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

Reading from the Bardo Thodol for my best friend, Shadow.

 Who was Shadow? 

Shadow was a Jack Russel/Chihuahua mix.  He was born in Ordot, Guam in 2008 we figured around May.  In September of 2008 he came to live in Los Angeles with me and he was certainly 'my Shadow' he was at my office with me every day.  Eventually we ended up living at the Rosemead Buddhist Monastery where he would chase and be chased by monks and nuns.  That is where he met Lama Jigme Dorge of the Khawalung Monastery, Kathmandu, Nepal.  They became quick friends.  

In 2010 I moved us to Colorado.  Shadow was with me every moment.  Shadow went on many adventures with me,  in his life he encountered prairie dogs, bull snakes, coyotes, FOUR bulls and even a bear.  He was fearless...  He was a mouser and hunted them relentlessly.   He often caught them indoors, outdoors, in the snow even.   

Every day he came with me, when the Lama (Jigme Dorge) came to visit he would gently hold Shadow's chin with the finger tips of both hands and talk to him.  

We went to the tops of 14,000 foot mountains of the Rockies, the Grand Canyon, swamps, deserts, forests, and prairies as far as you could see.  He was always free, and my greatest teacher.  

In 2022 he became ill, turns out he had a large tumor.  The vet thought that although he was pretty old, he was strong.  All the tests and checkups indicated a good chance of success.  

His surgery was on April 15th.  It went well, the surgeon called me to say it went as good as he planned and expected an 80% chance of recovery.  His tumor did take up some of his stomach and pancreas so he would have to be on enzymes and probably insulin.   They had even prepared for that.  I was able to bring him home with me that day.  He was groggy, had medicines and needed to be turned over every 15 minutes.  I sat up with him... Later that night he began to fuss, I gave him a dose of his pain medicine and soon he was calm.  I laid with him, nose to nose.  I talked to him and reassured him (actually I tried to reassure myself more)...  He began to have unsteady breathing so I woke my girlfriend and her daughter to come sit with us.  He soon took his last breaths.  It was crushing to me.  I had no idea that much emotion would come out so quickly.  I really was trying to be strong and ready... That was not an option. 

We had him cremated. His ashes, in an urn are on the mantle.  Still with me.  

Two days after he died, the Lama (now a Rinpoche) called me and told me he had a dream of me and the dog and wanted to know if I was ok.   This was another blow.  There was no way for him to have found that out.  I told him of the death, and he immediately gave me the homework of the altar set up (which I had already done) and to begin with the Bardo Thodol.  He also requested a photo of Shadow so he could also do a ceremony at the Monastery in Kathmandu.  I figured he would place a small picture on his desk or something.  (see the video)... 

The Bardo Prayers (derived from Terton Karma Lingpa’s rendition of the Bardo Thodol)

I started the Bardo readings after my dog, Shadow died following surgery for a tumor.  He was with me every day at work for over 13 years.  He was born in Guam in a place called Ordot in 2008.  I brought him back to Los Angeles and then he came with me when I moved to Colorado.  He has lived with me at the Buddhist temple (the Los Angeles Buddhist Union, the Rosemead Buddhist Monastery) where he playfully chased Shaolin monks, Tibetan Lamas and Chinese monks and nuns.  It was an adventure.  He lived in my office, basically homeless, for two years with me after a most troubling divorce, travelled far and wide for all the 'coddiwomple' adventures we could handle.  We have hiked 14'ers and also through forests and prairies, and stood at the edge of the Grand Canyon, he had tangles with deer, prairie dogs, snakes, coyotes, geese and once took on four bulls all by himself.   We even had to run down the hill from a bear once. He was a special friend.  Oddly and out of the blue, two days after he died the Rinpoche, Jigme Dorge of the Khawalung Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal called me.  He had a dream of me and my dog and wanted to know if I was ok.  Once I explained that Shadow had passed he immediately told me to start reading the Bardo Thodol out loud for him and that he would also offer a puja and instruct his monastery (Khawalung in Kathmandu, Nepal) to do the same.  I read this and more out loud for him every day, left offerings of his favorite treats and water as well as light and incense at my altar.  I have taken this from the book mentioned above and edited it a little for easy reading as well as took out Shadow's name for this edition.  That way you can copy and replace 'name' with the name of your loved one.  

