C T

When in doubt, sing

For me, enlightenment's sweet spot lies right smack in between acceptance or rejection

~ Paramito Ladakh ~ Anxiety is an inevitable consequence of striving to control and manage the ultimately uncontrollable and unmanageable — the inherently uncertain conditions of our contingent perceptual reality.

To be free requires work. To do the work requires effort. The acquisition of Prerequisites to the exertion of the right kind of effort is not bestowed miraculously. The practitioner learns to assemble the right tools. The process of assembling these tools is, in Buddhist terms, the accumulation of merit. Merit is not brownie points. It is whats inherent in the progression of spiritual evolution.

~ Paramito Ladakh ~ Where am "I" to be found in the absence (selflessness) of all propositions of place?

I lose track of time Immersion in samadhi One taste, hot and cold...

WORDS OF WISDOM 06.01.2021 Published: 06 January 2021 In other words, a Buddhist practitioner need not necessarily eat poorly and dress poorly, or think he or she must refrain from using the good things in life. This would also be a form of attachment. The main point is not to develop greed for these things. The whole purpose of bringing this up is to say Buddhism is not pessimistic. Although the Buddha exhorted his followers to be content with few desires, it does not mean one must live a life of austerity. Most importantly, one should seek meaning in life through liberation, not through the pursuit of worldly pleasures. ~Depicted from THE FOUR SEALS OF DHARMA - The Practice of Suffering

Without renunciation (to attachments) its impossible to enter the state of equipoise, which is another term for 'rigpa'. Equipoise is the balanced fruition of bodhicitta and renunciation. In Gateway to the Vajrayana Path, Rinpoche observed, “If renunciation and bodhicitta are absent, a person cannot sow the seeds of liberation even after nine years of Dzogchen retreat.” Commentary: We ought to reflect deeply on this statement: it is the most sublime Dzogchen that one spends not a few days or several months but nine years to practice; in terms of methodology, it is undertaken in retreat away from any contact with the world outside; despite this, one cannot sow the seeds of liberation because one does not have renunciation and bodhicitta. This should be enough of a warning. Without renunciation and bodhicitta, we may find ourselves in a position wherein the cause of liberation cannot be established even after nine years of Dzogchen practice! Thus, renunciation and bodhicitta are extremely important to any practitioner. Its inner work mostly. Outwardly, nothing needs to be different, according to Patrul Rinpoche. "Transcendent renunciation is developed by meditating on the preciousness of human life in terms of the ocean of evolutionary possibilities, the immediacy of death, the inexorability of evolutionary causality, and the sufferings of the ignorance-driven, involuntary life cycle. Renunciation automatically occurs when you come face-to-face with your real existential situation, and so develop a genuine sympathy for yourself, having given up pretending the prison of habitual emotions and confusions is just fine. Meditating on the teachings given on these themes in a systematic way enables you to generate quickly an ambition to gain full control of your body and mind in order at least to face death confidently, knowing you can navigate safely through the dangers of further journeys. Wasting time investing your life in purposes that “you cannot take with you” becomes ludicrous, and, when you radically shift your priorities, you feel a profound relief at unburdening yourself of a weight of worry over inconsequential things." ~ Padmasambhava

First they culled birds, then they culled pigs and cows. Practice runs.

I'd say Buddhist (or specifically secret mantra) energy cultivation has sufficient merit in itself to facilitate the enlightening process. Yantra yoga is pretty accessible, so if interested, do check it out. Teachings (on energetic cultivation) by Dr. Nida Chenagtsang are authentic and accessible. Here he demonstrates an aspect of Buddhist energy cultivation called yoga nejang Wrt the second question.... a definitive yes.

