrate on the ngöndro as a complete practice. But, while slowly completing it, or after completing it, I may seek some sort of Yidam practice, so some of these questions here pertain to that. The rest are more general questions for me to get a better idea of Yidam practice as a whole).

What's exactly the purpose of a Yidam? Is it related to the transformation of negative emotions and the ordinary appearance of things? Where does Yidam practice belong in Vajrayana cycles (Ngöndro, HYT), and does it count as a complete practice in and of itself?

Does the Yidams one practice depend on one's lineage? Is it common to practice a yidam that doesn't particularly belong to one's lineage?

Is it common for a practitioners to practice more than one yidam? Or is there one particular yidam that one identifies with and practices?

How does one usually find one's yidam? Is it entirely through the instructions of one's guru, or is it normal to go looking for empowerments on one's own interests as well?

Is it necessary to have officially found a teacher and lineage before getting an empowerment and practice for a Yidam?

Are there any Yidams particularly associated with Dzogchen and Mahamudra?

And finally, what Yidam practices are offered online, and where?

Is it usually necessary to complete ngöndro to do Yidam practice, or is it more flexible? I know that it probably depends on the teacher, but I just want to see how it usually is in the Vajrayana community.

Finally, I have a few questions regarding Chakrasamvara in particular, as it's a practice that I have become particularly interested in.

First off, which lineages and schools hold the Chakrasamvara practice?

What would you say the main aims of the Chakrasamvara practice are?

Is completing the ngöndro necessary for the Chakrasamvara empowerment and practice, or can one also begin it before completing the ngöndro?

Are there strict daily practice requirements for this Yidam?

Finally, is this practice given online, and if so, where?

Thank you all in advance for your answers 😄 🙏🏾.

Namo Buddhaya 🙏🏾.

Hi all, I’m wondering if anyone would like to share any stories/accounts about persevering with practice in the face of sudden, overwhelming busyness.

I recently began a new career and am finding myself consumed with study and long work hours. It will get better after the next year or so, but in the meantime I am so, so exhausted (and definitely not sleeping enough).

I recently had a conversation with a dharma friend where she shared about how she was able to prioritize her practice whilst in the midst of a grueling med school residency, and it really filled me with a renewed sense of determination (and admiration). So, I thought maybe it would help to hear from others about how you kept dharma front and center in the midst of overwhelming daily responsibilities.

Not looking for specific advice so much, more interested in just hearing from anyone who has been able to sustain a high level of determination and motivation.

You all inspire me very much

🙏🙏🙏

i was a theravadin from the start of my buddhist journey up until about several months ago. i found that the vajrayana's system clicked a lot better for me, although i still admire the pali canon and enjoy dharma talks from the thai forest tradition.

for those of you who made a similar change, other than your karma leading you to enter the vajra vehicle, what made it work better for you? how did the results from your practice change? just curious! :)

Hello everyone!

In my last post I described how my situation and plans have changed, and that now I’m looking at the Garchen institute and Dudjom resources for doing ngöndro. Thank you all for all of your answers on that post, as it has helped me a lot to know about good free online programs and resources out there, as well as helped me think about how I should approach ngöndro.

In this post, I want to ask some specific questions about the Dudjom Troma Nagmo ngöndro.

First of all, what is the Troma Nagmo ngöndro, and for what practices does it serve as a preliminary? I am mainly interested in Dzogchen and Mahamudra as higher practices, but I also find other higher practices, such as Chöd, Tummo and Phowa as deep and profound practices as well.

Is this ngöndro a complete path in and of itself, that can be repeated without necessary moving on to higher practices? This is important for me as I am a College Student in a country with no presence of TB, so I cannot get any in-person empowerments(if necessary, as I’ve heard that some nyingma teachers don’t give empowerments online), go on retreats, or practice multiple practices at the moment. So, I hope to take my time and slowly practice this ngöndro, and repeat it as well, until I find a proper teacher and the time to move on to higher practices.

Finally, I’d like to ask about online resources for this ngöndro as well.

The only resource I’ve found so far is the Dudjom Ngöndro Program by the Vajrayana Foundation at Pema Osel Ling. I’m not really familiar with them, so I have a few questions:

How is the organization and its teachers? Does anyone here have experience with doing the online ngöndro with them?

As I am a newbie to TB (not Buddhism in general, as I was born into a Theravada family), what preliminaries and empowerment are necessary for doing the Dudjom Troma ngöndro with them? Do they give the empowerments for the ngöndro online?

