Why are monks raising arms in this picture?
Why are monks raising arms in this picture?
In this photo of Khenpo Gangshar and Trungpa Rinpoche, they are raising their arms. Does anyone know the meaning of what is going on in this photo? And what is on top of the table in the middle?
- Attachments
-
- ktcwebpagekhenpogangshar-1.jpg (73.29 KiB) Viewed 8048 times
- PadmaVonSamba
- Posts: 9437
- Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 1:41 am
Re: Why are monks raising arms in this picture?
perhaps they are being mimes trapped inside an invisible samsaric box.
.
.
.
.
.
.
EMPTIFUL.
An inward outlook produces outward insight.
An inward outlook produces outward insight.
Re: Why are monks raising arms in this picture?
“You don’t know it. You just know about it. That is not the same thing.”
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche to me.
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche to me.
Re: Why are monks raising arms in this picture?
Maybe their football team just scored a goal?
"My religion is not deceiving myself."
Jetsun Milarepa 1052-1135 CE
"Butchers, prostitutes, those guilty of the five most heinous crimes, outcasts, the underprivileged: all are utterly the substance of existence and nothing other than total bliss."
The Supreme Source - The Kunjed Gyalpo
The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde
Jetsun Milarepa 1052-1135 CE
"Butchers, prostitutes, those guilty of the five most heinous crimes, outcasts, the underprivileged: all are utterly the substance of existence and nothing other than total bliss."
The Supreme Source - The Kunjed Gyalpo
The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde
- practitioner
- Posts: 199
- Joined: Wed May 09, 2012 5:48 pm
Re: Why are monks raising arms in this picture?
You are all wrong, that is the "raise the roof" mudra
One should do nothing other than benefit sentient beings either directly or indirectly - Shantideva
Re: Why are monks raising arms in this picture?
Unfortunately I cannot hazard a guess. Khenpo Gangshar was one of the great yogis of the past century. My guess is that they are engaged in an offering. However this was photographed, certainly with Khenpo Gangshar's knowledge so more likely it is a kind of "liberation upon seeing" kind of photograph with the photograph being an intentional relic of this. There are other possibilities but they seem illogical (they are doing protector practice - that wouldn't be photographed). They object in the middle appears to be flowers or a torma of some kind.catlady2112 wrote:In this photo of Khenpo Gangshar and Trungpa Rinpoche, they are raising their arms. Does anyone know the meaning of what is going on in this photo? And what is on top of the table in the middle?
Since Khenpo Gangshar foresaw the end of Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet and was intent upon the transmission of the Dharma, my guess is the "liberation upon seeing" avenue.
Kirt
“Where do atomic bombs come from?”
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”
"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”
"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
Re: Why are monks raising arms in this picture?
So you go from ' unfortunately I cannot hazard a guess '. Which is honest. To hazarding a very unconvincing guess... in two paragraphs.
“You don’t know it. You just know about it. That is not the same thing.”
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche to me.
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche to me.
Re: Why are monks raising arms in this picture?
Khenchen Thrangu has likely explained it somewhere as he was one of Khenpo Gangshar's students and has been teaching his approach to Mahamudra. Whatever the explanation, you can safely bet that it is a profound teaching. As an eample, the other picture in the boo is the cover photo which shows Khenpo Gangshar pointing a purba at himself (I had forgotten about this photo). Here's what a blogger at Buddhist Meditation on Tumblr says that Khenchen Thrangu said about that:Simon E. wrote:So you go from ' unfortunately I cannot hazard a guess '. Which is honest. To hazarding a very unconvincing guess... in two paragraphs.
But Wait! Just a bit further down in that blog post it says:There are only two pictures of Khenpo Gangshar and one is on the cover. As Thrangu Rinpoche explained, the Tibetans were upset with this picture because a phurba is held in the hand and pointed to demons and obstacles to eliminate them, but Khenpo Gangshar is pointing the phurba towards his heart. Khenpo Gangshar said he did this because all the obstacles to practice do not lie outside oneself, but lie in one’s heart. So he is pointing the phurba towards himself.
DA DA! Click here to hear Veronica Mars gloat for me! (3:05-3:07, 3:29-3:30)The prophecy of Khenpo Gangshar is well described and it is interesting that the only other picture of Khenpo Gangshar we have is him raising both hands as in a surrender and telling this students that this is the mudra of the union of wisdom and skillful means.
