Reconciling Vajrayana's enlightenment in one lifetime & Mahayana's "long" bodhisattva path

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Nalanda
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Reconciling Vajrayana's enlightenment in one lifetime & Mahayana's "long" bodhisattva path

Post by Nalanda »

Since the Mahayana path is/seems to be a longer path which can take many lifetimes, how do we reconcile that with Vajrayana (being also a Mahayana) can help one become enlightened in one lifetime? Isn't there a contradiction? How do I make sense of this?
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Josef
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Re: Reconciling Vajrayana's enlightenment in one lifetime & Mahayana's "long" bodhisattva path

Post by Josef »

Nalanda wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 6:22 pm Since the Mahayana path is/seems to be a longer path which can take many lifetimes, how do we reconcile that with Vajrayana (being also a Mahayana) can help one become enlightened in one lifetime? Isn't there a contradiction? How do I make sense of this?
The basis of purification is different and therefore the means and time it takes to traverse the paths and stages is different.
"All phenomena of samsara depend on the mind, so when the essence of mind is purified, samsara is purified. Since the phenomena of nirvana depend on the pristine consciousness of vidyā, because one remains in the immediacy of vidyā, buddhahood arises on its own. All critical points are summarized with those two." - Longchenpa
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Johnny Dangerous
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Re: Reconciling Vajrayana's enlightenment in one lifetime & Mahayana's "long" bodhisattva path

Post by Johnny Dangerous »

One of my teachers likened it to buying a house on credit.
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when afflicted by disease

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when sad

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when suffering occurs

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when you are scared

-Khunu Lama
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Virgo
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Re: Reconciling Vajrayana's enlightenment in one lifetime & Mahayana's "long" bodhisattva path

Post by Virgo »

Nalanda wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 6:22 pm Since the Mahayana path is/seems to be a longer path which can take many lifetimes, how do we reconcile that with Vajrayana (being also a Mahayana) can help one become enlightened in one lifetime? Isn't there a contradiction? How do I make sense of this?
Vajrayana is unique. It is sometimes called "uncommon Mahayana." It usually isn't taught. It allows you to form a direct connection with Buddhas and to rapidly accumulate the two heaps of merit and wisdom, needed for attaining enlightenment.

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rai
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Re: Reconciling Vajrayana's enlightenment in one lifetime & Mahayana's "long" bodhisattva path

Post by rai »

Johnny Dangerous wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 7:06 pm One of my teachers likened it to buying a house on credit.
yeah buying it from ourselves ha
haha
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Re: Reconciling Vajrayana's enlightenment in one lifetime & Mahayana's "long" bodhisattva path

Post by haha »

From Tibetan Buddhist perspective, they believe that through sutra it takes long time to attain complete Buddhahood. It is the purpose of this section of the forum.

But do sutras really say that? It is better to examine such assertion and after that come to the conclusion. One can find many Mahayana sutras providing instructions for attaining Buddhahood quickly. If that is the case, then this concept of “takes long time through sutra” is just the belief of certain sects of people.

To refute two misconceptions, there is a narrative in the Lotus Sutra. Those two misconceptions are: woman cannot attain Buddhahood and it takes long time to attain. “Immediately” means they are talking about the concept of the time. Here is an example from that sutra.

First:
Then Prajñākūṭa questioned Mañjuśrī, saying: “This sutra is profound and subtle. It is a jewel among sutras and rare in the world. If sentient beings diligently strive to practice this sutra, will they immediately become buddhas or not?

Mañjuśrī answered: “Yes, they will. There is the daughter of the nāga king Sāgara who is only eight years old. She is wise; her faculties are sharp; and she also well knows all the faculties and deeds of sentient beings. She has attained the power of recollection. She preserves all the profound secret treasures taught by the buddhas, enters deep meditation, and is well capable of discerning all dharmas. She instantly produced the thought of enlightenment and attained the stage of nonretrogression. She has unhindered eloquence and thinks of sentient beings with as much compassion as if they were her own children. Her virtues are perfect. Her thoughts and explanations are subtle and extensive, merciful, and compassionate. She has a harmonious mind and has attained enlightenment.”
Second:
At that time Śāriputra spoke to the daughter of the nāga king, saying: “You say that you will soon attain the highest path. This is difficult to believe. Why is this? The female body is polluted; it is not a fit vessel for the Dharma. How can you attain highest enlightenment?

The buddha path is long. One can only attain it after diligently carrying out severe practices, and completely practicing the perfections over immeasurable kalpas. Moreover, the female body has five obstructions. The first is the inability to become a great Brahma. The second is the inability to become Śakra. The third is the inability to become Māra, and the fourth is the inability to become a universal monarch (cakravartin). The fifth is the inability to become a buddha. How can you with your female body quickly become a buddha?”

Then the daughter of the nāga king presented to the Buddha a jewel worth the great manifold cosmos, and the Buddha accepted it. The daughter of the nāga king spoke to Bodhisattva Prajñā kūṭa and the noble Śāriputra, saying: “I offered a jewel and the Bhagavat accepted it. Was that done quickly or not?
....all saw in the distance that the daughter of the nāga king had become a buddha and was universally teaching the Dharma for the sake of the humans and devas in that assembly.

At the end,
The Bodhisattva Prajñākūṭa, Śāriputra, and the entire assembly accepted and believed in silence.
The Lotus Sutra, Chapter XII, BDK English Tripiṭaka Series

Better to check whole chapter.
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