Apech

'What is the sound of one hand crapping?'

I have to change into my Zen clothing to answer that no-question.

My prowess is not in question.

too long didn't evoke.

Ha ha

You're old enough to just remember I guess.

Very evocative - not sure what of though.

It could be rewritten as shitory --- but then why?

How many threads like this are there now?

There's always one.

I think we all agree.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-41047531 Yikes! Are there any DBs volunteers to try this??????

Gurus - don't you just love 'em. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/25/fears-unrest-indian-guru-convicted-rape-ram-rahim-singh-panchkula

This is a difficult problem because when you are depressed or in a very anxious state it is very difficult to get the energy to work. The answer, especially if your moods are cyclic is to work when you are up in preparation for the down periods. This is easier to say than do. If you conserve energy during the up part of your cycle then the down is shorter and less intense. It is rather like taming a wild horse and you need to learn the triggers which can cause you to become depressed - as well as some gentle exploration of any traumatic memories and so on. Mantras can be helpful as they are 'protections for the mind' - that is they affirm the continuity of your consciousness as against any kind of fragmentation that might occur. If you have confidence in Buddha or God or deities then yes they can help - but if you don't naturally have this then it could be a big distraction. Keep things simple, eat well, exercise, have a regular daily routine getting up at the same time and so on and try to address any issues in your immediate environment (starting with small things) - do some gentle relaxing practice of whatever interests you or where you can get teachings. Just some thoughts - disregard if it doesn't seem right to you. best wishes.

Just at the moment it was supposed to happen the moon came across and shut out all the light. Couldn't see a thing. Rubbish.

I personally myself stayed up all night waiting for this damn thing - complete disappointment. What can you do? astronomy eh? It's literally bollocks.

on a lurgid bee, peppery dewspangled leef, I desleep myself.

Good point Steve. I think maybe there's another factor involved. I would suggest that statistically DBs members are self selecting in certain ways - such as favouring individualism over communality, eclecticism over singularity, practice over theory, self-belief over compliance and so on - as I say statistically as a population and there will be individual exceptions of course. Dharma as practiced in the west has strong emphasis on both communality and compliance. The Lama - student relationship is perhaps the most obvious example of compliance and a typical dharma centre or 'sangha' is usually quite social and communal. Despite the fact that many great masters from history were both highly individualistic and non-compliant and spent most of their time avoiding people (e.g. Milarepa). Just an observation.

With pointed intent Boy scouts and their sharpened sticks with pointed in tents.

As long as you don't try to have the last word all should be ok.

I don't suppose there's any point asking why you are reading this thread (which bores you) let alone posting on it. Mind you you clearly haven't read any of the arguments as no one has debated or defended what is or is not sexual abuse. Most of the comments are about another Lama's analysis and its flaws.

Ok I'm reading it through slowly now and came to this section: I do think that Rinpoche has misadvised himself here. As I said before I think the correct thing to do if told to do something that could be sexual abuse and so on, is to politely refuse as it is un-dharmic. As to a breach of samaya vows these are defined in the Fourteen Root and Eight Branch Downfalls. The first Root Downfall says: "Since achievement of all siddhis in this life and in future lives of a holder of the vajra depends upon following the guru, to despise him is the first root downfall." The commentary says - 'Dispargement does not mean being a little angry with the lama, but to formulate such views as, "this Vajra Master is evil", "He destroys moral discipline, "This master does not practise dharma." This kind of disrespect is a root downfall. If one disrespects him a little, this can be confessed. Now you might say that people will come to have these views if he repeatedly abuses their trust. But again that would be because you didn't put your foot down and apply the guidance to refuse politely in the first place. In fact the second Root Downfall says: "To go against the word of the buddhas is the second root downfall." The commentary explains that this includes the basic precepts - so sexual misconduct is still prohibited by this Root Downfall. So this would form your basis for objecting to the Lama requiring you to indulge in abusive sex and so forth. So it seems pretty clear to me how one should behave.

Yes I agree and it is something of an art form to work to apply your view and yet at the same time question regularly without attachment to the answer - but that is the challenge.

i think I'll have to reread it because I didn't pick up anger or bitterness - just equivocation and defensiveness - because I'm guessing he visited Rigpa centres and should have done something.

Hi Jetsun, I should have explained - the vajrayana path relies heavily (and arguably totally) on the lama/student relationship such that it would not be possible to have vajrayana without it. So no matter how much individual lamas are discredited if you took it out of Tibetan Buddhism there would literally be no Tibetan Buddhism. There might be some parts of mahayana and hinayana but not vajrayana. As much as I like Dzongsar Khyentse and having read his book 'the Guru drinks bourbon' (which was not his best book I'm afraid to say) - I just think he is wrong, the verse I quoted above says that if what he does is not in accord with dharma then you can excuse yourself. And this does not necessarily mean that you have to walk away and abandon Buddhism but simply that you say 'I'm not doing that because its not dharmic.' The consequences of this are whatever they are and that's what you as an individual have to risk - but in Sogyal Rinpoche you can see what happens when people relinquish their responsibility to stick to this. It has also to be mentioned that Sogyal Rinpoche was not himself a monk or properly trained. He went to a Catholic school and university and came to the west early for treatment for TB. His teachings were a hotch potch mixture of New Agery and so forth. Its no wonder he went wrong. And by the way it is strongly rumoured that the book which made him famous 'The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying' was written by his western students and not him. So he was a fraud - and now everyone knows. So good.