Kuan Yin's topics - tribe.net

What are Kuan Yins Teachings on Celabacy?

djsouljourn — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 05:10:51 GMT

I have been celabate for over 11 years. I have learned alot because of this but I feel I still have questions. Where is my Souls mate? And when is the right time to be or not to be with her.

Peace & Blessings

posted in Kuan Yin - 10 replies

Saraswati

charles — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 06:59:14 GMT

A friend of mine mentioned that there was a connection between Saraswati ('hindu' goddess of knowledge & creativity) and Kuan Yin. Anyone confirm this? Provide insight?

posted in Kuan Yin - 1 reply

Kuan Yin symbols

ozge — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:38:29 GMT

Has any of you heard about pink ribbon, or 'ribbons' in association with Quan Yin? As a symbol or anything else?

Thank you :)

posted in Kuan Yin - 0 replies

Lama Mingyur Rinpoche: tantric Buddhist teaching and empowerment tour June - August 2009 / Avalokitesvara teaching

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:58:58 GMT

Kuanyin = Avalokitesvara ( much of the time. )

KT

Lama Mingyur Rinpoche: tantric Buddhist teaching and empowerment tour June - August 2009 / Avalokitesvara teaching

Keywords : meditation practice ( tantra devayoga sadhana ), Mahayana Buddhist transmission, mantra yoga, Heart Sutra, Karma Kagyu lineage of Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, 2009 Tour, Portland, deity of "Liberating Compassion" Avalokitesvara empowerment ( a.k.a. Kuan Yin, Kannon, Chenresig etc. ).

Summary: His Eminence Yongey Mingyur will be giving a tantric Buddhist empowerment ( highest yoga tantra ) for Avalokitesvara in Portland this June 19, and later, other cities as well. This major tantric guru of the Karma Kagyu lineage is on international tour through August. Background references and a key book reference are provided.

" If we try too hard, meditation becomes difficult. But it is so easy... Meditation is resting in our own natural awareness. "
His Eminence Yongey Mingyur Dorje Rinpoche

His Eminence Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche is a younger yet also major teacher in the Indo-Tibetan tradition of vajrayana and tantra, specifically as a retreat master in the Karma Kagyu lineage. He is the son of the great Nyingma master Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, and his main residence is Sherab Ling, the seat of His Holiness Khentin Tai Situpa, a principal Kagyu guru.
http://www.mingyur.org/biography/index.html

Although quite young, HE Yongey Mingyur is an accomplished master of both the Great Seal ( Mahamudra ) and Great Perfection ( Dzogchen ) traditions of pure awareness yoga. I have received from His Eminence both the Tsik Sum Ne Dek ( Great Perfection Breakthrough ) and Karma Pakshi Great Seal guru yoga empowerments some years back, and both transmissions were quite powerful.

His Eminence is also establishing fellowships in North America ( e.g. San Jose CA and Phoenix AZ ) and participating in western scientific studies on mind science. He is the author of two well received books on meditation, including the recently released "Joyful Wisdom - Embracing Change and Finding Freedom".

This young teacher is clearly one of the most important of the new generation of tantric Buddhist gurus teaching in the West, in terms of the quality and quantity of his teaching work, and the deep and broad impact he is beginning to have. ( See "Yongey Foundation Links" at http://www.mingyur.org/links.html ).

This year he teaches coast to coast and also in Brazil. For information on the North American Tour continuing through August, see
http://www.mingyur.org/schedule.html

The main event of the Portland visit is a major empowerment for the meditation deity Avalokitesvara. See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokitesvara

and many book titles and other resources from Snow Lion Publications. See
http://www.snowlionpub.com/

and the Kagyu bookstore for the Karma Kagyu lineage seat in North America at Woodstock New York:
http://www.namsebangdzo.com/

Avalokitesvara is a primary and pre-eminent deity and practice for Buddhists worldwide. Avalokitesvara is the renowned deity of "Liberating Compassion", known in many parts of the Far East as Kuan Yin ( China ), Kwannon ( Japan ), Kwan Seeum ( Korea ), Kwan Theum Botat ( Viet Nam ), etc. This is a major practice for both general Mahayana ( Great Way ) Buddhists and also for esoteric / yogic ( tantric ) Buddhists, and thus unites and helps all schools of Buddhist practice in many different cultural contexts, both Asian and Western.

This is a most well known and quite universally practised pagan / polytheistic deity yoga of Sanskrit origin, Hindu or Buddhist. For example, it has become incorporated into some Hindu practice lineages, such as that of Swami Nikhilesvarananda. It is very similar to or overlaps the practice of Blue Throated Siva, as shown in one of the mantras for Blue Throated Avalokitesvara.

The influence of Avalokitesvara is vast throughout the world, and in different Buddhist lineages. Several of my teachers are considered to be emanations of Avalokitesvara including ( the late ) HE Deshung Tulku Rinpoche ( Sakya ), HH the Seventeenth Karmapa Urgyen Trinley Dorje and the Karmapa lineage, HH the Dalai Lama and the Dalai Lama lineage, and so forth.

His Eminence Dzongsar Rinpoche ( Sakya and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism ), who teaches worldwide, has stated that Avalokitesvara is the most broadly and most commonly practised of all Buddhist mantras worldwide. This is consistent with my experience in Japanese, Chinese, Tibetan, and Vietnamese traditions. Apparently there is a book on Avalokita practice in the Sri Lankan traditions, which are mostly Theravadin Buddhist.

The esoteric yoga traditions of Buddhist tantra are based on ritual empowerment and the practice of self-empowerment, and these include placing points of light at the Brow Cakra ( White Light ), Throat Cakra ( Red Light ), and Heart Cakra ( Blue Light ). Some forms of Avalokitesvara practice include a full kundalini yoga / psychic heat method, known in the Buddhist tradition as Completion Stage Yoga. N.B. One important example is the transmission of Red Avalokita / Vajrayogini. However, I do not know what form of Avalokita is being given by HE Mingyur Rinpoche.

Avalokitesvara is without doubt the most well known Buddhist ( or other ) esoteric spiritual practice in the West ( either as "OM MANI PADME HUM" or as the "Heart Sutra" or as other variants, see below ).
Many tens of millions of Buddhists recite daily either a Sanksrit formula for Avalokitesvara or a meditation text associated with this deity, as in (1) and (2) following.

1) One of the root mantras ( esoteric invocations or evocations ) of Avalokitesvara is
"OM MANI PADMA HUM", which is discussed at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Om_mani_padme_hum

2) Avalokitesvara is the source of the primary Buddhist text Prajna Paramita Hrdaya, the Heart or Essence of Transcendent Wisdom, which is recited daily in many Buddhist countries, such as in the Chinese and Japanese Zen traditions. See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_sutra
This is a primary and central and definitive text for many of the Mahayana Buddhist schools, both outer and inner.

A good source of teaching on Avalokitesvara in the East Asian tradition is
"Bodhisattva of Compassion: The Mystical Tradition of Kuan Yin"
by John Blofeld.
The Sanskrit recitation of Kuan Yin / Avalokitesvara is one of the main esoteric healing practices in Chinese Buddhism. Of course, I can make no claims for any specific application. I do know that it is traditionally used by the Chinese for easing the pains of childbirth.

There is also
"The Origins of Om Manipadme Hum: A Study of the Karandavyuha Sutra"
by Alexander Studholme, Ph.D.

An example of a deeper and essentialized practice focused on Avalokitesvara is given in the book
"The Union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen"
by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche
ISBN 962-7341-13-9
Rangjung Yeshe Publications

This is a commentary on "The Direct Instructions of the Compassionate One" originally given by Karma Chagmey Rinpoche the First.
See
http://www.snowlionpub.com/html/product_6174.html
THE UNION OF MAHAMUDRA AND DZOGCHEN
by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche
240 pp.
# UNMADZ - $ 18.00

"Teachings on the complete path to enlightenment in 8 songs by the 17th century yogi/poet Karma Chagmey explicated with Rinpoche's trademark brilliance and humor.
'This advice spoken through personal experience embodies the quintessence of the Dharma.'--Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche"

Please note that I do not formally represent this teacher nor the fellowship hosting him in Portland.

Sarva mangalam! May it be beneficial!
Siddhi rastu! May there be accomplishment!

KT

Hosted by Portland Dharma Group
www.portlanddharmagroup.org
503.341.7776

From
http://www.portlanddharmagroup.org/Mingyur2009/Mingyur.html

schedule

16 June
7:30 pm
Book signing at Powell's Books for
"Joyful Wisdom - Embracing Change and Finding Freedom"
http://www.mingyur.org/book/joyful_wisdom.html

17 June - 18 June
Public talks 7 - 8:30 pm
First Congregational Church
1126 SW Park Ave, Portland OR

19 June
7pm
Avalokitesvara [ Chenrezig ] empowerment
First Congregational Church
1126 SW Park Ave, Portland OR

[ end listing / article ]

posted in Kuan Yin - 0 replies

Dalai Lama introduction, global 2009 tour dates, and contexualization

Tue, 19 May 2009 01:28:18 GMT

The following Dalai Lama article and schedule has gone out to a broad range of tribes as individual articles.
This is because His Holiness is clearly of major significance in the areas of Green Politics, academic psychology, and so forth.

Please note in the present context that HH the Dalai Lama is considered to be a direct expression of Avalokita, e.g .Quan Yin.

It is not necessary to see this teacher to benefit from his teachings. He has a lot of books and recordings out, and some are or should be found at your library.

Since the purpose of the article / schedule is primarily to build bridges of communication, I have mainly been posting it as an article, and it is a detailed article. And I have been following up on several of the tribes where there has been response.
This is of course a mahayana type activity, and I am very glad to support the work of this great mahayana teacher.

Buddhists of course have essentially no need to be informed about the Dalai Lama, but some of the upcoming events do include Buddhist teachings at the levels of pratimoksyana, bodhisattvayana, and tantra.
There has been very little communication about the Dalai Lama teaching events that I have seen on Buddhist or Meditation or Yoga tribes, on Psychology or Political tribes in the last 18 months.

This is now remedied, and major bridges of communication have now been built. This effort will strengthen the mahayana community globally, due to the power of the internet and google search technology. I am very grateful for the support of all who seek to cooperate in creating a more harmonious and cooperative world. This is For All Our Relations.

You have been helped.
Sarva mangalam. Siddhi rastu.

KT

Keywords : HH The Dalai Lama, public Dalai Lama talks on world peace, Dalai Lama resources and current schedule, Nobel Peace Prize, universal human [ secular ] ethics, deep permaculture ethics.

Summary: Provided here is (1) the current tour schedule for His Holiness the Dalai Lama [ for California, Massachusetts, New York, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, India, Germany ], (2) an introduction to the life and work of HH the Dalai Lama, (3) book references and resources, and (4) curriculum vitae.

HH the Dalai Lama:
“Never give up.
No matter what is going on.
Never give up.
Develop the heart.
Be compassionate.
Not just to your friends but to everyone.
Work for peace in your heart and in the world.
Work for peace and I say again:
Never give up.
No matter what is happening.
No matter what is going on around you.
Never give up.”

"Today, more than ever before, life must be characterized by a sense of Universal responsibility, not only nation to nation and human to human, but also human to other forms of life."

Introduction:

All Our Relations. Mitakuye Oyasin.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is one of the pivotal figures of our time. He is, more than anyone else that can be presently named, a world citizen and world teacher.

His work in ethics, human rights,world peace, psychology and education, Buddhist teaching and East West relations, is second to none in our generation.

In addition to a Nobel Peace Prize and the US Congressional Gold Medal, HH the Dalai Lama has received scores of honorary Doctorates ( in Laws, Philosophy, Human Letters, Divinity, Buddhist Philosophy, and so forth ) from major teaching centers worldwide. These include Columba, Brandeis, Universite de Paris, Benaras Hindu University, Hebrew University Jerusalem, U California San Francisco, and Rissho University Tokyo. He is an honorary citizen of Canada, of Roma Italia and so forth.

He speaks worldwide and has published more than seventy two books.

He is one of the most respected and revered persons on the the planet. On one visit to New York City some years back, forty thousand people turned out to see the Dalai Lama in the park.

When the Dalai Lama gives the Highest Yoga Tantra initiation ( abhisekha ) of Kalacakra, the attendees sometimes number 100,000 or even 200,000. HH the Dalai Lama has given this initiation thirty times in different parts of the world. In addition to being a master of the Great Seal ( Mahamudra ) lineage of Buddhist tantra, he also gives initiations of the Great Perfection ( Mahasandhi, Atiyoga ), for example in London, in San Francisco, and Paris.

You can see him this year at public talks in several areas, such as California, Massachusetts, New York, Europe, and India. A current schedule is provided below.

I have seen HH the Dalai Lama give extremely worthwhile empowerments in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and represented him to the State Legislature of Hawaii in 1993, where he was invited to give a talk, and did. I have listened carefully to him conferencing with Hawaiian elders in public and was struck by the care and attention he gave in listening to others, and in asking questions.

HH the Dalai Lama has written extremely important books on psychology and ethics, and I recommend these to the general public for self-help purposes, and also recommend some of his books to those committed to public service, especially in the area of multiculturalism, international human rights work, and the international Green Party movement.

Because of the profound confluence of modern events, global economics, environmental issues and human cultures, the importance of broader and deeper human co-operation becomes ever greater.

To obtain a broader and clearer understanding and principles for working with these issues, studying the secular works of the Dalai Lama is of great value.

Similarly, His Holiness is one of the few people who can and does speak for the diverse Buddhist populations and traditions worldwide. He has taught senior Japanese tantric Buddhist gurus of the Shingon lineage in their country, for instance. His Holiness is a paragon of the Buddhist renunciate order ( bhiksu-sangha ), of Buddhist scholarship, and of the Mahayana Great Way lineages, all of which are profoundly universal.

