Search found 233 matches

by M.G.
Wed Nov 23, 2022 1:59 am
Forum: Dzogchen
Topic: Lho Ontul Rinpoche has passed
Replies: 18
Views: 1980

Re: Lho Ontul Rinpoche has passed

I met Lho Ontul Rinpoche only once, to take a teaching and empowerment related to Achi Chokyi Drolma, but that meeting and practice have had a profound impact on my life. Such presence and kindness.
by M.G.
Tue Nov 08, 2022 2:52 am
Forum: Dzogchen
Topic: John Myrdhin Reynolds (aka Vajranatha)
Replies: 15
Views: 3729

Re: John Myrdhin Reynolds (aka Vajranatha)

I don’t call myself a Buddhist these days, but back when I did I took several teachings from John Reynolds, and had several great chats with him about dharma, Western philosophy, and the subtleties of good beer. He’s a great teacher and a real gent; a true model of what a Western lay Buddhist teache...
by M.G.
Sun May 22, 2022 4:40 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Looking for good English-language books on Hindu Tantra
Replies: 2
Views: 278

Looking for good English-language books on Hindu Tantra

Hello everyone! So this is question isn’t about Buddhism, but it is about Tantra, so I’m going to ask it here. If the admins feel it’s inappropriate, I have no problem with them removing it. I am interested in good English language material about Hindu Tantra. I’m interested in learning how the prac...
by M.G.
Wed Oct 13, 2021 3:50 pm
Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
Topic: Working With Spirits Towards Worldly Goals
Replies: 19
Views: 2179

Re: Working With Spirits Towards Worldly Goals

None of my Buddhist teachers ever told me this was a problem. One of my former gurus, who’s not a particularly fringe figure, basically used to encourage such practices, so long as practitioners didn’t take refuge in such worldly powers or mistake these kinds of actions for dharma. I’m not a scholar...
by M.G.
Thu Oct 31, 2019 3:02 pm
Forum: Nyingma
Topic: Clarification: Refuge and offerings to worldly gods
Replies: 16
Views: 4211

Re: Clarification: Refuge and offerings to worldly gods

It’s a clever and probably correct formulation to speak of something like sleep as being a worldly god or a source of refuge, but Buddhism traditionally took - and takes - a much more literal view of such, no?

Our cultural electronic media addiction could probably use some enlightened taming, though.
by M.G.
Wed Oct 30, 2019 12:54 am
Forum: Nyingma
Topic: Clarification: Refuge and offerings to worldly gods
Replies: 16
Views: 4211

Re: Clarification: Refuge and offerings to worldly gods

Fortyeightvows wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 12:28 am
M.G. wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 12:26 am I don’t totally understand your answer. Is it meant in jest?
I was just acknowledging that you ask a great question!
Oh! Thank you! 😊
by M.G.
Wed Oct 30, 2019 12:26 am
Forum: Nyingma
Topic: Clarification: Refuge and offerings to worldly gods
Replies: 16
Views: 4211

Re: Clarification: Refuge and offerings to worldly gods

Fortyeightvows wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 12:22 am
M.G. wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 12:01 am What spiritual practices in the Western world, if any, would constitute taking refuge in a worldly god?
!!!
I don’t totally understand your answer. Is it meant in jest?
by M.G.
Wed Oct 30, 2019 12:01 am
Forum: Nyingma
Topic: Clarification: Refuge and offerings to worldly gods
Replies: 16
Views: 4211

Re: Clarification: Refuge and offerings to worldly gods

Making offerings does not imply taking refuge, an offering to the Three Jewels is a bit different than an offering to ordinary beings. That statement is meant I'm guessing in reference to taking refuge ad making offering to the object of refuge..not offerings in general. We make offerings to all be...
by M.G.
Tue Oct 01, 2019 3:01 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Tara outside of Tibetan Buddhism
Replies: 3
Views: 1437

Re: Tara outside of Tibetan Buddhism

I suppose it depends on what one means by veneration...

