Kalachakra Ceremony 2012, a guest post by Lisa Tully

Lisa runs spiritual group tours to India which her two Tibetan friends Lama Buga & Lama Kalden co-host with her.  Taking people to attend teachings by the Dalai Lama & learn meditation, she does this work to open hearts and expand minds way beyond norm!  And who better to help do that than the Dalai Lama himself? www.spiritualbackpackersindia.com

Kalachakra 2012 – How The Dalai Lama Raised The Spiritual Roof In India!

Ever dreamed of experiencing the power of Tibetan Buddhism at its peak?  Or thought of fully letting go of all physical comforts and attachments in search of the ultimate comfort, that of the mind and heart?

Upon hearing about the Kalachakra initiation happening in Bodhgaya India, the place where Buddha achieved enlightenment whilst sitting under the Bodhi tree, I just knew I had to be there.   However I will put my hands up straight away and say I didn’t fully understand what it would entail.  What I did know was that Tibetans travel from far and wide, including from Chinese occupied Tibet to get to this special 10-day tantric initiation.  All sects of Tibetan Buddhism are represented, so it really is one big ol’ Tibetan party and one that the Dalai Lama does not do on a regular basis.   In 2011 there was one held in Washington D.C but previous to that it was as far back as 2006 since the last one held at Amarvati in India.

As I began to share with people both Tibetans and Westerners that I really wanted to go the overall response was don’t do it! It will be filthy dirty, totally chaotic and you will most definitely fall ill.  The reasons for their concerns were Bodhgaya is situated in Bihar one of the poorest states in India and is filled with beggars, sickness and a understandable culture of get what you can from whoever you can.  Add 300,000 Kalachakra pilgrims to that and the picture definitely starts to look somewhat daunting.

When I actually arrived in India I had no hotel or transport booked for the Kalachakra which others had done up to a year previous.  Hotel prices were through the roof at an escalated price that was fifteen times the norm!  However somehow a room manifested at a fraction of the cost others were paying at the last minute in a Burmese monastery affording me a peaceful escape from the Kalachakra crowds.  Having been there a good two weeks before the event itself I got to witness the build up to it including the assembly of the breathtaking chair for His Holiness and the raising of colourful thankas all around it.  In general Tibetans wait till the last minute to arrive because of the inflated costs but when they did finally arrive they did so by the busload and that in itself was a sight to see.  Armed with pots, pans and bedding of all sorts it was not unusual to hear of up to 12 of them sleeping in one double sized room.  Friends of mine from Gyumed monastery were sleeping in a hall with no less than 500 monks with barely enough room to turn over.

So what is it that drives the Tibetans to take on such physical challenges without a second thought?  The Kalachakra initiation was given over 10 days and is considered to be the one of the most auspicious initiations within the world of Tibetan Buddhism.  There was eight days of preparation rituals during which the Dalai Lama and his monks made the incredible Kalachkra sand mandala.  In the morning time we could go into the grounds and listen to their chants and watch them prepare.  Sitting there in the energy of the proceedings was a blessing in itself as meditations ran so so deep.  In the afternoon the place would fill to bursting and beyond with steadfast devotees from around the globe eager to listen to teachings by His Holiness.  Outside the same numbers of people were blocking the streets as they watched the event on the big screens.  It was an all time record for the number of devotees attending a Kalachakra.  After the teachings and preparations were done, the initiation itself happened over the final two days.

I feel it is important to mention that at the end of the day we fell into our rock hard beds exhausted, crashing out immediately.  Yet the Dalai Lama was getting up at three in the morning most mornings to prepare, followed by giving teachings and all the while holding us in his big heart.  The energy of this wonderful 76-year-old monk as he calls himself, is indeed endless.  On the night of the first day of initiations something really special occurred which I will never forget.  I was sitting meditating under the Bodhi tree in the Mahabodhi temple as around the perimeter devotees walked uttering their mantras and prayers.  It was totally packed with people shuffling and prostrating their way around.  In the distance I heard singing and I couldn’t figure out where it was coming from.  Then sure enough as the crowd continued to circle around the ancient melody got louder and louder.  A throng of Tibetan monks were signing their hearts out and as they flowed past it did not falter.  It was as if the song had spread around the perimeter like a flame to petrol.  In that moment I felt like I had the chance to witness the true beauty of Tibetan Buddhism.  The Dalai Lama had worked so hard for eight solid days, had given us the initiation and we were as high as spiritual kites.  It was totally electric and my initial thought was the Chinese government will never ever dampen this spirit and I hoped so much that the 200 Chinese spies reported to be at this event were witnessing that moment.