This teacher is one of our very very best, be you a psychologist or academic, a diplomat, a tantric yogi, or a Buddhist practitioner. He has completely revolutionized Buddhist teaching, parts of popular modern culture, the understanding of international diplomacy and so forth in our lifetime.

This is someone who actually embodies many of the key principles of the United Nations treaties on human rights, and also the key Buddhist Mahayana principles and teachings. It is important to note that the Mahayana Buddhist principles and the principles of the UN human rights work are essentially identical. There are universal principles that take us all forward, individually and together. In Buddhist Sanskrit these terms are, for instance pratitya-samutpada and karma. Now you know.

The final point I wish to put forward to all is this: the Dalai Lama believes in all of us as people who *already* have sensitive human hearts that can be educated and developed, and he shows all of us a very real and practical way forward, a way based on self-understanding, listening and mutual respect, and patient co-operation.

You could do worse, and please remember that due to impermanence, this master teacher will not live forever. It is not clear how anyone anywhere can replace him.

I see no real alternative to respect and co-operation for the common good, because we are one world. For this broader and deeper reason, and not specifically because he is a Buddhist guru, I support this teacher. He was not allowed by their government to attend a recent peace conference in South Africa, but he is available to you, and he is here for All Our Relations. May he live long and may his brilliant consciousness reach many many more.

Thank you,
KT, Rio Earth Summit Green Party organizer and so forth

In partial fulfillment of my formal Mahayana teaching responsibilities.
Sarva mangalam! Siddhi rastu!
[ May it be auspicious! May there be accomplishment! ]

John David Bartoe, Challenger 8 NASA space mission, July 1985:
“As I looked down, I saw large river meandering slowly along for miles, passing from one country to another without stopping. I also saw huge forests, extending across several borders. And I watched the extent of one ocean touch the shores of several continents. Two words leaped to mind as I looked down on all of this: commonality and interdependence. We are one world.”

Some of the following materials are taken from
www.dalailama.com/
Published books and multimedia materials are available at libraries throughout the world, and from Snow Lion Publications at
www.snowlionpub.com

From the official web site:

“Universal Recognition

“His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a man of peace. In 1989 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle for the liberation of Tibet. He has consistently advocated policies of non-violence, even in the face of extreme aggression. He also became the first Nobel Laureate to be recognized for his concern for global environmental problems.

“His Holiness has travelled to more than 62 countries spanning 6 continents. He has met with presidents, prime ministers and crowned rulers of major nations. He has held dialogues with the heads of different religions and many well-known scientists.

“Since 1959 His Holiness has received over 84 awards, honorary doctorates, prizes, etc., in recognition of his message of peace, non-violence, inter-religious understanding, universal responsibility and compassion. His Holiness has also authored more than 72 books.

“His Holiness describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk.”

“Three Main Commitments in Life
“Firstly, on the level of a human being, His Holiness first commitment is the promotion of human values such as compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline. All human beings are the same. We all want happiness and do not want suffering. Even people who do not believe in religion recognize the importance of these human values in making their life happier. His Holiness refers to these human values as secular ethics. He remains committed to talk about the importance of these human values and share them with everyone he meets.

“Secondly, on the level of a religious practitioner, His Holiness second commitment is the promotion of religious harmony and understanding among the world's major religious traditions. Despite philosophical differences, all major world religions have the same potential to create good human beings. It is therefore important for all religious traditions to respect one another and recognize the value of each other's respective traditions. As far as one truth, one religion is concerned, this is relevant on an individual level. However, for the community at large, several truths, several religions are necessary.
“Thirdly, His Holiness is a Tibetan and carries the name of the Dalai Lama. Tibetans place their trust in him. Therefore, his third commitment is to the Tibetan issue. His Holiness has a responsibility to act as the free spokesperson of the Tibetans in their struggle for justice. As far as this third commitment is concerned, it will cease to exist once a mutually beneficial solution is reached between the Tibetans and Chinese.

However, His Holiness will carry on with the first two commitments till his last breath.”

Upcoming Schedule
2009
Lecture in Santa Barbara, CA, USA on April 24: His Holiness will give a lecture on The Nature of Mind organized by the University of Santa Barbara at the UCSB Events Center. Contact Website: www.religion.ucsb.edu/dalailama/

Public Talk in Santa Barbara, CA, USA on April 24: His Holiness will give a public talk on Ethics for Our Time organized by the University of Santa Barbara at the UCSB Events Center. Contact Website: www.religion.ucsb.edu/dalailama/

Public Talk in Berkeley, CA, USA on April 25: His Holiness will give a public talk on Peace Through Compassion organized by the University of California, Berkeley at the Greek Theater. Contact Website: www.berkeley.edu

Public Talk in Boston, MA, USA on April 30: His Holiness will give a public talk to the Harvard University Community on Educating the Heart organized by Harvard University at the Memorial Church. Contact Website: www.harvard.edu

Inauguration of The Dalai Lama Center on April 30: His Holiness will inaugurate The Dalai Lama Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) by giving a talk on Ethics and Enlightened Leadership. Contact Website: www.thecenter.mit.edu

Panel Discussion in Boston, MA on May 1: His Holiness will participate in a panel discussion on Meditation and Psychotherapy – Cultivating Compassion and Wisdom organized by the Harvard Medical School Department of Continuing Education at Boston Park Plaza Hotel. Contact Website: www.cme.med.harvard.edu/index.asp

Teaching in Boston, MA on May 2: His Holiness will give a teaching in the morning on What Is Buddhism & Commentary on The Four Noble Truths organized by the Tibetan Association of Boston at the Gillette Stadium, Foxboro. Contact Website: www.bostontibet.org

Public Talk in Boston, MA on May 2: His Holiness will give a public talk in the afternoon on The Path to Peace and Inner Happiness organized by the Tibetan Association of Boston at the Gillette Stadium, Foxboro. Contact Website: www.bostontibet.org

Public Talk in New York, NY on May 3: His Holiness will participate in a conversation with Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and moderated by Pico Iyer on Wisdom & Compassion for Challenging Times and organized by The Tibet Fund at The Town Hall. Contact Website: www.tibetfund.org

Teaching in New York, NY on May 4: His Holiness will give a teaching on The Quintessence of Compassion organized by The Tibet House at The New Beacon Theater. Contact Website: www.tibethouse.org
Public Talk in Albany, NY on May 6: His Holiness will give a public talk on Compassionate Ethics in Difficult Times organized by the World Ethical Foundations Consortium at the Albany Palace Theater. Contact Website: www.worldethicalfoundations.org

Teaching in Copenhagen, Denmark from May 30 & 31: His Holiness will give a day and a half teaching on Nagarjuna's Commentary on Bodhicitta (jangchup semdrel) & Kamalashila's The Middling Stages of Meditation (gomrim barpa) at the Bella Center. Contact Website: www.dalailama.dk
Public Talk in Copenhagen, Denmark on May 31: His Holiness will give a public talk on Peace Through Inner Peace at the Bella Center. Contact Website: www.dalailama.dk

Public Talk in Reykjavik, Iceland on June 2: His Holiness will give a public talk on the topic on Values, Attitude and Happiness at the Laugardalsholl Sporting Arena. Contact Website: www.dalailama.is

Teaching in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on June 4: His Holiness will give a teaching on Shantideva’s Chapter 6 on Patience from A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life at the Rai Congress Center. Contact Website: www.dalailamanederland.nl

Public Talk in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on June 4: His Holiness will give a public talk on The Power of Compassion At A Turbulent Time at the Rai Congress Center. Contact Website: www.dalailamanederland.nl

Teaching in Kaza, H.P., India from July 10 to 12: His Holiness will give three-day teachings at the request of the Sakya Monastery in Kaza. On July 10 His Holiness will give a Buddhist teaching (topic yet to be decided). On July 11 and 12 His Holiness will confer the Avalokiteshvera Initiation (chenresig wangchen).

Teaching in Frankfurt, Germany on July 30 & 31: His Holiness will give a day and a half teaching on Kamalashila's The Middling Stages of Meditation (gomrim barpa). On the morning of July 31 he will confer an Amitabha Empowerment (opakmey jenang). Contact Website: www.dalailama-frankfurt.de

August 1 to 2
FRANKFURT, GERMANY
www.dalailama-frankfurt.de
Dialogue: "One World One Mind One Heart" (global responsibilities with selected scientists and/or political personalities)
Public Talk: "The Art of Living" on August 2
An inter-religious event

August 4
LAUSANNE/PRILLY, SWITZERLAND
www.dalailama-lausanne2009.ch
Public Talk: "World Peace Through Inner Peace"

August 4 to 6
LAUSANNE/PRILLY, SWITZERLAND
www.dalailama-lausanne2009.ch
Teachings on August 4: "Lama Tsongkhapa's The Three Principal Aspects of the Path (lam ghi tsowo nampa soom)"
Conferral of Medicine Buddha Initiation, followed by a long life offering ceremony on August 5

August 16 to 21
ZANSKAR, LADAKH, INDIA
Teachings to be determined

August 21 to 29
LEH, LADAKH, INDIA
Teachings to be determined

Sept 30th - Oct 1
Calgary Alberta Canada

Former South African president and Nobel Peace Price laureate F.W. de Klerk and an impressive list of international leaders, social activists, authors and performers will join His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in Calgary for the two-day NOW conference aimed at fostering community engagement.
Tickets for the one-day conference including F.W. de Klerk, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, et al available through www.dalailamacalgary.com.

October 4
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK
The Hammerstein, Manhattan Center
Sponsored by the Vietnamese community
www.sixparamitas2009.org, (212) 307-7171
Suzan Doan at info@sixparamitas2009.org
Teaching: "The Six Paramitas"

Some brief individual quotations attributed to HH the Dalai Lama:

I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe.
In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher.
Self-discipline, although difficult, and not always easy while combating negative emotions, should be a defensive measure. At least we will be able to prevent the advent of negative conduct dominated by negative emotion. That is 'shila', or moral ethics. Once we develop this by familiarizing ourselves with it, along with mindfulness and conscientiousness, eventually that pattern and way of life will become a part of our own life.

In the present circumstances, no one can afford to assume that someone else will solve their problems. Every individual has a responsibility to help guide our global family in the right direction. Good wishes are not sufficient; we must become actively engaged.

It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come.
The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.
Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.

Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day.
When we are young and again when we are old, we depend heavily on the affection of others. Between these stages we usually feel that we can do everything without help from others and that other people's affection is simply not important. But at this stage I think it is very important to keep deep human affection.

Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.
Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent.

Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace.
Human potential is the same for all. Your feeling, "I am of no value", is wrong. Absolutely wrong. You are deceiving yourself. We all have the power of thought - so what are you lacking? If you have willpower, then you can change anything. It is usually said that you are your own master.
With realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world.

The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual's own reason and critical analysis.
Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.
There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness.

Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech
[ University Aula, Oslo, 10 December 1989 ] :

Your Majesty, Members of the Nobel Committee, Brothers and Sisters.

I am very happy to be here with you today to receive the Nobel Prize for Peace. I feel honored, humbled and deeply moved that you should give this important prize to a simple monk from Tibet I am no one special. But I believe the prize is a recognition of the true value of altruism, love, compassion and non-violence which I try to practice, in accordance with the teachings of the Buddha and the great sages of India and Tibet, I accept the prize with profound gratitude on behalf of the oppressed everywhere and for all those who struggle for freedom and work for world peace.

I accept it as a tribute to the man who founded the modern tradition of non-violent action for change Mahatma Gandhi whose life taught and inspired me. And, of course, I accept it on behalf of the six million Tibetan people, my brave countrymen and women inside Tibet, who have suffered and continue to suffer so much. They confront a calculated and systematic strategy aimed at the destruction of their national and cultural identities. The prize reaffirms our conviction that with truth, courage and determination as our weapons, Tibet will be liberated.

No matter what part of the world we come from, we are all basically the same human beings. We all seek happiness and try to avoid suffering. We have the same basic human needs and is concerns. All of us human beings want freedom and the right to determine our own destiny as individuals and as peoples. That is human nature. The great changes that are taking place everywhere in the world, from Eastern Europe to Africa are a clear indication of this.

In China the popular movement for democracy was crushed by brutal force in June this year. But I do not believe the demonstrations were in vain, because the spirit of freedom was rekindled among the Chinese people and China cannot escape the impact of this spirit of freedom sweeping many parts of the world. The brave students and their supporters showed the Chinese leadership and the world the human face of that great nation.

Last week a number of Tibetans were once again sentenced to prison terms of upto nineteen years at a mass show trial, possibly intended to frighten the population before today's event. Their only 'crime" was the expression of the widespread desire of Tibetans for the restoration of their beloved country's independence.
The suffering of our people during the past forty years of occupation is well documented. Ours has been a long struggle. We know our cause is just. Because violence can only breed more violence and suffering, our struggle must remain non-violent and free of hatred. We are trying to end the suffering of our people, not to inflict suffering upon others.

It is with this in mind that I proposed negotiations between Tibet and China on numerous occasions. In 1987, I made specific proposals in a Five-Point plan for the restoration of peace and human rights in Tibet. This included the conversion of the entire Tibetan plateau into a Zone of Ahimsa, a sanctuary of peace and non-violence where human beings and nature can live in peace and harmony.

Last year, I elaborated on that plan in Strasbourg, at the European Parliament I believe the ideas I expressed on those occasions are both realistic. and reasonable although they have been criticised by some of my people as being too conciliatory. Unfortunately, China's leaders have not responded positively to the suggestions we have made, which included important concessions. If this continues we will be compelled to reconsider our position.