And finally, do they charge a fee for the ngöndro program, and is it possible to get a complete waiver of the fee? I am not in a very good financial situation at the moment, especially since I’m from a country with a weak economy, and am dependent on my parents to cover my expenses. So, I cannot really pay for any teachings at the moment, unfortunately.

I know that I could probably get answers for many of these questions by simply asking Vajrayana.org, but, I’ve had problems with contacting teachers in the past (such as broken email addresses etc.), and, with assignments and studies almost completely occupying my time at the moment, it would be a great help if I can get answers from this community 🙏🏾.

I’ve been interested in the Dudjom lineage for a while now, so I’m looking forward to doing the Troma Nagmo ngöndro. Thank you all in advance for all of your answers.

Namo Buddhaya 🙏🏾.

I am thinking about getting this Bell and Vajra. I habe Bern gold thats those are 100 years old and from the kumbum monastery in qinghai. Is this possible or is he telling me a story? Btw. The objects are in a shop in China and the picture is made in China.

Thank you

Hello everyone!

In all honesty, around 5 days ago, I wasn’t expecting to type this post. A lot has changed within those few days, requiring me to need you guys’ help and advice again.

Tho I mentioned earlier that I may be able to make a one-time payment for teachings, that is no longer possible. As I said earlier, I am not financially independent, and I don’t have a job of any sorts. I have started my plans to go abroad to complete my undergraduate studies, and, in the case that I do go, my near-retirement parents will have to spend a lot on me, which isn’t helped by the fact that we live in a pretty economically weak south Asian country. So, they are trying to save as much as they can, and don’t want me to gather up extra expenses as much as possible. On the other hand, they are not comfortable with me making international payments to foreign religious organizations, owing to a recent high profile case within my country that brought greater attention to and paranoia around cults. In all, these are all valid reasons, especially since they are not even familiar as me, a mere beginner, in TB and how it works. So, paying for teachings is out for now, and I will probably have to wait till I begin earning something to make a donation as well, which is not going to be anytime soon.

Owing to these changes in circumstances, I tried to contact Sowa Rigpa and Lama Justin Von Bujdoss about getting a scholarship. But, the email address I found on the Sowa Rigpa website doesn't seem to work, and I'm not sure if the message I sent in the contact page form on Lama Justin's website worked, as I couldn't seem to be able to subscribe to his newsletter on it. Of course, it's only been around 4 days, so, if he did receive it, I may get a reply in a few more days, or I probably need to send a few more messages, as I understand him and his team might be quite busy these days. Nevertheless, I have decide to look into a few other resources that offer free online programs as well as I cannot be certain if I would get a scholarship, or will even get a reply.

With all of this, I've also had time to rethink my approach to TB as well. While originally I wanted to go through the ngöndro quickly so as to get to other practices I felt more attracted to, after watching a few more TB videos, I've realized that ngöndro could probably give me a lot more than I thought in my current conditions, especially owing to the fact that certain advanced practices may not be very convenient in my current situation and busy schedule. So I've decided to go through a longer ngöndro for the time being while practicing meditation. I'm not particularly concerned with the cycle or lineage the ngöndro belongs to, as I want to practice it for the time being as a convenient, continuous central practice. But, I do have a few ngöndros I'm particularly interested in.

As for resources, I've checked out the Garchen Institute, but I'm not sure which ngöndro they have online programs for there, or how to get a lung for it, as I've heard that the lung needs to be given live?

Another resource I'm looking at is Vajrayana.org and it ngöndro website, dudjomtersarngondro.com, which offers the Dudjom Tersar and Dudjom Troma ngöndros, which I'm particularly interested in due to its connection to chöd and phowa, as well as because I read somewhere that a certain Dudjom ngöndro is a complete path in and of itself, which I'm not certain all ngöndros are, though I might be wrong. But, I'm a bit confused over the Vajrayana.org and dudjomtersarngondro.com websites as they seems to have video and audio recordings of multiple teachers, both alive and diseased, and I'm not sure if just these videos are the complete teachings, or if live sessions are also conducted. I've also heard that many Nyingma teachers don't consider online empowerments valid, so I'm worried as to what Vajrayana.org's teachers' approach to online empowerments is as it's mainly a Nyingma organization. Plus, I don't know if I can contact them as of yet as I haven't sent any emails to the email address they mentioned on their website yet either.

