Transcript The Wisdom Teachings of Buddhism with a New

The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
With the Five Dhyani Buddhas
and Vajrasattva
November 2-December 9, 2009
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Purpose of The Class: To Commune with
the Five Dhyani Buddhas and Vajrasattva
• To learn about the Jewel Tree of Tibet and
meditate using it as a thoughtform
• To learn about Tibetan Buddhism from a
Western perspective
• To work on our inner psychology using
Tibetan Buddhist wisdom’s keys
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Who are the Five Dhyani Buddhas and
Vajrasattva?
• Reading from the Tibetan Book of the
Dead by W.Y. Evans-Wentz (p. 78 of the
large illustrated edition published by Metro
Books of New York © 2008)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Vairochana (Member of the Karmic Board)
• Three heartstreams released to date:
11/13/05, 3/1/06, 12/30/06
• Title: Radiating One
• Wisdom: All-pervading wisdom
• Perfections: Alms, precepts
• Poisons to dispel: Ignorance, delusion
• Color/Element: White/Ether
• Direction/Clock Position: Center
• Seed Syllable: OM
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Akshobhya
• Three heartstreams released to date:
12/27/04, 3/2/06, 12/30/06
• Title: Immovable, Unshakable One
• Wisdom: Mirror-like Wisdom
• Perfections: Renunciation, Wisdom
• Poisons to dispel: Hatred, Anger
• Color/Element: Blue/Water
• Direction/Clock position: South/6
• Seed Syllable: HUM
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Ratnasambhava
• Three heartstreams released to date:
12/28/04, 3/3/06, 12/30/06
• Title: Jewel-Born One
• Wisdom: Equality
• Perfections: Courage, Patience
• Poisons: Spiritual, intellectual, human pride
• Color/Element: Yellow/Earth
• Direction/Clock Position: West/9
• Seed Syllable: Tram
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Amitabha
• Two heartstreams released to date:
3/4/06, 12/30/06
• Title: Buddha of Infinite Light
• Wisdom: Discriminating Wisdom
• Perfections: Truth, Resolution
• Poisons to dispel: Greed, lust, cravings
• Color/Element: Ruby/Fire
• Direction/Clock Position: North/12
• Seed Syllable: Hrih
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Amoghasiddhi
• Two heartstreams released thus far:
3/5/06, 12/30/06
• Title: Almighty Conqueror
• Wisdom: All-accomplishing Wisdom
• Perfections: Good Will, Indifference
• Poisons to dispel: Envy, jealousy
• Color/Element: Green/Air
• Direction/Clock position: East/3
• Seed Syllable: Ah
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Vajrasattva
• Three heartstreams released thus far:
7/17/05, 3/5/06, 12/30/06
• Title: Indestructible Minded One
• Wisdom: Diamond Will
• Poisons to dispel: Non-will, non-being
• Direction/Clock position: Above all
• Seed Syllable: Hum
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• The Jewel Tree of Tibet: The
Enlightenment Engine of Tibetan
Buddhism by Robert Thurman
• Who is Robert Thurman?
• The book is a compilation of teachings
given during a Buddhist Retreat
• What is the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel Tree?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
“Envision the mentor as the Buddha and
strive to emulate that model until you are
able to understand and embody the
teaching entirely yourself.” (p.9)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Devotion to the Mentor Text (First Verse—p 10):
“Through the great bliss state,
I myself become the mentor deity.
From my luminous body,
Light rays shine all around,
Massively blessing beings and things,
Making the universe pure and fabulous,
Perfection in its every quality.”
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• “… at the beginning of our practice, what
we are doing is imagining ourselves as
being already at the goal of awakening.”
(p. 12)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
What is Buddhism? (page 13)
Have the students relate what Robert’s
definition is…
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Read from the bottom of 13 and the top of
14… great quote!
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• What was the first thing that Buddha gave
as a teaching?
• What is the Buddha’s greatest
expression?
(p. 15)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• What did Gautama Buddha conquer?
• What did he first emphasize because of
the culture in India at the time?
