Discovering Buddhism – General Practice Questions

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Could someone tell me how to do light and water offerings without an altar or if I want to make offerings outside?

Can you tell me about the benefits of reciting sutras aloud?

Is it better to read a sutra out loud or is it okay to read it silently?

Are there differences in tantric empowerments between the lineages?

Is it recommended to take tantric empowerments if one knows nothing about the deity and the lama giving the empowerment is not one’s own teacher?

Is it appropriate to discuss our realizations with anyone other than our teachers?

Do you recommend that we keep a meditation journal?

In meditation, how do you get beyond waiting for the next thought to arise?

Is it common for strong emotions to arise during analytic meditation?  It seems counterintuitive somehow.

Could someone tell me how to do light and water offerings without an altar or if I want to make offerings outside?

A student writes:

Hi! Could someone guide me as to how to do light and water offerings in the rest of my house where there is not an altar? Also, can these offerings be done outside? In the daily prayers that I have from FPMT it says to make offerings “according to your capacity”. Can someone explain this?

Merry responds:

We also have an extensive light (or other) offering practice available from
The Foundation Store named Offerings Extensive (Lights and other)

Hope this helps!

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Can you tell me about the benefits of reciting sutras aloud?

A student writes:

I’m just curious about the idea of reciting sutras. I can understand the effect that it would have on the person doing the reciting, or even those who might hear the recitation, but how does this affect distant events? The teachings say that even the Buddhas can only teach — that they don’t wash away ignorance with their hands or transfer their realizations directly — so I don’t understand how reciting a text in one place can have a significant effect on beings in another. Maybe I’m just too naive and there is deep wisdom here about the emptiness of things like war?

Thanks!

An elder responds:

Lama Zopa Rinpoche has explained this. He refers to the power of prayer. One of the things that a Buddha has perfected is the power of prayer. This means that if a Buddha makes such and such a prayer – such as “may those who recite these words receive such and such a benefit”….then those who recite those words can karmically hook into the power of that prayer and receive those benefits – of course, they have to have the karma to even want to read the sutra! Of course, the Buddhas pray that all sentient beings will be free from suffering and that hasn’t happened – yet. That is why I think of it as making a karmic link so that a particular prayer can ripen – the Buddha makes the prayer….and then we hook into it karmically by doing this or that – in this case reciting this sutra – and then the benefits can unfold.

Of course, to have war on our planet – to hear about it and be exposed to the suffering situation of it – is also our karma….even if we are not directly experiencing it. For all of us to be born onto the same planet at the same time, there is some collective karma. So, by working on our part of the equation, we can affect the whole situation. And by changing our karma, we change our perception of what is going on…what REALLY IS going on, anyway?

That is my understanding of it….In any case, at the very least, by reciting the sutra with the virtuous motivation to be able to stop the suffering of war and violence – that in itself creates the cause for us to be able to do just that – if not now, then later. It is a both a short term and a long term picture we are considering. Sometimes when these kinds of things seem hard to understand or accept I think to myself….”Well, if it can’t harm and if there is some possibility that it could help, shouldn’t I at least try it?” – and then
approach it as a bit of an experiment to see what happens.

Anyway, hopefully that gives some food for thought. Good question.

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Is it better to read a sutra out loud or is it ok to read it silently? 

A student writes:

Is reading a sutra the same as reciting it? I feel odd reading a sutra out loud when I am the only one to hear it. I can feel the power of a sutra by reading it, and I do like to read them, but again, I do feel weird reciting them out loud to myself!

An elder responds:

Here is a quote from Nick in the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive Newsletter regarding
the recitation of sutras:

“It is best to read it out loud (especially if pets or other animals, insects can hear). Reading it silently to yourself is not the way to do it. You should be using your vocal chords, even if it’s just a quiet whisper.”

There are so many unseen creatures who might benefit from hearing the sutra.

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Are there differences in tantric empowerments between the lineages?

A student writes:

Properly, this would be a question for our Geshe-la, but since I will not have the opportunity to speak to him before this event, I was hoping someone here might know something about the issue.

There will be a tour of Bhutanese monks coming through our area next week. They are of the Drukpa Kagyu Lineage. HH Dorji Lopen Rinpoche, a Vajra Master and the 2nd highest Lama in the lineage, will be in attendance. In addition to the usual events surrounding monk’s tours (sand mandala construction, dances, teachings, etc.), they are offering some empowerments as well. I am a bit leery of collecting empowerments willy-nilly and like to know what’s up before I make the commitment to undergo one. They are
offering three empowerments: Jambhala, White Tara, and Marpa, Mila, Gampopa (I’m not sure if that last one is three different empowerments or one empowerment with three names). I know nothing of any of the empowerments except White Tara, whom I have a little familiarity with. I would be interested in taking a White Tara empowerment at some point but am not sure if this would be the time. If anyone knows anything about the others, that info would be appreciated.

