bit of confusion - 5 colors

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Johnny Dangerous
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bit of confusion - 5 colors

Post by Johnny Dangerous »

Got a practice for five colors/5 dhyani Buddhas..it seems like some places the colors for Vairocana/Buddha family and Akshobya/Vajra family are reversed from my notes.

Is there some variance or did I just write stuff down wrong? I think I have seen them reversed also different places on the web.
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Knotty Veneer
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Re: bit of confusion - 5 colors

Post by Knotty Veneer »

Johnny Dangerous wrote:Got a practice for five colors/5 dhyani Buddhas..it seems like some places the colors for Vairocana/Buddha family and Akshobya/Vajra family are reversed from my notes.

Is there some variance or did I just write stuff down wrong? I think I have seen them reversed also different places on the web.
Vairocana is usually white and Akshobya blue. Never heard of other colors for these - what tradition is the practice from?
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Re: bit of confusion - 5 colors

Post by Johnny Dangerous »

Knotty Veneer wrote:
Johnny Dangerous wrote:Got a practice for five colors/5 dhyani Buddhas..it seems like some places the colors for Vairocana/Buddha family and Akshobya/Vajra family are reversed from my notes.

Is there some variance or did I just write stuff down wrong? I think I have seen them reversed also different places on the web.
Vairocana is usually white and Akshobya blue. Never heard of other colors for these - what tradition is the practice from?
Sakya.

That is how the practice was, Vairocana white and Akshobya blue, but we didn't spend alot of time talking about the atrributes of each Buddha, posion, etc. so I wanted a quick reference and now i'm just looking up stuff on the web and finding ones where Vajra and Buddha families are reversed...and course I want to do it as intended heh. I think I have it right, was just wondering why some are reversed.

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2010/05/ ... a-v-lewis/
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt ... AQ&dur=317
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michaelb
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Re: bit of confusion - 5 colors

Post by michaelb »

I think, as tantra developed and the Vajra family became more important, Akshobya or other vajra family heruka went to the centre of the mandala and became white. I'm sure this is how Snellgrove explained it, anyway. I think he also says Vajrayana only became a term for secret mantra once the vajra family became dominant. Vairochana is only really dominant in the lower tantras, if I remember rightly.
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Re: bit of confusion - 5 colors

Post by Konchog1 »

michaelb wrote:I think, as tantra developed and the Vajra family became more important, Akshobya or other vajra family heruka went to the centre of the mandala and became white. I'm sure this is how Snellgrove explained it, anyway. I think he also says Vajrayana only became a term for secret mantra once the vajra family became dominant. Vairochana is only really dominant in the lower tantras, if I remember rightly.
Hmm, but generally Vairochana is white and Akshobya is blue. Including in HYT. So while those links might be correct, Johnny's notes are correct too.
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Re: bit of confusion - 5 colors

Post by heart »

Johnny Dangerous wrote:Got a practice for five colors/5 dhyani Buddhas..it seems like some places the colors for Vairocana/Buddha family and Akshobya/Vajra family are reversed from my notes.

Is there some variance or did I just write stuff down wrong? I think I have seen them reversed also different places on the web.
Yes, the white and the blue can change place, it is quite common.

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Re: bit of confusion - 5 colors

Post by Lingpupa »

heart wrote: Yes, the white and the blue can change place, it is quite common.

/magnus
Quite true. And I believe that in some cycles, whereas yellow Ratnasambhava has a yellow light (and red+red, green+green), Akshobhya and Vairocana can be blue radiating white light and white radiating blue light.

So they can vary, it's not that you got it wrong. It's therefore very important to check exactly what is in the teaching you have been given. Go back to the source if necessary.
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Malcolm
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Re: bit of confusion - 5 colors

Post by Malcolm »

"Vairocana is not just the color blue, Vajrasattva is not just the color white in that sequence, but Vairocana arises with all five colors; blue, white, red, yellow, and green."

-- Vajrasattva's Heart Mirror Tantra
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Re: bit of confusion - 5 colors

Post by heart »

Malcolm wrote:"Vairocana is not just the color blue, Vajrasattva is not just the color white in that sequence, but Vairocana arises with all five colors; blue, white, red, yellow, and green."

-- Vajrasattva's Heart Mirror Tantra
Nice to see you Malcolm, good quote. :smile:

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Re: bit of confusion - 5 colors

Post by Johnny Dangerous »

Well, thanks all, I know how to do the practice as I received it now, which I guess is the important thing. Interesting to know some possible historical reasons behind the switch too though.
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Meditate upon Bodhicitta when suffering occurs

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when you are scared

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