bhakti vs. jnana

[Guest guest]

I wrote a response today to the ongoing debate regarding the

superiority of jnana or bhakti on the Free Speech list and thought

others might like to read it so I am also posting it here. Enjoy!

 

I've been wanting to comment for a few days on the debate going on

between Avram and Keniley. I think I may have a novel but valid

approach to this debate. I don't want to join the melee, but I thought

I'd volunteer my thoughts. I have studied Tibetan Buddhism fairly

extensively. It was the path I practiced before I came to Amma, so I

think some of my insights might be helpful since I see the paths as

being very similar. Since about the 5th or 6th century, the Tibetans

have been collecting, compiling, systematizing, and practicing the

Hindu Tantras. The Tibetans believe that the Buddha originally created

and expounded these tantras, but in fact most of them were Shaivite or

Shakta tantras that were altered for Buddhist practitioners. Where

Hinduism is a very heterogeneous religion with many sects and

practices and no coherent whole, Tibetan Buddhism has attempted to

systematize all of the important spiritual practices popular on the

Indian sub-continent from 500BC to about the 8th century. I use

Vajrayana Buddhism as a skeleton key to unlock Amma's teaching.

 

The Tibetan Buddhist path comprises three "vehicles" or paths to

enlightenment. The first path requires renunciation or the realization

that the endless cycle of birth, suffering, sickness, old age, and

death has no ultimate value. One makes a commitment to a Dharmic path

as a means of escape. This vehicle, called the Hinayana, or lesser

vehicle, parallels the teachings of the historical Buddha and in some

respects (although there are some major philosophical differences) the

path of Advaita Vedanta. In early Buddhism and in Advaita Vedanta,

this path requires meditation, which is analysis and inquiry into the

falsehood of the small self. Both of these systems are paths of

individual liberation, meaning that they are concerned only with one's

own enlightenment. As Buddhism developed, many people asked

themselves, if they were generating compassion and loving-kindness as

the Buddha taught, why they should only be concerned with their own

liberation. So the Mahayana, or Great Vehicle, developed. The

Mahayanists envisioned a path in which one would not work for a minor

liberation for one's self alone, but one would practice meditation and

great karmic deeds for innumerable lifetimes in order to attain

Buddhahood, a Buddha being one whose only desire is the liberation of

all beings. The teachings of this sect were brought into Tibet as the

second vehicle. The practices of this Tibetan Mahayana comprise first

generating bodhichitta, a kind of unquenchable, nagging desire to

relieve all beings of their suffering, and second, an insight into the

true nature of existence (a dismantling of the false self and wrong

view of reality). Because the accumulation of positive karma that

finally resulted in Buddhahood was believed to require countless

lifetimes to accomplish, the practitioners of the Mahayana desired a

quicker path to enlightenment because their desire to alleviate the

suffering of others was, ideally, so acute. So Buddhist practitioners

began practicing the Hindu tantras, also called the path of secret

mantra in order to awaken in one lifetime.

 

The Tibetans systematized all of the tantric practices into a

homogenous, orthodox path. These practices generally began with mantra

initiation and a devotional practice to a particular deity. One would

then progress to visualizing oneself as the deity - the goal being to

ultimately realize oneself as inseparable from the deity. Then one

would begin to work with the winds and channels (nadis) in order to

awaken the kundalini shakti. One awakens the kundalini shakti (called

the Mind of Great Bliss to Tibetans) in order to make the mind

profoundly subtle. With this very subtle mind free from obscuration,

one practices insight into the nature of the mind and the nature of

existence. Bodhichitta which was, in the Mahayana, the desire to

release all beings from suffering, here in the Vajrayana becomes the

awakening of the kundalini shakti. The higher Tibetan Buddhist

teachings say that a universal, ultimate love for all beings is the

same as the kundalini shakti. At this point, one then proceeds to

certain formless practices that further dismantle one's illusions

about reality and self.

 

The Tibetans see the ultimate goal of the Hinayana (for one who

practices for one's own liberation) as arhatship or the lowest

qualification needed to avoid rebirth. However, when one awakens the

kundalini and uses the resulting Mind of Great Bliss to see

Selflessness directly, one becomes a mahasiddha or Buddha. A

mahasiddha is one who has both the awakening of kundalini and

realization of Emptiness and works ceaselessly and selflessly for the

benefit of others. Please note that the list of 84 mahasiddhas of

Hindu lore is the same as those in the Tibetan Buddhist lineage.

Patanjali, according to the Tibetans, was a member of their lineage as

well.

 

So, looking at Amma's path from this vantagepoint, one can see certain

distinct similarities. Amma recommends a path that begins with

renunciation and service to all beings. This practice of Seva, it is

hoped, will result in constant love for our fellow beings and

remembrance of their suffering. Amma's practice also includes mantra

initiation and devotion to a chosen deity with the goal of realizing

oneself as inseparable from that deity. Then there are further

practices taught by Amma that also parallel the other Vajrayana

teachings I have mentioned, but of course, I am prohibited from

describing their similarities in this forum. And ultimately, the

practice comes from a mahasiddha herself. Amma has fully awakened the

kundalini shakti and has used this great bliss to dissolve all

illusions and uses the force of this realization to work ceaselessly

for the benefit of innumerable beings.

 

>From this position, one can see that the realization of the Atman

(called Shunyata or Emptiness in the Vajrayana school) is a useless

realization for some practitioners. There are those that see this

realization to be incomplete and self-motivated and wish to progress

on a path that takes all beings as its object.

 

I hope this discussion has been helpful for elucidating the problems

in the discussion as to the superiority of bhakti or jnana. It is not

that one is superior and the other inferior – they are both indispensable.

 

Peace,

 

Dave