Does anyone know if there are any differences between empowerments done in the Tibetan tradition compared to the Bhutanese tradition? Would taking this empowerment be the same as taking an empowerment from a follower of the Gelug tradition?

At this point I am leaning toward being safe and waiting until a White Tara empowerment is offered by a tradition I am already committed to. But if there are no differences, there is little reason not to take it now and reaffirm it again later.

Any input would be appreciated.

An elder responds:

There are variations amongst the different lineages of practice -whether they be from Bhutan or from Tibet. Each of the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism (Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu, Gelug) also each has their own lineages of practice and empowerment. In most cases, if you go back far enough, they share lineage lamas. However, the practices have developed in different ways through the centuries. In one respect, a White Tara empowerment from one tradition would be very similar to one from another tradition – however, the practices that are used to help develop that energy that is activated through empowerment may vary.

Other than that, then there is only what I mentioned earlier about empowerment….and anything else that any one may have to add!

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Is it recommended to take tantric empowerments if one knows nothing about the deity and the lama giving the empowerment is not one’s own teacher?

A student writes:

This may be a silly question: but is it useful and reasonable to take empowerments without previous knowledge of/training in the particular deity, not from one’s own lama/teacher but somebody else without previous teachings?

An elder responds:

Empowerments are a tricky thing. They establish a very close karmic connection between yourself and the teacher from whom you take them. Also, once you have taken empowerment from a teacher, it is important – necessary – for your own spiritual development to see that person as a Buddha. If you have not already spent some time to check to make sure you can do that, it can be very risky as to break from your teacher is extremely heavy karma. The teacher represents everything that leads you to enlightenment – and once you establish a karmic connection through empowerment, to break with that is like breaking with all that which leads you to enlightenment.

White Tara is a fairly “light weight” tantric practice and sometimes lamas offer it as a blessing, which may relieve you of some of the karmic burden mentioned above, I am not sure. But still, you are bringing that teacher into your more subtle spiritual energetic makeup – so you want to make sure that you want that particular influence!

[Another elder or teacher] may have something more on this from Lama Yeshe as I believe that Lama did speak to this.

Another elder adds:

I think you are right on the mark . . .

And, I would like to add that traditionally, instructions about practices and deities were not given until one had taken the empowerment. This is still true today, especially so for the highest levels of tantra. This makes it doubly important for one to feel completely comfortable to put oneself in the hands of the vajra teacher giving the empowerment.

Much of this will be discussed in the final module on tantra, but empowerments are being offered regularly by many teachers so it is good to have some idea about what you are doing if you decide to take one.

In addition, if life-long recitation commitments are given, it is important to consider the amount of meditation practice you are able to do every day, for the rest of your life, no matter what else is going on.

A student writes:

Thanks for the explanation on empowerments; that is how I had understood it, but I get confused with a number of centers offering empowerments after a two day retreat. How can one check whether one wants that kind of connection with an unknown teacher?

There is another question: in the “Peaceful Stillness of the Silent Mind” Lama Yeshe makes a statement that puzzles me. It is on p.55, answer to the question “What happens during an initiation?”:

“Ideally the mind of the guru and the mind of the disciple merge at the same level. Also, receiving an initiation does not necessitate meeting the guru physically. If you are able to bring the mind up to a certain level, you can initiate yourself. That’s possible.”

How should I understand this?

An elder responds:

For a more detailed discussion of empowerment try Lama Yeshe’s “Introduction to Tantra”, pages 100-104.

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Is it appropriate to discuss our realizations with anyone other than our teachers?

A student writes:

Should we discuss or realizations here? Are realizations meant to be kept to ourselves?

Nick Ribush responds:

With all due respect, do you know what a realization is, from the Dharma point of view? Realizations of the path are not easy to gain. I recall being at a Kopan course many years ago and Lama Zopa Rinpoche surveying the assembled Western horde, some 200 strong, and observing, “If only one person here realizes the perfect human rebirth in this lifetime it will be a wonderful thing.” Something like that. And that’s just about the first realization of the entire path, supposedly one of the easier ones to achieve.

Much love,

n

Thubten Yeshe responds:

Further to Nick’s sage remarks…

Let’s think about what we mean by ‘realization.’ In the Tibetan teachings two kinds of experiences are identified – let’s call them insights and realizations.

Insights (in Tibetan, nyam) are those ‘Ah Ha! Moments’ we have sometimes as we work our way through the LamRim as both intellectual and a deeper level of understanding grow. I suspect that they grow in both subtlety and profundity as we travel along the path.

Realizations (Tibetan, tog-pa) are by their very nature a different level of experience altogether.

The difference between these two is determined by the impact the experience has on us. Realizations are definitely transformative; they bring about radical change in how we think and how we lead our lives. Realizations don’t diminish. Insights, on the other hand, have much less impact. Though they may lead to transformation they are not, in and of themselves, transformative.

I can’t speak for others, but for myself I think I have had many insights in thirty years of pretending to practice Dharma, but realizations…well, I don’t think so. Have I changed? Of course, in many ways quite radically. But, when I read the LamRim texts that actually tell me something about the nature of the realizations that occur when we really do the
meditations…well, in Lama Yeshe’s immortal words: Long way to go, baby!