(p. 17)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• What four “isms” began to arise as a shift
in the society within India as a result of
Gautama’s teachings?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
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Devotionalism
Universalism
Vegetarianism
Pacifism
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• What were the three main stages through
which Indian society developed?
(p. 21)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Individualism
• Universalism
• Esotericism
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Who brought Buddhism to Tibet in the 8th
Century?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Who do Tibetans claim was the first
Tibetan to realize enlightenment within one
lifetime?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• What is the Pure Land?
• Which Buddha is represented in the Pure
Land teachings?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Tibetans believe that we can all become
________ _________. (p.28)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• What are the Three Jewels of Buddhism
that we take refuge in?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• What is dharma? (Have a discussion)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Invoking Our Mentor (p. 36)
Read this as a live invocation
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Which recent heartstream encouraged us
all to be teachers?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Read the Mentor Devotion Text (p.41)
(See how this relates to what I shared this
morning during our early morning prayers
regarding a paragraph in prayer 9.007
regarding the Chohan of the day.)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• We have a term “electronic presence”.
• What is the Tibetan equivalent?
(p. 42)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• What is the central crown of the jewel
tree? (p. 42)
• Read second paragraph of p. 43 as it
coincides with our own “living liquid crystal
light”!
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• The crux of our spiritual work is:
“…to turn our mind to a path of evolution,
accelerating evolution for the sake of all
beings.” (p. 43-44)
• The importance of visualization and
imagination (p. 44)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
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Class 2 of 6 (November 9, 2009)
Invocation
Chant to Akshobhya
Practical Assignment---Form 6 groups to
work on information on the Five Dhyani
Buddhas and Vajrasattva for a future book
• Review Akshobhya’s information from
Slide #5
• Read from the Tibetan Book of the Dead
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Read the Root verses of the Mentor
Devotion text from pages 49-50
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Four Steps to Develop Transcendence (or
a Transcendent Attitude)
1. Reevaluate our self-image
2. Realize the impermanence of ourselves
3. Concentrate on evolutionary causality
4. Confront egoistic mental process
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Cheryl Bench to lead Jewel Tree
meditation (part 2) on pp. 53-55
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• What are the Seven limbs of
communion—ways to connect yourself
with the Jewel Tree?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
Seven Limbs
1. Saluting
2. Offering
3. Repentance
4. Rejoicing and congratulating
5. Thinking of beings above us (in vibration)
6. Remembering that these beings don’t need us
7. Dedication
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Have a student read from the Mentor
Devotion text (pp. 55-57)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Beautiful Visual of holding the planet
(reminds me of our image of Mother Mary
or Saint Germain holding the Earth)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Quiz Question: What is a morphic
resonance field? (p. 61)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• “Make some degree of transformation in
your mind, because that will transform all
the beings around you.” (p. 63)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Discuss the liquid gems that Thurman
mentions…
• What does this remind you of?
• What being has a large “belt” composed of
glorious crystalline energy foci?
• What really is this belt?
• Is this being really a Buddha?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Briefly describe the Buddhist view of
human evolution.
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Briefly discuss Thurman’s cursory mention
of the Vedic people and describe
Anastasia’s view of the Vedic-Russ people
(for those who have read her books by
Vladimir Megre)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• The Enlightening Steps of Thought
• What are the 8 liberties and the 10
opportunities?
• Why are these important for us to know?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Mary to read p. 73 bottom paragraph
through the top of p. 74
• I suggest memorizing this paragraph!
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• “Something will always transform into
another realm and become something
else.” (p. 75)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Define reify. (p. 84)
• Define solipsistic. (p. 85)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• What does Thurman mean when he says
that “You are not the one”?
• How do we reconcile this as we give
Morya’s prayer, “I AM the One”?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• What are the Four Noble Truths?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• “The absolute, by definition, is ________.”
