Wanted to know.

Hello everyone, whenever I get a somewhat strong concentration during meditation, I see Vajrayana like imagery popping up in my mind. Very often it's a red skinned figure, sitting in meditation. From the quick research I did on google, the red skinned figure seems to be the Buddha Amitabha.

That's very weird, because of all Buddhist traditions, the one I've read about the least is precisely the Vajrayana. I wonder if I should just forget about it and keep concentrating on the breath or if there's anything more to be done about it.

Thank you all!

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.

Question in title.

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!

I have been practicing Zen Buddhism for a few years and this year I sought out to connect to something different… recently I found vajrayana and I am very interested in learning this path. I did find one community that has online courses, in person retreats, sanghas, and consultations available. I have already reached out to book a session with the Lama to get advice on where to start and will hopefully have an opportunity to talk with him next month.

The thing is - this is so new to me, that even I don’t know if that’s right - if I’m jumping steps by already reaching out to a teacher? Should I have more experience in Tibetan Buddhism before starting this path? Where is the the first spot to start on the vajrayana path?

Any recommendations would be helpful! Thank you.

Hello everyone,

Please help me and give me some advices! I was into the Mahayana Buddhism, and I have recently taken a few initiations from masters online (due to the curiosity of first entering the vajrayana path), but I had little connection with them in-person. I got to say I’m really reckless and foolish because I took initiations without knowing if I actually received it (At the time I took the empowerment, I didn’t really understand what is going on). I felt like I made a big mistake as I read more about it right now.

Could anyone give me a few advices about what I should do now?

• Should I look for a vajra teacher-student relationship to resolve it?
• How should I deal with the past initiations that I have received? (I’m not sure if I took it properly because I don’t even know how to do visualization properly)

I’m willing to continue with the vajrayana path, but I’m too scared now about what I should do next. Thank you, any advice would be helpful.

Hello I'm very new to deity practise so I still have that newbies question aura going on!

My lama advised that I practise Chenrezik for 6 months until I see him in the spring which has been delightful and profoundly beneficial.

However I am also going to attend an empowerment for white tara in a couple weeks.

Is it advisable to practise both of these when the lama told me to practise chenrezik? my intention would be to practise Chenrezik consistently 1-2 times a day and then do white tara practise as and when I had time in addition rather than a replacement possibly once or twice a week.

The main thing I'd like to know is if this would be in conflict in any way.

The way I understand it they're both peaceful deities and I wouldn't be removing any frequency of chenrezik practise so it'd just be a little more dharma practise than otherwise which i assume is a good thing?

Thanks for any help in advance!

---Update---

Thank you for all your answers I really appreciate it. I'll continue to practise chenrezik and only do white tara in free time on a day where I've already completed my daily practise, thank you!

Hi folks,

I recently received initiation and lung for White Dzambhala - I’m not going to have a chance to speak with the lama for a while probably so I wanted to just ask some questions.

1)is white Dzambhala practice a wrathful practice? The ‘Khroda’ and ‘Phat’ in the mantra seem to indicate so.

2. are there any special precautions I need to take?

Honestly I was really emotionally affected during the initiation, in utter tears and I hadn’t experienced that before in an initiation so this feels quite special to me.

Any advice would be welcome :)

I've heard Cittamani Tara is a Gelug school thing. But is it another form of Tara or is it identical to Green Tara? If i got an Empowerment for Green Tara would it be ok then to practice the teachings meant for Cittamani Tara? Or would i need an additional Empowerment specifically for Cittamani Tara?

Hello. A little while ago I had a dream where I was googling the name Akshobhya. I didn’t know what it was, so I looked it up and saw that it was a wisdom Buddha. I’m not currently a Buddhist practitioner, but I have a great interest in Buddhism, and this dream leads me to believe that practicing Akshobhya would be helpful to me.

I’m not particularly interested in beginning full Tantric practice, with visualizations and self generation as the deity. I’m more interested in mantra practice and prayer.

That being said, does anyone know the requirements to recite the Akshobhya mantra?

There is the short one of Om Akshobhya Hum. Then there is a longer dharani.

Should I just try to get transmission?

See below.

https://dakinitranslations.com/2024/10/01/new-sexual-misconduct-court-case-filed-against-celibate-monk-in-a-kalu-rinpoche-centre-maui-hawai/

Hi all hope everyone is having a great day. I hear a lot of talk about people “choosing a Yidam” or “your chosen Yidam”.

Are people just choosing a Yidam they are most drawn to? Let’s say you have 4 Yidam empowerments. Would your chosen Yidam be the one you practice most?

Or is it mostly a lama that tells you practice x and y Yidam?

Thanks all,

Simplejack420

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!

My question is; which modern teachers teach the most esoteric stuff?

I've noticed some interesting distinctions between lamas.

One catergory is mind lamas that focus on the recognition of mind nature. Garchen Rinpoche is an example.

Another category i have heard insultingly referred to as "dzi lamas" who are heavily involved with dharma objects.

A final category is lamas that are very ritual and suprenatural power oriented.

My question is about the last category.

Which lamas do you know that really focus on the esoteric, mystical, and supernatural aspects of dharma?

Also, to stop people from suggesting it, yes I know the purpose of dharma is recognizing mind nature, not supernatural power or siddi etc. I know it already.

