That is the division of Truths into conventional truths and ultimate truths that is studied in the Gelug middle way system, and that is applied to the study of all existent Buddhist schools, is even a subject of study for other Buddhist schools?
Is anyone familiar with any Gelugpa teachers who transmit the ChΓΆd teachings within the US? I'm not yet qualified for the practice, but it would be nice to know where it can be recieved in order to plant the seeds to recieve it. I know Zong Rinpoche practiced ChΓΆd and wrote about the Ensa Ear-Whispered lineage, but I'm not sure who he may have transmitted it to. Thank you in advance!
I mentioned to my Lama today about the Abby an hour north of where I live, and she seemed somewhat displeased that I was interested in monkhood.
She told me that her teacher, Chagdud Rinpoche would dream of a monk just before he would have a nightmare. Furthermore, she said that the practices are totally different -- which seems to imply my practice with her now would be irrelevant to any tradition other than the Nyingma. That was sort of a let-down because it would be perfect to live here and practice for a while and eventually make my way as a monastic at the Abby north of here.
What seemed most compelling was a mention of a Nyingma-killing deity, which cannot be what I think it is. I would refuse to practice with any tradition which brings that sort of activity into a skillful spotlight.
I appreciate any and all responses as I wade through my experience.
I'm writing on Tibetan Buddhism for a project, and despite my research I can't figure out what the name for the hat featured in this image is. What is the name of the hat that those in the Gelugpa school wear? All I've run across is "Yellow Hat". https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5328/8976045398_6dc337e954_b.jpg
I have heard a few bad things about them, what's the deal?
A very sad situation. A Taiwan Buddhist Gelug group has been taken over by a woman from China, probably a China spy to undermine a Dalai Lama loyal group.
They setup a training centre in Prince Edward island in Canada and caused curiosity in the beginning with their secretive attitude.
https://maisonneuve.org/article/2013/06/18/when-monks-come-town/
Indeed, they have a lot to hide. The first abbot left and exposed all their wrong doings, from scam to install a China woman who had caused monks to break root vows, to money laundering, illegal imprisonment.
Read the full translation from a Chinese narration transcript from the first abbot, Venerable Fan Yin, who has left.
https://ladakh2017blog.wordpress.com/
Do your worst!
Hi all, as my flair notes I am a white convert of about 8 years and in the last few years I have been studying more formally in the Gelug tradition.
I recently had a conversation with a Buddhist who made the claim that as Buddhism is passed down through oral tradition, "you cannot study [MahΔyΔna and VajrΔyΔna], you are raised with them" and therefore that conversion is essentially not possible and that converts are colonially appropriating the religion. They made the further claim that "anyone who 'teaches' Buddhism is scamming or indoctrinating you 9/10 times" and had specifically harsh things to say about the Gelug school, and they did not accept my argument that it was a legitimate school transmitted through Asanga/Nagarjuna and Lama Tsongkhapa. (For what it's worth, theirs seemed to be a communist critique which, as a communist myself, I would also be partially sympathetic to insofar as pre-1959 Tibet was a repressive feudal society, but that may be beside the point.)
That was about the extent of the conversation as I exited rather than getting embroiled in an argument I might regret, and given that my own teachers' legitimacy was being rejected I didn't feel like I had any possibility of appealing to traditional sources. But it was a discomfiting conversation as there are numerous arguments I have not really encountered before. I did point out that theirs seemed to be a minority view but that was not well received either...
The point about oral lineage is interesting, but it seems to me incorrect to say that one must be born into an oral tradition. Perhaps this is true of some oral traditions, but not all. In Gaelic Ireland, for example, I know there were numerous oral traditions (bardic, legal) which were passed down through study at formal educational institutions. So I have to assume the point was about Buddhism in particular, to which I would like to ask - is this true? Are MahΔyΔna and VajrΔyΔna oral traditions that you must be born into, and cannot study otherwise?
Second is the point about "conversion" being a form of appropriation. While there is evidently a huge issue of cultural appropriation of Buddhism (hence the existence of this sub), up till now the only people who I've encountered making the argument that all conversion [by white people] is appropriative are non-Buddhists who I thought were essentially over-correcting, perhaps by analogy with other Indian religions. This is the first time I have been told directly by someone r
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For context I'm a Refuse Driver (Garbage man) & today I was on food waste. After I'd tipped I was checking the wagon for any defects when I spotted a lone pea balanced on the lifts.