I know a few first hand from practice, but this is pretty much the essence https://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/patrul-rinpoche/self-liberating-meditation

~ Deity Yoga in a Nutshell ~ You've stumbled into a Tibetan Buddhist center or their website and you hear or read about the practice of deity-yoga or sādhana practice. After paying a little attention, you can perhaps discern that this seems to be one of the main practices of Tibetan Buddhism. You've also heard it said that Buddhism is a "non-theistic" religion and so you wonder, what's this deity-yoga? Who's this deity? So what's deity-yoga? How do we relate to vajrayāna sādhana practice? In simple terms, in terms that beginners like us can appreciate rather than the ideal that most texts and teachers tend to present - perhaps to inspire us or to show us what we have to aim for - deity-yoga can perhaps be understood in the following way: Buddhism starts with the premise that we are where we are - in this cycle of birth and death - because of confusion and its consequences. This confusion is fundamentally a confusion of identity - we mistakenly believe that what we see (smell, taste, touch, hear, think) exists ultimately in the way we see them. Furthermore, we deeply believe in a particular identity, self, personality to be who we truly are. But here, in deity-yoga, instead of believing in our present mistaken notions and conceptions of who we are - such as rigidly holding on to the identity that I have a doctoral degree in religious studies, founder of Urban Dharma North Carolina, blessed with the title of "dorjé lopön" by HH Drikung Kyabgön Rinpoché, in my 40s, worried about this or that, feeling rather unremarkable on some days, sometimes worrying about not being able to accomplish a laundry list of ambitions, other times recklessly throwing away opportunities and resources - instead of such limited conceptualizations, we drop them all and try to relate to who we truly are. We give up our personal narratives of suffering and happiness, successes and disappointments. We let go of our manufactured truths about ourselves and others. In deity-yoga, instead of continuing to hold on to our constructed self, we manifest the budddha that we are. In this practice, we take a leap of faith and trust that we are buddhas. This is the fundamental point of buddhanature, tathāgatagarbha. So in fact, the theory behind deity-yoga is shared with all traditions of Buddhism that accept the teachings on buddhanature and not just Tibetan Buddhism. Thus, although not known as a vajrayāna figure, the Zen master Dōgen 道元禅師 (1200-53) has some words that aptly express how the vajrayāna practice of deity-yoga works. Dōgen writes in the essay Shōji 生死 ("Birth and Death"): "When you simply release and forget both your body and mind, you throw yourself into the house of Buddha, and when functioning comes from the direction of Buddha and you go in accord with it, then with no strength needed and no thought expended, freed from birth and death, you become Buddha." Elsewhere he writes: "Only Buddha can become Buddha" - just as in vajrayāna, it is said that "only a deity can (truly) worship a deity." So here, according to Dōgen, we have to throw ourselves "into the house of Buddha" and let the buddha that we are manifest. Instead of trying to muster all the power we can to force ourselves into becoming buddha while chanting our sādhanas, "let functioning come from the direction of Buddha." Then, as Dōgen goes on to explain, "there can be no obstacle in any man's mind," and it becomes "extremely easy to become Buddha." This is also the vajrayāna perspective - that the swiftest path to buddhahood is deity-yoga. Of course we feel a bit awkward, a bit klutzy going through the sādhanas, imagining ourselves as "one face, four arms. Top two hands holding a lotus and a crystal-māla, bottom two holding a wish-fulfilling jewel." Am I really Avalokitesvara? Me? The compassion of all buddhas? Isn't this just silly - or even worse, sacrilegious - to pretend to be a buddha? But this is where faith comes in - faith not in the theistic sense of believing in some deity, some omnipotent other who will deliver us from evil. But faith in our truest identity as buddha. Conversely, if you prefer to look at this from the side of doubt, then deity-yoga is the practice of casting doubt on our rigid views and narratives as limited and miserable creatures incapable of overthrowing the tyranny of confusion. The greater a doubt we can muster up and direct towards the limited and confused view of who we believe we are, the greater the breakthrough and experience that we will have via the practice of deity-yoga. It is unfortunately true that there's much in the world today to justify us being pessimists and not much to persuade us to be optimists. There is much in the news today to convince us that we're all wretched souls and not much to inspire us to be wisdom buddhas. But one thing is sure - pessimists don't change anything. While not all optimists actually change anything, in the end only optimists ever make a difference. So why not be the ultimate optimist? Take that leap of faith and trust that buddhas did not appear in this world to dupe us with some tall tales about all of us being buddhas but instead they have appeared for the sole purpose of showing us who we truly are. Give it a try - practice your deity-yoga! (Courtesy of Konchok Yedor, who runs a blog and online shop called Tibetanspirit.com)

