Templar Studies : On the Topic of: Tibet and the Alchemy of Compassion

From: kynara54leddon (Original Message)
Sent: 5/23/2006 6:55 PM

Last night I had the distinct honor of being invited to attend a lecture sponsored by The Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Center of Wichita. Thinking with fondness the stories of Tibet that Raymond Bernard recounts in his book "Letters from Nowhere" I decided to accept my friend's invitation to attend.

Arriving at the small Episcopal Church just before 7:00, I scanned the room for my friend and the other members of the group who had invited me. Not seeing anyone I recognized, I was preparing to take my seat in the back of the room when a red-clad monk walked up and gestured for me to follow him. Moments later, I was astounded to be invited to sit in a chair in the very front row. But thankfully my discomfort was short-lived as my Buddhist friend joined me shortly after.

As the clock reached 7:00, a small gong sounded, announcing the arrival of the Ven. Bardor Tulku Rinpoche and his party. As the back door of the sanctuary opened, we rose to greet our honored guest. Smiling gently, the Teacher returned our salutations and then took his seat at the front of the room. After a few moments to allow his translator to prepare his materials and the audience to settle in, he began to speak.

As had been previously announced, the topic of the evening's lecture was: "A Path of Compassion and Peace in a Troubled World." As a teacher in the Karma Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, Rinpoche began his lecture by explaining the nature of Karma.

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From: kynara54leddon
Sent: 5/23/2006 7:38 PM

Karma he explained, simply represents the teaching that a person bears the sole and unique responsibility for their actions. At this basic level, right or wrong, good or bad, we and only we are responsible for what we say and do and ultimately, the suffering (or happiness) that results from our actions. But Karma is also a powerful vehicle for change as well. As Rinpoche went on to explain, each and every one of us possesses very powerful resources; the ability to manifest true wisdom; the potential to express gentleness and genuine compassion; and the potiential to use these things as vehicles to alleviate suffering in our lives, as well as the world at large. By learning about ourselves, he explained, and by taking responsibility for our own negative Karma, we can come to understand the causes of our suffering. Once we do this, we become the Master of our Suffering, and in doing so not only gain the ability to decide how we will respond to it, but the ability to decide how we will respond to it IN OTHERS. It is this ability (or empathy), which is the true catalyst for Compassion and Love.

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From: kynara54leddon
Sent: 6/26/2006 2:46 PM

As the lecture continued, Rinpoche went on to introduce a work called "The Eight Verses on Transforming the Mind" One of the most important texts from a genre of Tibetan spiritual writings known as the lo-jong, this work (whose title literally translates as 'transforming the mind.') was written by the eleventh-century Tibetan master Langri Thangpa. According to the Dalai Lama's book "The Dalai Lama's Little Book of Wisdom", some of the seminal themes of the lo-jong include: "the enhancement of compassion, the cultivation of balanced attitudes toward self and others, the development of positive ways of thinking, and the transformation of adverse situations into conditions to favorable to spiritual development." (Pg. 129)

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From: kynara54leddon
Sent: 7/21/2006 1:51 PM

Considered essential to the development and understand of Compassion as a vehicle to Enlightenment, the Chenrezig Meditation is one of the few Tibetan Meditation practices which are allowed the student before Initiation. According to Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche, who served for many years as the Chief Meditation Master of the Kagyu Lineage:"Most tantrayana or vajrarana visualization and mantra practices require that an initiation and subsequent authorization and instruction be given by a qualified lama before the sadhana, or ritual practice, can begin. However, a few practices, those that were given publicly by Lord Buddha Shakyamuni, do not fall under such restrictions. Very definitely, all the practices given in the Sutras have the full blessing of the Buddha and therefore can be practiced if one has the aspiration to do so. Such practices include those of the noble Chenrezig and of the mother of the buddhas, Green Tara. Naturally, whenever it is possible for you to take the vajrayana initiation of Chenrezig or Green Tara, you are encouraged to do so." (from the book "Gently Whispered")As Bokar Rinpoche wrote, in Chenrezig: Lord of Love, these clarifying remarks: "As long as one considers Chenrezig outside oneself, the initiation, in fact, is not indispensable. However, to meditate on oneself in the form of the deity and to actually accomplish the phases of creation and completion, the initiation is necessary."

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As I promised to do so, I would very much like to share this meditation with you. Before I do so, however, I would like to spend a bit more time with my instructors. Hopefully, after my next session in August, I will be able to do so.

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From: kynara54leddon
Sent: 10/8/2006 8:57 PM

My profound thanks to Lama Kathy for her advice, patience, and compassionate teaching of this technique. To her I can only say: Tashi Delek.....

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The Chenrezig Meditation, in conjunction with Tonglen (Taking & Sending) the Chenrezig Meditation is used to help an individual in his/her development of the "Compassionate" mindset. According to Tibetan scholar Pema Chodron:

"The tonglen practice is a method for connecting with suffering – ours and that which is all around us – everywhere we go. It is a method for overcoming fear of suffering and for dissolving the tightness of our heart. Primarily it is a method for awakening the compassion that is inherent in all of us, no matter how cruel or cold we might seem to be." Simple in explanation, but very difficult in practice, Tonglen represents the very heart of what I have come to know as the Alchemy of Compassion. As an explanation of the technique, once again let me share with you the words of Pema Chodron:"You breathe in the pain of a specific person or animal that you wish to help. You breathe out to that person spaciousness or kindness or a good meal or a cup of coffee - whatever you feel would lighten their load. You can do this for anyone: the homeless mother that you pass on the street, your suicidal uncle, or yourself and the pain you are feeling at that very moment. The main point is that the suffering should be real, totally untheoretical. It should be heartfelt, tangible, honest, and vivid."

http://www.dharma-haven.org/tibetan/meditation.htm

As I understand the discipline, in it's purest form, Tibetan Meditation is a "universal" practice, in other words, all beings are prayed for regardless of gender, race, culture or species.