I said "hey look, an escaPEA"
No one near me but it didn't half make me laugh for a good hour or so!
Edit: I can't believe how much this has blown up. Thank you everyone I've had a blast reading through the replies π
Theyβre on standbi
Buenosdillas
Pilot on me!!
Hello everyone, happy monday! So my wonderful wife has got me in a Himalayan mood, so this week we will meet the Tibetans of Tibet China Tibet!! #freetibet
Region: China, Tibetan Plateau
https://preview.redd.it/9rpcozkofh981.png?width=425&format=png&auto=webp&s=7b38475cc18e9a7c762ca31d9aa827c22ebdd28c
Index Ranking (Urgency): 53
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Climate: The climate is severely dry nine months of the year, and average annual snowfall is only 46Β cm (18 inches), due to the rain shadow effect. Western passes receive small amounts of fresh snow each year but remain traversable all year round. Low temperatures are prevalent throughout these western regions, where bleak desolation is unrelieved by any vegetation bigger than a low bush, and where the wind sweeps unchecked across vast expanses of arid plain. The Indian monsoon exerts some influence on eastern Tibet. Northern Tibet is subject to high temperatures in the summer and intense cold in the winter.
Himalayas, on the southern rim of the Tibetan plateau
Terrain: The geography of Tibet consists of the high mountains, lakes and rivers lying between Central, East and South Asia. Most of Tibet sits atop a geological structure known as the Tibetan Plateau, which includes the Himalaya and many of the highest mountain peaks in the world. Tibet is often called "the roof of the world," comprising tablelands averaging over 4,950 meters above the sea with peaks at 6,000 to 7,500Β m, including Mount Everest, on the border with Nepal.
Wildlife of Tibet: The forests of Tibet are home to black bears, red pandas, musk deer, barking deer, and squirrels. Monkeys such as rhesus macaques and langurs live in the warmer forest zones. Tibetan antelopes, gazelles, and kiangs gaze on the grasslands of the Tibetan plateau. There are more than 500 bird species in Tibet. Because of the high altitude and harsh climate, there are few insects in Tibet. Snow leopards are hunted for their fur and the eggs of black-necked cranes have been collected as a delicacy food. Tibet also has a large Yak population.
[Tibetan Yak](https://preview.redd.it/i2no4kd3hh981.png?width=440&format=png&auto=webp&s=31ef1e73642c2f8
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Long story short. Substance misuser for a lot of my early 20s. Got somewhat sober after a near fatal suicide attempt at 24 and decided things needed to change. That was the tipping point from chaos to needing to rebuild - I realised I was losing people I loved and things needed to change. I felt alone.
I became introduced to Buddhism at around 25 through the FPMT and the Gelug tradition in the United Kingdom.
It helped to get sober... I relapsed. I had bad moments. I eventually slowly walked away thinking I wasn't able to be this idea I had in my of what a Buddhist should be. I'm now 32. I've achieved a degree of success and stability but had a nervous breakdown in September. It's been a slow recovery. I relapsed with drugs and alcohol and I've found myself again drawn back to Buddhist theology to work my way out of this.
Told my boss he's terrible at managing people, that he's ignored every email about stress that I've sent him and I've quit. It felt liberating. Thank god for insurance - I took them to a work tribunal and won a constructive dismissal case.
I've dropped whatever ideas about who I should be and simply try to accept who I am - generally kind with a good heart but also many failures and traumas haunting me in the background that have caused damage. It's been interesting meeting back up with those from the FPMT because I'm realising some of these 'idyllic Buddhists' were simply putting on a show and I wasn't. It's interesting who I'm drawn to as I have started to engage with my local community again.
So. Back to square one. I have a good grounding in basic meditation - that's a practise I've kept up. Basics about the four noble truths have stuck and there are some ingrained behaviours that I've always kept. I want to move further and build a solid foundation. I want to be better so I'm not constantly focused on my own life to keep it together, help other people and leave this place somewhat better to coming into it.
I use our Gompa as a quiet place to meditate and study. Mainly commentaries on the heart sutra at the moment. I take place in Green Tara Puja's and Medicine Buddha pujas. The evidence I've seen tells me group practice seems very beneficial even if I don't entirely understand the lines and verses.
What else do I need to build a good foundation? Where should I focus my study? I'm not labelling myself as anything at the moment - I've simply reconnected with a philosophy that I connect with.
It's especially important to me bec
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