Energy in Buddhism

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

INTERESTING POINTS!
......... in Theravada Buddhism, energy is felt differently thru the Temples and Statues. Energy is felt thru devotion especially the desire to be a monk or nun at least once in their life time. Energy is felt in the simple things especially in the sight of the huge Sun rising over the rise fields or in the quietness of the Water Buffalo.

Well, there is no other to feel. If one is able to feel energy Buddhist mandalas have strong energy but the Buddhist view would be you are only feeling yourself.

Which is true and not true in my view and one of the things that limits Buddhism.

[django]

Originally Posted by jonesboy

I looked at the article. Looks like a lot of guessing and very little direct experience. I would look for a better source on Buddhist tantra.

That would be interesting to see. I guess it would be something that goes into detail about tummo, I recall reading something about it a few years ago, and how antithetical to the western mentality that was as well, in terms of their training and use of young women.

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by django

That would be interesting to see. I guess it would be something that goes into detail about tummo, I recall reading something about it a few years ago, and how antithetical to the western mentality that was as well, in terms of their training and use of young women.

I have no idea of what you are talking about.

Tummo has nothing to do with the use of young women.

Here is some info on tummo.

Kundalini is a Hindu/yoga term, and in their framework it is seen as starting at the base. Kundalini yoga is a body layer type of energy based yoga. In buddhism, the same energy is called "tummo". But, in buddism energy practices are usually started later in the spritual process and the person has relatively greater mental clarity (dropped more obstructions). So the process is much more subtle, rather than things like full body mudras, they call it subtle "winds". The greater the clarity, the for subtle the flows.

The process continues until it is more like radiant "light".

Tibetan Buddhism views the human body as consisting of a coarse body made of six constituent elements of earth, water, fire, wind, space and consciousness and also of a subtle body, or 'Vajra body', of energy-winds, energy-channels and energy-drops.There are many types of wind or 'subtle breath' that move along the invisible channels of the subtle body. The 'vital breath' (Tibetan:sog lung ) is considered the most important. It is "the essence of life itself that animates and sustains all living beings".[2]Anuttarayoga Tantra practices from the Mahamudra meditation system, such as Guhyasamaja, Chakrasamvara and Hevajra, provide various methods to penetrate the vital points of the Subtle Body. Dalai Lama XIV summarises the practice: "To penetrate these points means to gather there the energy-winds and the subtle minds that ride on them, basically by means of different types of absorbed concentration focused on these spots.".[3] Practices that work with the subtle energy winds includes tummo or 'Inner Fire', one of the Six Yogas of Naropa. In this practice, the yogin or yogini uses breathing and meditation techniques to draw the lung or subtle winds into the central channel and hold them there, traversing the body vertically.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lung_(Tibetan_Buddhism)

One can think of tummo as a means of drawing the energy into the central channel.

Here is a decent little book.

https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/downloa...ropa-ebook.pdf

Now I understand that you don't believe that tummo is a real Buddhist practice but in essence it is a simple but powerful energy practice that focuses on the 3rd chakra.

[django]

Originally Posted by jonesboy

I have no idea of what you are talking about.

Tummo has nothing to do with the use of young women.

Here is some info on tummo.

Kundalini is a Hindu/yoga term, and in their framework it is seen as starting at the base. Kundalini yoga is a body layer type of energy based yoga. In buddhism, the same energy is called "tummo". But, in buddism energy practices are usually started later in the spritual process and the person has relatively greater mental clarity (dropped more obstructions). So the process is much more subtle, rather than things like full body mudras, they call it subtle "winds". The greater the clarity, the for subtle the flows.

The process continues until it is more like radiant "light".




One can think of tummo as a means of drawing the energy into the central channel.

Here is a decent little book.

https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/downloa...ropa-ebook.pdf

Now I understand that you don't believe that tummo is a real Buddhist practice but in essence it is a simple but powerful energy practice that focuses on the 3rd chakra.

Tummo involves the secret chakra, and historically involved sex with rather young women. The traditions are highly secretive, and not something you’re likely to stumble across on a random internet search. I’ve been shown a couple of accounts and discussed it with a couple of buddhists, tummo is more than you are aware of it would seem.

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by django

Tummo involves the secret chakra, and historically involved sex with rather young women. The traditions are highly secretive, and not something you’re likely to stumble across on a random internet search. I’ve been shown a couple of accounts and discussed it with a couple of buddhists, tummo is more than you are aware of it would seem.

No sir.

If you search on the internet and listen to people who have no clue as to what they are talking about then it involves secret chakras and young women. The super secret chakra is the 2nd chakra in hindu terms... :O

Here is some nice information. https://buddhaweekly.com/lighting-th...heir-practice/

And some more.

The colour of the Karma family is green like in the springtime and the body part is the groin and reproductive organs.

The Secret Chakra contains a 32 petalled lotus. These petals represent the sub-channels that flow at the groin area from the three main energy channels of our body.