This reading or chant helped me to come to terms to losing my best friend.  I knew him as a confidant, a protector, companion and friend.  I would do anything for him, this is the last of things I could do for him.  May he find a wonderfully peaceful, suffering free life of love, and kindness.  This is the simple version and is said at anytime as you will see.  The Bardo instructions will be posted soon, a day by day account of how we deal with grief in the Buddhist (Vajrayana) tradition.  Of course there are many ways that we process dying in Buddhist belief.  Sometimes we offer the favorite foods of the deceased and say prayers, transfers of merit and readings and contemplations on death. 

Having grown up in the West, my father was more naturalistic and my mother, Catholic.  The ways we handled grief was in the Church, solemnly.  When I became a minister of Buddhism I attended many funerals and services, spoke at many as well.  Oddly enough I was also a bagpiper for the Los Angeles Police Emerald Society for five years and there we did many funerals and memorials as well.  I am not a stranger to death or the grieving process.  I understand that we all grieve differently and it is in no way a linear process.  Elizabeth Kubler Ross kind of outlined the grieving process in terms and ways the Westerner can understand. We see each of those; Shock, Denial, Frustration (anger), Depression, Decision and Integrating or acceptance in the Bardo itself.  As you read through, there are fearsome, angry and sad beings that walk with you and the deceased on the road to acceptance.  They help you by having you really experience each of those aspects of the grief process.  

In the months before Shadow died I really tried to ready and 'steel' myself for his inevitable passing. I knew we would not be together forever, and made the decision to make his life as comfortable and loving as possible.  When he died I thought I would have been much better at handling it.  I was not.   I was a complete mess, for over a week I was in shock.  After the Rinpoche gave me my 'assignment' I was on my way.  I chanted, contemplated,  and rested in the memory of my little friend.  I missed him so much.  I tried to be stoic like I thought a 'good' Buddhist would be, but no way.  I was a mess.  Aimless, like in the fog myself.  Each day of the Bardo I read was more and more real.  It was my reality.  I was confused and bewildered.  I couldn't believe it.  I read and wrote and tried my best to keep up with the offerings and the chanting, even if only to myself in my own head.  I became as lost as the deceased do in the Bardo, it was an important distinction and helped me to really study harder for the sake of myself and all beings.  It made me want to make the world better.  

I have been around death, funerals, memorials and all that throughout my adult life.  I thought studying and practicing Buddhism would help me understand life.  Now it seems, it helps me to understand death too.  For a long time I felt that being a good Buddhist would mean that I would not be emotive, like some kind of Vulcan like Spock, where feelings were 'illogical' and should be discarded.  This is further from the truth of Buddhist practice than violence is, in my experience and opinion. 

I remembered being with my teacher Ven. Chao Chu, who I simply called Bhante, for a funeral of a young man that was assassinated by a drug gang.  This was in Los Angeles, he left behind a fiance that was pregnant.  To boot, he was a Mormon (his family was) and her family was Vietnamese Buddhists.   This posed a BIG problem.  The bad karma of being murdered and in the situation he was killed in posed a very big karmic issue for the remaining family and especially for the unborn child his fiance carried.  

We arrived at the Mormon Temple and Bhante had me pick some juniper branch so he could offer water for blessings.  I was in my robes and there was one other Vietnamese monk with us.  Bhante was the elder and master of the group.  I told him I was not familiar enough with the chanting to be of any use.  He encouraged me to at least follow along as best as I could and harmonize if I could not follow.  That basically meant humming in the same tones as the chanting.  The intent and presence was the most important.  It was also important that I, a white man, be there to 'buffer' the experience for those in attendance. I remember as Bhante spoke to the group of family and friends his voice became shaky.  His eyes were welling up!  I could not handle that. My eyes too began to well up and I felt that all too familiar lump in my throat.  Neither of us knew the man who lie in the open casket, we did not know the pregnant mourning fiance.  He talked about the transfer of merit and explained the undetermined lifespan we are all subject to.  Our impermanence.  He explained how important it was for each of us to 'live a good life' , etc.  See, I thought this was a 'regular' day for Bhante.  He had done hundreds or thousands of funerals and memorials.  I had been to a dozen in just a year or two with him.  I figured he would have been non emotive, stoic, in total equanimity.  He too had 'the feels' for this poor family.  We even stayed to answer questions about the ceremony and process, even after a few of the people in the congregation left and chided us for doing a ceremony in a Christian place of worship.  