• (p. 89)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Read the story on p. 91-92
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• What three words does Thurman use as
more accurately describing “ordination” in
Buddhism? (p. 94)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• How did Milarepa redeem himself?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Reinvoking the Jewel Tree (p. 95-96)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
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Class 3 of 6 (November 16, 2009)
Invocation
Chant to Ratnasambhava
Practical Assignment---Form 6 groups to
work on information on the Five Dhyani
Buddhas and Vajrasattva for a future book
• Review Ratnasambhava’s information
from Slide #6
• Read from the Tibetan Book of the Dead
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Cheryl to lead the Jewel Tree Meditation
(pp. 97-99)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Which Buddha is associated with the Pure
Land? (Question from last week…)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Guru Rinpoche is another name for which
Buddha whom we are familiar with?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Read pp.104-105
• We can also maintain this same
awareness of the presence of the angelic
hosts, Buddhas and ascended masters
around us always.
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Why is our motivation within our
meditation practice important?
• What does Thurman suggest as the virtue
that we should have at the center of our
spiritual practice?
• What is the Sanskrit word for this?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• What flaws should we avoid in our spiritual
work and learning?
• Discuss prideful thinking, the leaky vessel,
the poison vessel
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• What musical term does Thurman liken
the stages of the path to?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• “Every little tiny thing in the present
moment is infinite in its effects.” p 108
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Review the four stages again (p. 109)
1. Preciousness of our life
2. Immediacy of death
3. Our interconnection with all life
4. Suffering and inadequacy of egocentric
living
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Why should we, like the Buddhist monks
and nuns, always be smiling and cheerful?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Have someone read paragraph 1 of p. 111
on Gautama Buddha
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Nagarjuna’s quote, “Voidness is the womb
of compassion.” What does this mean?
• What God-quality does Thurman liken
voidness to?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Discuss what emptiness is and is not, and
why oblivion is NOT the Buddhic way.
• Discuss why enlightenment is NOT
escape.
• Is it okay to meditate on nothing?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• What are the two kinds of spirit of
enlightenment?
• Discuss what aspiring and venturing mean
in terms of enlightenment.
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Anecdote of when I decided to become a
Buddha in the early 1990s.
• Have you decided to be a Buddha or to
officially walk the bodhisattva path? If so,
when? Did you make a statement to the
universe, to God? Did you write it down
as a life goal?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• “No one is completely happy until
everyone is completely happy.” p. 117
• What does this mean for you and how
does it change your attitude toward
others?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• “There is not one buddha and there are
not many buddhas. Buddhas are neither
one nor many.” from Maitreyanatha’s
Universal Vehicle Discourse (p. 118)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Have someone read the Mentor Devotion
on pp. 118-119
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Which four masters transmitted what now
is known as the eleven steps?
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Who is Maitreya?
Who is Asanga?
Who is Manjushri?
Who is Shantideva?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Discuss the concept of the “Exchange of
Self and Other.”
• Who does Thurman say is the main holder
of this precept in today’s world?
• Who else is holding this precept?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• “In Buddha’s perception of time, since our
future moment is ever present, we already
have all attained enlightenment.” (p. 120)
• This reminds me of absolute bodhicitta
• Give prayer 80.008 together
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
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6.
The 11 Steps to Enlightenment, Love and
Happiness:
Equanimity
Mother recognition
Remembering the kindness of the mother
Repayment of kindness (gratitude)
Equal exchange of self and other
Universal love
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
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7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
The 11 Steps to Enlightenment, Love and
Happiness (continued):
Universal compassion
Thinking on the disadvantages of cherishing
self vs. cherishing others
Thinking on the advantages of othercherishing; others are the source of our
happiness
Messianic resolution
It takes a buddha to help other beings become
free and enlightened.
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Discuss messianic resolution
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Have someone read what the 22 similes
are (p. 136)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• “We daily overcome the boundaries
between self and other.” (p. 137)
• Discuss how we can do this.
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• “In fact, buddhas get so much into this
cloudlike multiple embodiment possibility
that they can be many beings
simultaneously and still feel themselves as
the other beings that they are not.”(p.138)
• Discuss how this is different from
schizophrenia or psychosis.
