How many Buddhism's?

So I started to expand on the main types of Buddhism as I knew them; Mahayana, Theravada, Vajrayana and Zen (even though the last two are often considered Mahayana).  In doing my research there were at least a few more if you start to include esoteric and Hinayana schools.  In looking deeper I found over 206 schools of thought.  Of course, many were subtle offshoots of other older schools and some were considered 'new movement' schools like Navayana of the South West of India, made famous by Dalits (the lowest class of person in the Vedic teachings or Hindu culture)  and B.R. Ambedkar who was, himself a Dalit who became educated and basically is the founder of this ideal.  Other groups we are also seeing are; Ecumenical, nonsectarian, (Ri-me in Tibetan) , secular, Fundamental, Traditional..

More subtle versions of Buddhism that are developing in the West.

What is the difference?  

There are three main branches of Buddhist thought and teaching in the world today.  

Mahayana or as translated as 'the Great Vehicle' is prevalent in China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea. 

Theravada as translated 'The Elder's Vehicle' is more common in South East Asia such as Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma and Cambodia.

Hinayana, or 'Lesser Vehicle'  was a term used to describe Theravada but was considered derogatory.  It is a term that the World Federation of Buddhists basically 'retired' in 1950 and is not used today.

Vajrayana or 'Diamond Vehicle' is that of the Tibetan plateau, Nepal and some parts of Mongolia.

Navayana 'New Vehicle' is a newer version in the South West of India and is a popular way for the lowest caste of India the Dalits to break away from the caste system.  

There are two others that are rarely mentioned the Azhali and Newari Buddhist groups.  Azhali is an off shoot of Vajrayana that settled in China in the Yunan Province of South Eastern China.  Just North of Burma, Laos and Vietnam.  

The Newari Buddhist tradition is located in the areas of Nepal and is another offshoot of Vajrayana Buddhism located in a cultural area of Newar.  

Esoteric Buddhism, 

Ecumenical Buddhism, 

Secular Buddhism

No, it is not new, any of them.  But here is what happened over time. 

The Ri-me version is Tibetan and is rather new, apparently founded by 

https://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Jamg%C3%B6n_Kongtrul_Lodr%C3%B6_Tay%C3%A9

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schools_of_Buddhism#Mah%C4%81y%C4%81na_schools

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Asian_Buddhism

Meditation reboot

Building a community.  

In order to have a community we need a couple things, this is how I think of it.  

1. A unifying concept: people that care deeply about...BELONGING, Clearly defined WHY.  Goal or interest. 'Buddhist X' (Generation X).  

    Looking to the lessons and not the transcript of Buddhist teaching and thought. How to apply this to everyday life and 

2. A common enemy (either a concept, idea, statement, group or individual.)  Real or imagined. 

    Against 'woke',  'hip', 'trite' Buddhists...???  The belief that this intrusion of thought from other concepts should be boiled down to 'there is suffering' and leave it at that, all the rest of the details are just fluff and not important to the idea of (the Four Noble Truths).

    Another 'enemy' is fakers, predators and charlatans. 

3. A set of beliefs 'We think this because...'  People like 'us' do things like 'this'...

    Who is 'us'??

    What are 'things'

4. Offer something of value. 

Message to start up meditation classes again.

It has been a long time, I have missed our sessions.   

In light of the obvious reasons we could not have class, I am starting to gear up for a new schedule.  Minor changes I am looking to implement are either subject based meditations, Dharma teachings (actual teachings of Buddhism from the Sutras), or simple topical discussions including Buddhism in the news.  

I am leaning still towards a more secular time, with any chanting, prostrations and traditional offerings done before the class begins.  You would all be of course welcome to attend that part as well.  

The next topic is the schedule itself and which days people feel would be most beneficial.  Of course, I may just intend a 'build it and they will come' schedule. 

I am toying with the suggestion of 'semi private' classes where we do not wear masks nor 

Burnout, stressors, languishing, grief, confusion, frustration, fatigue, malaise, depression, anger, fear and more. 