Events aligned fortuitously to gift you this discovery then. If this was Tibet 500 years ago, a chance find like this would have gotten a whole village raising extra prayer flags for months. It'd have been like discovering a minor terma (hidden Dharma treasure), and if you ask me, it is something akin to that. And it pays to recognize and acknowledge such merit, and get into a habit of keeping score because its so easy to be blasé about such finds. Nothing accidental about it, imo. As for the 3 mantras cited, they contain both exoteric & esoteric resonances. While you are right to say they are _safe_ for general 'consumption', which on some outer level I suppose they are, nonetheless they can be accessed & used by secret mantra practitioners for cultivating inner, subtler essences. A taster here with regards to the esoteric practice of the Six Syllable Mantra. Also lends context to what was mentioned earlier about the intricacies of mantric practice. Now, if you can find out which organ corresponds with wealth, you could apply this mantra in like fashion. Being a stickler for ritual, I'd usually encourage Mani reciters to obtain ritual objects like a statuette and thangka of Avalokiteshvara for the purpose of setting up a simple altar, ornamented additionally with candles, incense, fresh flowers and fresh water, so that one can access a sort of 'sacred space' whenever the ritual invocations and chantings are done. There's no need to make it too elaborate - the simpler the better. Don't forget the 3 Noble Principles too whenever you practice, regardless of this suggestion of the altar. Although it will be so beneficial on so many levels if you do. It will help with stabilizing and attracting wealth too, especially if you work with the wealth protector deity Dzambhala. Tips on setting up an altar https://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Simple-Buddhist-Shrine

A lonesome bird cries The winds howl as the snow falls Seasons come and go...

Not doubting your sincerity, Matt. But sincerity can only take one so far. If the correct approach is missing, investing time and effort and quantity of chants mean very little. There are intricacies to mantra practices that needs to be known, especially for those who've been working with mantras for a long time and not experiencing the sort of merit they're expecting, or if the invocations (not mere chantings, because essentially, they are invocations) are producing what is commonly known as _side effects_ , which aren't actually side effects, but merely getting mediocre result from mediocre application methods as a result of not having sufficient exposure to the right ways of practice, which, as I've mentioned, requires adherence to correct ritual observances, noting auspicious days (and not so auspicious days), visualizations, dedication of merit, and so on. In Vajrayana, and tantra specifically, all practices, if done as per instructions to the letter, is always good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end. Deviances and deviations tend to lead to unpleasantness and other lesser merits, while the observation of these 3 noble principles is what will yield fruitful results always. https://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/khenpo-shenga/three-noble-principles The application of these 3 principles can be applied to all aspects of one's life, especially attitudes towards money, sex, and rock n roll.

Pardon my overbearing words, but having read many of your posts on mantra practice over the years, I must admit that on numerous occasions I've questioned myself on your approach to it. If you seriously want to work with mantras, there's a whole ritualistic & devotional side to it that needs to be observed. Put it this way.... a casual ad hoc dippy-toed approach will yield nothing more than the occasional incidental merit. Thats if one's fortunate enough not to meet with less desirable repercussions.

Buddhism and the God-idea https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/godidea.html

This might help https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-philosophy This is particularly clear:

So enjoyable Listening to the raindrops One's load cast aside

Do not be ashamed of the wars your soul has fought to save itself. ~ Isra Al-Thibeh

My position is of no relevance, its what the Sutta points to that's relevant, but since you reject that as lacking substance, there's no point going further except to suggest, if you're so inclined, to check with sources you trust if Buddhist teachings adhere to the concept of buddhas' omnipotence.