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• “The venturing spirit of enlightenment is
engaged when we actually take the
bodhisattva vow.” (p. 138)
• Give the Bodhisattva Vision Prayer 9.008
(if there is time) and the Bodhisattva
Prayer 9.010
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Answer students’ questions
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Live sharing by Ratnasambhava
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
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Class 4 of 6 (November 23, 2009)
Invocation
Chant to Amitabha
Review more details of the practical
assignment
• Review Amitabha’s information from Slide
#7
• Read from the Tibetan Book of the Dead
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Cheryl to lead the Jewel Tree Meditation
(pp. 141-143)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Have someone read the Mentor Devotion
text on pages 146-147
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Discuss the five forces, the essence of all
Dharma (p. 147)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Discuss the enlightenment spirits: the
relative spirit and the ultimate spirit
• What does this remind you of?
• Read the next stanza of the Mentor
Devotion text (p.148)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Discuss the four practices:
Gathering merit (good works, karma yoga)
Overcoming negativities (violet fire and
work on our psychology)
Making offerings to demonic obstructors
(Elohim and powerful cosmic beings)
Seeking help from protective angels
(Michael, archangels, archeiai—rosaries)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Read the short story on p. 149
• Discuss Geshe Chekawa’s mind reform
commitments and how we can employ
them, as Amitabha says that these lead
directly toward mastery of the five secret
rays in our life!
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• DO NOT EXPLOIT THE DHARMA TO
PROMOTE YOURSELF! (p. 151)
• Many so-called yogis end up in devachan
caught in a web of self-deceit because of
self-promotion.
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Discuss how some of these teachings may
be diametrically opposed to some of the
New Age self-help methodologies of the
West…
• How can we reconcile this on our spiritual
path?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Have someone read the story of Milarepa
on p. 153-154
• What can we learn from this story?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• “Buddha is as Buddha does.” (p. 154)
• What does this mean to you?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Read and discuss the stories on pages
155, 156
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• The Bodhisattva Vow
• What is its significance?
• You shouldn’t rush to take the bodhisattva
vow (p. 161)
• Discuss how to prepare to take the
bodhisattva vow
• Discuss the difference between a buddha
and a bodhisattva.
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Discuss the 18 root downfalls or
transgressions of the bodhisattva vow
(p. 158-160)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Read Shantideva’s words (p. 163-164)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Have someone read the story of
Shantideva that we have heard before.
• It was while hearing this story told at
Wellspring during a class on the Path of
the Bodhisattva in early 2005 that I was
shown that embodiment.
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Have someone read the rest of the Mentor
Devotion texts (pp. 165-171)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
Bodhisattva Deeds:
• Discuss the 3 Ethics (p. 168)
• Discuss the 6 Trancendent Virtues (p. 169,
173) Which one is considered the most
important?
• Discuss the 3 Vows (p. 170)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Discuss the 9 stages of mind control as
part of transcendent meditation
• How do these differ from what we have
called mind control in the west?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Live sharing by Amitabha
• Request to repeat his name as often as
possible throughout this week as a mantra
• Discuss reading assignment for next class
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
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Class 5 of 6 (November 30, 2009)
Invocation
Chant to Amoghasiddhi
Review Amoghasiddhi’s information from
Slide #8
• Read from the Tibetan Book of the Dead
• Review group work and questions on the
practical assignment
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Cheryl to lead the Jewel Tree Meditation
(pp. 190-193)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Western Culture vs. Transcendent Wisdom
• Discuss Thurman’s point about “no thought”
(p.175-6) and others noted below:
• “…you can’t separate your meditative states
from how you live in the world, and how you
interact with others.” (p. 176-7)
• “…the Buddha and the great Buddhist teachers
and masters were the leading scientists of the
earth—the supreme knowers of the nature of
reality.” (p.177)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• What is shila? (p. 178)
• What does Thurman opine about Christian
vs. Buddhist monasteries?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• If the intellect and thought are not the
problem, then what is the problem?
• Discuss Thurman’s “New Way of Thinking”
(p. 181)
• What is Gary Holthaus’ truth totem?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• What three wisdoms does Thurman
describe? (p. 183)
• Discuss these.
• What is Buddhists’ “royal reason of
relativity”? Why is this important?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• What is the first negative path of
evolutionary action?