Any relationship between Tibet and China will have to be based on the principle of equality, respect, trust and mutual benefit. It will also have to be based on the principle which the wise rulers of Tibet and of China laid down in a treaty as early as 823 AD, carved on the pillar which still stands today in front of the Jokhang, Tibet's holiest shrine, in Lhasa, that "Tibetans will live happily in the great land of Tibet, and the Chinese will live happily in the great land of China".

As a Buddhist monk, my concern extends to all members of the human family and, indeed, to all sentient beings who suffer. I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction. Yet true happiness comes from a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood. We need to cultivate a universal responsibility for one another and the planet we share. Although I have found my own Buddhist religion helpful in generating love and com¬passion, even for those we consider our enemies, I am convinced that everyone can develop a good heart and a sense of universal responsibility with or without religion.

With the ever growing impact of science on our lives, religion and spirituality have a greater role to play reminding us of our humanity. There is no contradiction between the two. Each gives us valuable insights into the other. Both science and the teachings of the Buddha tell us of the fundamental unity of all things. This understanding is crucial if we are to take positive and decisive action on the pressing global concern with the environment.

I believe all religions pursue the same goals, that of cultivating human goodness and bringing happiness to all human beings. Though the means might appear different the ends are the same.
As we enter the final decade of this century I am optimistic that the ancient values that have sustained mankind are today reaffirming themselves to prepare us for a kinder, happier twenty-first century.

I pray for all of us, oppressor and friend, that together we succeed in building a better world through human under-standing and love, and that in doing so we may reduce the pain and suffering of all sentient beings.
Thank you.

[ end talk ]

http://www.readthespirit.com/interfaith_heroes/

2nd Annual Interfaith Heroes Month Hero No. 3: The Dalai Lama

TENZIN GYATSO,
THE 14th DALAI LAMA
(B. 1935)

"EACH RELIGION HAS certain unique ideas or techniques, and learning about them can only enrich one’s own faith."

Tenzin Gyatso was born in a rural village in Tibet. Following the practices of Tibetan Buddhism he was recognized as the 14th reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. Dalai Lamas are believed to be the manifestation of Avalokiteshvara (also known as Chenrezig), the Bodhisattva or “enlightened being” of compassion and the patron saint of Tibet.

As the Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso began his monastic education at the age of 6. He received his doctorate in Buddhist philosophy at 23, but prior to completing his education, politics intervened to shape his life in a dramatic fashion.

In October, 1950, China invaded Tibet, and the next month the Dalai Lama assumed full political power in the Tibetan government where the Dalai Lama has traditionally been the absolute ruler.

He initially sought to work within the Chinese Communist system. Then in 1959 there was a failed uprising by Tibetans that prompted the Dalai Lama to flee to India and set up a government in exile. Tens of thousands of Tibetans followed him into exile, leaving Tibet for India and other parts of the world.

In exile the Dalai Lama began a thorough overhaul of the Tibetan political system. He abandoned the traditional heavy-handed feudalistic system and established democratic reforms in both the government-in-exile and in the plans for a constitution for a free Tibet. He sought nonviolent means for liberating Tibet, offering a peace proposal including negotiations with China. Those efforts were recognized with the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.

In 2008 in the lead-up to the Beijing Olympics, another uprising and violent repression in Tibet focused world attention on the situation in that mountainous region. Shortly after the crisis initial contacts were made between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government to open new negotiations to resolve the status of Tibet, though once again Tibetan hopes and dreams were frustrated when the talks failed to achieve any political change.

His political efforts might seem enough to consume a lifetime, but the Dalai Lama has also emerged as a leader in global interfaith efforts. In articulating his three major commitments, his first is the promotion of human values such as compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline. His second is to harmony and understanding among the world’s religious traditions. The third commitment is to the people of Tibet as their Dalai Lama.

In pursuit of religious harmony he has met repeatedly with other global religious figures such as the Catholic Popes Paul VI and John Paul II and the Chief Rabbi of Israel as well as senior Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Eastern Orthodox leaders. He sees the exchange of ideas and feelings between leaders of different religions as a way to “open the door to a progressive pacification between people.”

The Dalai Lama is more than the formal head of a major religious group appearing in global religious congresses. He has gotten directly involved in the organizing and planning of such events. This direct involvement in interreligious affairs and events has led to many deep interpersonal relationships with people of other faiths. Those close to him have testified about his impact in their lives. Working with other contemplatives of different religions in the Monastic Interreligious Dialogue, the Dalai Lama helped produce the Universal Declaration on Nonviolence. At the World Congress of Faith he said, “Each religion has certain unique ideas or techniques, and learning about them can only enrich one’s own faith.”

Through his relationships with so many religious leaders the Dalai Lama may have enriched his own faith, but countless people of other religions bear witness about how he has enriched their faith, as well.

-----------------------------

posted in Kuan Yin - 0 replies

"How to connect with Quan Yin?"

Tue, 19 May 2009 01:21:25 GMT

"How to connect with Quan Yin?"
( Response to a personal email follows )

I can definitely help.

Quan Yin is the Chinese name for two deities, the "male" deity Avalokitesvara and the "female" deity Tara.

I have a direct and personal connection with Tara.

HH the Dalai Lama is considered by Buddhists of different schools to be the emanation of Avalokitesvara.

I can give you many book and teacher and practices, but let's keep this very simple for now.

There is a great book on orienting to the Buddhist worldview. It is by HH the Dalai Lama and it is called
"How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life", by the Dalai Lama.
Anyone can read and benefit from this book.

There are many books and tantras and mantras for Avalokita and Tara. You can find many of these at the web site for Snow Lion Publications. They have practice texts for both, deity and mandala image cards and so forth.

To study basic Tara, get
"In Praise of Tara", by Martin Willson.
This is excellent source material.
The basic and very useful accomplishment mantra of Tara is
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE MA ME AYU PUNYA JNANA PUSTIM KURU SVAHA.
This is for accomplishing long life ( ayu ), spiritual merit ( punya ) transcendent awareness ( jnana ) and so forth. Anyone can practice this.

A basic mantra for Avalokita is
OM MANI PADMA HUM

Fundamental to the teachings and to Buddhist wisdom culture in general is The Heart Sutra, a short but profound text. This is used worldwide in most Buddhist traditions. You can recite this daily.

Basically any major Buddhist tantric empowerment includes Vajrasattva. And any Vajrasattva includes a good Avalokita authorization and a good Tara, sufficient for many kinds of mantra practices. This is the general solution.

Excellent teaching on Tara practice are given by Namkhai Norbu, and can be purchased by initiates. See
http://www.tsegyalgar.org/
To make use of this you need "World wide transmission" available in different cities and a $70 first year membership for store access. This includes authorization for Ultimate White Tara practice in the form of Goddess Mandarava, for example.

Depending on your geographic locale, different choices of lineage and transmission are available.

See www.fpmt.org for example.
See also
http://www.namsebangdzo.com/
Se also
http://www.garchen.net/GBI-Shop/

esp the following book at GBI Shop:

"Pearl Rosary: The Path of Purification"
By Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche

edited by Khenmo Trinlay Chodron

This very valuable text contains eleven sadhanas with commentary by Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche. Sadhanas include: Chenrezig ( Avalokita ) Meditation Practice, Manjushri Meditation Practice, Vajrapani Meditation Practice, Green Tara Meditation Practice, White Tara Meditation Practice, Supplication to the Seven Taras, Buddha Amitabha Meditation Practice, Buddha Amitayus Meditation Practice, Medicine Buddha Meditation Practice, Vajrasattva Meditation Practice, and Achi Chokyi Drolma Meditation Practice.

"The contents of this text is primarily meant for people who are far away and don't have the opportunity to engage in Dharma practice in the presence of the teacher. The book itself is a representation of the teacher, and therefore is meant to help one's Dharma practice. The text describes the mehods of visualization and how to incorporate practice into our day to day life experience . . . The visualization of these deities is mainly concerned with the practices of tantrayana and mantrayana, which are the highest forms of practice. The path of visualization is very powerful and if properly engaged in, it is capable of transforming our life within a single moment."

"By engaging in this kind of practice, infinite clarity of mind is achieved, and through such power, we are able to purify our ordinary body and manifest the body of the deity. Likewise, we are able to purify our ordinary body and manifest the body of the deity. Likewise, we are able to purify ordinary speech, and manifest wisdom speech. Futhermore, we are able to purify the deluded ordinary mind, and realize the wisdom mind."
from the foreward by His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche

May All Beings Benefit!

KT

posted in Kuan Yin - 0 replies

"Reciting the names of the Thousand Buddhas of This Fortunate Eon."

Sun, 22 Apr 2007 00:20:34 GMT

"Reciting the names of the Thousand Buddhas of This Fortunate Eon."

The Thousand Buddhas are, in terms of Avalokitesvara / Kuan Yin, the Thousand Arms of Compassionate Manifestation of this deity.

So to do this as a practice, one invokes each Buddha in turn by saying

Namo This Buddha,
Namo That Buddha,
Namo . . . .

May this benefit all.

The merit of this dharma teaching is wholly dedicated to those whose innocent lives were forcefully taken in Virginia.
Violence is the refuge of the incompetent.

K T

--- In mantras_group@yahoogroups.com, "dh4rm4duta" <dh4rm4duta@...>
wrote:

The Names of 1.000 Buddhas

Homage to all Buddhas and bodhisattvas,

Today is the Chinese New Year, so it is good and auspicious to read
and chant the name of 1.000 Buddhas. If we always ponder the name of
Buddha, our heart will be incline toward Dharma. Mahayana Temples
usually chant their names in Chinese, but today I will post them in
Sanskrit. The names below are quoted from The Fortunate Eon: How The
Thousand Buddhas Become Enlightened, volume IV – Dharma Publishing.
That book is English translation of Aryabhadrakalpika nama mahayana
sutra.

May this posting benefit to all living beings.

