Month: Sep 2021

BRAVEHEART BUDDHA: Women and lower castes as ‘foremost’ disciples, colloquial language teachings, ‘six requisites’ of monastics and the all-male ‘first council’

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Here is the write-up of the 13th Day of the 17th Karmapa's recent teachings on the Origins of Secret Mantra (see video here). The Karmapa first considers the question of the dates of the Buddha, his birth and death; how they are calculated based on the time of Emperor Ashoka and why there are differing… Continue reading BRAVEHEART BUDDHA: Women and lower castes as ‘foremost’ disciples, colloquial language teachings, ‘six requisites’ of monastics and the all-male ‘first council’

JEWEL RELICS AND BONES OF SHAKYAMUNI: A DEADLY MEAL, FINAL ADVICE AND PASSING AWAY (‘Origins of Secret Mantra’ (Day 12: Part 2) by 17th Karmapa)

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"All composite things are impermanent. They do not last. Work hard for your liberation.” (Anda dāni, bhikkhave, āmantayāmi vo, vayadhammā saṅkhārā appamādena sampādethā.)" --Shakyamuni Buddha’s Last Words "31. Just as when ghee or oil is burned, it leaves no particles or ashes behind, even so when the body of the Blessed One had been burned,… Continue reading JEWEL RELICS AND BONES OF SHAKYAMUNI: A DEADLY MEAL, FINAL ADVICE AND PASSING AWAY (‘Origins of Secret Mantra’ (Day 12: Part 2) by 17th Karmapa)

ORIGINS OF SECRET MANTRA (DAY 12). BUDDHA THE RADICAL REVOLUTIONARY AND FEMINIST: WHEN ROYALTY BOWED TO LOWER CASTES AND WOMEN BECAME FULLY-ORDAINED SANGHA (by 17th Karmapa)

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"Look at the disciples all together,their energy,their sincere effort.This is homage to the buddhas. Maya gave birth to Gautamafor the sake of us all.She has driven back painof the sick and dying." --Excerpt from Maha Pajapati (Gotami) Theri: A Mother's Blessing" (Thig 6.6) “For the Buddha, Gautama, his chief male disciples were Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana, while… Continue reading ORIGINS OF SECRET MANTRA (DAY 12). BUDDHA THE RADICAL REVOLUTIONARY AND FEMINIST: WHEN ROYALTY BOWED TO LOWER CASTES AND WOMEN BECAME FULLY-ORDAINED SANGHA (by 17th Karmapa)

ORIGINS OF SECRET MANTRA (DAY 11): ‘CAN’T GET NO SATISFACTION’; FROM PRINCE SIDDHARTHA TO SHAKYAMUNI THE ASCETIC: the early life of Buddha, family lineage, name, locations and practicing austerities in the forest (by 17th Karmapa)

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"That ruler of men, sporting with his queen,Enjoyed as it were, Vaishravana’s sovereign might,Free from sin, then, she produced the fruit of her womb,As knowledge does, when united with trance. Before she conceived she saw in a dreamA white elephant kingEntering her body, yet she did notThereby feel any pain." "But when queen Maya saw… Continue reading ORIGINS OF SECRET MANTRA (DAY 11): ‘CAN’T GET NO SATISFACTION’; FROM PRINCE SIDDHARTHA TO SHAKYAMUNI THE ASCETIC: the early life of Buddha, family lineage, name, locations and practicing austerities in the forest (by 17th Karmapa)

BUDDHA AKSHOBYA (MITRUGPA) IN ‘VAJRA-ESSENCE’ TREASURE OF GURU PADMASAMBHAVA teaching by 8th Garchen Rinpoche

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As a short break between the remaining posts on the 17th Karmapa’s teachings on the Origins of Secret Mantra, here is a write-up of the recent teaching and empowerment (11th September 2021) given by HE 8th Garchen Rinpoche on the Buddha Akshobhya (see video here). I received this online empowerment from Garchen Rinpoche, and have… Continue reading BUDDHA AKSHOBYA (MITRUGPA) IN ‘VAJRA-ESSENCE’ TREASURE OF GURU PADMASAMBHAVA teaching by 8th Garchen Rinpoche