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

When practice is a challenge. Here is a good meditation

 In Buddhist practice we have the Brahma Viharas. Four topics we cultivate to improve our own minds and the world itself. It is a Here are a couple to work on to see how you respond and give you an idea of how much work it is and needs to be done by you on your path.

Take one of the candidates, specifically, the one you did not vote for or support i.e. Trump or Biden. For the latter, if you did not vote for him, do the Mudita (Sympathetic Joy) meditation, wishing him well and good job and good luck.... As for the prior if you did not vote for him,

do the Metta (Loving Kindness) meditation, wishing him well, and less suffering and kindness towards him. Also you can develop Karuna (Compassion) by seeing their sufferings and being gentle . In the end of it all you may realize Upeska, (Equanimity) as you see that interconnectedness of you and them and others you see and interact with. Feelings, thoughts and such WILL come up. Stay in the meditation, just like breathing, go back to the topic.

It has been hilarious to me to see so-called 'peaceful and loving' Buddhists lose their minds and get all upset about these people. This practice is a way to really let the rubber meet the road in your commitment to practice and develop and cultivate those attributes in yourself. You may even have insights into how to be better (skillfully) engaged and participative in the processes that be.

Be real, explore the work and see what comes up. It is simple but not easy... Good luck

Rev. Sean (The Centered Path) Also on the website of the same name and the Basic Buddhist YouTube channel.

Pope of Buddhism?

 The Pope of Buddhism?

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-return-of-the-pope-of-buddhism-scepter-by-his-holiness-dorje-chang-buddha-iii-was-rejected-301138596.html

The Pope of Buddhism was chosen in September of 2020!   Did you even know there was a thing? Chang Buddha III?  He is an artist and if that is the case he is quite the performer.  He manages to portray himself as a graphic artist doing paintings and the like as well as a reincarnation of a celestial Buddha.  So is this an act?  

Now interestingly it seems that most of the pictures of him are shown with others of good standing and I think this is no accident.  In one article he is mentioned with the names of Gandhi, MLK and more.  I have seen this before as a part of a way to legitimize oneself by placing oneself in collage with famous people.  Eventually everyone starts to think you belong there.  

H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III of Covina California was chosen by the World Peace Prize Awarding Council and the World Peace Prize Religious Leaders title Awarding Council passed their resolution. 
First of all, do not be confused.  The ‘World Peace Prize’ is NOT the Nobel Peace Prize, in fact the World Peace Prize Awarding Council is closely related if not completely run by the “The United International World Buddhism Association'' which again is closely related to Dorje Chang Buddha III temples and offshoots.   The World Buddhism Association is also a part of this ‘conglomerate’.

A little background on ‘H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III’  First of all, his previous names are Yi Yungao or Wan Ko Yee, who was previously wanted by Interpol for fraud.  The warrant was withdrawn in 2008 for unknown reasons.   This person had his name officially changed to Dorje Change Buddha III, ‘on official government documents’ which I can only assume is an official name change.   So this person (Wan Ko Yee or Yi Yungao,)  from the Sichuan province of China is the reincarnation of the celestial Buddha and continues to profess his attainment and prowess as both an artist and Buddhist icon.  However he has a speckled past.  Now in Buddhism it is not of good character to belittle or speak poorly about a monk, this man, I think is no monk.  His followers are in California and it seems most if not all of the press regarding him come from himself (his close followers) 

An amazing resume

Not only claiming miraculous feats he is an artist and his works can be seen in various places, again seemingly directly related to Dorje Chang Buddha himself.  By that I mean either run by his followers or under his own supervision.  One of the claims is that he sold a painting for more than has ever been recorded.  Just wait, there will be many ‘hard eye rolls’ for this guy. 

Most of the claims are pretty far out there.  He does claim to be able to lift an amazing amount of weight as a show of proof of his spiritual attainments… Specifically states that he can lift a pestle onto a platform that weighs over 59 levels (times) his own weight.??  I can only think of Bjorn Halfthor as being so spiritual… maybe he is.   Now this one is interesting, if you go to Kamakura you can see there is a giant pair of sandals and a very large and heavy staff that you can try and lift.  It has been noted there are of course stories of physical strength that no normal person has… I guess that is what he is getting at.  I have never heard of such a test in any of my studies, please let me know if there are some.  I think this is as made up as the rest. 