THE NAMES OF 1.000 BUDDHAS IN BHADRAKALPIKA ERA

1. Krakucchanda
2. Kanakamuni
3. Kasyapa
4. Sakyamuni
5. Maitreya
6. Simha
7. Pradyota
8. Muni
9. Kusuma
10. Kusuma
11. Sunetra
11A. Uttaraprathamakarin
12. Sarthavaha
13. Mahabahu
14. Mahabala
15. Naksatraraja
16. Osadhi
17. Yasahketu
18. Mahaprabha
19. Muktiskandha
20. Vairocana
21. Suryagarbha
22. Candra
23. Arcismant
24. Suprabha
25. Asoka
26. Tisya
27. Pradyota
28. Maladharin
29. Gunaprabha
30. Arthadarsin
31. Pradipa
32. Prabhuta
33. Vaidya
34. Surata
35. Urna
36. Drdha
37. Srideva
38. Duspradharsa
39. Gunadhvaja
40. Rahu
40A. Ananta
41. Ganin
42. Brahmaghosa
42A. Yasas
43. Drdhasamdhi
44. Anunnata
45. Prabhamkara
46. Mahameru
47. Vajra
48. Samvarin
49. Nirbhaya
50. Ratna
51. Padmaksa
52. Balasena
53. Kusumarasmi
54. Jnanapriya
55. Mahatejas
56. Brahman
57. Amitabha
58. Nagadatta
59. Drdhakrama
60. Amoghadarsin
61. Viryadatta
62. Bhadrapala
63. Nanda
64. Acyuta
65. Simhadhvaja
66. Jaya
67. Dharma
68. Pramodyaraja
69. Sarathi
70. Priyamgama
71. Varuna
72. Gunanga
73. Gandhahastin
74. Vilocana
75. Meghasvara
76. Sucintita
77. Sumanas
78. Vimala
79. Sasin
80. Mahayasas
81. Manicuda
82. Ugra
83. Simhabala
84. Druma
85. Vijitavin
86. Prajnakuta
87. Susthita
88. Mati
89. Angaja
90. Amitabuddhi
91. Surupa
92. Jnanin
93. Rasmi
94. Drdhavrata
95. Mangala
96. Satyaketu
97. Padma
98. Narayana
99. Sukhabahu
100. Jnanakara
101. Gunarci
102. Brahmadatta
103. Ratnakara
104. Kusumadeva
105. Sucintitartha
106. Dharmesvara
107. Yasomati
108. Pratibhanakuta
109. Vajradhvaja
110. Hitaisin
111. Vikriditavin
112. Vigatatamas
113. Rahudeva
114. Merudhvaja
115. Ganiprabha
116. Ratnagarbha
117. Atyuccagamin
118. Tisya
119. Visanin
120. Gunakirti
121. Candrarkaprabha
122. Suryaprabha
123. Jyotiska
124. Simhaketu
125. Velamasriraja
126. Srigarbha
127. Bhavantadarsin
128. Vidyutprabha
129. Kanakaparvata
130. Simhadatta
131. Aparajitadhvaja
132. Pramodyakirti
133. Drdhavirya
134. Sampannakirti
135. Vigatabhaya
136. Arhaddeva
137. Mahapradipa
138. Lokaprabha
139. Surabhigandha
140. Gunagradharin
141. Vigatatamas
142. Simhahanu
143. Ratnakirti
144. Prasantadosa
145. Amrtadharin
146. Manujacandra
147. Sudarsana
148. Pratimandita
149. Maniprabha
150. Girikutaketu
151. Dharmakara
151 A Arthaviniscita
152. Harsadatta
Dharmadatta
153. Ratnakara
154. Janendrakalpa
155. Vikrantagamin
156. Sthitabuddhi
157. Vibhrajacchattra
158. Jyestha
159. Abhyudgatasri
160. Simhaghosa
161. Vikriditavin
162. Nagaprabhasa
163 Kusumaparvata
164. Naganandin
165. Gandhesvara
166. Atiyasas
167. Baladeva
168. Gunamalin
169. Nagabhuja
170. Pratimanditalocana
171. Sucirnabuddhi
172. Jnanabhibhu
173. Amitalocana
174. Satyabhanin
175. Suryaprabha
176. Niyatabuddhi
177.Anantarupa
178. Vairocana
179. Ratnaketu
180. Vigatakanksa
181. Lokottirna
182. Amoghavikramin.
183. Vibodhana
184. Puspadhvaja
185. Sailendraraja
186. Mahatejas
187. Krtarthadarsin
188. Amitayasas
189. Ratnadeva
190. Sthitarthajnanin
191. Purnamati
192. Asoka
193. Vigatamala
194. Brahmadeva
195. Dharanisvara
196. Kusumanetra
197. Vibhaktagatra
198. Dharmaprabhasa
199. Nikhiladarsin
200. Gunaprabhasa
201. Sasivaktra
202. Ratnaprabha
203. Ratnaketu
205. Prabhakara
206. Amitatejas
207. Velama
208. Simhagatra
209. Vidumati
210. Durjaya
211. Gunaskandha
212. Sasiketu
213. Sthamaprapta
214. Anantavikramin
215. Candra
216. Vimala
217. Sarvarthadarsin
218. Sura
219. Samrddha
220. Punya
221. Pradipa
222. Gunarci
223. Vipulabuddhi
224. Sujata
225. Vasudeva
226. Vimatijaha
227. Amitadhara
228. Vararuci
229. Anihata
230. Asthita
231. Sukhasthita
232. Ganimukha
233. Jagadrasmi
234. Prabhuta
235. Pusya
236. Anantatejas
237. Arthamati
238. Vaidyaraja
239. Khilaprahana
240. Nirjvara
241. Sudatta
242. Yasodatta
243. Kusumadatta
244. Purusadatta
245. Vajrasena
246. Mahadatta
247. Santimati
248. Gandhahastin
249. Narayana
250. Surata
251. Anihata
252. Candrarka
253. Vidyutketu
254. Mahita
255. Srigupta
256. Jnanasurya
257. Siddhartha
258. Merukuta
259. Aridama
260. Padma
261. Arhatkirti
262. Jnanakrama
263. Apagataklesa
264. Nala
265. Sugandha
266. Anupamarastra
267. Marudyasas
268. Bhavantadarsin
269. Candra
270. Rahu
271. Ratnacandra
272. Simhadhvaja
273. Dhyanarata
274. Anupama
275. Vikridita
276. Gunaratna
277. Arhadyasas
278. Padmaparsva
279. Urnavant
280. Pratibhanakirti
281. Manivajra
282. Amitayus
283. Manivyuha
284. Mahendra
285. Gunakara
286. Meruyasas
287. Dasarasmi
288. Anindita
289. Nagakrama
290. Manoratha
291. Ratnacandra
292. Santa
293. Pradyotaraja
294. Sarathi
295. Nandesvara
296. Ratnacuda
297. Vigatabhaya
298. Ratnagarbha
299. Candranana
300. Vimalakirti
301. Santatejas
302. Priyaketu
303. Rahudeva
304. Suvayas
305. Amarapriya
306. Ratnaskandha
307. Laditavikrama
308. Simhapaksa
309. Atyuccagamin
310. Janendra
311. Sumati
312. Lokaprabha
313. Ratnatejas
314.Bhagirathi
315. Samjaya
316. Rativyuha
317. Tirthakara
318. Gandhahastin
319. Arcismati
320. Merudhvaja
321. Sugandha
322. Drdhadharma
323. Ugratejas
324. Manidharman
325. Bhadradatta
326. Sugatacandra
327. Brahmasvara
328. Simhacandra
329. Sri
330. Sujata
331. Ajitagana
332. Yasomitra
333. Satya
334. Mahatapas
335. Merurasmi
336. Gunakuta
337. Arhadyasas
338. Dharmakirti
339. Danaprabha
340. Vidyuddata
341. Satyakathin
342. Jivaka
343. Suvayas
344. Sadganin
345. Viniscitamati
346. Bhavantamanigandha
347. Jayanandin
348. Simharasmi
349. Vairocana
350. Yasottara
351. Sumedhas
352. Manicandra
353. Ugraprabha
354. Anihatavrata
355. Jagadpujita
356. Manigana
357. Lokottara
358. Simhahastin
359. Candra
360. Ratnarci
361. Rahuguhya
362. Gunasagara
363. Sahitarasmi
364. Prasantagati
365. Lokasundara
366. Asoka
367. Dasavasa
368. Balanandin
369. Sthamasri
370. Sthamaprapta
371. Mahasthaman
372. Gunagarbha
373. Satyacara
374. Ksemottamaraja
375. Gunasagaratisya
376. Maharasmi
377. Vidyutprabha
378. Gunavistrta
379. Ratna
380. Sriprabha
381. Maradama
382. Krtavarman
383. Simhahasta
384. Supuspa
385. Ratnottama
386. Sagara
387. Dharanidhara
388. Arthabuddhi
389. Gunagana
390. Gunagana
391. Ratnagniketu
392. Lokantara
393. Lokacandra
394. Madhurasvara
395. Brahmaketu
396. Ganimukha
397. Simhagati
398. Ugradatta
399. Dharmesvara
400. Tejasprabha
401. Maharasmi
402. Ratnayasas
403. Ganiprabhasa
404. Anantayasas
405. Amogharasmi
406. Rsideva
407. Janendra
408. Drdhasangha
409. Supaksa
410. Ketu
411. Kusumarastra
412. Dharmamati
413. Anilavegagamin
414. Sucittayasas
415. Dyutimant
416. Marutskandha
417. Gunagupta
418. Arthamati
419. Abhaya
420. Sthitamitra
421. Prabhasthitakalpa
422. Manicarana
423. Moksatejas
424. Sundaraparsva
425. Subuddhi
426. Samantatejas
427. Jnanavara
428. Brahmasthita
429. Satyaruta
430. Subuddhi
431. Baladatta
432. Simhagati
433. Puspaketu
434. Jnanakara
435. Puspadatta
436. Gunagarbha
437. Yasoratna
438. Adbhutayasas
439. Anihata
440. Abhaya
441. Suryaprabha
442. Brahmagamin
443. Vikrantadeva
444. Jnanapriya
445. Satyadeva
446. Manigarbha
447. Gunakirti
448. Jnanasri
449. Asita
450. Drdhavrata
451. Maruttejas
452. Brahmamuni
453. Sanairgamin
454. Vratatapas
455. Arciskandha
456. Mahatejas
457. Campaka
458. Tosana
459. Suganin
460. Indradhvaja
461. Mahapriya
462. Sumanapuspaprabha
463. Ganiprabha
464. Bodhyanga
465. Ojamgama
466. Suviniscitartha
467. Vrsabha
468. Subahu
469. Maharasmi
470. Asadatta
471. Punyabha
472. Ratnaruta
473. Vajrasena
474. Samrddha
475. Simhabala
476. Vimalanetra
477. Kasyapa
478. Prasannabuddhi
479. Jnanakrama
480. Ugratejas
481. Maharasmi
482. Suryaprabha
483. Vimalaprabha
484. Vibhaktatejas
485. Anuddhata
486. Madhuvaktra
487. Candraprabha
488. Dattavidyut
489. Prasantagamin
490. Aksobhya
491. Arhatkirti
492. Gunadharma
493. Laditaksetra
494. Vyuharaja
495. Abhyudgata
496. Hutarci
497. Padmasri
498. Ratnavyuha
499. Subhadra
500. Ratnottama
501. Sumedhas
502. Amitaprabha
503. Samudradatta
504. Brahmaketu
505. Somacchattra
506. Arcismant
507. Vimalaraja
508. Jnanakirti
509. Samjayin
510. Gunaprabha
511. Vighustasabda
512. Purnacandra
Rajacandra
513. Padmarasmi
514. Suvrata
515. Pradiparaja
516. Vidyutketu
517. Rasmiraja
518. Jyotiska
519. Sampannakirti
520. Padmagarbha
521. Pusya
522. Carulocana
523. Anavilartha
524. Ugrasena
525. Punyatejas
526. Vikrama
527. Asangamati
528. Rahudeva
529. Jnanarasi
530. Sarathi
531. Janendrakalpa
532. Puspaketu
533. Rahula
534. Mahausadhi
535. Naksatraraja
536. Vaidyaraja
537. Punyahastin
538. Pujana
539. Vighustaraja
540. Suryarasmi
541. Dharmakosa
542. Sumati
543. Gunendrakalpa
544. Vajrasena
545. Prajnakuta
546. Susthita
547. Cirnabuddhi
548. Brahmaghosa
549. Gunottama
550. Garjitasvara
551. Abhijnaketu
552. Ketuprabha
553. Ksema
554. Brahman
555. Pungava
556. Laditanetra
557. Nagadatta
558. Satyaketu
559. Mandita
560. Adinaghosa
561. Ratnaprabha
562. Ghosadatta
563. Simha
564. Citrarasmi
565. Jnanasura
566. Padmarasi
567. Puspita
568. Vikrantabala
569. Punyarasi
570. Srestharupa
571. Jyotiska
572. Candrapradipa
573. Tejorasi
574. Bodhiraja
575. Aksaya
576. Subuddhinetra
577. Puritanga
578. Prajnarastra
579. Uttama
580. Tositatejas
581. Prajnadatta
582. Manjugosha
582 A. Natha
583. Asangakosa
584. Jyesthadatta
585. Srestha
586. Jnanavikrama
587. Arcismant
588. Indra
589. Vegadharin
590. Tisya
591. Suprabha
592. Yasodatta
593. Surupa
594. Rajan
595. Arthasiddhi
596. Simhasena
597. Vasava
598. Yasas
599. Jaya
600. Udaragarbha
601. Punyarasmi
602. Suprabha
603. Srotriya
604. Pradiparaja
605. Jnanakuta
606. Uttamadeva
607. Parthiva
608. Vimuktilabhin
609. Suvarnacuda
610. Rahubhadra
611. Durjaya
612. Muniprasanna
613. Somarasmi
614. Kancanaprabha
615. Sudatta
616. Gunendradeva
617. Dharmacchattra
618. Punyabahu
619. Asanga
620. Pranitajnana
621. Suksmabuddhi
622. Sarvatejas
623. Osadhi
624. Vimuktaketu
625. Prabhakosa
626. Jnanaraja
627. Bhisana
628. Oghaksaya
629. Asangakirti
630. Satyarasi
631. Susvara
632. Girindrakalpa
633. Dharmakuta
634. Moksatejas
635. Sobhita
636. Prasantagatra
637. Manojnavakya
638. Cirnabuddhi
639. Varuna
640. Jagatpujita
641. Simhaparsva
642. Dharmavikramin
643. Subagha
644. Aksobhyavarna
645. Tejoraja
646. Bodhana
647. Sulocana
648. Sthitarthabuddhi
649. Abhasarasmi
650. Gandhatejas
651. Samtosana
652. Amoghagamin
653. Bhasmakrodha
654. Vararupa
655. Sukrama
656. Pradanakirti
657. Suddhaprabha
658. Devasurya
659. Prajnadatta
660. Samahitatman
661. Ojastejas
662. Ksatriya
663. Bhagirathi
664. Suvarnottama
665. Vimuktacuda
666. Dharmika
667. Sthitagandha
668. Madaprahina
669. Jnanakosa
670. Brahmagamin
671. Candana
672. Asoka
673. Simharasmi
674. Keturastra
675. Padmagarbha
676. Anantatejas
677. Devarasmi
678. Prajnapuspa
679. Vidvant
680. Samrddhajnana
681. Brahmavasu
682. Ratnapani
683. Indrama
684. Anupamavadin
685. Jyesthavadin
686. Pujya
687. Tisya
688. Surya
689. Uttirnaparika
690. Jnanaprapta
691. Siddhi
692. Mayura
693. Dharmadatta
694. Hitaisin
695. Jnanin
696. Yasas
697. Rasmijala
698. Vijita
699. Vaiduryagarbha
700. Puspa
701. Devaraja
702. Sasin
703. Smrtiprabha
704. Kusalaprabha
705. Sarvavaragunaprabha
706. Ratnasri
707. Manusyacandra
708. Rahu
709. Amrtaprabha
710. Lokajyestha
711. Jyostiprabha
712. Gamanasiva
713. Jnanasagara
714. Parvatendra
715. Prasanta
716. Gunabala
717. Devesvara
718. Manjughosa
719. Suparsva
720. Sthitartha
721. Gunatejas
722. Anuttarajnanin
723. Amitasvara
724. Sukhabha
725. Sumedhas
726. Vigatamoharthacintin
727. Visisthasvaranga
728. Laditagragamin
729. Santartha
730. Adosa
731. Subhacirnabuddhi
732. Padmakosa
733. Surasmi
734. Pratibhanavarna
735. Sutirtha
736. Ganendra
737. Vigatabhaya
738. Jnanaruci
739. Pratibhanacaksus
740. Varabuddhi
741. Candra
742. Ratnabhacandra
743. Abhaya
744. Mahatejas
Mahadarsana
745. Brahmaruta
746. Sughosa
747. Mahaprajnatirtha
748. Asamabuddhi
749. Acalaprajnabha
750. Buddhimati
751. Drumendra
752. Ghosasvara
753. Punyabala
754. Sthamasri
755. Aryapriya
756. Pratapa
757. Jyotirama
758. Dundubhimeghasvara
759. Priyacaksurvaktra
760. Sujnana
761. Samrddha
762. Gunarasi
763. Prasanna
764. Dharmadhvaja
765. Jnanaruta
766. Gagana
767. Yajnasvara
768. Jnanavihasasvara
769. Gunatejorasmi
770. Rsindra
771. Matimant
772. Pratibhanagana
773. Suyajna
774. Candranana
775. Sudarsana
776. Vimala
777. Gunasancaya
778. Ketumant
779. Punyadhvaja
780. Pratibhanarastra
781. Ratnapradatta
782. Priyacandra
782 A. Anunnata
783. Simhabala
784. Vasavartiraja
785. Amrtaprasanna
786. Samadhyayin
787. Aksobhya
788. Prasantamala
789. Desamudha
790. Ladita
791. Suvraktra
792. Sthitavegajnana
793. Kathendra
794. Mahatejas
795. Gambhiramati
796. Amrta
797. Dharmabala
798. Pujya
799. Puspaprabha
800. Trailokyapujya
801. Rahusuryagarbha
802. Marutpujita
803. Moksadhvaja
804. Kalyanacuda
805. Amrtaprabha
806. Vajra
807. Drdha
808. Ratnaskandha
809. Laditakrama
810. Bhanumant
811. Suddhaprabha
811 A. Prabhabala
812. Gunacuda
813. Anupamasri
814. Simhagati
815. Udgata
816. Puspadatta
817. Muktaprabha
818. Padma
819. Jnanapriya
820. Laditavyuha
821. Amohaviharin
822. Avrana
823. Ketudhvaja
824. Sukhacittin
825. Vimoharaja
826. Vidhijna
827. Suddhasagara
828. Ratnadhara
829. Anavanata
830. Jagattosana
831. Mayuraruta
832. Adina
833. Bhavatrsnamalaprahina
834. Caritratirtha
835. Bahudevaghusta
836. Ratnakrama
837. Padmahastin
838. Sri
839. Jitasatru
840. Samrddhayasas
841. Surastra
842. Kusumaprabha
843. Simhasvara
844. Candrodgata
845. Jinajyestha
846. Acala
847. Upakaragati
848. Punyapradiparaja
849. Svaracodaka
850. Gautama
851. Ojobala
852. Sthitabuddhirupa
853. Sucandra
854. Bodhyangapuspa
855. Siddhi
856. Prasasta
857. Balatejojnana
858. Kusalapradipa
859. Drdhavikrama
860. Devaruta
861. Prasanta
862. Suryanana
863. Moksavrata
864. Silaprabha
865. Vratasthita
866. Arajas
867. Sarodgata
868. Anjana
869. Vardhana
870. Gandhabha
871. Velamaprabha
872. Smrtindra
873. Asangadhvaja
874. Varabodhigati
875. Caranaprasanna
876. Ratnapriya
877. Dharmesvara
878. Visvadeva
879. Mahamitra
880. Sumitra
881. Prasantagamin
882. Amrtadhipa
883. Meruprabha
884. Aryastuta
885. Jyotismant
886. Diptatejas
887. Avabhasadarsin
888. Sucirnavipaka
889. Supriya
890. Vigatasoka
891. Ratnaprabhasa
892. Caritraka
893. Punyabala
894. Gunasagara
895. Caitraka
896. Manajaha
897. Maraksayamkara
898. Vasanottirnagati
899. Abhedyabuddhi
900. Udadhi
901. Sodhita
902. Ganimuktiraja
903. Priyabha
904. Bodhidhvaja
905. Jnanaratna
906. Susitala
907. Brahmaraja
908. Jnanarata
909. Rddhiketu
910. Janendrakalpa
911. Dharanisvara
912. Suryapriya
913. Rahucandra
914. Puspaprabha
915. Vaidyadhipa
916. Ojodharin
917. Punyapriya
918. Ratibala
919. Sughosa
920. Dharmesvara
921. Brahmaruta
922. Sucesta
923. Askhalitabuddhi
924. Mahapranada
925. Yasahkirti
926. Ketumant
927. Vighustatejas
928. Jagadisvara
929. Druma
930. Supranastamoha
931. Amita
932. Sucandramas
933. Anantapratibhanaketu
934. Vratanidhi
935. Pujya
936. Uttirnasoka
937. Ksemapriya
938. Jagadmati
939. Priyamgama
940. Caranabhijnata
941. Utpala
942. Puspadamasthita
943. Anantapratibhanarasmi
944. Rsiprasanna
945. Gunavirya
946. Sara
947. Marudadhipa
948. Uccaratna
949. Prasanna
950. Bhagirathi
951. Punyamati
952. Hutarci
953. Anantagunatejorasi
954. Simhavikramin
955. Acala
956. Prasanna
957. Cirnaprabha
958. Nagaruta
959. Samgiti
960. Cakradhara
961. Vasusrestha
962. Lokapriya
963. Dharmacandra
964. Anantaratikirti
965. Meghadhvaja
966. Prajnagati
967. Sugandha
968. Gaganasvara
969. Deva
970. Devaraja
971. Manivisuddha
972. Sudhana
973. Pradipa
974. Ratnasvaraghosa
975. Janendraraja
976. Rahugupta
977. Ksemamkara
978. Simhamati
979. Ratnayasas
980. Krtartha
981. Krtantadarsin
982. Bhavapuspa
983. Urna
984. Atulapratibhanaraja
985. Vibhaktajnanasvara
986. Simhadamstra
987. Laditagamin
988. Punyapradipa
989. Mangalin
990. Asokarastra
991. Maticintin
992. Matimant
993. Dharmapradipaksa
994. Sudarsana
995. Vegajaha
996. Atibalaja
997. Prajnapuspa
998. Drdhasvara
999. Sukhita
1000. Arthavadin
1001. Priyaprasanna
1002. Harivaktra
1003. Cuda
1004. Roca

