Energy in Buddhism

[django]

This quote below helps to clarify what Tibetan Buddhism is about, it’s not just tantra, it’s tantra plus right thinking.

Lati Rinpoche, a most venerable teacher, explains: “sentient being in the sense of those beings capable of feeling and thinking.” Wisdom (thinking) realizing emptiness, combined with bliss (feeling) is a wholesome approach to the path. To use a “Star Trek” metaphor, logical thinking alone (Vulcan) can lead to conclusions without context.

In one early Star Trek episode, The Immunity Syndrome, a giant one-celled creature swallows entire planets and destroys a ship fully crewed by Vulcans. Spock explains to Doctor McCoy why they failed: “Call it a deep understanding… but I know, not a person, not even a computer on board the Intrepid understood what was killing them, or would have understood it had they known.” Why? Because logic alone is not insightful. Insights come from “feeling.” This is why, in Vajrayana, union of Bliss and Emptiness, or union of Compassion and Wisdom, are always compulsory. One should not be practiced in absence of the other. Famously, in one of the Star Trek Movies (The Undiscovered Country), Spock says, “Logic is the beginning of wisdom… not the end.”

https://buddhaweekly.com/bliss-helps...mandala-deity/

[running]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

In some of the Buddhist dominate countries, if a person is 'wealthy', the person 'is expected' to have up to 4 wives: a social norm.

expected? i guess im lucky that im not by any stretch of the imagination wealthy and live in more of a Christian nation. I get tired just thinking about dealing with more than one at a time and im not even speaking of sex. lol. i spend about 6 out of every 8 days pretty much alone in my truck. lucky one will put up with me. lol. as if i don't spend enough time alone i think of being alone while im alone. think im pretty weird. took a long time for me to get me and some more to accept it.

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by running

expected? i guess im lucky that im not by any stretch of the imagination wealthy and live in more of a Christian nation. I get tired just thinking about dealing with more than one at a time and im not even speaking of sex. lol. i spend about 6 out of every 8 days pretty much alone in my truck. lucky one will put up with me. lol. as if i don't spend enough time alone i think of being alone while im alone. think im pretty weird. took a long time for me to get me and some more to accept it.

One thing I wished I had done was keep track of how many times I was asked if I had 4 wives and other derivatives of that question.

[Phaelyn]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

One thing I wished I had done was keep track of how many times I was asked if I had 4 wives and other derivatives of that question.

Doubt we will ever see a religion where one wife has four husbands but that's because most "religions" are male dominated and controlled and women or females are not treated as equals and basically exist to serve the males. Even the "consort" thing tends to be abusive towards females in many ways if one looks into it. For example if one reads the writings of June Campbell, who was the consort of a senior Tibetan Buddhist monk, she says she was threatened with death if she broke her vow of secrecy and talks about other abuse and how Buddhism is sexist and patriarchal. I feel sad for the young nuns who may have been forced to be consorts. One would think at least religion would be a safe space for females but too often this is not the case.

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by Phaelyn

Doubt we will ever see a religion where one wife has four husbands but that's because most "religions" are male dominated and controlled and women or females are not treated as equals and basically exist to serve the males. Even the "consort" thing tends to be abusive towards females in many ways if one looks into it. For example if one reads the writings of June Campbell, who was the consort of a senior Tibetan Buddhist monk, she says she was threatened with death if she broke her vow of secrecy and talks about other abuse and how Buddhism is sexist and patriarchal. I feel sad for the young nuns who may have been forced to be consorts. One would think at least religion would be a safe space for females but too often this is not the case.

I went into one shop one day and the owner of the shop told me "Do you see that man over there sleeping?" I looked and she said "He is my fourth husband!" In the Himalayan areas this is a common situation and nobody seems to question it. As she looked at me, it looked like she was looking for another husband.

Having more then one husband or more then one wife seems to be more prevalent then most people believe and seems to be involved in virtually all religions.

About 20 years ago, I wrote a letter to the USA State Department regarding that subject as it involved predominate Buddhist countries. The State Department at that time did not recognize certain Buddhist marriages. My question to the State Department involved the USA's position on marrying a woman from each dominate Buddhist country in a marriage the USA did not recognize, if it was acceptable? It took some time to get a response back.

Surprisingly, a person can get married by the clergy, have a big wedding, etc. in the USA only to find out in certain cases, the marriage is not recognized by the USA Government!

As for a man having more then one wife in a Buddhist dominate country, It was the women, except for one time, that would initiate such conversations with me and it was always looked upon by the women as a very good thing.

Traditionally in Buddhism, parents come first. Next is Children followed by Spouse. If a woman gets married to a wealthy man, it automatically means a large dowry that goes to the parents. It also means that money would be forth coming each month to help the parents financially and if she already has children, money for the children.

[sentient]

Originally Posted by Phaelyn

Doubt we will ever see a religion where one wife has four husbands but that's because most "religions" are male dominated and controlled and women or females are not treated as equals and basically exist to serve the males. Even the "consort" thing tends to be abusive towards females in many ways if one looks into it. For example if one reads the writings of June Campbell, who was the consort of a senior Tibetan Buddhist monk, she says she was threatened with death if she broke her vow of secrecy and talks about other abuse and how Buddhism is sexist and patriarchal. I feel sad for the young nuns who may have been forced to be consorts. One would think at least religion would be a safe space for females but too often this is not the case.

Apparently in Tibet a woman can have more than one husbands.

In Aboriginal culture you are threatened by death if you break the vow of secrecy about the Sacred Men’s or Women’s business.

Things are not always as we think they are.
Unless we are actually there directly witnessing, experiencing them, best not to make fixed, thought created opinions.

We all have thought created opinions, but it is good to have them with an open ?-mark ....

*

[Phaelyn]

Originally Posted by sentient

Things are not always as we think they are.
Unless we are actually there directly witnessing, experiencing them, best not to make fixed, thought created opinions.

We all have thought created opinions, but it is good to have them with an open ?-mark ....

*

The reality is people are people, some selfless, some selfish, some kind, some mean, some narcissistic and self centered, some with true compassion and empathy, some egotistical, some humble, some abusive, some nurturing, some violent, some non-violent, and these types are not segregated in this world. Doesn't matter if the group is Tantric Monks or an Army Platoon, position does not matter either, can be a high Master or Guru, a "Buddha" or a dishwasher... all kinds of people are found in all positions and in all occupations or roles.

So "evil and angelic" and "everything in between" people exist everywhere in everything. That's how things are. That's reality.

While idealism exists, and "beautiful" philosophies or beliefs, the reality is a bunch of imperfect human beings are involved in such things, good and bad types of persons following such things, so while the idealism is perfect, what actually goes on is not. Mix sex with "spiritual" philosophy and one is just asking for abuse to occur. That's what's nice about Zen Buddhism. None of this sex stuff. Such things are not good or bad in themselves. It's the nature of the being involved that decides that.

Really all the philosophy and beliefs and practices won't matter one bit in the end. All the ideas about what one is doing or believing or following. Only one thing will matter. How we affected others. Did we create pain or suffering in another or eliminate pain and suffering in another? Did we make others lives, and our own lives, better or worse? Did we help or harm?

Really the more people close in our lives, the more potential for good or bad karma. A celibate Zen monk, heck or even a hermit, does not have a lot of opportunity to harm others, but neither do they have a lot of opportunity to help others, so karma can not swing big either way. Add in consorts or multiple wives, one is affecting a lot of others, add in children... which came about due to tactic practices... there is more potential for good or bad karma.... children require a lot of nurturing and selfless care taking....did these high guru masters provide that? That is what will matter in the end, not how many trances they went into or how many metaphysical experiences they had. Love is the most important spiritual trait. It can be "practiced" anywhere in anything, in any profession, role, or job.

[sentient]

Originally Posted by Phaelyn

The reality is people are people, some selfless, some selfish, some kind, some mean, some narcissistic and self centered, some with true compassion and empathy, some egotistical, some humble, some abusive, some nurturing, some violent, some non-violent, and these types are not segregated in this world. Doesn't matter if the group is Tantric Monks or an Army Platoon, position does not matter either, can be a high Master or Guru, a "Buddha" or a dishwasher... all kinds of people are found in all positions and in all occupations or roles.

So "evil and angelic" and "everything in between" people exist everywhere in everything. That's how things are. That's reality.

While idealism exists, and "beautiful" philosophies or beliefs, the reality is a bunch of imperfect human beings are involved in such things, good and bad types of persons following such things, so while the idealism is perfect, what actually goes on is not. Mix sex with "spiritual" philosophy and one is just asking for abuse to occur. That's what's nice about Zen Buddhism. None of this sex stuff. Such things are not good or bad in themselves. It's the nature of the being involved that decides that.

Really all the philosophy and beliefs and practices won't matter one bit in the end. All the ideas about what one is doing or believing or following. Only one thing will matter. How we affected others. Did we create pain or suffering in another or eliminate pain and suffering in another? Did we make others lives, and our own lives, better or worse? Did we help or harm?

Really the more people close in our lives, the more potential for good or bad karma. A celibate Zen monk, heck or even a hermit, does not have a lot of opportunity to harm others, but neither do they have a lot of opportunity to help others, so karma can not swing big either way. Add in consorts or multiple wives, one is affecting a lot of others, add in children... which came about due to tactic practices... there is more potential for good or bad karma.... children require a lot of nurturing and selfless care taking....did these high guru masters provide that? That is what will matter in the end, not how many trances they went into or how many metaphysical experiences they had. Love is the most important spiritual trait. It can be "practiced" anywhere in anything, in any profession, role, or job.

Apparently – “the scriptures say” - that an ordinary person should not act like a Yogi, a Yogi should not act like a Bodhisattva, a Bodhisattva should not act like a Siddha, and a Siddha should not act like a Buddha.

We all have our own ‘corrals’ (energetically speaking) that do determine our experience of Reality.

If we are not on the Tantric level of Buddhism – venturing in would be foolish as we would not be able to navigate the ‘Terrain’.

But it is also foolish to have or to build up (energetic) attitudes derived from fixed thought created opinions about Tantra without an open ?-mark …. if we are not ‘there yet’.

*

[Phaelyn]

Originally Posted by sentient

best not to make fixed, thought created opinions.

Our beliefs about right and wrong, good and bad, are not really opinions. They are things we hold at our deepest core as truths. One may also argue they come from our true nature, the source of the highest unselfish love.

What we deem good or bad, right or wrong, should not be at an opinion level. Like the golden rule is not a subjective opinion, though some may believe it is. I would say it is a universal truth.

“… hurt not others with what pains yourself.” The Buddha, Udânavarga 5:18

[sky]

Originally Posted by Phaelyn

Our beliefs about right and wrong, good and bad, are not really opinions. They are things we hold at our deepest core as truths. One may also argue they come from our true nature, the source of the highest unselfish love.

What we deem good or bad, right or wrong, should not be at an opinion level. Like the golden rule is not a subjective opinion, though some may believe it is. I would say it is a universal truth.

“… hurt not others with what pains yourself.” The Buddha, Udânavarga 5:18

'What we deem good or bad, right or wrong, should not be at an opinion level '

But it is unfortunately, our beliefs determine our opinions but both are changeable....




' Hurt not others with that which pains you.'

The problem is what hurts one person doesn't hurt another, it's not so straightforward. I think it depends on ' Volition '