The Dalai Lama then finished by giving us the White Tara initiation for long life.  When he was leaving Bodhgaya people were understandably running after his car crying and I was grateful I didn’t have to witness him going for I know I would have been right there with them.  The sand mandala remained for 3 days to allow us to go and have a closer look.  According to a book distributed at the Kalachakra in Washington D.C, just by looking at the mandala you remove all negative karma from countless eons previously.  A wonderful sight it was, the feeling from it was one of inner beauty.   The ceremony then ended by monks releasing the positive energy of the mandala into the everyday world by a final ritual.  The Kalachakra is for world peace and I have no doubts whatsoever it has the deepest of impacts.

As Bodhgaya is quite a small town many people had to camp and tents were rented out ranging from $3 to $100 per night.  However it rained severely on the first day which is apparently normal for when high Lamas arrive and start cleansing the place.  But that meant conditions on the campsites were pretty awful and only went downhill from there due to poor organisation and sanitation.  Towards the end of the initiation the Dalai Lama asked why should people pay to stay in those awful tents when we have received so much in donations? So he requested that all tent dwellers get a refund and so they did.  Then he left not taking one remaining Rupee of donation with him; instead he gave it to the local schools and hospitals of Bodhgaya.  This man has the power to change the world…so why won’t we let him?

If you're interested in finding out more or contacting Lisa, 

Click here to watch our video clip to learn more, or visit www.spiritualbackpackersindia.com

Feds Plan to Bulldoze N.M. Buddhist Stupa

(Cross Posted at The Reformed Buddhist)

The Federal government has announced its intentions to bulldoze a small Tibetan Buddhist Stupa near the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico after the National Park Service seized the land using the power of eminent domain to build an outdoor amphitheater. This comes on the heels of a similar case, when earlier this year the US Supreme Court voted in a 5-4 decision (Salazar v. Buono) to save a Christian Cross residing on NPS land inside the Mojave desert, after the NPS denied a Buddhist organization request to build a small Stupa near the Cross. In yet another similar case in 2006 (Paulson v. City of San Diego), President George W Bush signed into law an act of eminent domain to save another Christian Cross residing on public land inside the City of San Diego, after the US Court of Appeals had ordered the Cross to be dismantled, stating the violation of both the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the No Preference Clause in the California Constitution.

Yesterday, I was unable to reach anyone in the National Park Service Headquarters that was willing to give any comment on their plans or reasoning behind bulldozing the Stupa. Certainly, if the Federal government is willing to use the very powerful tool of eminent domain to save a Christian Cross residing on public land, its actions in New Mexico bring up very important Constitutional questions of its endorsement of religion given its willingness to use the same powers to bulldoze a symbol of another religion. The first amendment of the US Constitution strictly forbids the United States government to "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." 

The question has to be raised, is the US government indeed attempting to establish a de facto 'official' religion by its actions over the past 5 years? Ken Salazar, the Secretary for the Department of the Interior, which runs the National Park Service, has been eerily quiet about these actions, as has the Obama administration. Unquestionably, the volunteer caretakers of the Stupa have been more than willing to work with the NPS to preserve the Buddhist symbol within the confines of its amphitheater plans, however, any attempts to open dialogue have been met with no success. One of the ongoing advertising campaigns of the NPS has been "Get Involved!"; I suppose they only wish those to get involved if they are indeed Christian.

If you would like to help save the New Mexico Buddhist Stupa please visit Digital Tibetan Alter for more information.

Links To: Petroglyph National Monument,  History of the Albuquerque Stupa

Fake Buddhism Quotes

(as posted at American Buddhist Perspective)

My friend and former meditation teacher Bodhipaksa has recently been collecting and commenting upon interesting "Fake Buddha Quotes."  This has been a source of occasional comedy, sometimes frustration, and also a bit of wonder. Why is it that people coin these fake new quotes? Why do others pick them up and spread them, unchecked, across the web and other networks? Why are some, like Bodhipaksa and myself, a bit frustrated with them? First a couple of those quotes (click the link for Bodhipaksa's comments):

“When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.” (from here)

“Suffering, if it does not diminish love, will transport you to the furthest shore.” – Buddha (from here)

“You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself”
–Buddha (from here)

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
—Buddha. (from here)

He is able who thinks he is able. #Buddha (from here)

And finally, my favorite (from here):

Ok, so now that we've all had a good laugh, I have to ask: why create fake Buddha quotes? The simplest answer is that it's just plane old humane mistakes (plain... human). Little slips in translation or memory, or perhaps big ones and viola! (voilà) a new Buddha quote. As a guy who grew up believing that Americans fought a big war about silver in the 1860s and that the second World War was called "war war two" I can see where this is probably very often the case.

In good Buddhist fashion we can call that the ignorance cause. Then there would also be the greed and aversion causes (the three poisons). Greed perhaps for personal aggrandizement or mere attention, aversion could manifest in besmirching someone else (using a made-up Buddha quote) or making a silly one up to make the Buddha look bad.