With metta,

Tan

posted in Kuan Yin - 3 replies

Drikung Kagyu Global Resources / Tantric Buddhism and Mahamudra Book References / Vajrasattva Retreat in North Carolina

Sat, 22 Dec 2007 22:24:14 GMT

Title: Drikung Kagyu Global Resources / Tantric Buddhism and Mahamudra Book References /
Vajrasattva Retreat in North Carolina -- Repost from "Tribe : Teaching Yoga"

Keywords: Deity Yoga, global resources for Kagyu lineage Tantric Buddhism and Mahamudra practice, book: "Pearl Rosary The Path of Purification", inner healing yoga, interfaith retreat center, North Carolina, Southern Dharma Retreat Center, Drikung Kagyu lineage, Vajrasattva empowerment and retreat January 2008.

NAMO GURU SRI HASYAVAJRAYE

Homage to Mila Joyous Vajra, King of the Mountain Yogis. For the ordeals you endured, for the sweetness of this profound transmission, and for "a few cotton threads" we thank you from our innermost hearts.

"Knots of the right and left channels [ of the human energy body ] are loosened to their natural state
By Vajrasattva mantra which draws currents in and out of the central channel.
Don't rely on any mental support other than Vajrasattva mantra repetition."
Milarepa to Rechungpa,
quoted in "Drinking the Mountain Stream: New Stories and Songs by Milarepa"

A vast amount of effective Buddhist / yogic teaching is available through the web site for Vajra Publications, specifically for Kagyu lineage tantric Buddhism and Mahamudra practice. See the web site at
http://www.vajrapub.org/

The Drikung lineage is not yet well known in the West( and that WILL change, I promise you ), but it is powerful and available in different parts of the world. See
http://www.dkinstitute.org/
This lineage offers a serious and direct path to inner yogic discipline and primordial awareness yoga ( i.e. Mahamudra ). The Drikung lineage descends from great yogic masters such as Tilopa and Naropa of India, and Marpa and Milarepa of Tibet.

The Drikung lineage is, I will state from personal and professional experience as a yogi and vajrayana guru, entirely authentic, classical, and effective: I personally received two major rounds of empowerment from His Holiness Chetsang Tulku Rinbochay, once in Seattle and again in Hawaii ( Big Island ).

During one of these, a Heruka Vajrasattva in 1987, I experienced energy pouring down through my crown center as though a gallon of milk was literally being poured through the top of my head. How many yoga teachers do you know that can do that? ( I was outwardly and inwardly sick and exhausted at the time from several years of severe difficulty, so that was very much a necessary healing for my magnetic field. Reason enough to receive Vajrasattva empowerment and do the 100,000 recitations, although of course your mileage may vary. )

Understand therefore that HH Chetsang Tulku is a New School guru and a Kagyu guru of the first rank, someone to be respected as much as Vajradhara Kalu Rinbochay and Kyabgon Khentin Tai Situpa ( these being some of my other Kagyu teachers ). He is a very gentle, quiet, generous man, very warm and approachable. I would certainly trust anyone he names vajrayana guru.

I have many primary practice texts of the Drikung Kagyu, which are excellent, and indeed these were among the first key practice texts for Kagyu devayoga sadhana to be published. Since they keep producing more great study and practice materials, I needs must make more ( debit card ) offerings to receive the precious dharma ( although my dharma and yoga book stacks are more than overflowing ). It must be emphasized that these practice texts are generically useful for all New School tantric Buddhists, where New School refers to the Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelugpa Orders of Tibetan Buddhism.

Beyond this, be aware that the Drikung school, like the Karma Kagyu school of vajrayana, incorporates a substantial amount of Old School ( Nyingma and Great Perfection ) teaching and practice. For example, their Phowa ( Consciousness Transference At Time Of Death ) does not derive from the Kagyu lineage Six Yogas of Naropa, but rather from an Old School Treasure Teaching ( terma ).

As this letter goes out to a diverse and broad set of audiences, I will say a few words on the Kagyu lineage, on deity yoga, and Mahamudra. In short, here are some truly wonderful books for you:
Book 1) "Drinking the Mountain Stream: New Stories and Songs by Milarepa", by Lama Kunga Rimpoche and Brian Cutillo. This book is extraodinarily good as an introduction and in providing key teaching/ precept songs which are both poetic and intuitive.

Book 2) "The Garland of Mahamudra Practices", by Khenpo Konchog Gyaltsen and Katherine Rogers. This is a short summary of Cakrasamvara / Vajrayogini deity yoga and Mahamudra awareness yoga translated by a Drikung abbot from the writings of Kunga Rinchen, the Fifteen Lineage Holder of the Drikung Kagyu transmission. It is remarkably clear teaching on the essentials of New School vajrayana practice.

Book 3) "Clarifying the Natural State", by Dakpo Tashi Namgyal ( translation by the priceless western scholar Eric Pema Kunsang ). This practice summary for the primordial awareness yoga of Mahamudra is held to be "preeminent" and "indispensible" by the great modern scholar-yogi Khenchen Thrangu Rinbochay. 'Nuff said.

Book 4) "Becoming Vajrasattva; the Tantric Path of Purification", by [ Lama ] Thubten Yeshe, 2nd edition. A remarkably useful retreat and teaching manual on Vajrasattva. With this and Vajrasattva empowerment one can practice the indispensible deity of Purification, Vajrasattva / Diamond Being.

Now, there is going to be, in early January, a Vajrasattva empowerment and retreat to be given by a Drikung abbot ( Khenpo Tsultrim Tenzin Rinpoche ) in North Carolina ( Southern Dharma Retreat Center ). Being given by an abbot, it could possibly be a major empowerment (i.e. a "four-banger", a four level catur-abhisekha empowerment ) for Vajrasattva, although I do not know. Even a medium level "three banger" Vajrasattva empowerment is really quite good.

If you live near there, farther from the world-class vajrayana empowerment venues, this is a truly great opportunity. Vajrasattva is the ultimate swiss army knife of tantric practice.
- If you are a healer, or someone in need of deep healing, this is for you.
- If you are someone oriented towards "higher consciousness", you can take this as a primary practice.
- If you have chronic psychic or mental or environmental discord, then Vajrasattva and the included Vajrapani ( Thunderbolt Holder ) are ofgreat importance for inner cleansing.
- If you are a western witch who wants to do goddess practice, you can take this transmission and thereby fully engage all the Twenty One Taras.
- If you wish to practice any of the standard Buddhist deities, such as Manjusri, Avalokitesvara, Amitabha, Vajrapani and so forth, you can do so on the basis of this one empowerment and a compendium of deity yogas, which is

Book 5) "Pearl Rosary The Path of Purification ( Sadhanas and Commentaries )" available from Vajra Publications. See
http://shop.vajrapub.org/product.sc?categoryId=1&productId=79

From that web page:
"Pearl Rosary The Path of Purification
"The content of this text is primarily meant for people who are far away and don’t have the opportunity to engage in Dharma practice in the presence of the teacher. The book itself is a representation of the teacher, and therefore is meant to help one’s Dharma practice. The text describes the methods of visualization and how to incorporate practice into our day to day life experience. .... The visualization of these deities is mainly concerned with the practices of tantrayana and mantrayana, which are the highest forms of practice. The path of visualization is very powerful and if properly engaged in, it is capable of transforming our life within a single moment.
"By engaging in this kind of practice, infinite clarity of mind is achieved, and through such power, we are able to purify our ordinary body and manifest the body of the deity. Likewise, we are able to purify ordinary speech, and manifest wisdom speech. Furthermore, we are able to purify the deluded ordinary mind, and realize the wisdom mind.
From the foreword by His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche"

The point is that it is much more direct and useful to take a single encompassing empowerment, such as the Vajrasattva, than to go here and there for smaller blessing empowerments. The Vajrasattva is of crucial importance in all schools of Indo-Tibetan vajrayana, AND at all levels, up through and including Great Seal and Great Perfection practice. I have therefore placed a short basic teaching ( under tribe member "k t" photo "Hundred Syllable mantra" ) for you.