He explained something very important to me that I hold with me each day, each time there is tragedy, loss, sadness, or frustration.  That we are human, we have human emotions, love, kindness, compassion, and are... not yet Buddhas.  Sadness for others is empathy.  We too have lost.  That is what makes us human, the interaction, the interdependence understanding we gain from practice.  That is what Buddhism is about.  Connection.  That experience let me really feel those emotions and be OK with them.  Regardless of who they were about.  To let myself grieve.  That and reading the Bardo helped.  I hope it helps you. 

The Bardo Prayers.

At the time of your own death, or at any time, request the Buddha’s and Bodhisattvas’ aid as follows; Make physical and mental offerings to the three jewels, and holding fragrant incense recite with great fervor.

(The offerings for the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, Mahakalas (Dharma Protectors), Consorts, Devas and Dakinis can either be of the Tibetan style which would include the Eight offerings of; water to wash with, water to drink, flowers, incense, light, perfume, food to eat, and music (cymbals). As well as other offerings for other Mahakalas such as candy, meat, and liquor.   I use a more manageable and simple offering of; light, water, incense, a flower and food.  You will also be offering your service and honoring of the Triple Gem which includes the tisarana chant and three prostrations.  Also on the altar is the photo or name of the deceased.  I did this at the mini altar we have on the mantle with the ashes of Shadow in the center.)

"Buddhas and bodhisattvas dwelling the ten directions, endowed with great compassion, wisdom, vision, and love.  You, who are the refuge and protectors of beings, through your great compassion please come to this place.  Please accept these offerings set out for you.

Compassionate ones, you have mastered to an unimaginable extent, wisdom, loving compassion, and skillful action.  This person, __Name_ is going beyond this world to another and is abandoning this world.  _____name___ is at death’s door, without friends or family, in great suffering, without refuge, protectors or relatives or friends.  __name___ life perceptions are fading away, going to a different realm.

_Name_ is entering a dense darkness, falling to a great abyss, going into a thick forest, the forces of karma drives (him on) off to an empty wasteland, tossed in great waves.  Impelled by this karmic wind finds him/herself with nowhere to stop and rest, finds him/herself in the midst and mist of a great battle, seized by demons. 

The lord of death’s minions fills him/her with terror, from one existence he/she goes to yet another, helpless and afraid.

Alone and friendless, the time is here where he/she must go.  Oh, compassionate ones, please give refuge to ___Name__, for he/she has no defense, no friends or family to help him/her now, please protect him/her and be those things to him/her now.

Please, with your great compassion save him/her from the vast darkness of the bardo.

Shield him/her from the great winds of karma, protect him/her from the terrors of the Lord of Death.  Deliver __name__ from the long polluted bardo.

Compassionate ones, please be generous with your compassion and come to his/her aid.  Do not let him/her go to the three lower realms, guide them from Samsara.

Quickly show the power of your compassion, remember your vows to help.  Please be generous in your compassion and commitment for __name__.  Hold him tight with your compassion, do not leave him/her to the forces of negative karma. 

Please save him/her from the suffering of the bardo.

…

Root of the Bardo.

Oh, now that the bardo of birth is arising for me, I abandon laziness for which there is no time in this life, I shall ender the undistracted path of listening, reflection, contemplation, and meditation.  I shall develop appearances and mind as the path, I shall actualize the three kayas: the body of truth, bliss and emanation.

Now, for once I have obtained the blessing of a human body, there is no time to rest on the path of distraction. 

Oh, the bardo of dreams arises for me, abandoning the careless, sleeping corpse of ignorance, I shall guide my undistracted mind to the natural state, taking control of my dreams, may purify delusion into clear bright light.   I will not sleep like an animal; it is important to practice sleep and direct perceptions of reality together.

Oh, now the bardo of meditation arises for me, I abandon the mass of distractions and confusion, I enter the states free of the extremes like distraction and grasping, I will attain stability in the development and completion stages, and jhanas.  I abandon activity that is pointless, I will practice one-pointed meditation.  I will not fall to the power of delusion and negativity.

Oh, now the bardo of death arises for me.  I abandon all attachment, grasping and clinging. I am undistracted, I enter into clear understanding of the instructions I have heard.  I transfer my own awareness into the sphere of the space of the unborn.  As I am about to be parted from this body of flesh and blood, I realize it is and illusion and is impermanent.  I abandon panic and perceptions of terror as they too are illusion and I recognize whatever arises for me as the natural manifestations of my own awareness.  I understand and realize that this is the way the bardo appears.  An important moment will arise when cessation is possible, I will not fear the throng of peaceful and wrathful deities as they are the manifestation of my mind.

