Guest guest Posted January 26, 2000 Report Share Posted January 26, 2000 Quoting TAMurdock <TAMurdock: > TAMurdock > > Sooooooooooo.........let's pick a topic to discuss. Since I am a neophyte and > open to just about anything, any tantrikas out there or anyone who has > researched tantric practice and philosophy? > > Teresa > Perhaps we could place tantric practice in perspective -- that is Tibetan Buddhist tantric practice since I know nothing of other tantric practices. A teacher once said there are three broad catagories of teachings which can be broken down more finely but for general illustration these three give one the general idea. They are sutric, tantric, and ati yoga or dzogchen teachings. He declared that all three paths lead to realization -- differences being mainly in the capacity of the individual as to which is more beneficial. No path is better or worse -- they all work. The sutric path is primarily the path of renunciation ie: you renounce doing unskillful actions that delay your progress. You follow lots of rules. It can take a long time or it can evolve into the tantric practices. Think of a poison -- this path simply avoids the poison through its rules. The tantric path is primarily the path of transformation. You transform strong emotions into useful energies which lead towards realization. Results normally come much quicker than in the sutric path. An analogy may be that this path transforms the poison into a useful medicine. The dzogchen path is the path of self-liberation. You simply watch all thoughts and energies arising and returning to voidness. You dwell in luminosity and clarity. Think of the poison being eaten by a peacock which simply makes it more beautiful. The dzogchen teachings are the non-dual teachings. Results come more quickly but it is also quite easy to delude oneself that they are dwelling in the non-dual condition. These few words simply try to place the three paths in context. More learned and experienced persons may wish to continue from this point. Victor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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