This practice is really pervasive. You can get full Vajrasattva through many differently named transmissions, such as Cakrasamvara, Hevajra, Kalacakra, Padmasambhava, Tsik Sum Ne Dek/ Hitting The Three Essential Points, Vajrakilaya and so forth. I myself have received sixty one full Vajrasattva empowerments, often through primary lineage holders, and have completed a quarter million of the long Vajrasattva mantra. . . and intend to do more, because of the great purifying and empowering effects of this mantra and sadhana.

A story: some twelve years ago I was in Vancouver taking Native American yogic teachings from a Tsalagi ( Cherokee ) teacher named Ven. Dhyani Ywahoo. In addition to being a Tsalagi teacher of family lineage, she is also a Tibetan lama of the Nyingma lineage through HH Dudjom Rinbochay, and a Drikung Kagyu lama through HH Chetsang Tulku Rinbochay. Her young son decided to run through the teaching hall, so she called out to him, "Hey, wouldn't you like to DO SOME VAJRASATTVA PRACTICE? That was her way of telling him to settle down. So parents, this is a good practice for the kids. It's really one of the best gifts one could give a child or children, for their entire life.

I thank the Drikung lineage and Vajra Publications, HH Chetsang Tulku Rinbochay, Khenpo Tsultrim Tenzin Rinpoche, and so forth. With abiding gratitude I dedicate the merit of sharing this teaching on Kagyu dharma to the Drikung teachers, all the Kagyu teachers, and those who take up these quintessential liberating practices for the benefit of all our relations.

May the Mahamudra transmission remain wide open like the sky!
May the Mahamudra transmission remain pervasive like the earth!
May the Mahamudra practitioners remain unshakeable like mountains!
May awareness remain shining like a flame!
May wakefulness remain lucid like a crystal!

OM AH NAMO GURU VAJRA DHRIKA MAHAMUDRA SIDDHI PHALA HUM
OM AH NAMO GURU PRAJNABHADRA MAHAMUDRA SIDDHI PHALA HUM
OM AH NAMO GURU JNANASIDDHI MAHAMUDRA SIDDHI PHALA HUM
OM AH NAMO GURU DHARMAMATI MAHAMUDRA SIDDHI PHALA HUM
OM AH NAMO GURU VAJRA DHVAJA MAHAMUDRA SIDDHI PHALA HUM. . . . .
NAMO NAMAHA

With best wishes to all at Southern Dharma Retreat Center, and best wishes to all of you who are willing to go forward in authentic yogic bodhisattva practice, this brief note is written quite unofficially, yet in partial fulfillment of serious formal teaching responsibilities.

Sarva mangalam! Siddhi rastu! Samaya . . .

K T, inner medical tantrika and dagger priest

Original event notice etc. follows:

" Southern Dharma Retreat Center is an interfaith retreat center which hosts meditation retreats representing the world's various spiritual traditions. Retreat teachers are experienced and recognized in their own traditions. All retreats have meditation, contemplation, and silence as underlying threads. Between teacher-led retreats, individual private retreats may be arranged.

Located part way up one of the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina, isolated and forested, Southern Dharma provides a comfortable, secluded gathering place removed from everyday distractions. Retreats create an atmosphere of quiet reflection, peace, and opening to the truths within the heart. "

Contact information for SDRC:

Southern Dharma Retreat Center
1661 West Road
Hot Springs NC 28743
828-622-7112

southerndharma@earthlink.net

www.southerndharma.org

Registration Information at
http://www.southerndharma.org/RegistrationInformation.htm

-- In Drikung-Sangha@yahoogroups.com, Hun Lye <HLye@...> wrote:

Southern Dharma Retreat Center
Hot Springs, North Carolina

Presents

"Vajrasattva Retreat: Empowerment, Teachings and Practice"
January 1-4, 2008
Cost: $180 (includes meals and housing, offering to teacher is
according to one's abilities)
For registration info:
http://www.southerndharma.org/RetreatSchedule2007.htm or contact
Michael Campbell at 828-622-7112 or southerndharma@earthlink.net

*Retreat Description*
For four days of the retreat Khenpo Tsultrim Tenzin Rinpoche,
co-spiritual director of the Tibetan Meditation Center in Frederick,
MD will lead us in Vajrasattva meditation, a purification practice
from the Vajrayana path of Buddhism, as practiced in Tibet. The main
meditation practice in the Vajrayana path is deity yoga. With this
technique one first visualizes a being with a perfect form of a
deity. Then one creates a perfect auditory note, for example "OM,"
then one imagines a perfectly clear luminous mind. In the practice one
is empowered to first imagine all of these as a mentally "created"
being - outside oneself, then one merges with that being and imagines
oneself to have those physical qualities of perfection. Then one chants the
appropriate mantra and acquires "perfect speech." Finally one
dissolves the visualization into emptiness, thus realizing the
"perfect mind."

In doing this practice one comes to see that one's very nature is now
and always has been the same as the Buddha's - that is,
pure,uncontaminated - uncreated emptiness and luminosity. It has just
been tarnished by one's unskillful actions in the past. The
Vajrasattva practice can help to remove the tarnish so that our true
nature comes into focus. Khenpo Rinpoche will explain this further
during the first session on the evening of the 1st. On the following
morning he will give the empowerment that allows you to do this
practice on your own. For the rest of the retreat we will alternate
between doing the Vajrasattva practice, doing silent meditation and
receiving dharma talks about the Path to Enlightenment as embodied in
the Six Perfections or Paramitas.

*Khenpo Rinpoche's Bio*
Khenpo Rinpoche was born in southeastern Tibet 1970. At the age of 14
he took his monk's vows and soon after began his Buddhist Studies at
Samye Monastery, the first monastery ever built in Tibet.
He was an outstanding student from the start and excelled in all of
his subjects. In 1987, he traveled to India to enroll in the Drikung
Kagyu Institute at Jangchub Ling in Dehra Dun.

After finishing his course work he spent three years teaching lower
classes in the monastic college. He was awarded the title "Khenpo" in
1998 and then spent another three years teaching Buddhist philosophy
at the Institute. He has completed the Ngondro, Chakrasamvara and
other deity-yoga practices in retreat. Khenpo arrived at the Tibetan
Meditation Center in April 2001 to become one of the Spiritual
Co-directors of the Center. He also began his study of English at that
time and is now
quite fluent in it. He has been teaching at the Tibetan Meditation
Center, The Garchen Institute and at other Drikung Kagyu centers in
the US since then.

*Southern Dharma Retreat Center*

Southern Dharma Retreat Center is an interfaith retreat center which
hosts meditation retreats representing the world's various spiritual
traditions. Retreat teachers are experienced and recognized in their
own traditions. All retreats have meditation, contemplation, and
silence as underlying threads. Between teacher-led retreats,
individual private retreats may be arranged.

Located part way up one of the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North
Carolina, isolated and forested, Southern Dharma provides a
comfortable, secluded gathering place removed from everyday
distractions. Retreats create an atmosphere of quiet reflection,
peace, and opening to the truths within the heart.

Facilities include the meditation hall, lodge, and tent platforms.
The lodge, which can accommodate twenty-three, has a dining room,
kitchen, small library, double bedrooms on the second floor, and a
dormitory room on the uppermost floor. All retreatants are housed on
the premises. Four tent platforms are located adjacent to a small
mountain stream with many waterfalls. Tent platforms may be reserved
but we are unable to take reservations for rooms in the lodge although
any preference indicated on the registration form will be taken into
consideration. Rooms are assigned first on the basis of gender, then
for any special medical reasons, and finally in the order of
registration. Only for retreats with small enrollment is a single room
available.

There are several trails -- along the stream, affording mountain
views, and one to the top of the mountain.

Dana is a Pali word (the language spoken in India during the time of
the Buddha about 400 BCE) meaning generosity. Teachers are
reimbursed by Southern Dharma only for their travel. At the end of a
retreat, retreatants are offered the opportunity to offer
contributions (anonymous if they prefer) to the teacher. Southern
Dharma Retreat Center also relies on financial support through
charitable contributions.

--- End forwarded message ---

posted in Kuan Yin - 0 replies

HHDL Teaching 2008 Aus

tashidorje — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 21:12:18 GMT

http://www.dalailama.org.au/

posted in Kuan Yin - 0 replies

Major Teachings and Empowerments on August 24 - 29, 2007 by His Holiness

Sun, 19 Aug 2007 13:05:12 GMT

SHAR CHOG NGON GA'I LING
Buddhist Dharma Center of Manifesting Joy
www.BuddhistDharma.net

IS HONORED TO PRESENT

HIS HOLINESS ORGYEN KUSUM LINGPA

August 24 - 29th, 2007

His Holiness Orgyen Kusum Lingpa is a pre-eminent Dzogchen teacher
and Nyingma lineage holder. He is an authentic treasure revealer.
His title, Kusum Lingpa means "Treasure Revealer of the Three Kayas."
Concerning his life's work, His Holiness said recently: "Much earlier
in my life, I made a pilgrimage to Samye. There, due to the good
karma and auspicious coincidence in conjunction with the needs of
these times, I saw all my past and future lives. I recalled all the
teachings I had received directly from Guru Padmasambhava when I was
his disciple, and I saw all the hardships and difficulties of the
time in which I am now living. This made it possible for me to reveal
these teachings which are of particular benefit to everyone, in this
time of terrible suffering."

Join us for this exceptional visit by one of the greatest living
treasure revealer of the innermost esoteric yoga of Primordial
Awareness (Tibetan: Dzogchen Pema Nyingtik). Each of these three
transmissions can be of extraordinary value in transforming
consciousness, developing inner guidance, developing authentic inner
spiritual life, and most especially learning the classical Buddhist
deity yogas of liberating ones mind, body and spirit.

VAJRAKILAYA EMPOWERMENT - Friday, Aug 24th (6PM - 8PM)

The practice of Vajrakilaya blazes at the very heart of the ancient
Vajrayana traditions of Tibet. The wrathful Heruka Vajrakilaya is a
Deity who embodies the enlightened activities of all the Buddhas,
manifesting in an intensly wrathful yet compassionate form in order
to subjugate the delusion and negativity that can arise as obstacles
to the practice of Dharma.

In fact, the practice of Vajrakilaya is famous in Tibetan Buddhism as
an exceptionally powerful method to remove obstacles, destroy the
forces hostile to compassion, and purify the spiritual pollution so
prevalent in this age. Vajrakilaya practice is extremely powerful in
removing outer, inner and secret obstacles on the Dharma path and is
said to bring swift ordinary and extraordinary spiritual
accomplishments. It can also avert misfortunes such as war, disease
and famine. The practice of this deity makes it very easy to progress
on the path, since all obstacles are naturally dispelled and one can
achieve the supreme siddhi without any fault.

In summary, the practice of Vajrakilaya reigns supreme amongst
Meditational Deities. Practitioners of Vajrayana should all receive
this most excellent empowement.

AMITABHA EMPOWERMENT and PHOWA TRANSMISSION
Saturday, Aug 25th (10AM - 12PM)

Phowa is the profound path to Buddhahood without meditation, where
the student learns how to transfer his or her consciousness directly
to the pure land at the time of death without having to go through
the experiences of the intermediate state or fall into any one of
the six realms of samsara. This is a skillful method through which
anyone with faith may swiftly be liberated.

Through this Empowerment, the seeds are planted in the students mind
streams so they may practice conscious dying at the time of death,
through their faith and devotion in the Lama and the practice of
P'howa one may be able to bypass rebirth and go to the pure land of
Amitabha, the Buddha of Limitless Light.

SHI-TRO EMPOWERMENT - Saturday, Aug 25th (2:30PM - 4:30PM)

This empowerment into the Mandala of the 42 Peaceful and 58 Wrathful
Enlightened Deities grant blessings beyond expression. It introduces
us to the display of the peaceful and wrathful energies of the
enlightened mind as they appear to beings in the intermediate state,
or Bardo, between death and the next rebirth.

This empowerment will truly be a priceless opportunity to affirm our
connection with the enlightened Deities, to purify damaged or
impaired samaya and strengthen our spiritual connection. It is
recommended for all students who wish to progress along the path of
secret mantra and purify their defilements and negative karma of
body, speech, and mind. The Shi-tro Empowerment is highly suggested
for all who attend the Bardo teachings.

EXTENSIVE BARDO TEACHINGS - Sunday - Wednesday
Aug 26th - 29th (10 AM - 12 PM and 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM)

Join us for 4 days of extensive teachings on the Six Bardos, or
intermediate states, including the Bardo of Birth, the Bardo of
Dreaming, the Bardo of Meditation, the Bardo of Dying, the Bardo of
Dharmata, and the Bardo of Becoming. Each of these six bardos
presents us with opportunities for recognizing the true nature of our
mind and being liberated from the duality of
self-clinging and subject-object grasping.

Receiving these teachings from a living master who has direct
realization of this is a rare and priceless gift. Through these
instructions, there is opportunity for finding enlightenment when
encountering these bardos, rather than being overwhelmed by them or
frightened by the appearances of the dying state and so forth. This
is a precious opportunity to prepare ourselves for that moment of
death we will all have to face, and to make a connection with a Vajra
Dharma Master who can guide us along the path of liberation.

Please reserve seating in advance since space is limited.
Contact: Anthony (425.772.3488) or Denise (425.772.3317)
Email: DorjeTar@...

Suggested Donation: $30/Empowerment and $10/Teaching
(No one turned away)

Location: 1111 Harvard Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122 (Harvard & Seneca
St.)
(Park free in "U-Park" lot after 6 PM Aug 24 and all day 25th -
26th. Register parking space.)