Oh the bardo of becoming again is arising for me.  I hold in my mind one-pointed longing, I will try and prolong my good karma.  Stopping up the entrance to the womb, I remember to turn away from it.  It is now that I must have courage, determination, and pure perception.  I abandon jealousy and anger; I will meditate on the great teacher in union with his consort.  I will not think on death but on a long life.  Realizing that I had accomplished only pointless and unskillful activities in this life I know I would be unwise to return now, empty handed.   I recognize the cure to my ailments is the Dharma teachings.  I vow to practice the dharma at this moment, now.  If I can keep the words of my teachers to heart, I will not betray myself. 

May the verses of this bardo as I speak to them not come to an end until I have gone beyond Samsara and all of Samsara is emptied.

Prayer for deliverance from the narrow passage of the bardo.

"I pay homage to my teachers, the manifestations of the Buddha mind and the host of dakinis that help me. With your great love and compassion, please guide me well on the path of luminous, undistracted listening.  May I reflect and meditate on your teachings.  Supported and protected by all the mothers of the past and all the dakinis to help me, may I be delivered from the narrow and frightening passage of the bardo.  Escort me to the land of the pure light, to perfect Buddhahood.  When I wander from intense ignorance through the realms of Samsara, Buddha (Vairocana) please guide me on the luminous path of the wisdom for the Dharamdhatu.  Guided by your consort Dhatisvari, deliver me from that terrifying passage.  Escort me together to the pure land of Buddhahood.   If I find that I am aggressive and angry in the wanderings of Samsara, please Buddha (Vajrasattva) guide me on the mirror like path of luminous wisdom.  Gently guided by your consort Buddhalocana deliver me from this narrow, terrifying passage.  Escort me to the land of the totally pure Buddhahood.  If I wander in Samsara with pride and arrogance, I beg Buddha Ratnasambhava to guide me on the luminous path of Equalizing Wisdom.  Gently supported by Mamaki, your consort delivers me from the terrifying narrow passage of the bardo. Escort me to the land of perfect Buddhahood.   If am found wandering with desire and attachment in Samsara, please Buddha Amitabha, guide me on the luminous path of the Wisdom of discernment.  Gently supported by your consort, Pandavarasini, deliver me from the terrifying narrow passage of the bardo.  Escort me to the land of the totally pure, perfect Buddhahood.   If I travel Samsara jealous, please, Buddha Amoghasiddi guide me well on the luminous path of All accomplishing wisdom.  Gently your consort, Samaya-tara help deliver me from the terrifying and narrow passage of the bardo.  Escort me to the land of totally pure and perfect Buddhahood.

If I wander Samsara with strong habits and tendencies may the dakas and Vidyadharas guide me on the luminous path of co-emergent wisdom.   Deliver me from the bardo’s terrifying narrow passage.  Escort me to the land of pure, perfect Buddhahood.

When I am wandering in delusion in Samsara, may the army of peaceful and wrathful deities guide me on the luminous path that abandons panic and terrifying appearances.  Supported and protected by the army of dakinis who control space, deliver me from the bardo’s terrifying narrow passages.  Escort me to the land of totally pure, perfect Buddhahood.

Oh, may the space element not arise as an enemy to me, may I see it as the pure realm of the blue Buddha.  May the water element not be an enemy to me, may I see it as the pure realm of the white Buddha.  May the earth element not be an enemy to me, may I see it as the pure realm of the yellow Buddha.  May the element of fire not be an enemy to me, may I see it as the pure realm of the red Buddha.  May the wind element not be an enemy to me, may I see it as the pure realm of the green Buddha.  May the rainbow element not be an enemy to me, may I see it as the pure realm of the various Buddhas.  May the sounds and lights not arise as enemies to me, may I see them as the pure realm of all-encompassing peaceful and wrathful deities.  May I realize the sounds to be my own sounds, the lights to be my own lights, the rays to be my own rays.  May I recognize the bardo to be my own manifestation and appearance, and may I realize the pure realm of the three kayas of truth, bliss, and emanation.  

The prayer that protects from fear in the bardo.