Dorje Chang also claims to be recognized as a Buddha or awakened one by ‘the’ leaders of all major sects.  That he is the only one to achieve such recognition.  However you can only find those ‘leaders’ on sites directly related to Dorje Chang Buddha (as listed below).  Most of the Buddhist monks and nuns I have asked had no idea who he is.  Those that did gave me stern recommendations to just stay away and forget about him. 

Not only that!  He has achieved the Five Vidyas to the highest and most perfect level in all of history whatever that means.  Again, you will find it difficult to find anything about the five Vidyas in Buddhist texts as far as I can tell.  They are mentioned in the Vedas.  Notice if you look them up you will find them listed almost solely on sites completely attributed to Dorje Chang Buddha character.   

What are the five Vidyas?  Craftsmanship, healing, sound, logic and ‘inner realization’.  There is not much more explained than that, and I think that is on purpose.   In almost every definition even you will find it written in a prose similar to other writings and mentions of Dorje Chang Buddha, I again do not see this as coincidence.   I think it is rather manufactured. 

Other feats of this ‘Buddha’

Not to say he is in any way wrong, but it is curious that he claims such ridiculous accolades as the Pope of Buddhism, which there is none. 

Other ‘miracles’ and such he is reported to perform are…

Selling art that has gained records in sales

Realization of mystical abilities ??

Becoming ‘a’ Vajra King 

Can increase his temperature to 92 degrees C (197.6 deg. F) cooking an egg.

The ‘best’ painter in all of Chinese history.  

He is an author on ethics and a singer, a scientist and tea connoisseur. 

Has attained the level of ‘Gold Button Grade 3+’  ???

Has an MRI that proves his enlightenment ?

Has received the ‘World Peace Prize’.  

Achieved all five Vidyas (right knowledge of the Panchagni Vidyas?  Heaven, Earth, Intermediate Space and male and female)  however they are explained as healing, craftsmanship, sound, logic and inner realization. 

And in addition has his own postage stamps in odd little places like Tuvalu and ( I looked it up and you can pretty much buy those)

https://openspace.sfmoma.org/2019/07/the-worlds-first-mysterious-works-of-art/

Lifted a pestle surpassing his base standard by 56 levels (45o lbs…) Apparently this is a way to measure not only physical but holy strength.  Now it is also interesting to see the staff at Kamakura which is set outside is made of iron and near impossible to lift so it is not completely unusual to see physical strength as somehow related to holy powers.  However, that would mean that Halfthor Bjornsson is one heck of a holy man.    

It is common in myth to use this type of strength to show not only ability but somehow proves that that person is good.  We all know, realistically this is not true but really good for the story.  In Dorje Chang’s case, this apparently makes him a god!  

Lineage?

It gets even more murky from there. 

Most monks have a lineage.  A lineage is a list of teachers that generally goes back to Sakyamuni Buddha.  Some sects even recite every ‘patriarch’ all the way back.  This not only gives credence historically but also in the overall direct and pure teachings of that sect.  Some of the sects cannot go directly back to the Buddha because there was some interpretive and dream ‘transmission’ of ‘The Dharma’.   

In this case we go directly from a celestial ‘Dharmadhatu’ ruling Dorje Chang (as described below) to the second incarnation ‘Vimalakirti’ a Upasaka or ‘lay practitioner that was not a monk at all.  He is considered as one of the earliest Zen or Chan teachers.  He was rich and was a benefactor of Sakyamuni Buddha.  He lived in a 10’x10’ space.  Which is called ‘fang-zhang’ (In Chinese Chan and many other Buddhist temples is the name of the Abbot’s room even to this day).  This study will take you down a wonderful ‘rabbit hole’ of Chan/Zen and lay practices and works of Buddhist stupporters.  He was also known to correct many monks in the day of the Buddha and was considered a teacher even at that time. 

