"There are those with misunderstanding who hold that some teachings are methods for becoming a buddha and some teachings are obstacles to becoming a buddha.They then differentiate the words of the Buddha into good and bad, reasonable and unreasonable, and great and small vehicles. Finally, they hold that some teachings are to be cast aside, saying, "A bodhisattva should train in this and should not train in that." Thus, they abandon the teachings."

Je Tsongkhapa

"To be praised by fools—that is the greatest shame."

— Nichiren

Above: Nichiren in exile on Sado Island.

I find funny the Western mystification usually done by middle aged and "good vibes" people about Buddhism, and especially about Tantrism in general.

It is a very "colorful" Buddhism, where there is no danger at all, reigning only a kind of illusory "good vibes", which historically is not so. The Tantric practices that gave rise to the various lineages of Tibetan Buddhism were as transgressive as the Aghor practices recorded in India centuries ago — which is, meat-eating, bathing in crematory ashes, etc. — and even in the "non-Tantric" Buddhism, you will find a lot that would make the average Western left-handed practitioner's hair stand on end.

Buddhism is not and never has been a place where the so-called "safe space" reigns, giving us a sense of illusory peace and security. Buddhism transcends moral illusions and goes beyond modern false security.

"Listen to the teachings with one-pointed faith and respect.
Do not censure or deride the speaker;
Honor your instructors —
Develop the idea that they are like a buddha."

The Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Pūrvapraṇidhāna Sūtra

Śūnyata (शून्यत, “void”).— If you can concentrate on your body as void (śūnyata) or space and transcend all thoughts, even for a moment, your mind will be liberated and will take on the form of that void. It is important to note that you do not have to concentrate for hours and hours in order to experience this state. Even if you focus the mind for just a moment, it is enough to give you the experience of a heightened state of awareness.

( Vijñānabhairava verse 46)

Jai Mahākāla. Āchāryaji will be giving a talk on consciousness at 8:00 AM PDT today on Zoom.

You may join using the following link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86895536905?pwd=Zi9UQmlOdisyK0FUVkVmVHV0NW5Rdz09

"Beyond reckoning in space or time; without direction or locality; impossible to represent; ultimately indescribable; Blissful with the experience of that which is inmost; a field of awareness free of mental constructs: that state of overflowing fullness is Bhairavī, the essence of Bhairava. It is that essence which is ultimately real & fundamental; it is that which ought to be known & experienced; it is that which is inherently pure, and it is that which pervades everything."

Vijñāna-bhairava-tantra

Some people are ill, their bodies tormented;
For many years there is not even temporary relief.
Afflicted with illness for a very long time,
They seek a doctor, in search of a cure.

Searching about again and again,
They at last find a physician with skill and knowledge.
Treating the patients with compassion,
The doctor gives medicine, saying, "Here, take this."

This medicine is plentiful, good, and valuable.
It will cure the illness, but the patients do not take it.
This is not a shortcoming of the doctor, nor the fault of the medicine;
It is just the fault of those who are ill.

Likewise, after you have left the householder's life for the sake of these teachings
And have come to know the powers, meditative stabilizations, and faculties,
How can you attain nirvana without making effort
At meditation, an effort at what is right?

Samādhirāja Sūtra

All sentient beings are emanations of mahamudra,
The essence of those emanations is the forever non-arising dharmadhatu,
Also all characteristics of dualistic appearances,
Happiness, suffering and so on,
are the play of mahamudra, the original dharmata.

Virupa's Treasury of Doha's

"Therefore, all appearances are the dharmakaya,
All beings are buddhas,
All composite actions are the primordial dharmadhatu,
All nominal phenomena are like a rabbit’s horns."

Sarahapāda

"In short, attaining and bringing to completion all the bodhisattva deeds, and, likewise, attaining and bringing to completion the perfections, levels, forbearances, concentrations, superknowl-edges, retentions of teachings heard, dedications, aspirational prayers, confidence to speak, and all the qualities of a buddha are contingent upon the guru. The guru is the root from which they arise. The guru is the source and creator from which they are produced. The guru increases them. They depend upon the guru. The guru is their cause."

Bodhisattva-pitaka

Bo-do-wa said:

"For attaining freedom there is nothing more important than the guru. It is sufficient to learn the activities of this life by watching others, but you will not learn them well without an instructor.
Likewise, without a guru, how can we succeed in traveling to a place where we have never been, having just been reborn from a miserable realm?"

"People degenerate by relying on those inferior to themselves;
By relying on equals, they stay the same;
By relying on those superior, they attain excellence;
Thus rely on those who are superior to yourself.

If you rely on whomever is superior-thoroughly pacified
And endowed with ethical discipline
And exceeding wisdom
You will become superior even to those who are superior."

Mitra-varga

"Some people express
The good qualities of sandalwood
Saying, "Sandalwood is like this: It is the pleasant aspect of incense."
Then some other people
Might ask them, "Do you possess
A bit of that sandalwood
Which you so praise?"
They then reply, "I do not have
The incense that I praise
To gain my livelihood."
Just so, in later times there will arise
Monks who do not strive at yoga
And make a living by praising ethical discipline.
They will have no ethical discipline."

King of Concentrations Sutra

"Just as a chariot with one wheel Will not go down the path even though it has a horse,
So too, without assistants for meditation,
People will not gain attainments.
These assistants should have intelligence, a good appearance, great purity,
Be of reputable lineage, and inclined toward the teachings.
They should have great confidence, perseverance, and have disciplined the senses.
They should speak pleasantly, be generous and compassionate,
Forbear hunger, thirst, and the afflictions,
And not worship other deities and brahmins.
They should be focused, adept, grateful,
And have faith in the three jewels.
Since those who have all such good qualities
Are very rare in this age of strife,
Mantra practitioners should rely on an assistant who has
One half, one quarter, or an eighth of these qualities."

Subāhu-pariprcchā-tantra

"If you would ask, O Lord of Secrets, how disciples should view masters, then I would answer that they should view them just as they view the Bhagavan.

If the disciples view their masters in this way,
They will always cultivate virtues.
They will become buddhas
And benefit the entire world."

"When you rely on the guru, your virtue increases and your non-virtue decreases. Understanding this, develop the idea that your abbot is the Teacher whether he or she is greatly or slightly learned, is knowledgeable or not, or has kept ethical discipline or faulty discipline. Just as you have a liking for and faith in the Teacher, so too you should have a liking for and faith in the abbot. Develop reverence for your masters and serve them. Think that you will complete the collections that lead to enlightenment and eliminate the afflictions that you still have in dependence on this. Then you will obtain pleasure and joy. With respect to virtue act in accord with the gurus' words, but do not act in accord with the gurus' words with respect to nonvirtue."

Ratna-megha-sūtra

"With each student who comes to me, my burden increases. With each who leaves, it decreases. If you stay apart from the guru, it is not beneficial. Therefore, practice for a long time at a moderate distance."

Bo-do-wa

The Sūtra on the Discipline states, "If the abbot instructs you to do what is not in accord with the teachings, refuse." Also, the Cloud of Jewels Sūtra says, "With respect to virtue act in accord with the gurus' words, but do not act in accord with the gurus' words with respect to nonvirtue."

"Since everything is but an apparition, having nothing to do with good or bad, acceptance or rejection, one may well burst out in laughter."

Longchenpa

"In the world of nature there always exists an appropriate order and everything has its own function. If this order is disturbed, the functioning is interrupted and the whole order will go to ruin."

Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai