Visiting a Buddhist center and missing the teachings.

A couple years ago (Ocober 2015) I decided to explore more of Buddhism here in Colorado.  I made it a point to meet other Buddhists and visit Buddhist centers.  Since I started up the meditation group (affectionately called 'our Sangha Circle' I have brought back this idea and am working on visiting more in the near future.  

This is one of those accounts. 

So I decided to look up and visit other groups in the Denver area and see what meditation practices there are out there.  So I started generally and looked up "Meditation in Denver".

I found the place near the downtown Denver area and liked what it seemed to offer.  It was located above a coffee shop, I arrived early at a place called 'The Bardo' (what a great name for a funky coffee shop!!!).  The space upstairs for meditation was simple as one would expect, with the typical posters and a book shelf or two.  There were sitting mats stacked in the corner and some giant photos on the wall.  Yet, none of 'The Buddha'... hmmm.

That's fine.

I sat with the small group, each had their own mala and sat ready to begin.  The leader of the group began by espousing how original this teaching was and how it was the only real teaching and the direct teaching of Buddhism and of Buddhists!  

I thought, this is great!

Then the discussion began with a little historical info as well as some of the backstory of the main teacher.   But not The Buddha... I guess the founder of this class or system...

Again, that's fine...

Soon it went to a familiar list of aspects and concepts that I knew well...
But wait...

Wait a minute.

The discussion began with Refuge, refuge in the familiar 'Triple Gem' or 'Three jewels' however it usually is discussed... This one, however had a new addition...
A 'fourth' Gem... the Lama...

Ahhh so here we go.

Original teachings, directly back to the Buddha... with a Lama... ?

I understand Vajrayana, I have studied it well.  I have also left it on the shelf because of the Lama aspect of devotion of the mind and body to the Lama, the main or root Guru, a person...
This is tightly woven into the fabric of 'Lineage' or Buddhist Pedigree and it really seems to be rather bunk.   Here is why.

When you read an article (scholarly) there is a back page or few that have references, its where that information is from.  That way you can go back and look at where that writer got the information and go back from there to better understand the process and thinking that went into that article.   Similarly we have a list of teachers, somehow taken as going back directly to the Buddha... Then something happened...

This is why when you read a sutra, or even hear it spoken about you often hear (at least should) 'THUS I HEARD'  This way the listener knows it is a reference to work done by another, not 'yours'.  As is an honorific thing to do to make sure the teachings stay consistent.  This way if and when you become more familiar with the teachings of THE Buddha you can find and pick out those that offer an eloquent yet plagiarized speech of 'their teachings'.  

After the councils and the schisms and such, early Buddhism grew some branches... and moved to new lands.
I understand this to be a cultural tweaking of the teachings to be better understood by the new culture. As I have heard before, Buddhism was basically Hinduism for export. (Alan Watts)
Minus the thousands of gods and other deities, a refinement of sorts to occured with Buddhism to bring it to the commoner, not just the Brahman.   Remember, the Brahman class is that of priests and ONLY they could make offerings, do ceremonies and have direct connection with the divine.  This probably reminds you of another 'church' that insisted on keeping the teachings in a language only the priests could read. 

SO this all culminated in a bunch of groups that were 'official' and then some 'unofficial' ones in Buddhism.  Teachers sprang up all over the place stating THEY had the REAL info.  So something had to happen.  This was the beginning of what we call 'lineage'.  

Lineage is basically a 'brand' of Buddhist teachings.  It comes from a line of teachers that have been bequeathed specific knowledge, often in a 'transmission' which is nothing more than 'hey, I think you are good student, so take over 'the' business ok?'  You can teach what I taught and say I taught you and it will all be kosher and official like!..

When people get too attached (oops there's that word!) to a lineage, they can miss and be misguided by whomever they call their teacher.  This reminds me of an old teaching that was shown in Bruce Lee's 'Enter the Dragon' where he is teaching a student and says 

"It is like a finger pointing a way to the moon. Don't concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory.” - Bruce Lee.

This also reminds me of another teaching of basic Buddhism.  It attempts to thwart following the 'wrong teacher' with a great little discourse called the Advice to the Kalamas Sutra.  In that Sutra the Buddha explains how to test any teaching and use it for oneself.  Not being tied to 'a' teacher or 'a' book seems a pretty good way to study.  By using only one source you can end up with lots more misunderstanding, even though it is quite authoritative.  Which seems to be the issue with the class I attended...

Then I thought..
Wait, what kind of ego trip am I on?

I spent the next minutes making sure I watched my attitude and thoughts, realizing that these people are trying to do the very same thing as I... Reduce their own suffering and improve their understand what it means and to really be in 'the teachings.  Now...
Once I let go, it was a much better place to visit and the people were much more friendly.  I never did tell them I was a minister or have taught and practiced nearly 20 years.  That would have done little.  I had learned that that only opens a 'can of worms' and much suspicion. 

It was a good group. 

But this is what I learned.

The practice you do is the practice you do.  Look at it, test it, review it.  Search more...
It really doesn't matter what lineage, school, teacher, Lama, Guru, Poobah, or what ever you follow. 

The proof is in how it is really working.  

That is the hard part.

Be prepared to let go of that teacher or book at a moment's notice.  Drop it.  Develop your mind and soon you will not NEED that, but you can always go back to it as a reference and cross check.  Show respect and you will get it, look for understanding and you will find it.
In the process of letting go, really pay attention to your way of doing that, what is YOUR motivation? What are you trying to do, why?  Then you can be more confident in yourself in your reality.  Then you may really see it as it is.  Not as you think it should be, not as you were told it should be.  Stop following, you learn and do it all by yourself.  Know the way by travelling it.

That reminds me of another quote I have heard from Buddhism.  'When you use a raft to get across a river or stream, you leave it at the shore and continue on land, not carrying it on your head.'  (paraphrased).

The Buddha as he lie on his right side under a tree waiting to die told his followers, 'All things are changeable and not lasting', and later told them... 'be like a lamp unto yourselves' Shine your own way, use the light to see for yourself. 

Just a couple thoughts is all...

With sincere metta and gassho, bows.  

Rev. Sean