A decent number of Western New Agers claim a connection to Tara.

https://newearthenergies.org/green-tara ... ttunement/
by M.G.
Mon Apr 15, 2019 3:28 pm
Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
Topic: Mixing Worldly and Dharma Paths
Replies: 69
Views: 9507

Re: Mixing Worldly and Dharma Paths

My broader point is that on the issue of mixing dharmic and worldly practices, there isn’t complete consensus among Buddhist teachers. It's got nothing to do with consensus, it has to do with liberation. A medicine that can heal one patient, may cause the death of another patient. I’ll buy that, al...
by M.G.
Mon Apr 15, 2019 2:09 am
Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
Topic: Mixing Worldly and Dharma Paths
Replies: 69
Views: 9507

Re: Mixing Worldly and Dharma Paths

Your teacher said that it is wrong view? There’s probably some disagreement on this point, as with so much else in Tibetan Buddhism. My teachers were of the opinion that Dharma could be found outside of activities deemed religiously “Buddhist”, but I’m sure some would disagree. Who cares what "...
by M.G.
Sat Apr 13, 2019 11:27 pm
Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
Topic: Mixing Worldly and Dharma Paths
Replies: 69
Views: 9507

Re: Mixing Worldly and Dharma Paths

This requires full engagement with others. It is the antithesis of this attitude that Buddhists should disengage and interact only with their own. Why would Buddhists only interact with "with their own"? This is certainly not in the teachings of the Buddha. /magnus The basis for this inst...
by M.G.
Sat Apr 13, 2019 10:07 pm
Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
Topic: Mixing Worldly and Dharma Paths
Replies: 69
Views: 9507

Re: Mixing Worldly and Dharma Paths

It seems this is considered wrong view. Your teacher said that it is wrong view? There’s probably some disagreement on this point, as with so much else in Tibetan Buddhism. My teachers were of the opinion that Dharma could be found outside of activities deemed religiously “Buddhist”, but I’m sure s...
by M.G.
Sat Apr 13, 2019 6:04 am
Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
Topic: Mixing Worldly and Dharma Paths
Replies: 69
Views: 9507

Re: Mixing Worldly and Dharma Paths

I suppose some of it comes down to whether one thinks there exist enlightened manifestations outside of Buddhism. A teacher I respect told me that there are ways to practice dharma which aren’t Buddhist per se.
by M.G.
Sat Oct 06, 2018 4:16 am
Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
Topic: Is tibetan inherently peacefull ?
Replies: 47
Views: 8497

Re: Is tibetan inherently peacefull ?

Basically, you are saying that violence in Buddhism is allowed as long as it has a good justification. But then, which religions resort to violence without good justifications? In fact, who in the world resort to violence without good justifications? Does anyone need Buddhism to teach them non-viol...
by M.G.
Fri Oct 05, 2018 12:21 pm
Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
Topic: Is tibetan inherently peacefull ?
Replies: 47
Views: 8497

Re: Is tibetan inherently peacefull ?

Basically, you are saying that violence in Buddhism is allowed as long as it has a good justification. But then, which religions resort to violence without good justifications? In fact, who in the world resort to violence without good justifications? Does anyone need Buddhism to teach them non-viol...
by M.G.
Thu Oct 04, 2018 11:17 pm
Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
Topic: Is tibetan inherently peacefull ?
Replies: 47
Views: 8497

Re: Is tibetan inherently peacefull ?

Buddhism denies the existence of an absolute morality, and in practice the Vajrayana counts among its heroes people who at times acted in ways which may seem shocking or bizarre. (That may even be part of its appeal to some.). If one doesn’t perceive or believe in there being enlightened wisdom behi...
by M.G.
Fri Sep 28, 2018 1:20 am
Forum: Dzogchen
Topic: Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Has Attained Parinirvana
Replies: 137
Views: 39267

Re: Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Update

A universal teacher, a true guru for this mad era. The Picasso of Tibetan wisdom teachings. A rare diamond who’s brilliance and clarity cut through the poisons of cynicism and ignorance alike. I left Buddhism years ago, but I have never left what he showed me about the nature of mind, and he has rem...
by M.G.
Sat Oct 21, 2017 6:37 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Buddhism and Lust, is it ok, not ok, kind of ok?
Replies: 54
Views: 10305

Re: Buddhism and Lust, is it ok, not ok, kind of ok?

One of our favourite topics, especially with all the scandals and such. Many folks in Mahayana (incl Zen) and Vajrayana basically think it's ok for teachers to sleep with their students, even in secret, even when one of both are married. Teachers are human too, the reasoning goes, and not some perf...
by M.G.
Wed Oct 11, 2017 1:22 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: What would Buddha have thought of Mahayana?
Replies: 51
Views: 9610

Re: What would Buddha have thought of Mahayana?

So I'm trying to understand how the different teachings relate to each other. I started with tientai's 5 periods but quickly realised that it wasn't historically accurate. Realizing that the Mahayana doctrines aren't the words of the literal Buddha but later innovations, I wonder what the real Budd...

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