Tantra

Review Yesterday, we spoke about the meaning of tantra, a stream of continuity that goes on forever. There is a basis level – our mental continuum with the Buddha-nature factors. These include our networks of positive force and deep awareness, and the relative and deepest...

What Are Impure and Pure Appearances? Now let’s discuss the variable of impure and pure appearances. The variable of pure and impure is applied in terms of whether or not an appearance is adulterated and stained with faults. “Faults” here refers to items that arise from our...

Set the proper motivation for listening to these teachings. Wish to be able to benefit all beings and, to do so, to achieve the state of full enlightenment. As stated previously, the six yogas or practices of Naropa are:  Tummo, inner heat Illusory body Clear light...

Tantra Is an Advanced Practice For our last session together, let’s speak a little bit about tantra. We also need to bring tantra down to earth. Often, Western people, when approaching the tantric teachings in Tibetan Buddhism, fall into one of two extremes. One extreme is to...

Powa (Transference of Consciousness)  We were speaking a little bit about some of the features of mother and father tantra as one of the questions. Another feature that I should mention that we have in mother tantra, because I know that many of you are practicing this, is...

The Buddha-Nature Factors Going from the basis level to the resultant level through the pathway level in tantra involves working with our Buddha-nature factors. Let’s look at what they are. There are evolving factors and abiding factors, as they are called. The evolving...

The Importance of Vows in Tantra  Attaining enlightenment through the sutra path takes a very long time, three zillion eons, and if our bodhichitta is really, really strong, then we want to find a method that is going to build up this positive force more efficiently and...

Review Tantra practice is a full practice that entails putting together a tremendous number of things and is something that we approach slowly and gradually. We can’t expect at the beginning to be able to do it in a full way; obviously not. Therefore, whether we are practicing...

Bodhisattva Vows For practicing the engaged state of bodhichitta and being best able to practice the six far-reaching attitudes, we need to take the bodhisattva vows. This involves refraining from committing the 18 root downfalls and the 46 faulty actions that transgress these...

Two phenomena may constitute a naturally inseparable pair or a joined pair attained through the power of meditation. They may simultaneously arise with each other, share a similar family-cause, or have the same functional nature. Understanding these distinctions helps deepen...