In Pursuit of Mysteries

Tantra

This was posted at

http://www.garethswebsite.net/2005/09/further-questioning-of-new-kadampa.html
by someone familiar with Buddhist practice but not Tantric Buddhism. I thought
it was a interesting impression of things even if it is NKT.

Further Questioning of the New Kadampa Tradition

Tantra: The Secret Mantra.

One of the elements of the Kadampa Tradition that I sometimes struggle with is the idea of the Secret Mantra practice, having not received any Tantric empowerments, I’ve not practiced the Secret Mantra, so this post is based on information, rather than experience.

The Secret Mantra, taught by Buddha Shakyamuni, offers a way to transform desire and attachment into enlightenment if practiced correctly.

Does the practice work, I don’t know, it’s a very complex set of visualsations and meditations, but I have a feeling that if practiced with enough faith, it could deliver what it promises: permanent Bliss, and through channeling this into meditations on emptiness, enlightenment.

The visulisations and meditations are quite esoteric. There is s complex model of the body with three channels and different winds of energy that flow, and red and white drops that flow through the channels. The essence of Tantra is to begin to visualise yourself as an emanation of Buddha in a Pure Land, and view all beings as enlightened. All levels of Tantric practice turn great bliss into enlightenment - the bliss is fed into a meditation on emptiness. The highest levels involved visulisations of sexual embraces with a consort, and transforming this bliss into enlightenment - very advanced practitioners may take an actual consort and channel the bliss from this into their meditations. But as Geshe-le warns

It should be noted, however, that it is very difficult to use great bliss as a method for attaining enlightenment, and if we are able to do so we have indeed attained a formidable accomplishment.

As the great Mahasiddha Saraha said, ‘Everyone is excited by copulation, but very few can transform that bliss into the spiritual path.’

The practice is called Secret Mantra, and is an individual practice with the emphasis on discretion, I’ve not spoken to anyone in great depth about their Tantric experiences, and speculation along these lines may prove
troublesome, and not ultimately worthwhile.

One of my questions was whether the practice merely replaced one set of delusions with another, and that the state of eternal bliss might to be an awake one. However I’m told that using the energy the practice creates in a
mediation on emptiness leads to enlightenment.

This leads on to questions I was asking my Teacher about merit, and the reply was the same, the energy/state of mind created through virtuous actions is fed into and supports the meditation on emptiness.

I also asked if it’s possible to form an attachment to merit, and the idea of rebirth. Of course it is, the attachment depends on the intention behind the action. If the intention is correct, and we have achieved a
correct view of emptiness we don’t attach to the practice of accumulating merit.

I also asked about the nature of Samsara and the Pure Lands, and the Hell Regions. I had been concerned about the nature of these - did the Kadampas believe in a literal Pure Land? My Teacher assured me that it was our view of this world that determined it’s appearance and not the world itself. An idea I was much more comfortable with, and that fits in neatly with the other teachings I have been exposed to.

The more I study the practices, the more they seem to make sense, they all seem to rely on the correct view of form and emptiness, without the practice of this meditation it would be very easy to become attached to the
religious side of the faith.

Nacho gave some wonderful advice in his comment to my earlier post, and it’s something I’m going to take on board.

Yet, it seems to me that you can practice your Zen and attend the center and practice in the NKT. Follow the Buddha’s advice: what works for you? How can you make skillful choices in order to live the path/practice as best as possible. How can we live the Buddha’s dictum that he only taught “suffering and the end of suffering.” ? The NKT sangha can be a source of joy and support, even while your practice might differ.

I’m going to continue to practice with the NTKs as well as my own Zen practice, my NKT teacher assures me I can take onboard as much or as little of the teaching and tradition as I feel comfortable with, one of the great
things about Buddhism. And I shall be remembering Buddha’s words, that James of The Buddhist Blog, with perfect timing, recently posted.

Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.

~Buddha

posted by Gareth @

6:39 PM