Dear all and All,
The purpose of all Dharma activity is to realize Buddhahood.
The purpose of a Dharma book is to support your practice so you gain the
experiences beyond words that are pointed out in the book.
So I think that if reading a restricted book will help you, then it is OK. Then the question is, who is to decide if it will help your realization, or hurt your realization: you or the Lama who restricted the book?
If a book is restricted then there must have been a reason for it in the mind of the Lama who made that restriction. I think that the Lamas want to know that your are responsible and serious and that you are not going to hurt yourself, or others, if they give you a restricted teaching, book or otherwise. Now with so much available on the web, is not serious, to keep something secret when it has already been published, either as root text or commentary. Also, I think that Ekajati is just as upset, if someone prevents a person, who is qualified, from receiving a restricted teaching, as when a restricted teaching is given to someone who is not qualified.
I have always found that if I am humble, respectful, sincere and persevering, all doors open. It helps if you have attended a lot of wangs / teachings / completed formal practices, and / or been a sponsor, and can say honestly that you have had pointing out instructions. All these things help build street cred with the Lamas.
Some Lamas are incredibly fearless, like HHDL, teaching the Kalachakra to thousands of people whom he has never met, or had any contact with. He is really incredibly kind. That is why he is the Dalai Lama.
Some, like ChNNR, say "go fish" when approached, in the wrong way, to give a secret teaching that was already published (read the Kailash story), but (I feel) will give anything, if it is appropriate, even to many at once, when approached in the right way.
All the Lamas are really kindly, and especially the great wish fulfilling gem, Dzogchen Penlop Rinpoche.
Maybe if you write to him about
Mahamudra, The Ocean of Definitive Meaning, you can get permission.
You should write to him a long letter, explaining who you are, and what practices that you do, and why you have faith in him, and the true Lion of Dharma, Wangcheck Dorje, and the incomparable Mahamudra. If you have received pointing out instructions, then indicate from whom, and where and when, you received them.
Then explain that when conditions allow, you will take the fourfold pointing-out instructions (pointing out the nature of mind on the basis of appearances) as presented by Wangchuk Dorje. Then make the promise that when conditions allow, you will take the reading transmission and study the text systematically under the guidance of a qualified Teacher. Of course, if you do not mean these things you should not say them. If you can say these words and mean them, you can try. Maybe this will work.
Try:
[email protected] and ask them for DPR's personal e-mail. Then write to him directly. It also may help if you make a prayer - as large as the universe.
http://www.dpr.info/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
If you do not receive permission, then relax about it, and do something else.
May this be of help to someone.
Long life to all the Masters (and everyone else.
ob