"Oh, when this life of mine has fallen apart, time does not vanish from this world.  I wander alone in the bardo but the victorious peaceful and wrathful deities show me the power of their compassion and dispel the darkness of ignorance.   As I wander alone from my friends and family the empty reflections of my own perceptions will arise, but the Buddhas show the power of their compassion to me so that the panic and terror of the bardo do not occur for me.  When the five lights of the clear wisdoms arise, may I be fearless and undaunted, recognizing them as my own manifestations of appearance. When the forms of the peaceful and wrathful deities arise to scare me, may I be fearless and confident, knowing that this is the bardo and that the compassionate one’s guide and protect me.   When, due to my negative karma I experience suffering, may the victorious peaceful and wrathful deities dispel the suffering.  When the natural sound of the Dharmata roars and sounds as loud as a thousand thunderclaps, may I be transformed into the sound of the dharma of the Great Vehicle.  When without any refuge I am pursued by karma, the victorious and wrathful deities become a refuge for me and all others.    When I experience the karma of suffering of my habitual tendencies, may the blissful clear light of samadhi arise.  At the moment of seeming rebirth in the bardo of becoming occurs, may no negative signs arise to turn me back to Samsara.  When I am transported anywhere by the power of thought may the delusions of terror of negative karma not occur.  When wild beasts roar, growl and hiss may it be transformed into the sound of the Dharma.  The six-syllable mantra.  When I am soaked by cold rain and snow, driven and whipped by wind and covered in darkness may I obtain the divine eye of clear wisdom.  Mya the different kinds of beings in the bard, with their various experiences and great compassion be without jealousy and be born in higher realms.  When negativity and extreme emotion causes hunger and thirst, may the suffering of thirst, hunger, heat and cold not occur.  As soon as I see my future parents in union, creating me, may I see them as the victorious peaceful and wrathful beings in union.  I will obtain control over where I will be born for the sake of others.  May I obtain a supreme body, graced with marks and signs that are auspicious.  Having been born with a supreme body, may all who see or hear me be quickly liberated.  May whatever merit I have accumulated increase and follow me.  Wherever and whoever I am born as, may I encounter the deity of my previous life.  As soon as I am born, may I be able to speak and walk, and regain without forgetting again, the memory of my past lives.   May I learn great, small and medium things by studying or even just seeing or hearing them.  May all sentient beings become happy and free from suffering, may I be like the medicine, the nurse, the shade tree, the bridge to help them out of Samsara.  Victorious peaceful and wrathful deities, just as your bodies, your entourage, your lifespan, and your pure realm, and just as your supreme and excellent marks all are, may I and others become like that.  By the compassion and power of the perfect peaceful and wrathful beings, and the power and truth of the completely pure Dharmata, and by the blessing of accomplishing single pointed mantra practice may the wishes of this prayer be realized and accomplished.  May the prayer that protects from fear in the bardos never end until Samsara is empty, and all beings have been emancipated from all sufferings.

I will continue this post with a day by day chanting and ceremonial set.  These are NOT the traditional Bardo Thodol that a monk would do.  They are MY rendition as I was trained in Theravada and Mahayana processes as well as Vajrayana.  I am a non-sectarian Buddhist Minister/Priest and am not bound by lineage or tradition. I am able to use what is best understandable and useful to me and my parishioners.   I stand to hold space and intent in the practice, not follow only traditional ceremony.  I use this to help in understanding and development of compassion, loving kindness, and wisdom.  I do this writing for my own development and process, no insult or harm is intended.  Forgive me if it does. 

Shadow passed into stillness on April 15th, 2022 at the age of 14.  He was surrounded by family when he took his last breath.  He was and still is loved.  Rest in peace little buddy... 

Written 05/25/22

 

May 31, 2022.  I spoke to the Rinpoche the other day, Shadow's 49th day in the Bardo will be on June 3.  I will present all the offerings and read aloud the blessings and invocation of the Mahakalas, Bodhisattvas and Buddhas that day.  He will have found his next life already and a transfer of merit will also be offered for his new existence.  

June 2, 2022.  Today it is the 48th day, Shadow will leave the Bardo tomorrow.  He will have found his new existence, he may have, in fact found it much earlier.  He did not have the jealousy or other human feelings of greed etc, so he will have passed much sooner from this to the next life.  He may have, because of familiarity and comfort that he did have in this life become a dog again.  He may also become human or leave the wheel of Samsara altogether, as he had heard the Dharma and was in attendance to many of the teachers and the teachings.  He lived with me when I was at the Monastery and he would chase the monks around and play.  He chased the Rinpoche, a Shaolin monk as well as others that were there.  I miss him so much, offering my merit, any and all for his new existence.  May he be happy, free from suffering and find ease in his life.  

 June 4, 2022. 

Today I received a message from Rinpoche.  He has performed Monlam (Prayer for healing and auspicious rebirth).  This was done on his 49th day of the Bardo.  Shadow has now gone to the new parents.   May he be happy, free from worry, may he find kindness, love and compassion, may he be free from affliction and suffering.  May he touch the world  as he had touched me.  

Here is a link for a memorial video I did for him...  I still miss him, but we will find each other again... some day, somewhere... 

The story of Shadow and his bardo

I might be a secular Buddhist.

 Oh my goodness, I think I am a Secular Buddhist (Am I?).

Secular:  The dictionary defines it as; denoting attitudes, activities, or other things that have no religious or spiritual basis. And (of clergy) not subject to or bound by religious rule; not belonging to or living in a monastic or other order. (This is when I looked up the word on Secular).

I have a long history of study in Buddhism.  I started studying in the 1970s when I had seen Kung Fu movies and the television series starring David Caradine.  I was enamored with the Shaolin monks and what the wisdom was and how they approached problems.   I continued in college reading and absorbing anything I could related to Buddhism, music, art, writings, books and the like.  I was deep into it.  I had no access at the time to anyone who actually WAS a Buddhist.   I had taken many martial arts classes, workshops and spent a long time learning different techniques; throws, arm bars, takedowns, kicks and falls… I still never met any of my teachers that were actually Buddhists.  They studied it, but they were largely Westerners knowledgeable about some Buddhist concepts, some Taoist concepts and many cultural concepts that related to the techniques I was studying. 

Later I happened to find a meditation retreat hosted by a not so local temple a little ways from my home.  I went and immediately became immersersed and enamored by it.  I hung around the temple, talked often to the abbot, learned from him and eventually became close friends.  I then became 

The simili of the empty cup.  >>> A good start to approach but not to stay that way.  Once you know you know and you should discuss and debate each subject with yourself and with others to see through it and go from there. 

Doug’s Secular Dharma explains it as;   “it is not a fixed thing, there is no definition, it is something made up as we go along.”  It is a practice that we follow.

There are  some fundamental differences between traditional Buddhism and Secular Buddhism.  Namely rituals and images.   It really seems as if it is a more educational study of the practice and attempts to define each of the concepts of Buddhism in more modern non cultural ways.  “Devotional practices require you to (sort of ) have a belief in something like a god, because you are debasing yourself in front of something, it has to be something that’s extremely powerful presumably, something that is wise and good.”   So 

I think this is a pretty good definition in that it is a fluid and changing definition and one that as you start to practice will help you without dogma.  Later as you get deeper without drowning, you can begin to see the historical, cultural and psychological benefit of all of those things that you once denied.  

(Story of the monks and priests joking around, and then when I asked them why they were not that way in public… basically they said that if they acted as they did when they met in private, they would be ridiculed by their parishioners and they would complain and that would cause more trouble than it was worth.  It is better to show solidarity in individuality to gain the slow and gentle acceptance from your own parishioners than to try and force it and shock them.  They may leave or abandon or even attack you...

Secular does not mean cherry picking…

Secular does not deny practices, but hopes to reframe them into more palatable forms for the Westerner to practice.   

The problem with traditionalists: FIxated in culture and lineage, staunch in their belief in what is right or wrong. 

Supernatural attachments.

Reliance on cultural and traditional aspects that …

The problem with secularists:

More often than not, they are reformed from another religion and had a poor experience and did not get deep enough into that practice to lose the self in it.  

They drop essential practices as either archaic or 

How the Buddha practiced was preserved in a monks aspect.  It is a way for us to apply this to our own lives as they are for a lay person.   Not as a struct 

The middle path…Somewhere between secular and 

Practical application of the dharma without traditional supernatural concerns 

https://www.buddhistinquiry.org/article/secular-buddhism-new-vision-or-yet-another-of-the-myths-it-claims-to-cure/

Doug's Dharma on Secular Buddhism. https://youtu.be/UtRk4qD8a-0

The Four Brahma Viharas, or four divine abodes. The four approaches to Buddhist practice.

 The Four Brahma Viharas:  Four Divine Abodes

Thus I have heard…

The best ways to approach your practice and daily lives.  

