bit of confusion - 5 colors
- Johnny Dangerous
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bit of confusion - 5 colors
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.
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.
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when afflicted by disease
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-Khunu Lama
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when sad
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when suffering occurs
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when you are scared
-Khunu Lama
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Re: bit of confusion - 5 colors
Vairocana is usually white and Akshobya blue. Never heard of other colors for these - what tradition is the practice from?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.
This is not the wrong life.
- Johnny Dangerous
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Re: bit of confusion - 5 colors
Sakya.Knotty Veneer wrote:Vairocana is usually white and Akshobya blue. Never heard of other colors for these - what tradition is the practice from?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.
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
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when afflicted by disease
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when sad
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when suffering occurs
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when you are scared
-Khunu Lama
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when sad
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when suffering occurs
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when you are scared
-Khunu Lama
Re: bit of confusion - 5 colors
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.
Re: bit of confusion - 5 colors
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.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.
Equanimity is the ground. Love is the moisture. Compassion is the seed. Bodhicitta is the result.
-Paraphrase of Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Tsephel citing the Guhyasamaja Tantra
"All memories and thoughts are the union of emptiness and knowing, the Mind.
Without attachment, self-liberating, like a snake in a knot.
Through the qualities of meditating in that way,
Mental obscurations are purified and the dharmakaya is attained."
-Ra Lotsawa, All-pervading Melodious Drumbeats
-Paraphrase of Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Tsephel citing the Guhyasamaja Tantra
"All memories and thoughts are the union of emptiness and knowing, the Mind.
Without attachment, self-liberating, like a snake in a knot.
Through the qualities of meditating in that way,
Mental obscurations are purified and the dharmakaya is attained."
-Ra Lotsawa, All-pervading Melodious Drumbeats
Re: bit of confusion - 5 colors
Yes, the white and the blue can change place, it is quite common.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.
/magnus
"We are all here to help each other go through this thing, whatever it is."
~Kurt Vonnegut
"The principal practice is Guruyoga. But we need to understand that any secondary practice combined with Guruyoga becomes a principal practice." ChNNR (Teachings on Thun and Ganapuja)
~Kurt Vonnegut
"The principal practice is Guruyoga. But we need to understand that any secondary practice combined with Guruyoga becomes a principal practice." ChNNR (Teachings on Thun and Ganapuja)
Re: bit of confusion - 5 colors
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.heart wrote: Yes, the white and the blue can change place, it is quite common.
/magnus
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.
All best wishes
"The profundity of your devotion to your lama is not measured by your ability to turn a blind eye."
"The profundity of your devotion to your lama is not measured by your ability to turn a blind eye."
Re: bit of confusion - 5 colors
"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
-- Vajrasattva's Heart Mirror Tantra
Re: bit of confusion - 5 colors
Nice to see you Malcolm, good quote.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
/magnus
"We are all here to help each other go through this thing, whatever it is."
~Kurt Vonnegut
"The principal practice is Guruyoga. But we need to understand that any secondary practice combined with Guruyoga becomes a principal practice." ChNNR (Teachings on Thun and Ganapuja)
~Kurt Vonnegut
"The principal practice is Guruyoga. But we need to understand that any secondary practice combined with Guruyoga becomes a principal practice." ChNNR (Teachings on Thun and Ganapuja)
- Johnny Dangerous
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Re: bit of confusion - 5 colors
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.
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when afflicted by disease
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when sad
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when suffering occurs
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when you are scared
-Khunu Lama
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when sad
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when suffering occurs
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when you are scared
-Khunu Lama