The two types of considerations UNWISE CONSIDERATIONS Not knowing what is worthy of consideration and what is unworthy of consideration, he considers the unworthy, and not the worthy. And unwisely he considers thus: “Have I been in the past? Or, have I not been in the past? What have I been in the past? How have I been in the past? From what state into what state did I change in the past? Shall I be in the future? Or, shall I not be in the future? What shall I be in the future? How shall I be in the future? From what state into what state shall I change in the future?” And the present also fills him with doubt: “Am I? Or am I not? What am I? How am I? This being, whence has it come? Where will it go?” THE SIX VIEWS ABOUT THE SELF And with such unwise considerations, he adopts one or other of six views, and it becomes his conviction and firm belief: “I have a self”; or: “I have no self”; or: “With the self I perceive the self”; or: “With that which is no self, I perceive the self”; This myself which can think and feel, and which, now here, now there, experiences the fruit of good and evil deeds—this my self is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change, and will thus eternally remain the same.” (MN 2) If there really existed the self, there would also exist something which belonged to the self. As, however, in truth and reality neither the self nor anything belonging to the self can be found, is it not therefore really an utter fools‘ doctrine to say: “This is the world, this is the self; after death I shall be permanent, persisting, and eternal”? (MN 22) These are called mere views, a thicket of views, a puppet-show of views, a toil of views, a snare of views; and ensnared in the fetter of views, the ignorant worldling will not be freed from rebirth, from decay, from death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; he will not be freed, I say, from suffering. WISE CONSIDERATIONS The learned and noble disciple, however, who has regard for holy men, who knows the teaching of holy men, who is well trained in the noble doctrine, understands what is worthy of consideration and what is unworthy. And knowing this, he considers the worthy and not the unworthy. He wisely considers what suffering is; he wisely considers what the origin of suffering is; he wisely considers what the extinction of suffering is; he wisely considers what the path is that leads to the extinction of suffering. (MN 2)

You're free to believe what you will.

In the suttas, Gautama, when asked, proclaimed that he acquired the 3 knowledges - he did not claim to be omnipotent. I don't believe any of the teachings even postulated or suggested that buddhas are in any way omnipotent. Buddha: "The recluse Vaccha, those who say the recluse Gotama is all knowing and all seeing and acknowledges remainderless knowledge and vision, while walking, standing, lying or awake, constantly and continually. They, do not say my words, they blame me falsely. Gotama knows the three knowledges. Saying it thus they would be saying the right thing, and not blaming me falsely. Vaccha, whenever I desire, I recollect the manifold previous births, such as one birth, two births, with all modes and all details, thus I recall the manifold previous births. Vaccha, when I desire, with the purified heavenly eye beyond human, see beings disappearing and appearing, in unexalted and exalted states, beautiful and ugly, in good and bad states -- I see beings, according their actions. Vaccha, destroying desires, my mind released and released through wisdom, here and now by myself realising I abide. Vaccha, if it is said, the recluse Gotama knows the three knowledges, saying it thus, you would be saying the right thing and not blaming me falsely’. ……" Off topic, but needed clarification.

Like the revolutionary, the heretic refuses to accept any definition of philosophy rooted in an appeal to the authority of philosophical tradition. But unlike the revolutionary, who more often than not overturns tradition in order to reactivate philosophy’s supposedly originary but occluded essence, the heretic proceeds on the basis of an indifference which suspends tradition and establishes a philosophically disinterested definition of philosophy’s essence, or, as Laruelle prefers to say, identity. This disinterested identification of philosophy results in what Laruelle calls a non-philosophical use of philosophy: a use of philosophy that remains constitutively foreign to the norms and aims governing the properly philosophical practice of philosophy. And in fact, ‘non-philosophy’ is Laruelle’s name for the philosophically unprecedented or heretical practice of philosophy he has invented. ~ Raymond Brassier