Suthep_Steve

A friend who is a Tibetan studies scholar wrote his dissertation putting forth a theory that the system of identifying reincarnated lamas, by other lamas, evolved as a method for keeping the succession/inheritance of lama-held lands/property in the hands of the various Tibetan orders, who otherwise didn't have a clear system of succession. I have no idea what the merits of this argument might be, knowing none of the details, but it's an interesting theory.

I think the Tibetians would say that faith on the side of the disciple is the key thing.

"If the disciple believes the Lama is a Buddha he will receive the blessings of a Buddha.

If the disciple believes the Lama is a Bodhisattva he will receive the blessings of a Bodhisattva.

If the disciple believes the Lama is an ordinary being he will receive no blessings."

That does rather beg the question "What is coming from the side of the Lama?"

While in the UK I've been at a number of Buddhist teachings on anger / patience. I think at almost everyone someone asked a question or made a statement along the lines of:

"It's all very well to talk about practising patience but if it wasn't for anger we would lack the power to get things done. Also if you just practise patience you will become a doormat and people will take advantage / not respect you."

Since moving to Thailand I've talked to a number of educated intelligent Thais who imply that many of Thailand’s problems stem from the sabai sabai / jai yen attitude promoted by Buddhism.

What do you think, does anger have its uses or is jai yen the way ahead?

Here is a selection of girls names from a class I taught a couple of months ago:

Pan, Pim, Jip, Wie (makes me laugh), Mai, Foam, Tik, Cake, Cartoon, Friend (aahh), Wa, Pink, Aum, Rin, Nan, Suwei

What they called me

Mr Hippo

Is he related to Geshe Kelsang Gyatso?

There not related by family, but they probably share the same root Guru. The Dalai Lama has never officially acknowledged anyone as his root Guru, but it is generally thought that within the Gelukpa Tradition (the Buddhist group to which the Dalai Lamas belong) his closest teacher was Trijang Rinpoche.

Venerable Geshe Kelsang's root Guru is Trijang Rinpoche. He founded the New Kadampa Tradition, which now has nearly seven hundred Kadampa Buddhist centres in thirty-six countries, each with qualified teachers and a full program of introductory classes, structured study programs and meditation retreats.

Take a look at:

http://www.kadampa.org

I've been a student of Geshe Kelsang's for over 12 years and have nothing but the highest regard for this fully qualified meditation master.

There is a nice Tibetan story about this kind of thing. An old lady sent her son on a trip to a holy Buddhist mountain that was thought to be one of the homes of a particular Buddha. She was too unwell to make the trip of several months but she asked her son to bring her back a bit of rock from the mountain. The son was a bit of a feckless lad and forgot about his Mum's request until he saw his mother’s house on the return trip. Not wishing to disappoint her he bent down picked up any old bit of rock on the ground and presented it to his Mum on his return.

The old lady was delighted and immediately put the rock on her shrine and treated it as if it had come from a Buddha's pure land. The old lady clung on to life and through her practise and devotion particularly towards the rock she attained many special and peaceful attainments.

On her death bed the old ladies son confessed his lie and she turned to him and said

"My son the rock was unimportant it was my faith that has saved me."

TV meeting

You can wear what you like girl but I'm a bit straight laced for that kind of thing.

Sorry couldn't resist, must be my English up bringing.....

Pure Buddhist instructions are only those that have been received through a pure, unbroken lineage from Buddha Shakyamuni

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, Joyful Path of Good Fortune

My understanding of this quote is that a sutra is only pure if it was transmitted by the Buddha and that all subsequent translations have been overseen by an enlightened member of the lineage. So you could say that the authenticity depends not only on it's origins but also the quality of the translator.

Further more Mahayanaists believe that you need to receive the aural transmission of the text from a lineage holder to receive full benefit. I.E you need to hear the text from someone who has the actual realisation being talked about within their mental continuum.

In Great Exposition of the Stages of the Path Je TsongKharpa refers to the great fault.

"The great fault is the fault of rejecting Dharma as a result of wrongly discriminating  between Buddha's scriptures. ...... We are also rejecting Dharma if out of sectarianism we maintain that some scriptures are unnecessary for higher practitioners, thinking, for example that some scriptures are for Bodhisattvas and others are only for those who have a more  limited aspiration."

I would therefore be very wary of following one sutra to the exclusion of all others.

I think in the main it’s irrelevant to what the Buddha said. The Buddha talked about how to understand the mind and the external world is only of interest in terms of how it impacts on the mind. In terms of the mind (I’m not talking about the brain) intensions and desires are the forces that define development or regression.

A member of the sangha sitting in their forest retreat can understand the idea of evolution and it may well appear true with regards to the evidence of the external senses but of what use is it to them in fulfilling their quest for internal knowledge.

I'm no expert so don't take what I say as having any basis these are just my thoughts on the matter.

Another to try and redress the Theravadian bias.

Introduction to Buddhism, Geshe Kelang Gyatso, Tharpa Publications

I believe the Tibetians say that The Mahavira converted to Buddhism along with many of his other followers in later life. I believe they also say that he attained enlightenment within that life and became a Buddha himself.

In some of the Vajrayana scriptures he is mentioned or someone who is his namesake is mentioned.

I doubt if this is the Jainist line but it may well be true as the practise of debate between important religious leaders was known in those days. The losers converted to the winners order along with their desciples. Maybe we could resurect this practise on Thai visa

If you have negative karma on your mental continuum can you realise emptiness? 

The simple answer has to be no.

But how do you understand 'emptiness'?

Doesn't the fact that we have the delusion of grasping at an inherently existent self within our mental continuum mean that all our actions and hence karma are contaminated and therefore to some extent negative.

So that would make it impossible to remove delusion permanently from our mental continuum because we could never realise it's ultimate antidote emptiness or the wisdom that realises lack of inherent existence.

If you have negative karma on your mental continuum can you realise emptiness?