EDIT: This is an informational question. I am not looking for practice advice and I am very happy with my current lamas.

When did the idea of six Bardos begin, particularly the Garcia of death and dying? Was it The Bar do Thodol and teachings of Padmasambhava?

With advanced apologies and highest of blessings to speak in this auspicious gathering.

Who was the actual Bengal Blackie ? And who was his dakini ?

and was he actually from Bengal or Swat ?

HI, I a friend of mine recently was on a Tibetan buddhist retreat and bought an amulett from a lady selling them.

Does anybody know what this amulett is intended for?

https://preview.redd.it/nxvmvoq1wi1e1.jpg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=35aa2f898a8679cfde023c77d65e137253fa5c85

From the Madhyamakalankara, stanza 92:

On the basis of the Mind Alone, We should know that outer things do not exist. On the basis of the method set forth here, We should know that the mind is utterly devoid of self.

I follow Hinduism, Vajrayana attracts me, Want to know is there any Vajrayana master in Delhi(India) from whom i can learn.

Hi and Tashi Delek,

I have had a connection with the Karma Kamtsang lineage of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche for many years but never connected with his son, Sakyong Mipham. I did all the Shambhala core retreats and graduate courses but left before entering the Vajrayana path because I never trusted Sakyong Mipham. Now I’ve received the Karma Kamtsang ngöndro and completed the prostrations under another teacher whom I left after realizing they weren’t as qualified as they claimed to be, and that I had been in a spiritually and emotionally abusive relationship with this person.

Now all I want to do is follow the path Trungpa Rinpoche left behind that was eradicated in Shambhala by his son but I need to find a Guru who is accessible and I could work closely with. Trungpa Rinpoche placed immense importance on having his American students do everything in English, and receive empowerment in English as well. Are there any such lamas out there that have a connection with Trungpa Rinpoche and also encourage students to practice only in English as he did?

Thank you for any leads or suggestions.

After reading the post from the calligraphy team, I had a question I wanted to ask as a practitioner. I wood burn as a hobby. If I wanted to find the image of a deity to print out as a template to woodburn as a personal practice, where would I go? I have no artistic skill, but I can just about trace an image that a computer prints out.

From "The Ornament of the Great Vehicle Sutras."

Ju Mipham: The development of the enlightened mind that is brought about by inspired conduct up to the point at which one attains the supreme mundane quality is known as the enlightened mind "attained through symbols." By the power of one's fundamental virtues and a spiritual teacher, one resolves to cultivate the enlightened mind in accordance with the way in which the commitment is expressed in words. From the first ground, on the other hand, the cultivation of the enlightened mind is said to be "attained through the intrinsic nature."

Moreover, the development of the relative mind of enlightenment refers to setting one's mind on attaining unsurpassable, supreme enlightenment. The ultimate development of the enlightened mind means the realization that one's mind is free from all constructs or, in other words, realization of the truth of the intrinsic nature. These descriptions are similar in meaning; they both refer to nonconceptual wakefulness. With the attainment of the ground comes the realization of the essential and inseparable unity of the relative and ultimate development of the enlightened mind.

Maitreya:

Brought about by the power of the teacher, the cause, the fundamental,

Hearing, and familiarity with virtue,

The arising is unstable and stable.

This cultivation of the mind is explained as being taught by others.

The perfect Buddhas are served,

The accumulation of merit and wakefulness fully gathered,

And nonconceptual wakefulness with regard to phenomena is born.

Therefore, this is held to be the ultimate.

With regard to phenomena, sentient beings,

Their needs, and the highest Buddhahood,

One discovers a mind of equality.

Hence, this sublime joy is exalted.

Hi there,

I'm curious if Mo divination, particularly the sort described by Jamgon Mipham's manual, requires empowerment. Of course, I expect that having the Manjushri empowerment is useful, but I'm getting conflicting information if it actually requires empowerment to utilize in lay practice or not. I've heard that one should have however-many recitations before trying the practice, but also that it is a common folk practice among the Tibetan laity. The popular English translation, with the foreword by H.H. Sakya Trizin, doesn't have much information.

Thank you.

Allow me to counter point all of the outrageous rhetoric and commentary on Dharma Ocean for a moment.

Reggie Ray has done more for the Dharma in America than any other western teacher of any tradition to date.

My experience studying with him has been a demanding, yet fruitful endeavor. He has always been very transparent and upfront with me about what it means to be a student Tantric teachings. Many people become bitter when they enter into that relationship with hidden agendas of political machinations and they don’t get the outcome they were seeking. Many of them want to make a business out of the Dharma Ocean lineage. Many want transmission or titles so they can add credentials to their “coaching” or “consulting” businesses. When there was a concerted effort to change the lineage transmission to make it more “relevant” or “accessible” he rejected those efforts in a fully transparent manner.

Reggie’s teaching style is demanding but not abusive. He is uncompromising in his endeavor to transmit authentic tantric teachings in America. Many students become disappointed when he does not compromise those values for political or social graces or the cultural ideology of the day.

He created Dharma Ocean and fostered its development with every fiber of his being. In the end his own students tried to take it away from him after he invited them in, taught them and helped them.

It’s a sad story all around.

The story of Dharma Ocean isn’t a story about Reggie Ray. It’s a story about the incompatibility of Tantra, Western Materialism and its current of hyper individuality and a management failure.