I could not find any mention of this upasaka’s death so there seems to be no mention of what happened to him.  Although we can see in his own documents (Dorje Chang Buddha’s) that there is a clear and direct line from THE Dorje Chang, through to Dorje Chang II (Vimalakirti) to this Dorje Chang Buddha III…  

Now it gets interesting.  SO what does one do if there are no previous teachers to get info from?  You get other smaller groups to agree that you exist.  (gaslighting at its finest).   I have much more investigation to go into… 

Other sites and organizations that tout him are.

Greatprajna.org

Holyvajrasana.org

Wbahq.org

Zhaxishuoma.org

Thathagatadharma.org

xuanfautah.org

Hhdcb3cam.org (cultural art museum)

Xuanfa.net

Iamasf.org

Ibsahq.org (International Buddhism Sangha Association)

Learningfrombuddha.com

Truebuddhadharmaland.com

Dharma-hhdorjechangbuddhaiii.org

WHO IS DORJE CHANG?

Is there a historical Dorje Chang?  Like ‘the first’ since this guy claims to be the third reincarnation.  

Dorge Chang is the name of the primordial Buddha, Vajradhara (https://kagyuoffice.org/kagyu-lineage/the-golden-rosary/vajradhara/)

The primordial Buddha is often shown with blue skin and is rather unique to the Vajrayana section of Buddhism.  Although celestial and considered esoteric, this is a real manifestation of the realization of enlightenment.  

WHO is THE POPE?

The Pope is the Roman Catholic religious leader.  He lives in Rome and is elected when one previously dies.   There are some typical icons of this office.  The mitre, the two pointed ceremonial hat, the skull cap which covers the head at all times and the scepter (papal ferula) which comes in two types the ferula or staff and the crosier which has a cross at the top.  It is fashioned after the shepherd's crook.  These are similar to the shepherds crook and are all historically used by both high clergy and the pope for ceremonial purposes.  See www.vatican.va/

So why is this important?  Well it is a reference point. 

What does any of this have to do with Buddhism?  It doesn’t

Although some Buddhist traditions carry a staff of sorts called the Khakkhara or Shakujo is used by all monks of the zen traditions with some variance but there is no one staff that a main or leading (patriarchal) monk carries. (That I know of). Many monks do carry walking sticks as it is common for them to walk distances and I have seen elder monks use canes, but these had no ceremonial or spiritual use other than helping them to walk.  There is really no ceremonial use in most of Buddhism save for possibly the mountain Zen monks and some other Mahayana groups such as the Shaolin monks.  However it (the staff) is also a weapon used in practice. 

TAKE AWAY…

I have no words.  I cannot do enough research to verify or debunk such claims.  Yet they all seem pretty fishy.  Most of his mentions and photos are only on ‘his’ sites.  He claims to have ‘powers’ that no one else seems to go after.  I would assume that it is because when no one else is there, you are the ‘king’!   Many of his other mentions are on sites that seem to have taken the stories up because of the subject or keywords.  Is he a Buddhist?  I don’t know.  He does not look or seem like any Buddhist I have known and I have known hundreds if not thousands of them.  There IS NO Buddhist Pope, he made it up himself or his supporters did.  There is NO scepter mentioned anywhere else in Buddhism.  (You can look all over and us the CTRL F4 to find it… it is not there).  The World Buddhism Association is pretty much just him and his followers.  There is no way to become a member or find a list of members.  

The Five Vidyas are not easily found in Buddhist literature outside of that which he himself has provided.  

I have real reservations about the validity of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III’s credentials, history and actions.  In short, it just smells bad.  

Although, in the process of researching this I must give thanks to the efforts to convolute the information in such a manner that you can never cross reference anything outside of that circle.  I did learn a lot about other Buddhist monks and traditions and even found some interesting old sutras I had little knowledge of.  

I would not discourage anyone from finding out more on this person.  He is no enlightened Buddha, he has used confusion and esoteric ideas to promote himself and his organization.  There is little evidence this is even a real monk other than in his own and his supporters’ minds.  There is no way to vet out someone that claims celestial accolades.  For that matter I could simply claim I had a dream THE Buddha came to me and said I was to look for such fake monks.  Maybe… it happened…  

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..