Loving Kindness (Metta)

Two entire sutras are dedicated to this (Metta Sutta and Prajna Paramita or Heart Sutra) Think of gentle loving kindness.  This is towards all sentient beings, and ourselves...

Compassion (Karuna)

This is when Metta meets suffering, we see and know what suffering is and does (because we have meditated and developed some wisdom)

Empathetic (Sympathetic) Joy (Mudita)

More the act of appreciating joy wherever and with whomever it happens. 

Equanimity or non-attachment (Upeksha)

‘Even mindedness’ Calmly watching as life happens we are not moved, like a mountain. 

A direct link to Hinduism, the four faced god Brahma possesses these four attributes. Although not a ‘God’ of Buddhism, Brahma was respected and mentioned as a god in the sutras and offered valuable lessons that deserved to be mentioned and respected.  

These four are powerful ways to live, maintain harmony, resolve differences and promote healing.  They should become a place where our minds and hearts ‘live’ (abides).  I.e.  “This is just where my heart and mind are…”  These four attributes, when used as an intention for being, are an amazing way to transform the entire world just from our point of view.   

Each of these viharas are intertwined like everything in Buddhism, they support and temper each of the others so that we do not get lost in them. (attached)

Unbound love prevents compassion from becoming partial.  Compassion reminds us that happiness and love are impermanent and changing.  Equanimity helps us to see them all as they are, without emotional charge and attachments.  Joy gentles the mind, includes all in the possibility of compassion and loving kindness both towards and away. 

As a meditation, dwell in each of the abodes completely, think of examples.  In the process, remember to include not only those you are fond of, but yourself and those with which you may have difficulties and those you do not know and have no influence on or from (animals, bugs, etc).  Remember, what you practice you get good at! 

Says the Master: For one who clings, motion exists; but for one who clings not, there is no motion. Where no motion is, there is stillness. Where stillness is, there is no craving. Where no craving is, there is neither coming nor going. Where no coming nor going is, there is neither arising nor passing away. Where neither arising nor passing away is, there is neither this world nor a world beyond, nor a state between. This, verily, is the end of suffering.— Udana 8:3

What makes up the self (Five Aggregates)

 Thus I have heard…

An aggregate is a combination of elements that are together.  The aggregates that make up trail mix, there are nuts, berries, chocolate etc, each are separate but make up the whole of ‘trail-mix’. 

 The five items that combine to make us who we are.  None of these are unchangeable and therefore not the unchanging self or ‘Atman’.  In the Anattalakkhana Sutta it explains the non-self of the aggregates.  For now we need to understand the basics of human being-ness.  

The Five Aggregates (Skandas)

The Centered Path, Part 9 of the Buddhist Basics (Ref: 

This explains the ever changing attributes of a person, the combination of phenomena that make us believe we are separate from what ‘is’.   This is a simple on the outside but really complex concept in Buddhism.  It is difficult to keep it in perspective as we are often not only the object but the perceiver, this forces us to bring our minds outside our own experience and see it as an artist sees a subject or as a scientist should look at an experiment.   This is the beginning of what we know as ‘I, me, mine’ . They are all illusory,  like watching a film.  All just pieces of the whole thing, not real and in constant flux of being.  When we realize this we can let go easier and understand the variations of thought, experience and existence.  

Each includes all that are present, past or future, internal, external, gross or subtle, common or sublime..

Form (Rupa): Both the body (organ of sense) and sense object.  For example, the eye and the object it is designed to receive information about.  Light, heat, sound waves, and chemicals (smell and taste) all fit here. 

Feeling (Vedana):  Also called sensations:  Pleasant, unpleasant, indifferent. 

Perception (Samjna):  Taking the feeling and giving it some more attributes, warm, soft, hard, etc. This is a preliminary part of the nervous systems actions; ‘there is something’ (Outside of ‘me’ or in ‘me’)

Mental Formations (Samskara): also called Volition:  A conditioned response to a stimulus, a conscious decision. This also relates perceptions and feelings with the form. 

Consciousness (Vijnana): Just having an eye or ear and an object of them, a sight or sound still is nothing without a consciousness to pull it all together.  You may even think of this as sentience or ‘being alive’.  There is eye consciousness, ear consciousness etc.. 