And now, why do we repeat them? Well, probably for the same reasons - mostly ignorance if you ask me. We all, especially if we call ourselves Buddhists, owe it to ourselves and the world to read some early Buddhist teachings now and then. Check out Access to Insight (you can download the whole thing on your iPhone/iPod) if you haven't already. Even though I'm a bit of a Theravāda snob these days, I will also heartily suggest reading Tibetan, Zen, Ch'an, Shin, etc writings as well. It's very important to get a taste of each tradition; you don't need to believe it or practice it, but see where it is coming from so that you can see your fellow Buddhists and human beings. So don't forget the great Catholics (Thomas Merton, Merton movie, or Anthony De Mello, "I'm an ass, you're an ass"), Protestants, Hindus, Muslims and others.

And lastly, why are some of us a bit frustrated with these fake Buddha quotes? Well, as Bodhipaksa suggests in his comments, the Buddha simply didn't say that. Why make up new things when we already have HUGE canons of real Buddha quotes? Perhaps we could say it's disrespectful, not to mention the above (ignorant, greedy, malicious) potential roots behind the quote. The stated goal of Buddhism, along with the aleviation of suffering, is to know things as they truly are (yathābhūtaṃ ñāṇaṃ). So fake Buddha quotes, unless they are created out of the heart of a true bodhisattva, will potentially not only spread greater unclarity in the world but also increase suffering.

That brings me to a final, scholarly point. What about the Mahāyāna? And in particular a quote from the Adhyāśayasaṃcodana Sūtra, the “Sūtra for inciting determination”:

Yat kiñcin maitreya subhāṣitaṃ sarvaṃ tad buddhabhāṣitam.

Because, Maitreya, all that is well spoken is Buddha-spoken.

You can find this in some great contemporary scholarly books including: Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism (P.Williams) And On Being Buddha (P. Griffiths), and Elaborations on Emptiness: Uses of the Heart Sutra (D. Lopez).

The idea here seems to be that whatever is well spoken is the Buddha's speech; i.e. if you speak well, you speak as a Buddha. This is very definitely an innovation of Mahāyāna Buddhism. In an article (free to Jstror subscribers) L. Snellgrove explains that some "misplaced wording" in one of his articles had Aśoka, a great early Buddhist king, declaring that 'all which is well spoken is the word of the Buddha' when in fact he stated that 'whatever has been said by the Buddha, is well spoken'.  We can see where some semantic clarity makes a pretty big difference.

What do you think? Can we 'fake quote' the Buddha for good ends? Do we have a duty to point out fake Buddha quotes made by friends? Or is whatever is 'well spoken' an automatic 'Buddha quote'?

The Abominable Offspring of Traditional Buddhism in the West

After pondering the latest few posts here by our own Venerable Brooke Schedneck and Justin, I thought I would perhaps add another hot topic to this conversation; the ability and acceptance of integrating various aspects of conventional forms of Buddhism to form different combinations of study and practice here in the West. From previous posts I have written concerning a Progressive or Western Buddhist tradition, I have found that those who were most strongly opposed to it made the concern that their particular tradition of Buddhism they practiced would somehow be debased and corrupted in order to fit the wants and needs of a different culture. This is both an important and somewhat delicate subject to those new to Buddhist teachings and to long time practitioners as well. Can the different ancient schools of Buddhism have parts of their practice integrated into a newer or more individual convention without destroying, dismissing or detracting from what is already in existence in a traditional sense?

For those who have decided not to choose one particular existing tradition of Buddhism over another to follow, I think the root of the problem they face is found in the simple question, "Is there only one true path?" And if not, can Buddhism is some respects be viewed as somewhat of a philosophical buffet, where one can pick and choose the practices and the teachings that suit their ideological approaches or dispositions the best? I believe the answer to the first question to be an unequivocal no, as it is easy to see that so many great teachers and students have been the product of the vast sea of the great traditions such as Theravada, Zen and Tibetan, just to name a few. Though all these practices have some similarities, by in large, they are greatly shaped by the cultures from which they are rooted. To the second question, of picking and choosing the practices and teachings of each particular existing tradition, I see the answer as both yes and no. Each person is unique, and each path they take and the goals of practice they set and the reasons they are drawn to Buddhism are extremely individualistic. A more tailored approach perhaps will suit one person more than another, and I see nothing inherently wrong with this. However, it is so easy to get on the wrong path, to misinterpret what is meant by the basic Buddhist teachings without some clarification and guidance. I do see Buddhism as having some core concepts, basic fundamentals that extend over all the great traditions, which are intrinsic to exactly what makes Buddhism....well, Buddhism. For instance, I would not call myself a Buddhist if I did not recognize the three 'marks' or teachings of Anatta, Anicca and Dukkha; and I doubt someone would consider themselves a Buddhist if they didn't agree with some of these fundamentals after exploring the concepts and theories themselves.

