Forwarded from Meditations of a Yogin
“No matter what happens in space, space can never be harmed or destroyed. Likewise, no matter what arises in the mind, no matter how violent or deluded it is, the nature of mind has always and will always be pure.”
~ Chamtrul Rinpoche
~ Chamtrul Rinpoche
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Forwarded from ᛉ Sagnamaðr Stark ᛉ
“The Oath of the Scyth” by Vadim Kadzhaev.
Pillaged from Scythian Dragon Empire II on Facebook.
Pillaged from Scythian Dragon Empire II on Facebook.
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"Comfort can be your greatest enemy to your freedom.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with comfort, and may you always have it, but if you become excessively attached to it, and if it is making you lazy, you will not move on the Buddhist path.
If this happens, you need to contemplate the uncertain time of your inevitable death, and your potentially endless rebirths and suffering if you do not make the most out of the precious human existence that you have right now."
~ Chamtrul Rinpoche
There is absolutely nothing wrong with comfort, and may you always have it, but if you become excessively attached to it, and if it is making you lazy, you will not move on the Buddhist path.
If this happens, you need to contemplate the uncertain time of your inevitable death, and your potentially endless rebirths and suffering if you do not make the most out of the precious human existence that you have right now."
~ Chamtrul Rinpoche
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Pardon the waiting time, quality over quantity. The Roman Empire is interesting stuff, but how often do you think about Gandhara? 👹🙏🏻🔱
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Forwarded from Hammer and Vajra
My goal is not an Asian washed Buddhist west. It is a Western Canon and ritual path that reflects each groups expression but connects by to its original Indo-European understanding to rekindle the flame where it had its own paths similar to Buddhism, it's own Arya Dharma expressed through Folk religion restored to its proper place/throne.
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Forwarded from Egbert Moray-Falls
There is a very specific problem with this attitude, namely that without spiritual attainment, no matter what historical sources one has, one is only making things up.
Having approached the issue of spirituality through the lens of the decline of the West, and Traditionalist notions of initiation, and Perennialism, it is natural that there is a desire to re-create European spirituality.
However, having recognised the need for initiation into a living tradition, if one is not willing to completely give up one's petty attachments to cultural particularity, whether it can outwardly be used skilfully or not, one cuts oneself off from the possibility of attainment that could actually have the potential to spiritually revive the West, in whatever form.
This is not to say that I argue for "Asian washing", it is to say that I believe in enlightenment, and deluded clinging to a dead history, combined with the shocking arrogance to think one can chop up and cherry pick a real spiritual path to one's own personal liking is nothing but an obstacle to the very rekindling that one seeks.
Indeed, I do think that syncretism can and will be skilful Dharma, now and into the future, but, to my limited perception, many currently engaged in it are in no position to be successful, because they act from a position of attachment and aversion rather than genuine Bodhicitta, and they think they can have the spiritual future they desire without giving up their own harmful attitudes.
Further, I say this as someone who fully desires the kind of Western revival as others who are exploring syncretism, however, as a practitioner, when I compare myself to the great masters of past and present, I see clearly my own inability to bring about benefit without first totally submitting myself to the path, not only for this lifetime, but for countless lifetimes, as long as it may take.
It is easy to ridecule feminist and secular Buddhists, and queer pagans, while thinking "I am based", but it is much harder to actually address one's own attachment to self identity.
"...rather than perpetuating your own and others’ suffering by allowing yourself to be taken in by the ways of saṃsāra, based as they are upon deluded attachments and aversions, instead consider carefully what the best way to use your life might be.
"The true goal of the Bodhisattva is to free all beings from saṃsāra, but to be able do that he must first free himself; and to free himself from saṃsāra he first has to understand clearly what is wrong with it. As it is said:
"Whatever is born will die,
Whatever is gathered will be dispersed,
Whatever is joined together will come apart,
Whatever goes up will fall down."
These faults apply both to the traditions and people of the West, and also to the outer form of Dharma in general. That is why it is so imperative that we practice true Dharma earnestly now, while we still have the chance, and why we must avoid the trap of our own daydreams about a particular outcome in the particular corner of samsara in which we were born.
Having approached the issue of spirituality through the lens of the decline of the West, and Traditionalist notions of initiation, and Perennialism, it is natural that there is a desire to re-create European spirituality.
However, having recognised the need for initiation into a living tradition, if one is not willing to completely give up one's petty attachments to cultural particularity, whether it can outwardly be used skilfully or not, one cuts oneself off from the possibility of attainment that could actually have the potential to spiritually revive the West, in whatever form.
This is not to say that I argue for "Asian washing", it is to say that I believe in enlightenment, and deluded clinging to a dead history, combined with the shocking arrogance to think one can chop up and cherry pick a real spiritual path to one's own personal liking is nothing but an obstacle to the very rekindling that one seeks.
Indeed, I do think that syncretism can and will be skilful Dharma, now and into the future, but, to my limited perception, many currently engaged in it are in no position to be successful, because they act from a position of attachment and aversion rather than genuine Bodhicitta, and they think they can have the spiritual future they desire without giving up their own harmful attitudes.
Further, I say this as someone who fully desires the kind of Western revival as others who are exploring syncretism, however, as a practitioner, when I compare myself to the great masters of past and present, I see clearly my own inability to bring about benefit without first totally submitting myself to the path, not only for this lifetime, but for countless lifetimes, as long as it may take.
It is easy to ridecule feminist and secular Buddhists, and queer pagans, while thinking "I am based", but it is much harder to actually address one's own attachment to self identity.
"...rather than perpetuating your own and others’ suffering by allowing yourself to be taken in by the ways of saṃsāra, based as they are upon deluded attachments and aversions, instead consider carefully what the best way to use your life might be.
