Question on Buddhism

[Guest guest]

Jill encouraged me to post a question, so here is something I would like to

know. I think there are several people here acquainted with Tibetan

Buddhism...

 

What is the difference between Dzogchen and Yogachara?

 

Dzogchen - it posits some kind of background consciousness. Lama Surya Das

calls it the "highest" form of Buddhism (the same claim I've heard about

Madhyamika Prasangika). I've also heard that it is sometimes considered to

be not really Buddhist at all.

 

Yogachara - it is authrntically Buddhist, right? O is it more influenced

by Hinduism? It posits that "Mind" is the essence of all phenomena. Are

the two schools related?

 

Thanks!

 

--Greg

[Guest guest]

Dear Greg:

 

I have researched Dzogchen and Buddhism (consider Buddhism a fundamental

basis for day to day philosophy) and I must conclude that the practice of

Dzogchen in reality does not have it's basis in Buddhism at all.

 

Also, Dzogchen, though in part, conceptionally akin to Taoism and Zen

Buddhism, owes much of its history to the native early religions of Tibet and

the Bon religion, all of which have a rather strange fascination with demons,

spirits, propagating their good will and purport by use of prayers, mantras,

the use of mala beads (like a rosary) mala prayer wheels, etc., where the act

of counting prayers (like a rosary) becomes an end unto itself, and the

active path of Buddhism is in fact often forgotten.

 

Dzogchen practitioners seek the nondualistic state of Rigpa, the "pure light"

but this is a personal and solitary effort based on meditation, prayer, and

even severe renunciation and self induced suffering in some cases.

 

Much of Dzogchen teachings divert quite fundamentally with the understood

intents and purposes of Buddhism, and the Lotus Sutra and Eightfold Path are

given but modest token approval, with actual practices relying heavily upon

the Guru-Student relationship of passing on root teachings, prayers, mantras,

special protective spirits, demon incantations and other odd goodies which I

personally find a bit primitive and absurd.

 

Ah, my two yen's worth.

 

Blessings

Zenbob

[Guest guest]

Thank you Zenbob, for your inimitable informed clarity, laced with humor

and plain 'ol good sense! It accords with what I've heard elsewhere about

Dzogchen. I guess Lama Suyra Das is offering a stripped-down version,

de-demonized, etc.?

 

With love,

 

--Greg

>ZEN2WRK

>

>Dear Greg:

>

>I have researched Dzogchen and Buddhism (consider Buddhism a fundamental

>basis for day to day philosophy) and I must conclude that the practice of

>Dzogchen in reality does not have it's basis in Buddhism at all.

>

>Also, Dzogchen, though in part, conceptionally akin to Taoism and Zen

>Buddhism, owes much of its history to the native early religions of Tibet

and

>the Bon religion, all of which have a rather strange fascination with

demons,

>spirits, propagating their good will and purport by use of prayers, mantras,

>the use of mala beads (like a rosary) mala prayer wheels, etc., where the

act

>of counting prayers (like a rosary) becomes an end unto itself, and the

>active path of Buddhism is in fact often forgotten.

>

>Dzogchen practitioners seek the nondualistic state of Rigpa, the "pure

light"

>but this is a personal and solitary effort based on meditation, prayer, and

>even severe renunciation and self induced suffering in some cases.

>

>Much of Dzogchen teachings divert quite fundamentally with the understood

>intents and purposes of Buddhism, and the Lotus Sutra and Eightfold Path are

>given but modest token approval, with actual practices relying heavily upon

>the Guru-Student relationship of passing on root teachings, prayers,

mantras,

>special protective spirits, demon incantations and other odd goodies which I

>personally find a bit primitive and absurd.

>

>Ah, my two yen's worth.

>

>Blessings

>Zenbob

>

>>All paths go somewhere. No path goes nowhere. Paths, places, sights,

perceptions, and indeed all experiences arise from and exist in and subside

back into the Space of Awareness. Like waves rising are not different than

the ocean, all things arising from Awareness are of the nature of

Awareness. Awareness does not come and go but is always Present. It is

Home. Home is where the Heart Is. Jnanis know the Heart to be the Finality

of Eternal Being. A true devotee relishes in the Truth of Self-Knowledge,

spontaneously arising from within into It Self. Welcome all to

a.

>

>