ORIGINS OF SECRET MANTRA (DAY 10): ‘DO WHATEVER YOU ENJOY’, HERETICS, HEDONISTS, NIHILISTS AND ‘NAKED ASCETICS’ IN INDIA: Sixty-two wrong views, six non-Buddhist teachers, the Charvakas and Jain followers at the time of Buddha

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'As long as you live, live joyouslyNone can escape Death's wide net;When once this body has been burnt,How can it ever return? While you live, live well, even if you have to borrow, for once cremated there is no return.' ― Quotes from Charvaka school “Do not injure, abuse, oppress, enslave, insult, torment, torture, or… Continue reading ORIGINS OF SECRET MANTRA (DAY 10): ‘DO WHATEVER YOU ENJOY’, HERETICS, HEDONISTS, NIHILISTS AND ‘NAKED ASCETICS’ IN INDIA: Sixty-two wrong views, six non-Buddhist teachers, the Charvakas and Jain followers at the time of Buddha

ORIGINS OF SECRET MANTRA (DAY 9): ‘NO SMOKE WITHOUT FIRE’, INDIAN PHILOSOPHICAL INVESTIGATIONS ON MATTER, MIND, METAPHYSICS, LOGIC AND THE MEANING OF LIFE AND REALITY (by 17th Karmapa)

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Reality is truth, and what is true is so,irrespective of whether we know it is, or are aware of that truth.— Akṣapada Gautama in Nyaya Sutra The true being is eternal, having no cause. Its indicator is its effect. The presence of the effect arises from the presence of its cause.— Vaisheshika Sutras 4.1-3  … Continue reading ORIGINS OF SECRET MANTRA (DAY 9): ‘NO SMOKE WITHOUT FIRE’, INDIAN PHILOSOPHICAL INVESTIGATIONS ON MATTER, MIND, METAPHYSICS, LOGIC AND THE MEANING OF LIFE AND REALITY (by 17th Karmapa)

ORIGINS OF SECRET MANTRA (DAY 8): THE AGE OF PHILOSOPHY, ARRIVAL OF SUTRAS, DIVINE GEOMETRY AND DEVANAGARI SCRIPT by 17th Karmapa

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"The history of linguistics begins not with Plato or Aristotle, but with the Indian grammarian Panini.' — Rens Bod "Sūtras are called so because they have the following qualities:few letters, i.e. aphoristic in nature;unambiguous; contain the essence of the śāstra;comprehensive and universal; without superfluous words;and free from error. (alpākṣaramasandigdhaṃ sāravadviśvatomukham  astobhamanavadyañca sūtraṃ sūtravido viduḥ ||)"… Continue reading ORIGINS OF SECRET MANTRA (DAY 8): THE AGE OF PHILOSOPHY, ARRIVAL OF SUTRAS, DIVINE GEOMETRY AND DEVANAGARI SCRIPT by 17th Karmapa

ORIGINS OF SECRET MANTRA (DAY 7): IDEAS ON SAMSARA, KARMA, ADVANCED PHILOSOPHY AND INDIAN CASTE: the Upanishads on liberation, two epic Indian poems, Buddha’s clan as ‘friend of the Sun’, rise of the Brahmins and status of women (by 17th Karmapa)

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"Brahman has but two forms—gross and subtle, mortal and immortal, limited and unlimited, defined and undefined." (dve vāva brahmaṇo rūpe—mūrtaṃ caivāmūrtaṃ ca, martyaṃ cāmṛtaṃ ca, sthitaṃ ca yacca, sacca, tyacca||) — Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 2.3.1 "Then, higher than this heaven, above the world, higher than everything, in the highest world, higher than which nothing exists—the light… Continue reading ORIGINS OF SECRET MANTRA (DAY 7): IDEAS ON SAMSARA, KARMA, ADVANCED PHILOSOPHY AND INDIAN CASTE: the Upanishads on liberation, two epic Indian poems, Buddha’s clan as ‘friend of the Sun’, rise of the Brahmins and status of women (by 17th Karmapa)