We are not really being Dharma practitioners, but at the same time, we try to be Dharma practitioners, though we don’t really follow [Dharma] correctly. And we are still lost, still under the control of non-Buddhist thoughts that’s not in accordance with Dharma.
There are a lot of fears in our mind, and we worry for many things. Our ignorance makes us scared and worried without a good reason. Sometimes, we don’t really need to worry too much like that, but [this is] our nature to worry about things.
People are easy to have blind faith that is not based on study, a good reason, good thinking. But [we need] faith that is very pure that comes from good conditions and causes: to hear the Dharma, think carefully the meaning of Dharma and try to the get essence of that, try to get the experience from one’s studies. So, blind faith is never good and we should try to avoid from being blind faithful.
I think we discus quite a lot. Sometimes it’s like being criticizing but when we talk about the benefits of Dharma, why do we need Dharma, then of course, we need the true understanding of the problems of people and society and [how] Dharma can solve many problems in this world. So, we need to talk about some negative things about our world and about people [in this world].
There is the mind lineage of the Buddhas, the symbol lineage of the Vidyadharas, and the oral lineage of individuals – these three groups have their own ways of to teach. Buddhas had their own ways of teaching to each other. And Vidyadharas also have their unique way of teaching. And also, ordinary people like us, we have our own way to receive teachings and to teach to others.
So, this is the meditation of the teaching of Longchen Nyingthig practices. All the Vidyadharas of this lineage are very great, compassionate and have wisdom, and Mahasiddhas, so therefore they called Vidyadharas.
And then Vidyadharas, of course, means the noble ones, the high beings, high masters. So, this is the meditation of the teaching of Longchen Nyingthig practices. All the Vidyadharas of this lineage are very great, compassionate and have wisdom, and Mahasiddhas, so therefore they called Vidyadharas.
It’s a very common for all Buddhist teachings and especially in Vajrayana teachings, that being a Vajrayana master one must have received the words from the guru saying “you do this”, to permit or to give the authority to a student of the Guru, saying: “From now, you’re going to teach this to keep the lineage.”
“Bless me so that delusion on the path will cease!”. When practicing Dharma a lot of Dharma practitioners meet some obstacles and they give up their practice because they just cannot handle the obstacles. For example, nowadays the society is complicated and the whole society probably may be criticizing a dharma person. The whole society can make a pressure on the individual Dharma practitioners.
If I want to practice visualizing Buddha or a Yidam should I receive initiation from a Vajra master? I’ve heard visualizing without receiving initiation may create bad karma. If I want to visualize You, may You give us some ritual, ceremony this time?