The Secret Chakra has to do with creation, reproduction and elimination. From the process of creation, the secret chakra has to do with life-force, vitality, and energy. From there stems its connection with intention or will.

It also involves the whole process of production and extinction. During the death process, rebirth in the lower realms is reflected in our energy leaving the body through the lower chakras. Higher birth is reflected in the energy going from the heart upward through the crown chakra. Deliberately imagining our energy exiting the crown of our head at the time of death improves the likelihood of a higher rebirth.

The Secret Chakra practices involve paying attention to the processes of elimination and sexual energy. It is also important to pay attention to vitality or life-force. Confidence is also a part of the Secret Chakra energy. So paying attention to our level of confidence is also an important aspect of awareness of Karma energy and the Secret chakra.

Evidence of the association of these energies is that the reproductive processes, confidence, and vitality can all diminish with age. The method to keep vitality and confidence high, and even sexual energy, is by remaining active, and not eating heavy meals but eating light, well-balanced food. Action is a part of Karma energy and so keeping active, setting goals, and having a purpose helps to keep Karma family energy activated.

As you can see... lot's of fear and misinformation on the internet... not to mention some personal agendas.

Just like people thinking tantra is about sex.. when it's not.

Now in some traditions there are completion stage practices where one works with a female dakini if you are male. That is also another powerful practice but in no way are you actually working with another person.

[jonesboy]

A little more on the secret chakra from the link I posted.

The five chakras are, in English: crown (top of the head, or just above the crown), throat, heart, navel and secret (the sex organ). There are numerous important correspondences for each — which require a teacher’s explanation — but the always-present chakras include Body (crown), Speech (throat) and Mind (heart); these relate to the Body, Speech and Mind of the Buddha.
.......

All tantric practices, even the basic ones, include visualization of at least these three chakras. The remaining two, navel and secret, are always there, but may not be visualized actively in more basic practice. They are critical, however, to higher tantra, tummo, the Six Yogas of Naropa, and Completion Practices — all of which are higher practices requiring initiation and teachers.

[Unseeking Seeker]

***

@ jonesboy ... thanks for the book link. I’ll go through it.

It’s true that the manner of kundalini awakening depends upon the state of active in-form consciousness, basically meaning fears resulting in blockages. Also, patience needed in assimilating ‘collaborative awakening’ of chakras, if I may use such a term. Much to be said about it but this thread is not the place

Edit: Interesting that you mention the sex chakra/angle, which we should not shy away from. Kaula tantra deals with this aspect although there are many distorted versions. As a teaser, let me share a truth on this ... Anahata male/female polarities triangulating with the Muladhara downwards and with the Ajna upwards. Perfect symmetry & geometry.

***

[Phaelyn]

So there is always a running for instance?

Originally Posted by running

yes.

Well until the next lifetime then maybe Running becomes Lisa Ann

But then it may be possible to not identify as either in various moments.

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by Unseeking Seeker

***

@ jonesboy ... thanks for the book link. I’ll go through it.

It’s true that the manner of kundalini awakening depends upon the state of active in-form consciousness, basically meaning fears resulting in blockages. Also, patience needed in assimilating ‘collaborative awakening’ of chakras, if I may use such a term. Much to be said about it but this thread is not the place

Edit: Interesting that you mention the sex chakra/angle, which we should not shy away from. Kaula tantra deals with this aspect although there are many distorted versions. As a teaser, let me share a truth on this ... Anahata male/female polarities triangulating with the Muladhara downwards and with the Ajna upwards. Perfect symmetry & geometry.

***

Lot's of different aspects to what you are saying.

Kundalini awakens when one opens the heart chakra. Kundalini is just energy or consciousness depending on ones level of depth. Now I know most people think of it as some big surge that leads to awakening. I have had the big surge... it was very cool..

I would agree that fear leads to a lot of issues with regard to kundalini. The more you fear the harder the obstructions are to remove. Yet there are always more obstructions to remove and with big removals comes a changes in ones being.

The male/female polarities is pretty common in both Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Male is Siva/silence and the female is Shakti/energy. The goal being to unite them and realize enlightenment. In Buddhist terms this would be the first part of the Heart Sutra void=form or the realization of the light body.

Good stuff, thank you.

[django]

There is also the secret, or sex, chakra. This is red, has thirty-two branches, and is level with the base of the spine. In a man, this is located at the base of the sex organ. As well, there is the middle secret chakra, also known as the jewel chakra, which is white and has eight branch channels; and there is the tip secret chakra, which is at the end of the penis, where the central channel ends.

"Bliss of Inner Fire" by Lama Yeshe, page 108

Sex with real women was the final stage, though this may or may not still be practiced, there is much secrecy around this, not surprisingly.

Research the Vajra Rosary Tantra. There is a full translation here, https://academiccommons.columbia.edu...383NX/download
Relevant to this issue read from page 435, the first chapter is just questions. Good luck with reading the whole thing, but the more you read the less doubt you will have that actual sex was the final stage of Tibetan Tantra.