Esoteric/Mystical, non-Vajrayana Buddhist schools?

General discussion, particularly exploring the Dharma in the modern world.
User avatar
Adamantine
Former staff member
Posts: 4027
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2011 7:09 am
Location: Space is the Place

Re: Esoteric/Mystical, non-Vajrayana Buddhist schools?

Post by Adamantine »

DaftChris wrote: I don't agree with *snip*


Chris, from your statements and reasoning I would deduce (even wager) you never got more than toe-deep in any real understanding or engagement with authentic Tibetan Buddhist practice.

What is your fixation on finding an "esoteric" school of Buddhism anyway? What is it that really interests you?
Contentment is the ultimate wealth;
Detachment is the final happiness. ~Sri Saraha
User avatar
Seishin
Former staff member
Posts: 1915
Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2010 11:53 am
Contact:

Re: Esoteric/Mystical, non-Vajrayana Buddhist schools?

Post by Seishin »

DaftChris wrote: esoteric non-Vajrayana schools
I think this is a little confusing as Vajrayana schools are esoteric, Shingon and Tendai emphasise this. Some Tibetan schools teach Vajrayana to lay people but in the Japanese schools you will need to be ordained to be able to learn Vajrayana. If however you are looking for non-vajrayana schools then take a look at chan, zen, korean seon, etc.

I hope you find what you're looking for

Gassho,
Seishin
User avatar
kirtu
Former staff member
Posts: 6997
Joined: Mon Jan 18, 2010 5:29 pm
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: Esoteric/Mystical, non-Vajrayana Buddhist schools?

Post by kirtu »

DaftChris wrote: I could have worded my OP better. I feel a draw to Shingon, but realize how difficult that may be when there are no centers and very little information on it. As such, I wanted to know if there were any esoteric non-Vajrayana schools that I could possibly consider.
As pointed out earlier, Chinese Buddhism uses lots of dharani and mantra. Some people would regard the essential view of the Hua Yen school, the interpenetration of all phenomena, scripturally following the Avatamsaka Sutra, as mystical. Only the Japanese Kegon school still exists upholding this teaching directly. However Hua Yen view has affected all of East Asian Buddhism.

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

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
User avatar
Nilasarasvati
Posts: 451
Joined: Tue May 07, 2013 3:08 am
Location: Trāyastriṃśa. Just kidding. What a cool sanksrit word, huh?

Re: Esoteric/Mystical, non-Vajrayana Buddhist schools?

Post by Nilasarasvati »

Best of luck to you, Chris. I hope you figure out a way of approaching the Dharma that resonates deeply with you.

I myself had HUGE problems (still do) with lots of Tibetan culture. I think I got over it mostly (or enough to engage with the tradition) when I realized the culture is the teacup, the Dharma is the tea*. Whether its a fancy Tibetan one with two handles, or a plain old American coffeemug, you're always going to be receiving the Dharma through a vessel that has to be abandoned. And a vessel that may not look very appealing.

Also, if folks were fundamentalists, blah blah blah--they sucked. They were not helpful representatives of the tradition. I hope you find others who don't suck.
As for the political entanglements of HH Dalai Lama, I'm not sure I understand your beef unless you are a member of the PRC Communist Party, but he certainly has enemies even within the Tibetan populace.




*metaphor Courtesy of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche :anjali:
Post Reply

Return to “Dharma in Everyday Life”