• What is the first positive path of karmic
evolution?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Discuss the two types of meditation in
Buddhist traditions:
• Shamatha meditation
• Vipassana meditation
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• “Science was originally a branch of
philosophy.” (p. 188)
• What is philos?
• What is sophia?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Have someone read the Mentor Devotion
on p. 194
• Discuss transcendent wisdom (p. 195)
• Discuss why Buddhists debate (p. 196)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Discuss the analogy of the mirror and of
the world being “like an illusion; it’s
somewhat unreal…” (p. 198)
• Discuss how emptiness is not
nothingness.
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Meditation on Selflessness, 4 keys:
1. Identification of what is to be negated.
2. Admit that if you can’t fine the self, then you
will cope with the fact it’s not there.
3. Investigating our body-mind processes to
discover if the self is the same as they are or
different.
4. Introspective inventory of our five systems to
see whether we can uncover an absolute self.
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Have someone read aloud the story on
page 205 about Nagarjuna and Matangipa
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Read the final Mentor Devotion excerpts
on pages 209-213.
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Sharing and questions by/from the
students.
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Live sharing by Amoghasiddhi
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
•
•
•
•
Class 6 of 6 (December 7, 2009)
Invocation
Chant to Vajrasattva; Prayer 80.008
Review Vajrasattva’s information from
Slide #9
• Read from the Tibetan Book of the Dead
• Review group assignment work status
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Read the Mentor Text pages 215-216
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Cheryl to lead the Jewel Tree Meditation
(pages 217-220)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• David to read “Woman in Buddhism”
(p.142) from The Complete Illustrated
Encyclopedia of Buddhism
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• David to read chapter 16 from The
Buddhic Essence
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• What is Tantra as defined by Thurman?
• Spiritual technologies and arts that
accelerate enlightenment
• Tantra means “continuity” (p. 224)
• Tara Tulku: “Once critical wisdom
demolishes the world built on …
ignorance… you are free to build a new
world… of wisdom. Tantra is the art of
building such a world of wisdom.” (p. 224)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Discussion on some teachers desire to
have tantra remain esoteric
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Importance of memorization of the steps
and stages of meditation (p. 221)
• Many of us have memorized certain
prayers by giving them over and over. It
can be the same with some of these
Buddhist techniques.
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Thurman’s discussion about discovering
new levels of understanding and knowing
as he had insights, then new insights that
made his old ones seem archaic (p. 222)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• “Buddha decreed that for at least eleven
centuries Tantra should be kept secret,
and even after that time it should be
treated reverently and esoteric.” (p. 225)
• “The final essential prerequisite of Tantra
is some degree of wisdom.”
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• “The doorway into Tantra itself is the guru,
the mentor, the person already adept at
the method. The mentor creates a
mandala, a sacred place, a magical circle,
a divine palace and environment that is
totally secure and ultimately beautiful.”
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Four main kinds of Tantras:
1. Outer ritual Tantras
2. Inner ritual Tantras
3. Yoga Tantras
4. Unexcelled Yoga Tantras
Discuss the creation and perfection stages
(p. 230)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• “…the way we have been meditating on
the wish-granting gem tree path is a kind
of Tantra.” (p. 231)
• Discuss mandalas.
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• The Tibetan Book of the Dead
– No one is really dead
– Death is a doorway into further existence
– How we really die
– The yogis’ ability to remain conscious during
the death process
– The stages or levels
– 49 days or immediate transcendence?
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Padma Sambhava as the real author of
the Tibetan Book of the Dead 6 centuries
before it was rediscovered
• Karma Lingpa discovered the text in the
14th century.
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Read from The New Civilization
(Anastasia book #8.1) p. 45 about
immediate reincarnation and retaining the
memory of past lives.
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• “People pretend that Tibet was a feudal
theocracy, but the fact that Tibet was one
of the most psychically free countries that
history has perhaps ever seen is proven…
(p. 239-240)
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• OM MANI PADME HUM!
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Live Sharing by Vajrasattva
The Wisdom Teachings of
Buddhism with a New-Age Twist
• Thank you to the students, to Cheryl and a
reminder to turn in your group
assignments by next Monday, December
14, 2009 at 11 pm MST