So, I'd like to know more about the Garchen Institute's ngöndro program, specifically what ngöndro is practiced, what practices that ngöndro contains and how to get the lung for it. I'd also like to know more about Vajrayana.org and dudjomtersarngondro.com, whether they grant scholarships, the Dudjom Tersar and Dudjom Torma ngöndros, the practices contained within them and how to get the empowerments for them. I'd also like to know about other drinkung and Dudjom Tersar teachers and resources for free ngöndro teachings as well.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. As you can see, my plans changed drastically as a result of significant sudden changes to my situation, and this experience taught me a valuable lesson on the impermanent and ever changing nature of things. In the end, life will guide me to what I need. Thank you all for your answers in advance, and much merit to all of you!

Namo Buddhaya! 🙏🏾

There are a lot of vajra and bell offers on Etsy and other sites. How to choose a really good one? What are the quality criteria?

Can someone help me understand my refuge name? It’s Karma Sherab Dorje. I have read that the Karma relates to Karma Kagyu. I took refuge in the Shangpa Kagyu, so I was wondering if this is normal practice to use Karma at the beginning. Thank you!

From "The Heart of the Buddha," Chapter 7.

"We bind ourselves to indestructible wakefulness, committing ourselves to fully maintain sacred outlook throughout our lives. This is done by identifying oneself completely with the vajra sanity of the teacher and yidam. One is inseparably bound together with the teacher and yidam; and, at this point, one's very being and one's sanity depend on keeping the commitment.

This is not to say that if a student has one bad thought or trace of confusion they will be rejected or destroyed. There is still a sense of journey and path that takes place once one has received abhisheka. In fact, it is said that samaya is nearly impossible to keep: it is like a mirror in that, no matter how thoroughly it is polished, it always collects dust and must be polished again. In taking abhisheka, one is taught to experience sacred outlook on the spot, which is samaya. When obstacles or difficulties arise, they become reminders of sacred outlook rather than purely hindrances. That is called the samaya of experiencing everything as sacred in vajra nature, which has three categories; the samaya of body, or mudra; the samaya of speech, or mantra; and the samaya of mind, or vajra.

The samaya of body involves always regarding one's basic phenomenal situation as an expression of sacredness. We do not doubt the sacredness of our world. The samaya of speech involves also regarding any occurrence - anything that comes up in our experience - as sacred. This could be either an internal or external occurrence, so that any subconscious gossip or emotional upheaval is included here. The samaya of mind is connected with the indestructible wakefulness of the vajra mandala. Even the hint or the possibility of neurosis is unable to enter into one's state of being because the whole world is seen as part of the mandala of sacredness that one has entered."

Please use this thread to discuss random thoughts, discussions and other comments related to Vajrayana Buddhism. This can hopefully de-clutter the front page a bit as this is something users have requested. Let's use it for benefit!

What prayers would be most beneficial when seeking a teacher?

For the Tl;Dr, between my own skepticism and biases along with personal experience, I am going back to basic prayers to connect to a Guru if possible.

I’m not new to practice, but it seems I am always able to hear of allegations of abuse against teachers I feel like I initially align with and receive teachings/empowerments from.

There is a part of me that is able to hold space to wait and see if allegations prove true and to remember that ultimately the external Guru is to connect us to our inner Guru, but sometimes the allegations just simply disappear without any resolution it seems or my faith is shaken enough that I find it better to move on from the group/organization and just remain grateful for the teachings I’ve received.

I don’t mean to make it sound like this happens super frequently by the way. It has happened once or twice, but it has been more than enough to make the Guru/Disciple relationship aspect of practice really difficult to accept, and I am naturally already prone to skepticism and fault finding before joining groups.

I want to preface this by stating that I respectfully ask for advice & hope this doesn't constitute discussing tantric practices openly.

I have empowerment for both.

First is a brown Bodhi seed mala with yak bone skull spacer. I'm told Bodhi seed can be used for all deities.

Second is a standard Nepalese 5-faced Rudraksha. I'm told this is good for wrathful deities.

Usually, I assign one mala to one mantra/deity & I don't practice more than one mantra on the same mala.

I'm having difficulty knowing which mala I should use for Chakrasamvara & which for Mahakala. They are both wrathful. Ideally I would ask the rinpoche who gave the empowerment but he's really hard to access & probably in some mountain cave now...

Any recommendation for this sort of thing or specific texts that talk about mala usage & materials?

Getting caught or absorbed in stuff like how the Bardo is described in that book. I can probably do more research about the Bardo and meditate with this, but does anyone know what I’m talking about or referring to?

Example my consciousness feels as unlimited as I’ve gotten to the point and waking days have been a matter of noticing when I’m absorbed in a direction of scene, thought, feeling, sense, etc…

I’ve been practicing Buddhism for about 6 years… 1 year of unchanging alignment with my practice. I practice Tibetan and Mahayana and others slightly

Any similar experience?