Dharma Wheel

Argument from authority: a formal fallacy in which it is argued that because a perceived authority figure (or figures) believes a proposition (relevant to their authority) to be true, that proposition must therefore be true. This is also known as an appeal to authority. We don't accept arguments fr...

He says recorded empowerments are fine, therefore they are fine. Argument from authority: a formal fallacy in which it is argued that because a perceived authority figure (or figures) believes a proposition (relevant to their authority) to be true, that proposition must therefore be true. This is a...

The more general question seems to be: where is does the epistemic authority for Vajrayana - in general - lie? If we say: what is written in the Tantras, then we are privileging text ahead of guru… We accept, axiomatically, that the tantras arise from an nonerroneous source. But it’s clear gurus ca...

It's all very messy and inconsistent by it's very nature. Humans are inconsistent and messy. The sūtras and tantras themselves, not at all, unless you think they are human compositions, in which case, there are no reliable authorities apart from one's personal opinions. It follows then, there is no...

The more general question seems to be: where is does the epistemic authority for Vajrayana - in general - lie? If we say: what is written in the Tantras, then we are privileging text ahead of guru… We accept, axiomatically, that the tantras arise from an nonerroneous source. But it’s clear gurus ca...

The more general question seems to be: where is does the epistemic authority for Vajrayana - in general - lie? If we say: what is written in the Tantras, then we are privileging text ahead of guru (i.e. what is said or transmitted symbolically). And then there is the question of interpretation, whic...

I have done enough of both to feel personally settled on the question, but I would not extend this position beyond my own subjective horizons.

What has taken stock, matured and ripened in my mindstream has depended far more on my own intent, karma and connection to the guru than then the medium.

I think it is also worth pointing out that some aspects of this are well beyond the limits of ordinary experience, so if one relies on this alone, the outer preliminaries will never be properly accomplished. For example, realising the precious human rebirth with the relevant freedoms and endowments ...

Echoing JD's point (to some degree): turn this practice into a guru yoga. i.e. one could repeatedly bring to mind a supplication requesting realisations of impermanence etc. These are common to many formal guru yogas, as well as Lam Rim prayers etc. This way, the repeated contemplation becomes infu...

My main sitting practice is early morning. This is non-negotiable 2 hours before anything else. No matter what. Even if there is a flight or something to catch at say at 6am, I will rise at 3am for that day. Coffee is utilised! For the OP: the one time this was a bit tricky was with a newborn. I sti...

Echoing JD's point (to some degree): turn this practice into a guru yoga. i.e. one could repeatedly bring to mind a supplication requesting realisations of impermanence etc. These are common to many formal guru yogas, as well as Lam Rim prayers etc. This way, the repeated contemplation becomes infus...

Tobes, Perhaps you might read the paper. On page 1 they define consciousness this way, For the most part, we mean what William James (1890) meant when he used the term: our own personal experience of perceiving, thinking, emoting, and acting. Self-consciousness, that is, being conscious of our selv...

The evidence (not speculation) is that “consciousness often occurs after the perception, decision, and action have taken place, in part because consciousness is too slow to participate in many real-time events.” So the question is how does consciousness make us (and other animals) evolutionarily fi...

Only for those scientifically-minded, here is the Abstract and link to the full article, Consciousness as a Memory System, published in the Official Journal of the Society for Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology: Abstract We suggest that there is confusion between why consciousness developed and wha...

One more thing, to supplement all the other really excellent advice:

Relax and let it emerge. Rather than actively construct and contrive.

I don't think most followers of the Buddha's Dharma understand his core teachings. Everyone has to work extraordinarily hard to gain understanding, and this work is principally contemplative; a rough conceptual view is not understanding. Tobes, Do you really think most followers of the Buddha’s Dha...

I’ll try to answer everyone in one post. Tobes, Thank you. Most followers (and even many teachers!) of the Buddha’s Dharma are unenlightened and yet they understand his core teachings, including the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, the Three Marks of Existence, and even Dependent Origination ...

Yes, Dependent Origination is a profound teaching, but I understand the principle of DO. As I and others have noted, the principle is simple, straightforward, easily explainable and understandable - even by an unenlightened being like me. And an unenlightened being like me understands the core teac...

There's something to be said for one of the refuge vows to consider all depictions of the Buddha etc as equally virtuous, no matter the quality. And that most practices do not depend on visual consciousness. I also like the notion that good supports for practice emerge out of practice (i.e. karmical...

I think it is important to situate this as one of the most profound and subtle of all Dharmas. In the Buddha's own words, it is deep and difficult to penetrate. Clyde - you seem to be expecting a intellectual answer for something that in all traditions is the fruit of insight. There's something not ...