Unfortunately, i don't feel that i am able to explain my motivation any clearer than i have in my previous post. Sorry.Sherab Dorje wrote:So from your reply am I to assume that you personally are considering taking an empowerment from a recording? No?
So what is your motivation behind grilling Garchen Rinpoche?
And why do you assume that I am lacking " cool detachment and reason"? Should I have assumed that you are personally considering taking an empowerment from a recording? Would that make me cooly detached and reasonable?
No, obviously, because the only people I see here doubting Garchen Rinpoche's actions are those that do not have him as a guru and will not watch the recordings to receive empowerment anyway.
From scripture it is obvious that one cannot receive empowerment except live and in person. Case closed. So any reply from Garchen Rinpoche will have to be assessed through the filter of faith, since reason has shown otherwise. Like it or lump it.
So you still want a reply from Garchen Rinpoche? Are you willing to "blindly' trust him?
I never assumed that you lacked cool detachment and reason, but in light of the fact that you are a forum moderator just the opposite. This being the cause of my dismay as it is only further evidence of my failing to adequately express the sincerity of my questions and respect for others. Online communications are tricky at the best of times and all the more so in situations like this when people have so much personal and emotional investment. Fortunately, T. Chokyi (to whom my posts were addressed) does not share your impression and instead welcomed my questions, a small but important comfort in this situation.
However, despite your being a forum moderator, as my questions are directed to Garchen Rp and Khenpo Samdrup through the intermediary of T. Chokyi, of course any of them are free to ignore or deny my questions, but i do not understand what right you have to speak for any of them and act as their gatekeeper. In fact, i am sorry to say but many would likely find such an uninvited intervention rather rude and disrespectful in itself. I myself have only ever been encouraged to study, ask questions, think seriously and come to my own conclusions about the Dharma; in fact i don't know of any authentic lama that doesn't encourage intelligent thoughtful dialogue and sincere questions, as they have taken a vow to help all sentient beings, this is not limited to just their personal followers. In fact from the very beginning when Shakyamuni was still sitting in the forest, the teaching of the Dharma has always been premised on the asking of questions, so i have no reason to believe that Garchen Rp. or Khenpo Samdrup would not be happy to see that someone has taken the time and care to think about these things and ask incisive questions, and in return help clarify such important matters as these.
Lastly, the Buddha himself clearly stated that no one should accept on blind faith what he said, but rather investigate it, test it and decide for oneself whether it was true or not. So I would hope that Garchen Rinpoche and Khenpo Samdrup hold the Buddha as a role model and thus welcome the opportunity to go deeper into such a profound matter as empowerment.
with my kindest regards,
pensum