Also, the differing and varying traditions of meditation and mindfulness can be quite difficult to learn and perfect alone, and the guidance of a good teacher may be necessary to fully realize the potential of such practices. However, many new to the practice may perhaps feel more comfortable with a Vipassana type meditation while others may be drawn to a Tibetan tantric practice while others may find being seated in ZaZen more agreeable. The big question is, are the differing practices of meditation and mindfulness from the varying traditions solely accessible and understandable in the context of the tradition they come from? For example, could I learn a Theravadan insight meditation technique from a Thai monk, but learn the fundamentals of Karma from say a Japanese Zen Master? Could one sit in a group Tibetan chant yet ponder some ancient Zen koans? Do these differences, both subtle and obvious belong unquestionably to the sect they were born from? More importantly, what goals can be attained or realized by the mixing of the different traditions together?

I think given the option, people would prefer the ability to sample and examine all the different variations of traditions that are out there, and that maybe somewhat both of a positive and a negative thing. However, I see the positives to exposure to all the traditions greatly outweigh the negatives, as I tend to view this issue in the light of inclusion rather than exclusion. While, being exposed to many traditions at once could become overwhelming and confusing, I see that it is as a positive thing for one's practice to experience all the different forms and shapes Buddhism comes from as their practice progresses. And what those that strongly disagree with any new Western or Progressive tradition of Buddhism forget or ignore is the basic fact that in every culture where Buddhism has landed, the culture has adapted the practices to fit their existing traditions. This has held true for cultures such as Tibet, Japan, China, Korea, Thailand, etc.etc; why should the West be any different? Will some type of Frankenstein tradition arise in the West, made from bits and pieces of the existing traditions? As I see it right now, I think it is highly unlikely. But if it did, would it be such a terrible thing, just a mutant offspring of traditional Buddhism?

I remember my days as an alter boy in my local Catholic Church and a particular conflict I had with the priest one day after mass. I asked him why I had to tell my sins to him in the confessional instead of just talking with God myself. His answer sticks with me to this day; his blunt answer "Well, you can either take it all or leave it, but there is no middle ground in belief." This is why I find Buddhism so beautiful.

(Photo Courtesy of Brian Solis)

Our Tradition, Our Choice

One of the great things that I find about Buddhism is how the common thread of peace, truth and liberation of mind are present in all forms of Buddhism. Vajrayana(Tibetan being one example), Theravada, Mahayana(Zen being one example) are the 3 major schools, though there are many others. The basic principles are the most important thing, that the core teachings to do not change. It does not matter what coat of tradition you flavor it with, in fact, over the centuries, Buddhism has worked its way into the lifestyle of the culture where it sits and does not become the culture itself.

Its like flavoring water I think. You can have lemon water, coffee, tea, tonic water or anything in between. As long as the at the basic level, water is the major key ingredient, we have no problem. However, if that water becomes only a minor ingredient in the mixture, and becomes too diluted, it will not work. I study and follow a Soto Zen tradition, which has taken a most definite Western flare here in the States. It is true that I do, however, take some traditions or teachings from Theravada and Tibetan cultures. The path we each take is a very unique one, differing from person to person. However, i think it is important that we create our own traditions and values here, in Western society, as guide posts for those new to the teachings.

I see it maybe difficult for some western people to get past the traditions and hang-ups on conceived ideas about bald monks bowing to golden Buddha statues or caricatures of avenging Zen Samurai or fat happy belly rubbing Buddhas....etc,etc. This is why I think it is important, that we as Westerners find our own path. It is a great opportunity we have to build something new, that threads through the fabric of our culture, much like a yellow string sewn into a black shirt.

Here in America, especially, the teachings of Anatta(emptiness of self) are very difficult for many to understand. Its just my opinion of course, but where we raise our children based on pride and with a strong sense of self, breaking down the illusion of self is much more difficult than in many Asian cultures where ego is not as ever present. We drive our big trucks, climb the corporate ladder and revel in our pride. This is obviously a generalization, relative to all other things, but if we can find a new way, using the strengths of what we do have, conceptual understanding and breaking things down to see how they work, maybe we can break through the ignorance of ego......slowly.

My 7 year old son saw the Dalai Lama on the TV a few days ago, pointed at him then pointed at me. I said to him, "He is a Buddhist man, Tibetan, but he is me and you as well. Zen and Tibet, same thing, just different flavor of man" To which he quickly replied, "No! TV! Turn to Blue's Clues!."

Is the idea of creating and building our own way of Western/Progressive Buddhism(in a very real and tangible sense), realistically possible?