Search found 1270 matches
- Fri Dec 02, 2022 1:11 am
- Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
- Topic: Re: Garchen Rinpoche's empowerments
- Replies: 197
- Views: 12662
Re: Garchen Rinpoche's empowerments
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...
- Thu Dec 01, 2022 11:39 pm
- Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
- Topic: Re: Garchen Rinpoche's empowerments
- Replies: 197
- Views: 12662
Re: Garchen Rinpoche's empowerments
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...
- Thu Dec 01, 2022 10:48 pm
- Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
- Topic: Re: Garchen Rinpoche's empowerments
- Replies: 197
- Views: 12662
Re: Garchen Rinpoche's empowerments
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...
- Wed Nov 30, 2022 6:42 am
- Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
- Topic: Re: Garchen Rinpoche's empowerments
- Replies: 197
- Views: 12662
Re: Garchen Rinpoche's empowerments
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...
- Wed Nov 30, 2022 4:03 am
- Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
- Topic: Re: Garchen Rinpoche's empowerments
- Replies: 197
- Views: 12662
Re: Garchen Rinpoche's empowerments
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...
- Wed Nov 30, 2022 2:39 am
- Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
- Topic: Re: Garchen Rinpoche's empowerments
- Replies: 197
- Views: 12662
Re: Garchen Rinpoche's empowerments
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...
- Mon Nov 28, 2022 11:02 pm
- Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
- Topic: Re: Garchen Rinpoche's empowerments
- Replies: 197
- Views: 12662
Re: Garchen Rinpoche's empowerments
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.
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.
- Wed Nov 16, 2022 11:37 pm
- Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
- Topic: How exactly do you "practice" the outer preliminaries?
- Replies: 21
- Views: 1259
Re: How exactly do you "practice" the outer preliminaries?
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 ...
- Wed Nov 16, 2022 10:42 pm
- Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
- Topic: How exactly do you "practice" the outer preliminaries?
- Replies: 21
- Views: 1259
Re: How exactly do you "practice" the outer preliminaries?
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...
- Mon Nov 14, 2022 10:56 pm
- Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
- Topic: What time of day do you meditate?
- Replies: 20
- Views: 1547
Re: What time of day do you meditate?
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...
- Mon Nov 14, 2022 10:40 pm
- Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
- Topic: How exactly do you "practice" the outer preliminaries?
- Replies: 21
- Views: 1259
Re: How exactly do you "practice" the outer preliminaries?
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...
- Wed Oct 26, 2022 1:55 am
- Forum: Zen
- Topic: The real problem
- Replies: 17
- Views: 1663
Re: The real problem
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...
- Tue Oct 25, 2022 12:04 am
- Forum: Zen
- Topic: The real problem
- Replies: 17
- Views: 1663
Re: The real problem
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...
- Mon Oct 24, 2022 10:39 pm
- Forum: Zen
- Topic: The real problem
- Replies: 17
- Views: 1663
Re: The real problem
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...
- Thu Oct 20, 2022 10:28 pm
- Forum: Dzogchen
- Topic: Aphantasia & Dzogchen / tantric practices
- Replies: 508
- Views: 26643
Re: Aphantasia & Dzogchen / tantric practices
One more thing, to supplement all the other really excellent advice:
Relax and let it emerge. Rather than actively construct and contrive.
Relax and let it emerge. Rather than actively construct and contrive.
- Mon Oct 03, 2022 1:48 am
- Forum: Zen
- Topic: Twelve Links
- Replies: 86
- Views: 6978
Re: Twelve Links
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...
- Sun Oct 02, 2022 11:54 pm
- Forum: Zen
- Topic: Twelve Links
- Replies: 86
- Views: 6978
Re: Twelve Links
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 ...
- Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:52 am
- Forum: Zen
- Topic: Twelve Links
- Replies: 86
- Views: 6978
Re: Twelve Links
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...
- Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:07 am
- Forum: Tibetan Buddhism
- Topic: Are all thangkas "official"?
- Replies: 21
- Views: 1256
Re: Are all thangkas "official"?
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...
- Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:01 am
- Forum: Zen
- Topic: Twelve Links
- Replies: 86
- Views: 6978
Re: Twelve Links
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 ...