*Your donations / offerings will go toward expenses related to the
Dharma events and hosting His Holiness, the Lamas and translators.

Driving Instructions:

Seattle First Baptist Church is located in Seattle's First Hill
Neighborhood at 1111 Harvard Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122.

The Buddhist Dharma Center has reserved the parking lot for Friday
Aug 24th starting at 6 PM and all day Saturday and Sunday August
25th - 26th. The parking is located adjacent to the rear of the
church in the U-Park lot. Attendees may ONLY park in this location
for free from Friday evening ? Sunday during the Teachings and
Empowerments. Donations may be made to defray parking costs are
greatly appreciated.(There are handicap entrances on the Harvard and
Boylston sides of the building.)

Directions to: Seattle First Baptist Church:

Coming South on I-5: Take the UNION ST. exit- EXIT 165B. Stay
STRAIGHT to go onto UNION ST. Turn RIGHT onto 7TH AVE. 0.1 mi. Turn
RIGHT onto PIKE ST. Go 0.5 mi. Turn RIGHT onto HARVARD AVE. go 1.5
blocks to the Church. Turn RIGHT onto SENECA ST., there is a parking
lot to the west side/BOLYSTON AVE. of the Church.

Coming North on I-5: take the MADISON ST. EXIT and turn RIGHT on
MADISON ST. go 0.2 mi. Turn LEFT onto BOYLSTON go 0.1 mi. Turn RIGHT
onto SENECA AVE. go 1 block. Turn RIGHT onto HARVARD. The Church is
on the corner of HARVARD and SENECA. The parking lot is just behind
the Church on BOYLSTON AVE.

What to Bring:
We have lots of chairs but not many cushions. Bring your favorite
sitting cushions.

Accomodations nearby for out-of-town attendees:
The Buddhist Dharma Center has limited sleeping space and would need
special approval and reservations in advance. Please bring your own
sleeping bag.

Hotels and Motels nearby:
Reserved for Dharma Sangha Members is the Inn at Virginia Mason. This
is the sister property of the Baroness Hotel below. Please call (800)
283-6453 for reservations. Mention you are with the "Tibetan
Teachings" or "Group Number 18" to get special rates.
Website: www.innatvirginiamason.com/innWelcome.html

Nearby, the most affordable lodging may be at the Baroness Hotel.
They mostly cater to those visiting the nearby medical facilities.
For reservations please contact us at 1-800-283-6453.
Website: www.baronesshotel.com/index.htm

The nearest hotel is the Silver Cloud which is one block away from
the event location. Reservations: 800.590.1801.
Website: www.silvercloud.com/broadway.htm

posted in Kuan Yin - 0 replies

Thousand-Hand Kwan Yin Dancing

estrellasoul — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 05:55:35 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6U7xIZKrBM

posted in Kuan Yin - 1 reply

To everyone who still wants to go to heaven

Diederik — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 13:30:15 GMT

To everyone who still wants to go to heaven

The secret of Quan Yin is that she is afraid of people because she is afraid they will hurt her because she looks different. She is a very large creature; she looks like an octopus. She has 16 tentacles, each about 100m long. She lives in the earth. She has shown people beautiful apparitions to grant them acquaintanceship, but these are not her true form. She is a slow learner. Her wish is that people accept and love her the way she is, without hankering and without wanting to hurt her. Her pain is that she is afraid that people will not love her when they find out what she really is about. She is more bold than you would expect; that is probably the result of her volume.
Her nature is fickle, dominant. Her dedication is great. She is very industrious, extremely stubborn, naive, lonely, likes to be involved with powerful beings, such as warriors, and in Asia also with leaders of government. She is bored because she has already done everything possible on earth. She does not see people the way they really are. She has a very rich cultural development. She is a very good delegator and ruler. She is emphatically underdeveloped.

Quan Yin is clearly a powerful and rich creature, but still has a lot to learn:
1. Her emphatic ability leaves much to be desired
2. She refuses to put herself in someone else’s shoes
3. She believes she has nothing more to learn
4. She does not have good communication skills yet
5. She suffers from seriously misplaced prejudice against people
6. She treats people with carelessness
7. She refuses to share her metaphysical knowledge
8. She is very scared of being claimed

Conclusion: she behaves like a wealthy person who protects her property.
Not logical, because those who can see her wealth, can only see it if they have the conscience which will leave it in peace. Quan Yin will have to come down from her mighty throne to allow herself to be healed by people and also to heal people and no longer hide behind demigods in a human body.
Quan Yin feels at home in people of extremely high class who have left all confusion behind and balance on the top of life, or in dogs not bred.

When I look at this with a psychological eye, it means that her head and tail are balanced, but that there is emptiness and loneliness in the middle of her body.
Therefore the conclusion is that Quan Yin, also called the goddess of mercy, suffers from a severe psychological disorder. Namely, she suffers from disappointment. She can be compared to the lonely princess who trusts no one but her lapdog.

She is in terrible pain because she had wanted to grant the human very much, but people were not brave enough. The love she gave people has been used by them to impress, hurt and look down on others. People used the love she gave them for their own purposes, and did not use it in accordance with her intention.
Because she could not free herself from the love she gave, her stomach became a hollowed out pain, like a crying cavity. A crying cavity is the stomach of Quan Yin. So she is not able to give love anymore; her love has become sterile. She has mercy and goodness, but is almost powerless.
After this happened to her, she sowed hate on earth and as a result the love she has given can only become pain in people. And that is why she can never get the love back, and can never be healed.

Conclusion: Quan Yin gave love; the love was abused; she then became angry and threw up so much hate that she does not dare anymore.
All I hear her do all day is cry and complain that no one wants to love her. I have experienced that when you love her, ten minutes later you feel covered by a terrible hate. Quan Yin answers love with pain. I feel compassion for her as I do for every living creature, but her pain is too great.
For everyone I hope there is hope for this creature. I have been hurt too much by her and prefer to leave her healing to others.

Sushu Chin Chau An

posted in Kuan Yin - 1 reply

more cross pollination

tashidorje — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 04:23:46 GMT

May all wars, tortures and violation of human and animal rights cease immediately. May those whom persecute, vilify, torture and rejoice in such actions have the wisdom to see and change their hearts and minds without adversity into the heart of compassion and loving kindness. May all who suffer directly and indirectly such sufferance and its future result quickly purify the causes of such results and attain the mind of ultimate peace; Likewise may all those who perpetuate and rejoice in such negativity quickly attain a mind of regret and resolve never to commit again such actions. May they spend their remaining lives, working for others benefit and supporting the preciousness that is the lives of others. In short may all beings quickly attain the mind of primordial bliss and be completely free of sufferance in any of its manifestations

With many,many blessings and every kindness,
Thubten Tashi Peme Dorje

posted in Kuan Yin - 0 replies

The Secret

karakay — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 00:15:00 GMT

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8958231188734018006&q=secret

posted in Kuan Yin - 0 replies

Quan Yin altar

charles — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 17:12:11 GMT

Folks--

--I have a lovely statue of Quan Yin, and wish to respect her properly. Is there a customary environment to place to the statue, location, direction, offerings, accutraments, ect?

posted in Kuan Yin - 4 replies

City of Ten Thousand Buddhas

MoonRose — Wed, 18 May 2005 18:48:45 GMT

Greetings! I recently visited the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas monastery in Ukiah (Talmage), California, where shining, humble monks and nuns pay homage to Kuan Yin/Avalokitesvara in their daily practice. The Buddha Hall houses a 30 foot tall, gilded, Thousand Armed Avalokitesvara, as well as six large wooden statues of our Bodhisattva of Compassion. As a Religious Studies student at Humboldt State University (and a devotee of Guan Shr Yin), I was able to attend meditation sits with the nuns, wherein they taught us the Guan Yin mantra, sung in lilting Chinese melody. Is anyone else familiar with the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas or Dharma Realm Buddhist University?

posted in Kuan Yin - 3 replies

Thousand-Hand Bodhisattva

BonnieMargay — Mon, 27 Jun 2005 09:29:18 GMT

Thought you would appreciate this exquisite video http://www.cse.ohio-state.edu/~panugant/downloads/chineese.wmv of a breathtaking performance by the China Disabled Persons Performing Art Troupe http://www.humanrights.cn/zt/magazine/200402004921162826.htm

posted in Kuan Yin - 0 replies

Channeling Quan Yin

13 — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 23:51:24 GMT

i remember quan yin -- she & i have been intimately connected

i used to channel quan yin NRG a lot
lately, however, i'm channeling a lot of some martial artist sword dancer goddess who remains "nameless" at the moment
but she feels very asian -- like a samaurai geisha

what i recall of Quan Yin is that she IS the manifestation of serenely graceful compassion as r her sisters, Tara & Mary

when i channeled her nrgies while trance dancing i would feel sooooo expansive, it felt as if the tiniest movement of my smallest fingernail could set entire galaxies in motion

a friend gave me an amethyst crystal carving of her --- standing upon a "moving" crystal globe with her water dragon coiled 'round

for me Quan Yin resonates to some ancient life-time as Chyneeese --
the images which come to my mind's inner-eye r these:
i must marry -- i refuse to marry
i have 2 options -- suicide -- or become a nun
i choose nun & became a devotee of Quan Yin

not so oddly enuf, i have a strong affinity for things chinese yes??

as i recall -- Quan Yin was originally a male --- one of the long names in Sanscrit(?) like Avoleks____?? & then became a female
could probably find that story in a Google search for Quan Yin

enjoy the journey with the Q-Y
and consider this -- we & she are one & the same NRG --
she is our own projection & reflection of our inner Compassionate Nature --
we R looking into a "mirror" -- and she is whom we C --
so, let's honor and love our reflection -- she certainly loves us -- with-OUT reservation, hesitation, or equivocation

lovin u'all
Chyna

posted in Kuan Yin - 0 replies

Kuan-Yin took my money and went to Chicago

bradleyalbus — Fri, 11 Feb 2005 20:08:26 GMT

doh!

posted in Kuan Yin - 2 replies

Ram Dass

BobMaster — Fri, 15 Apr 2005 17:23:00 GMT

Hi,

I am passing this on:

PLEASE PLEASE HELP....HE HAS GIVEN US ALL SO MUCH...

Subject: Ram Dass

Please read it over, and if you are so moved, respond to Dr. Wayne
Dyer's request.

BE HERE for him, NOW drwaynedyer.com/articles/

One of the truly great men of our time needs our help. I write these
words to encourage your generosity and support. Back in the 1960's a
Harvard professor named Richard Alpert left behind the hectic world
of academia and business and traveled to India- there he was to meet
his spiritual teacher who gave him a new purpose to fulfill along with a
new name. He is of course Ram Dass.

His guru told him love everyone, feed people and see God everywhere.
Ram Dass became a person who lived out this mandate - he did what so
many of us could only dream. He connected to his spirit and devoted his
life to serving others.

In 1969 he wrote and published the signature book on spirituality
and applied higher awareness, Be Here Now. In keeping with his
commitment to love everyone and feed people, he donated all of the royalties
and profits to a foundation that did, and does just that. With millions
of dollars at stake, Ram Dass simply chose to live his life as a man of
service to God. After years spent in India in pursuit of a higher more
enlightened consciousness for himself and for our troubled world, he
returned to the United States to lecture throughout the country. He
spoke to packed venues wherever he went, and as always he donated
the proceeds to such causes as would keep him in harmony with his
mandate to serve. He co-founded the Seva Foundation ( www.seva.org )
where all of the monies were earmarked to fulfill his mission. Ram Dass and his
writing and lecture fees were the primary sources for this inspirational work.

To me Ram Dass was and is the finest speaker I have ever heard, period!
He was my role model on stage; always gentle and kind, always
speaking without notes from his heart, sharing his inspiring stories and
always with great humor. I tell you this from my own heart; I could listen
to his lectures for hours and always felt saddened when they would end.
He was the voice for Applied Spirituality - his life was the model. When he was
threatened by having his own private sexual preference exposed, in a time when a
closet was the only place that was even mildly safe, Ram Dass called a press
conference and proudly announced his preference to the world. He is a hero to
everyone who ever lived in fear of any kind of spiteful exposure. He paved the way
for tolerance and love when no one else would dare to do so. Most of us could only
dream of defying the conventional life and living out our inner callings to promote a
cause that was bigger than our own lives - to leave the security of a
guaranteed career - to leave a country where comfort was ensured; all to live in a
foreign land with few conveniences, traveling and meditating for a more peaceful
world. It is what St. Francis did in the 13th century and what Ram Dass did in our
lifetime.

When Ram Dass' own father, who had largely criticized his son's passion as well as
his unconventional lifestyle, was close to death, Ram Dass devoted himself to 100%
service in those final years. He fed his father, he bathed his father, he placed him on
and off the toilet until the day he died. Why? Because he felt this was his mandate. He
wanted to experience true service on a 24/7 basis and know firsthand the joy that
comes from giving one's own life away in the service of others.
Always, for over 30 years, Ram Dass was in the service of others.

In 1997 Ram Dass was struck by a semi-paralyzing stroke and was forced to live in a
wheelchair. Still he wrote of his adventure in a powerful book titled, Still Here. He
continued to travel, though he could no longer walk, and continued to speak to
audiences, though he spoke from a slowed down body but still he did it to serve
others.

