Vajrayana Questions

[Panda]

Things are working out on this end. I feel very comfortable in this tradition now, both in terms of motivation (i.e. bodhichitta) and outer cultural aspects (tibetan peculiarities.)
The Barway Dorje terma ended up on my doorstep through a series of coincidences, and after hearing Lama Yeshe speak about terma being intended by Padmakara specifically for those who make contact with it, I jumped into it. Took refuge with 3rd Bardor Tulku Rinpoche and am working on ngondro for the terma cycle.

Still very interested in chod (Dudjom Tersar's Troma cycle appeals to me strongly) but I'm gonna save that for a 2nd ngondro if I ever feel like doing one (and I may not. this is a lot in itself.)

sincere thanks are in order to everyone who helped 'show me around' a few months ago when I was going through the transition between traditions.

[dorjeshonnu]

I want to know where you end up

[lobster]

I will take refuge vows in the near future and start from the ground up again.

This is Sparta
. . . eh I mean . . . this is tantra.

The lineage comes from the yidams (perfection)
through the line of lamas and gurus (rainbow bodies only perfect)

If you keep in mind that no matter how exalted
lama, yidam, form and emptiness are as the Diamond Sutra states:

All conditioned phenomena
Are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, or shadows;
Like drops of dew, or flashes of lightning;
Thusly should they be contemplated.

The Tara practice I used to do at least once a day, takes at least an hour.
At the moment I am involved in rasayana but manage to find some time for
Cundi who is a sutrayana manifestation of [insert fantasy of choice]

Keep up the good work

[lobster]

http://web.archive.org/web/20041214174739/http://pages.britishlibrary.net/lobster/buddha/rinpoche.htm
everybody finds their way . . .

Have faith in the three jewels
practice
Examples of dharma in action everywhere . . .

[Tarpa]

If I were you I would continue to do your practice if u want to, and look to the founder of the lineage and the rest of the lineage gurus if u want to, as opposed to feeling that the problems of your guru require you to leave the lineage itself.

I would find out where and when a chod empowerment is and go and get it if u want to, and Mahakala and green Tara too if u want to, there are many many practices related to Tara, she has many peaceful and wrathful forms.

If I were u I wouldn't worry about ngondro unless you really want to do it, even then u can do it side by side with chod etc, if u want to.

I wouldn't get too wrapped up in the philosophical stuff too much, I would just continue your tantric practice from the level you left off at, you are a tantrika, one book I would recommend for an understanding of the " Buddhist " view is moonbeams of mahamudra by Tashi Namgyal. Or u could go straight to Dzogchen right from the get go..........
I think you would enjoy chod and any of the dakini practices in vajrayana, such as Vajravarahi, Troma nagmo, etc. the charnel ground and the night is the environment of highest yoga tantra of course so u should feel right at home.

[underthetree]

up in the philosophical stuff too much, I would just continue your tantric practice from the level you left off at, you are a tantrika, one book I would recommend for an understanding of the " Buddhist " view is moonbeams of mahamudra by Tashi Namgyal. Or u could go straight to Dzogchen right from the get go..........

I think you would enjoy chod and any of the dakini practices in vajrayana, such as Vajravarahi, Troma nagmo, etc. the charnel ground and the night is the environment of highest yoga tantra of course so u should feel right at home.

"Moonbeams of Mahamudra" is an excellent book - I'd also throw in 'Carefree Dignity' by Tsoknyi Rinpoche. Chogyal Namkhai Norbu will be giving Chod teachings by webcast in a few weeks. Personally, it feels like it might be a major practice milestone...