Phowa

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dzogchungpa
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Re: Phowa

Post by dzogchungpa »

There is not only nothingness because there is always, and always can manifest. - Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
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Grigoris
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Re: Phowa

Post by Grigoris »

VinceField wrote:Is Pureland not a fantastic construction of a deluded mind? If your response is no, how do you know it isn't?
a)No. b)Because the Arya Sangha teaches them.
I am my own teacher. Buddhism isn't too big in my part of Brazil so my options in this department are very limited. I'm a trial and error kinda guy and usually figure things out for myself and excel without formal training, whether it's development via spiritual practices, artistic, creative, and professional skills, or whatever else it may be that I develop an interest or need for. I currently practice theravada meditation practices, tao meditation/energy practices, and dream yoga/lucid dreaming and out of body/astral projection. I've been involved in the ladder practices for half of my life, but only seriously got into Buddhist meditation not even a few months ago, as I have recently solidified my desire and efforts to make serious spiritual progress along the lines of the Buddhist path. I now consider the out of body experiences to simply be icing on the cake, although my experiences thus far in higher nonphysical dimensions have demonstrated serious potential for attaining spiritual insights and knowledge.
Okay. But to practice Vajrayana techniques you REALLY need the guidance of a qualified and realised teacher. 100% necessary because there are so many pitfalls on the path. There are many very good teachers regularly giving profound teachings online now days. Take advantage of them.

Three that I can think of off the top of my head: Namkhai Norbu, Garchen Rinpoche, Tenzin Wangyal. I am sure that people here can tell you of more. One of my Kagyu teachers travels regularly to Brazil to support a small sangha (with a Lama) based there. If you wish I can find out where they are (yes, I know Brazil is a large country, but you never know your karma, they might be right next door to you ;) )

Oh, careful of certain Tibetan cult groups, there are some well established ones in Brazil.

PS So that we don't drag this topic even further off topic maybe people can contact Vince via PM with more information.
"My religion is not deceiving myself."
Jetsun Milarepa 1052-1135 CE

"Butchers, prostitutes, those guilty of the five most heinous crimes, outcasts, the underprivileged: all are utterly the substance of existence and nothing other than total bliss."
The Supreme Source - The Kunjed Gyalpo
The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde
VinceField
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Re: Phowa

Post by VinceField »

Sherab, thanks for the references!

Regarding the idea that Pureland isn't a construction born of delusion: Perhaps it is not, but this cannot be truly known until one experiences the undeluded reality of Pureland firsthand. Otherwise it's just a belief.
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Grigoris
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Re: Phowa

Post by Grigoris »

VinceField wrote:Sherab, thanks for the references!

Regarding the idea that Pureland isn't a construction born of delusion: Perhaps it is not, but this cannot be truly known until one experiences the undeluded reality of Pureland firsthand. Otherwise it's just a belief.
Yes and no. :tongue: Really, you need a good teacher to explain this stuff to you, albeit to say that the Vajrayana technique of initiation/empowerment deals very effectively with this issue. For phowa to be really effective, empowerment is REALLY important.
"My religion is not deceiving myself."
Jetsun Milarepa 1052-1135 CE

"Butchers, prostitutes, those guilty of the five most heinous crimes, outcasts, the underprivileged: all are utterly the substance of existence and nothing other than total bliss."
The Supreme Source - The Kunjed Gyalpo
The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde
pemachophel
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Re: Phowa

Post by pemachophel »

Yegyal,

I'm not sure that's the Lama I was thinking of. The story I was referencing was of a Lama who was being led off by two PLA soldiers to be executed who then was seen to fly up into the air and disappear. I believe one of the soldiers later became a practitioner due to the effect of this miracle on him. Maybe this is the same person but a slightly different story. Had Tsewang Rigdzin been previously subjected to zamthing ("struggle," euphemism for public humiliation and beating) and thought it was some strange, very intense rushen practice? This is part of the story I'm thinking of.

:namaste:
Pema Chophel པདྨ་ཆོས་འཕེལ
yegyal
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Re: Phowa

Post by yegyal »

Pema, I think we're talking about the same person. This happened in 1958 and was witnessed by a crowd of Tibetans and, of course, the soldiers (check out Dzogchungpa's link and here's his profile on TBRC http://tbrc.org/#!rid=P6306" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). Quite an impressive group of teachers he had and some prominent students to boot. Of course, there could have been other similar stories but this is the most famous one that I know of.
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VinceField
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Re: Phowa

Post by VinceField »

I didn't know they made Tibetan Buddhist trading cards.
DGA
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Re: Phowa

Post by DGA »

VinceField wrote:I didn't know they made Tibetan Buddhist trading cards.
Poor analogy.

These kinds of cards aren't limited to Tibetan Buddhism. They're printed as devotional objects for people to carry with them as reminders to practice & view, or they go on one's altar. They're intended for a kind of respect and a purpose that trading cards are not.
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dzogchungpa
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Re: Phowa

Post by dzogchungpa »

There is not only nothingness because there is always, and always can manifest. - Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
yegyal
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Re: Phowa

Post by yegyal »

Though both Jikan and Dzogchungpa make good points, I actually just used snagit to grab the picture of the back cover of his namthar, hence the TBRC sticker in the upper right hand corner.
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kirtu
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Re: Phowa

Post by kirtu »

Virgo wrote:
Kirt, do you remember where you read this? Were there ever any other Tibetan Arhat's I wonder?

Thanks,

Kevin
bump.

Kevin
I don't remember where I read this. But it strikes me as plausible that it was a Glenn Mullin book. I'll try to see if I can track down the reference this year.

Kirt
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Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”

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