Those insights are important; they are what keep us going, the knowledge that we are making progress. Should we discuss them? I think it is a good thing to do because that is one way that we can confirm the validity of those experiences. It is possible to imagine that we have an understanding of something, but when we discuss it with our teachers or fellow student we might learn that we are off track. One of the great benefits for you who are studying in some isolation from Dharma centers, teachers and other practitioners is this DB Bulletin Board. Here we can ‘try out’ our insights and get some feedback. That will help us make progress steadily, without so many diversions into unproductive areas.

Best wishes,
Thubten Yeshe

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Do you recommend that we keep a meditation journal?

A student writes:

I’m curious what our Buddhist teachers and lamas views are on journal writing. This type of writing often contains lots of thinking and intellectualizing, ruminating about the past, expresses wishes for the future, sometimes fantasies are expressed.

Opinions?

I’ve started a mediation journal, which is similar but not identical to journal writing. I think it’d be interesting to track how my meditations go over a period of time.

Thubten Yeshe responds:

I don’t do it regularly, but have done it off and on over the years. I do recommend it to students – a study and meditation journal, not a rumination journal.

It is a useful tool for tracking progress (or the lack thereof), noting questions and doubts, and so forth. Many years ago when I was a new student, I got quite stuck with my meditation. I went to one of my teachers who questioned me about what was happening. After he had listened patiently to my whole sorry saga, he said: But, you have had some good experiences haven’t you? I had to admit that I had, to which he replied: USE THAT!

Sometimes when we are having a particularly difficult time, going back to our journal to remind ourselves that we ‘have had some good experiences’ is very useful. Seeing clearly from our writing what progress we have made is also good for keeping us motivated. A Dharma journal can become another way to engage in reflective (analytical) meditation.

A ‘rumination journal’ can become a place for wallowing in your old stuff, without actually doing anything about it. That’s what we do now, just watch your thoughts if you don’t believe me.

Enjoy,
Thubten Yeshe

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In meditation, how do you get beyond waiting for the next thought to arise?

A student writes:

. . . I was reading Bruce Newman’s “A Beginner’s Guide to Tibetan Buddhism” today and something he had mentioned about meditation sessions kicked me in the butt… about grasping subtle thoughts during meditation. How I during my sessions I am spending time thinking about when a thought is going to appear! Anticipating, waiting. “O.k., so now when the next thought comes… acknowledge it and let it go”. Creating another thought, totally defeating the purpose of the whole processes of being in the moment. How do you get beyond that? I guess I should go back to my tried and true method of breath counting until I get the concentration level strong enough to drop the counting? What I’m doing on my daily practice is alternating one morning silent meditation, one morning with guided DB meditation the next and my evening meditation is the short vajrasattva practice. I feel i need to both Lam Rim type meditation along with concentration.

Thubten Yeshe responds:

The thought anticipating the next thought IS the next thought. Just noting that will change the dynamic. You are always ‘creating’ the next thought.

Don’t count, just watch!

A little bit of silent watching before every meditation can be quite useful. And, a bit of LamRim every day – either meditating, or reflecting, or study – is also a good lifetime habit to get into. (I’m talking to myself here! Excuse me. But, good for all of you too.)

Above all have fun,
Thubten Yeshe

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Is it common for strong emotions to arise during analytic meditation?  It seems counterintuitive somehow.

A student writes:

Speaking of the emotional pain that can come up as a result of meditation, I wonder if you could clarify something. I practiced vipassana meditation for several years before discovering the Tibetan Buddhist path we are studying here. I went through various stages such as intense rage/pain/grief for months on end (both on and off the cushion) as well as stages where I felt as if my heart were wide open, friendly and loving towards all of life (almost “in love” with all beings, if that makes sense).

Is this a fairly normal experience even for those of us focusing on analytical meditations? I ask this because in the vipassana tradition there is more emphasis on noticing how we feel (or at least there seems to be), and I wonder if those who regularly practice lamrim meditations have a similar kind of experience.

In lovingkindness,

Thubten Yeshe responds:

Firstly, I’m not sure that we can say these emotional states come up ‘as a result of meditation.’ They are there, in the mind. In meditation the mind become more intent on mindfulness, regardless of whether you are doing Theravadin Vipassana, LamRim or tantric deity yoga meditation. It is impossible to do any kind of meditation without mindfulness.

And, yes, I thin that we all go through periods in our practice of emotional turmoil. Perhaps some of the other Elders would like to comment on this.

The point in Vipassana is to understanding working of the mind, to develop mindfulness to the point that you can see beyond, so to speak, beyond the chattering mind that masks our buddha nature.

Spiritual practice in general brings up the stuff from our past. Meditation gives us the tools to recognize the flimsy nature of this stuff that we attribute such importance to; and it give us the tools to transform it.

Best wishes,
t.y.

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