"The true goal of the Bodhisattva is to free all beings from saṃsāra, but to be able do that he must first free himself; and to free himself from saṃsāra he first has to understand clearly what is wrong with it. As it is said:
"Whatever is born will die,
Whatever is gathered will be dispersed,
Whatever is joined together will come apart,
Whatever goes up will fall down."
These faults apply both to the traditions and people of the West, and also to the outer form of Dharma in general. That is why it is so imperative that we practice true Dharma earnestly now, while we still have the chance, and why we must avoid the trap of our own daydreams about a particular outcome in the particular corner of samsara in which we were born.
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Forwarded from Egbert Moray-Falls
I want to clarify a little about what I said above. In the third paragraph, based on the post I was responding to, I said "having recognised the need for initiation into a living tradition". Therefore, unless one is convinced of that point, the rest is largely irrelevant.
Then I suggested that, in order to open oneself up to the possibility of attainment, one must give up one's attachments to cultural particularity. Notice that what must be relinquished is not cultural particularity itself, but rather the attachment to that.
In the fifth paragraph I explicitly endorse syncretism as skilful means, but clarify that proper practice and proper motivation are the necessary prerequisites for the success of such means.
The rest of what I said merely lays out basic elements common to many esoteric paths: worldly impressions are impermanent and illusory, and the goal of practice is to liberate oneself for the sake of benefiting all others. If one cannot accept these premises one cannot begin to practice.
I say "many esoteric paths" because I want people to realise that this is not a matter of Buddhist dogmatism, it concerns the very essence of all spirituality, and that the result is neither a particular religious structuring of society, nor magic powers, but the actual experience of true reality that enables one to be of genuine benefit.
The reason I felt it necessary to write such statements is because I see people taking on vows, commitments, and initiations while seemingly failing to engage in the basic foundations. If one has recognised the spiritual malaise of the present, and has gone on to take vows and initiations, one must realise that one's own ideas are not sufficient to gide one towards a path to liberation, and that far from benefiting self and other, one's delusions are harmful to oneself and everyone around one.
It is with that understanding that I recommend putting off the desire to act on the yearning for syncretism, or cultural adaptation, until one has begun to successfully tame one's mind and negative mental patterns. Furthermore, to be humble in this endeavour, and not to assume that one is capable of what one is not.
Then I suggested that, in order to open oneself up to the possibility of attainment, one must give up one's attachments to cultural particularity. Notice that what must be relinquished is not cultural particularity itself, but rather the attachment to that.
In the fifth paragraph I explicitly endorse syncretism as skilful means, but clarify that proper practice and proper motivation are the necessary prerequisites for the success of such means.
The rest of what I said merely lays out basic elements common to many esoteric paths: worldly impressions are impermanent and illusory, and the goal of practice is to liberate oneself for the sake of benefiting all others. If one cannot accept these premises one cannot begin to practice.
I say "many esoteric paths" because I want people to realise that this is not a matter of Buddhist dogmatism, it concerns the very essence of all spirituality, and that the result is neither a particular religious structuring of society, nor magic powers, but the actual experience of true reality that enables one to be of genuine benefit.
The reason I felt it necessary to write such statements is because I see people taking on vows, commitments, and initiations while seemingly failing to engage in the basic foundations. If one has recognised the spiritual malaise of the present, and has gone on to take vows and initiations, one must realise that one's own ideas are not sufficient to gide one towards a path to liberation, and that far from benefiting self and other, one's delusions are harmful to oneself and everyone around one.
It is with that understanding that I recommend putting off the desire to act on the yearning for syncretism, or cultural adaptation, until one has begun to successfully tame one's mind and negative mental patterns. Furthermore, to be humble in this endeavour, and not to assume that one is capable of what one is not.
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I agree with this message in essence, but I would have worded it differently. I will post my take on this subject later today.
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Forwarded from Egbert Moray-Falls
Buddhism =_= Life denying Reponse.pdf
78.7 KB
A quick response I wrote to this.
Egbert have brought up some of the things I wanted to say, but he worded it better than I could so I’m not going to repeat things that have already been said.
I’m happy that people take the initiative to get initiated into Esoteric Buddhism. To participate in it’s depth and possibilities for you as a practitioner. However, getting into Esoteric Buddhism should be done on its own terms, as a Buddhist you place the doctrine on the top of your hierarchy. That is emptiness, impermanence, compassion for all sentient beings and so on, and only secondary can we be concerned with giving life to what remains of Pagan Europe.
We shouldn’t turn to the Dharma just to use it as a tool to justify Paganism, to resurrect the religious customs of the worldly aristocrats, commoners and peasants of ancient Europe. As if Buddhadharma were to be left behind once you have the paganism that you desire, which would be a foul insult to a very rich ancient religious tradition that have persisted through countless hardships and trials.
We can only make serious efforts with syncretism once we have years if not decades of mastery in the tradition we wish to use as a means by which we can give life to Pagan Europe.
I’m happy that people take the initiative to get initiated into Esoteric Buddhism. To participate in it’s depth and possibilities for you as a practitioner. However, getting into Esoteric Buddhism should be done on its own terms, as a Buddhist you place the doctrine on the top of your hierarchy. That is emptiness, impermanence, compassion for all sentient beings and so on, and only secondary can we be concerned with giving life to what remains of Pagan Europe.
We shouldn’t turn to the Dharma just to use it as a tool to justify Paganism, to resurrect the religious customs of the worldly aristocrats, commoners and peasants of ancient Europe. As if Buddhadharma were to be left behind once you have the paganism that you desire, which would be a foul insult to a very rich ancient religious tradition that have persisted through countless hardships and trials.
We can only make serious efforts with syncretism once we have years if not decades of mastery in the tradition we wish to use as a means by which we can give life to Pagan Europe.
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