The six senses, (Six Sense Doors)

The Six Sense Doors - Coming to your senses

The Centered Path, Part 10 of Buddhist Basics (ref: Chachakka Sutta, et al)

Continuing with the 'class' on the basics of Buddhist practice, here is another offering. Make sure you follow along with the cheat sheet for the basics on our website, and download the sheet. here is a link:

https://thecenteredpath.org/buddhism-downloads

You can also find some of the blog entries in video form on our YouTube channel; The Centered Path.

Known in Pali as ‘Ayatana’ it translates as ‘sense base’ or occasionally ‘Vishaya’ or domains.  Related to the Five Aggregates, we have the six sense doors. Experienced in three basic tones (sensations) of pleasant, unpleasant, or indifferent. 

1. The Eye/ Seeing, then the eye consciousness which causes one of the basic tones and craving..  

2. The Ear/ Hearing, then the ear consciousness which causes one of the basic tones and craving..

3. The Nose/ Smelling, then the nose consciousness which causes one of the basic tones and craving..

4. The Tongue/ Tasting, then the tongue consciousness which causes one of the basic tones and craving..

5. The Body/ Touching, then the body consciousness which causes one of the basic tones and craving..

6. The Mind/ Thinking. then the mind consciousness* which causes one of the basic tones and craving..

In some cases, there are also two more:  The seventh:  Manas-Vijnana or Mind Knowledge, Which is basically ‘common sense’, and the thoughts we have about an object.  These may be informed, uninformed (ignorant) or neutral also.  

The Eighth:  Alaya-Vijnana: Storehouse Consciousness.  The collection of consciousness and thought.  Seed thoughts.   (typically they can be considered under mind)

Mind Consciousness is the coordinator of the first five. It is recognized in three different ways.  

1. Recognition of physical objects based on memory. 

2. Comparative cognition, remembering similar things

3. Non-cognition, or imaginary objects. 

The mind is represented as an internal  sense organ which reacts to the sense objects that include impressions, feelings, perceptions and volition. 

As part of the 12 parts of dependent origination:  Ignorance - Formations - Consciousness - Names and forms - the six bases - contact - sensations - craving (suffering) - clinging - becoming - birth - old age and death 

The six sense doors help us to watch our experiences as they happen as well as be able to sense them as they are and realize the attachments and cravings without being misguided by them.  We also can use this to better understand our own minds and how they and the senses muddle reality. 

The Eight Vicissitudes (inevitably changeable conditions aka Worldly winds )

 

The Eight Vicissitudes (inevitably changeable conditions aka Worldly winds )

The Centered Path, Part 7 of the Buddhist Basics. (Lokavipatti sutta)

Thus I heard.

Things change, my friend.  This is a very important thing to not only understand but be constantly conscious of.  This is a lesson toward equanimity.  If you take any of these aspects discussed and meditate on them like this:  “This arises, it is not constant, stressful and subject to changing”  you can begin to understand impermanence and not getting too attached to situations. .   

When something happens, good or bad (totally an interpretation at the time we are experiencing it) we should still try and see it as our contemplation… “this arises…”  We should really experience each sensation and learn from them.  That is not just Buddhist, but human.  When you meditate, your mind does not remain consumed with the aspect, you will not welcome or rebel against what happens as it is temporary and you now understand this.  Of course, you are happy when happy things happen, and sad when sad things happen but your understanding of “this has arisen, this is inconstant, stressful and subject to change” will help you to begin to feel what you feel NOW, not in some unpredictable future or from the memory muddied past, but as it is now.  

For each of these we can easily think of a multitude of examples, from physical, financial, nutritional, emotional, social, and more.  They can help us realize our attachments and aversions and how that can cause us even more suffering. 

Pleasure and Pain

Gain and Loss

Praise and Blame

Fame and Disrepute

These eight can occur at any time, knowing this, the wise person being mindful contemplates and ponders these as changing.  Work hard to not only understand them for yourself, but don’t participate in promoting them in others either.  

The Buddhist teachings advise…

Wander alone like the rhinoceros, who is tough and powerful and hard to change direction,

Be like the lion who does not shudder at the sounds of others

Be like a caravan and move on quietly even though the dogs bark.

Know that the world is muddy and gruesome, many are the lotus flowers that bloom from that and are never dirtied.  

“Desirable things do not charm me, undesirable things I don't resist.  They happen…

My thoughts of welcome and rebellion scatter, gone to the end and do not exist.  Knowing this pure and sorrowless state of being, I am able to think wisely, both sorrow and pride are gone, beyond coming to the further shore...left behind”