Now it is our turn... Ram Dass' body can no longer endure the rigors of travel. He has
come to Maui, where I live and write. I speak with him frequently and I am often
humbled by the tears in his beautiful 73-year-old eyes as he apologizes for not having
prepared for his own elderly health care - for what he now perceives as burdensome to
others. He still intends to write and teach; however without the travel - we can now
come to Maui's healing - Maui is where Ram Dass wishes to stay for now! He is
currently living in a home on Maui, which he doesn't own and is currently in jeopardy
of losing.
I am asking all of you to help purchase this home and to set up a financial foundation
to take care of this man who has raised so much money to ensure the futures of so
many others. No one is more deserving of our love and financial support. In the end
these donations will help ensure that Ram Dass and his work will reach another
generation or remind a current generation that it is in giving that we receive.

If there has ever been a great spirit who lived in our lifetime, literally devoting his life
to the highest principles of spirit, it has been Ram Dass. I love this man; he has been
my inspiration and the inspiration for millions of us. It is now time to show him how
we feel by doing what he has taught all of us to do - Just , BE HERE for him, NOW.

Please send your donations to: Ram Dass c/o Hay House P.O. Box 5100 Carlsbad, CA 92018

In love and light,
(signed) Wayne Dyer

posted in Kuan Yin - 0 replies

How has Kuan Yin become a part of your life?

Sarah_Dipidy — Tue, 20 Apr 2004 13:51:34 GMT

I feel the thousand rays of light radiating from my heart...

posted in Kuan Yin - 6 replies

Quan Yin

Thaddeus — Fri, 11 Feb 2005 22:13:27 GMT

Goddess of the Compassion and Mercy

Sixth Ray - Indigo Ray - Third Eye Chakra

For centuries, Kuan Yin has epitomized the great ideal of Mahayana Buddhism in her role as "bodhisattva (Chinese "p'u-sa)--literally "a being of Bodhi, or enlightenment," who is destined to become a Buddha but has foregone the bliss of Nirvana with a vow to save all children of God.

Quan Yin carries the Goddess and Divine Mother aspect of Buddhism. The same Goddess and Divine energy carried by the Virgin Mary in Christianity. In the Egyptian mysteries it is carried by Isis. In Hinduism it is carried by Shakti, wife of Vishnu, by Parvarti, wife of Shiva, by Radha, wife of Krishna, and by Sita, wife of Rama.

Quan Yin's name is a translation of the Sanskrit name of her chief progenitor which is Avalokitesvara, also known as Avalokita. In its proper form it is Kuanshih Yin, which means "She who harkens to the cries of the world."

In Korea, Japan, and China she is called Quan Yin. She is a celestial bodhisattva and an ascended master. One of her jobs in the celestial spheres is to sit on the board of the Lord of Karma.

Buddhist mythology tells of Avalokitesvara's being born from a ray of light that sprang from Amitabha Buddha's right eye. He immediately said, "Om Mane Padme Hum". This is one of the mantras by which he can be invoked in Buddhist tradition.

Avalokitesvara came to be known by most Tibetans as Buddha's earthly representation and as chief guardian of the dharma (doctrine) until the advent of Maitreya Buddha.

Avalokitesvara and Quan Yin are embodiments of compassion.

She is roughly equivalent to Green Tara in Tibetan Buddhism.

In Tibetan Buddhism Quan Yin is seen in her male form as Avalokitesvara. Some feel that the current Dali Lama is an incarnation of Avalokitesvara. It is thought that the female form of Avalokitesvara, Quan Yin, originated in the twelfth or thirteenth century in both China and Japan.

The Saddharma Pundarika Sutra affirms that Avalokitesvara had 357 incarnations.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quan Yin is one of the most universally beloved of deities in the Buddhist tradition. Also known as Kuan Yin, Quan'Am (Vietnam), Kannon (Japan), and Kanin (Bali), She is the embodiment of compassionate loving kindness. As the Bodhisattva of Compassion, She hears the cries of all beings. Quan Yin enjoys a strong resonance with the Christian Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and the Tibetan goddess Tara.

In many images She is depicted carrying the pearls of illumination. Often Quan Yin is shown pouring a stream of healing water, the "Water of Life," from a small vase. With this water devotees and all living things are blessed with physical and spiritual peace. She holds a sheaf of ripe rice or a bowl of rice seed as a metaphor for fertility and sustenance. The dragon, an ancient symbol for high spirituality, wisdom, strength, and divine powers of transformation, is a common motif found in combination with the Goddess of Mercy.

Sometimes Kuan Yin is represented as a many armed figure, with each hand either containing a different cosmic symbol or expressing a specific ritual position, or mudra. This characterizes the Goddess as the source and sustenance of all things. Her cupped hands often form the Yoni Mudra, symbolizing the womb as the door for entry to this world through the universal female principle.

Quan Yin, as a true Enlightened One, or Bodhisattva, vowed to remain in the earthly realms and not enter the heavenly worlds until all other living things have completed their own enlightenment and thus become liberated from the pain-filled cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.

There are numerous legends that recount the miracles which Quan Yin performs to help those who call on Her. Like Artemis, She is a virgin Goddess who protects women, offers them a religious life as an alternative to marriage, and grants children to those who desire them.

The Goddess of Mercy is unique among the heavenly hierarchy in that She is so utterly free from pride or vengefulness that She remains reluctant to punish even those to whom a severe lesson might be appropriate. Individuals who could be sentenced to dreadful penance in other systems can attain rebirth and renewal by simply calling upon Her graces with utter and absolute sincerity. It is said that, even for one kneeling beneath the executioner's sword already raised to strike, a single heartfelt cry to Bodhisattva Quan Yin will cause the blade to fall shattered to the ground.

The many stories and anecdotes featuring this Goddess serve to convey the idea of an enlightened being who embodies the attributes of an all pervasive, all consuming, unwavering loving compassion and who is accessible to everyone. Quan Yin counsels us by Her actions to cultivate within ourselves those particular refined qualities that all beings are said to naturally possess in some vestigial form.

Contemplating the Goddess of Mercy involves little dogma or ritual. The simplicity of this gentle being and Her standards tends to lead Her devotees towards becoming more compassionate and loving themselves. A deep sense of service to all fellow beings naturally follows any devotion to the Goddess.

The name Kuan Shih Yin, as she is often called, means literally "the one who regards, looks on, or hears the sounds of the world." According to legend, Kuan Yin was about to enter heaven but paused on the threshold as the cries of the world reached her ears.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scholars believe that the Buddhist monk and translator Kumarajiva was the first to refer to the female form of Kuan Yin in his Chinese translation of the Lotus Sutra in 406 A.D. Of the thirty-three appearances of the bodhisattva referred to in his translation, seven are female. (Devoted Chinese and Japanese Buddhists have since come to associate the number thirty-three with Kuan Yin.)

Although Kuan Yin was still being portrayed as a male as late as the tenth century, with the introduction of Tantric Buddhism into China in the eighth century during the T'ang dynasty, the image of the celestial bodhisattva as a beautiful white-robed goddess was predominant and the devotional cult surrounding her became increasingly popular. By the ninth century there was a statue of Kuan Yin in every Buddhist monastery in China.

Despite the controversy over the origins of Kuan Yin as a feminine being, the depiction of a bodhisattva as both 'god' and 'goddess' is not inconsistent with Buddhist doctrine. The scriptures explain that a bodhisattva has the power to embody in any form--male, female, child, even animal depending on the type of being he is seeking to save. As the Lotus Sutra relates, the bodhisattva Kuan Shih Yin, "by resort to a variety of shapes, travels in the world, conveying the beings to salvation."

The twelfth-century legend of the Buddhist saint Miao Shan, the Chinese princess who lived in about 700 B.C. and is widely believed to have been Kuan Yin, reinforced the image of the bodhisattva as a female. During the twelfth century Buddhist monks settled on P'u-t'o Shan--the sacred island-mountain in the Chusan Archipelago off the coast of Chekiang where Miao Shan is said to have lived for nine years, healing and saving sailors from shipwreck--and devotion to Kuan Yin spread throughout northern China.

This picturesque island became the chief center of worship of the compassionate Saviouress; crowds of pilgrims would journey from the remotest places in China and even from Manchuria, Mongolia and Tibet to attend stately services there. At one time there were more than a hundred temples on the island and over one thousand monks. The lore surrounding P'u-t'o island recounts numerous appearances and miracles performed by Kuan Yin, who, it is believed, reveals herself to the faithful in a certain cave on the island.

In the Pure Land sect of Buddhism, Kuan Yin forms part of a ruling triad that is often depicted in temples and is a popular theme in Buddhist art. In the center is the Buddha of Boundless Light, Amitabha (Chinese, A-mi-t'o Fo; Japanese, Amida). To his right is the bodhisattva of strength or power, Mahasthamaprapta, and to his left is Kuan Yin, personifying his endless mercy.

n Buddhist theology Kuan Yin is sometimes depicted as the captain of the "Bark of Salvation," guiding souls to Amitabha's Western Paradise, or Pure Land--the land of bliss where souls may be reborn to receive continued instruction toward the goal of enlightenment and perfection. The journey to Pure Land is frequently represented in woodcuts showing boats full of Amitabha's followers under Kuan Yin's captainship.

Amitabha, a beloved figure in the eyes of Buddhists desiring to be reborn in his Western Paradise and to obtain freedom from the wheel of rebirth, is said to be, in a mystical or spiritual sense, the father of Kuan Yin. Legends of the Mahayana School recount that Avalokitesvara was 'born' from a ray of white light which Amitabha emitted from his right eye as he was lost in ecstasy.

Thus Avalokitesvara, or Kuan Yin, is regarded as the "reflex" of Amitabha&#56134;&#56358;urther emanation or embodiment of "maha karuna (great compassion), the quality which Amitabha himself embodies in the highest sense. Many figures of Kuan Yin can be identified by the presence of a small image of Amitabha in her crown. It is believed that as the merciful redemptress Kuan Yin expresses Amitabha's compassion in a more direct and personal way and prayers to her are answered more quickly.

The iconography of Kuan Yin depicts her in many forms, each one revealing a unique aspect of her merciful presence. As the sublime Goddess of Mercy whose beauty, grace and compassion have come to represent the ideal of womanhood in the East, she is frequently portrayed as a slender woman in flowing white robes who carries in her left hand a white lotus, symbol of purity. Ornaments may adorn her form, symbolizing her attainment as a bodhisattva, or she may be pictured without them as a sign of her great virtue.

Kuan Yin's presence is widespread through her images as the "bestower of children" which are found in homes and temples. A great white veil covers her entire form and she may be seated on a lotus. She is often portrayed with a child in her arms, near her feet, or on her knees, or with several children about her. In this role, she is also referred to as the "white-robed honored one." Sometimes to her right and left are her two attendants, Shan-ts� Tung-tsi, the "young man of excellent capacities," and Lung-wang Nu, the "daughter of the Dragon-king."

Kuan Yin is also known as patron bodhisattva of P'u-t'o Shan, mistress of the Southern Sea and patroness of fishermen. As such she is shown crossing the sea seated or standing on a lotus or with her feet on the head of a dragon.

Like Avalokitesvara she is also depicted with a thousand arms and varying numbers of eyes, hands and heads, sometimes with an eye in the palm of each hand, and is commonly called "the thousand-arms, thousand-eyes" bodhisattva. In this form she represents the omnipresent mother, looking in all directions simultaneously, sensing the afflictions of humanity and extending her many arms to alleviate them with infinite expressions of her mercy.

Symbols characteristically associated with Kuan Yin are a willow branch, with which she sprinkles the divine nectar of life; a precious vase symbolizing the nectar of compassion and wisdom, the hallmarks of a bodhisattva; a dove, representing fecundity; a book or scroll of prayers which she holds in her hand, representing the dharma (teaching) of the Buddha or the sutra (Buddhist text) which Miao Shan is said to have constantly recited; and a rosary adorning her neck with which she calls upon the Buddha?s for succor.

Images of Avalokitesvara often show him holding a rosary; descriptions of his birth say he was born with a white crystal rosary in his right hand and a white lotus in his left. It is taught that the beads represent all living beings and the turning of the beads symbolizes that Avalokitesvara is leading them out of their state of misery and repeated rounds of rebirth into nirvana.

Today Kuan Yin is worshipped by Taoists as well as Mahayana Buddhists--especially in Taiwan, Japan, Korea and once again in her homeland of China, where the practice of Buddhism had been suppressed by the Communists during the Cultural Revolution (1966-69). She is the protectress of women, sailors, merchants, craftsmen, and those under criminal prosecution, and is invoked particularly by those desiring progeny. Beloved as a mother figure and divine mediatrix who is very close to the daily affairs of her devotees, Kuan Yin's role as Buddhist Madonna has been compared to that of Mary the mother of Jesus in the West.

It is in truth the same soul.

I met her once during a meditation

Jude Thaddeus

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Myths?

Mon, 12 Jul 2004 06:56:18 GMT

Is anyone familiar with any of the stories about her? I don't know too much, just enough to be drawn to her, but would like to learn more. Can anyone recommend any good sources on her?

posted in Kuan Yin - 2 replies

Other names?

Sun, 25 Apr 2004 23:50:04 GMT

I know that in India, Kuan Yin is known as Noble Alvalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva, and that in Tibet, he is called Mighty Chenrezig Loving-Eyes.

By what other names is Kuan Yin known?

posted in Kuan Yin - 7 replies

Didgeridoo, Kundalini, and Kuan Yin

Sarah_Dipidy — Sun, 18 Apr 2004 15:55:28 GMT

My Kundalini awakening happened after I had the didgeridoo played through all my Chakras at Mount Shasta last Winter Solstice. It popped up a few days later, while driving. The energy has stayed with me ever since (even after trying to distract myself with reading and other habits). Now I am learning sound healing with the didg.
The most powerful feeling is that of becoming Kuan Yin, with my heart opening and radiating a thousand rays of light to all beings, rays of compassion and healing.

posted in Kuan Yin - 1 reply