Kirt
“Where do atomic bombs come from?”
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”
"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”
"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
Re: Why are monks raising arms in this picture?
So you could hazard a guess after all.
I prefer PadmaVonSamba's explanation.
I prefer PadmaVonSamba's explanation.
“You don’t know it. You just know about it. That is not the same thing.”
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche to me.
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche to me.
Re: Why are monks raising arms in this picture?
When I saw the picture before reading anything else I thought "that's Trungpa Rinpoche" I don't remember exactly, but I think it was in a documentary perhaps Crazy Wisdom where they explain this picture. They said it was taken in order to display an attitude of deference and submission to the invading Chinese.
ཨོཾ Through blood, sweat and tears the solution appears: The pride needs defended by a Lion! ཨོཾ
Re: Why are monks raising arms in this picture?
Because they're Sure of their anti-perspirant!
(cue ad music)
(cue ad music)
(no longer participating on this board)
Re: Why are monks raising arms in this picture?
I think this explanation this unlikely. The explanation I posted above is from a student of Trangu Rinpoche, this is Trangu Rinpoche's explanation (presumably) and Trangu Rinpoche was also a student of Khenpo Gangshar.VajraLion wrote:When I saw the picture before reading anything else I thought "that's Trungpa Rinpoche" I don't remember exactly, but I think it was in a documentary perhaps Crazy Wisdom where they explain this picture. They said it was taken in order to display an attitude of deference and submission to the invading Chinese.
Also Trungpa Rinpoche is about 14 in the photo placing the date around 1953/1954. The Chinese invasion and occupation developed in stages but the Tibetans were not subservient not did they generally show deference to the Chinese. The Chinese occupation did not become severely violent until later (how much later I am unclear on). For example they bombed Litang Monastery in 1956. The photo was probably taken in Sechen Monastery which is in Eastern Tibet and might have been exposed to danger early. But I doubt that Khenpo Gangshar would display deference or subservience to the Chinese unless this were a kind of ceremony to mitigate their negativity.
However the full photo shows that the object in the middle is a vase/torma on a tall stool rather then on a shrine.
Kirt
“Where do atomic bombs come from?”
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”
"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”
"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
Re: Why are monks raising arms in this picture?
Well I concede defeat! lol, im just looking to assist from an offhand memory which is likely flawed. My apologies for not doing the research.
ཨོཾ Through blood, sweat and tears the solution appears: The pride needs defended by a Lion! ཨོཾ
Re: Why are monks raising arms in this picture?
Actually at 7:30 into the documentary on Trungpa Rinpoche's life "Crazy Wisdom" Khenpo Karma Xidro explains Khenpo Gangshar said "we are not able to fight the communist and we should surrender." He [Karma Xidro] then says "That is the sign for surrender to the Chinese" then the above mentioned image is shown.
So I guess its more like a direct explanation of the specific image rather then speculation. I did do my research! May it be beneficial.
So I guess its more like a direct explanation of the specific image rather then speculation. I did do my research! May it be beneficial.
ཨོཾ Through blood, sweat and tears the solution appears: The pride needs defended by a Lion! ཨོཾ
Re: Why are monks raising arms in this picture?
Far more down to earth and much more like the CTR I knew.
“You don’t know it. You just know about it. That is not the same thing.”
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche to me.
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche to me.
Re: Why are monks raising arms in this picture?
I actually like the thought of this being "liberation upon seeing." That sounds more like Khenpo Gangshar's style of Dharma. It also seems like something practical we could all do in the spur of the moment of difficulty -- as a physical way to let things that appear before us, to self-liberate . Sounds like an approachable practice.kirtu wrote:Unfortunately I cannot hazard a guess. Khenpo Gangshar was one of the great yogis of the past century. My guess is that they are engaged in an offering. However this was photographed, certainly with Khenpo Gangshar's knowledge so more likely it is a kind of "liberation upon seeing" kind of photograph with the photograph being an intentional relic of this. There are other possibilities but they seem illogical (they are doing protector practice - that wouldn't be photographed). They object in the middle appears to be flowers or a torma of some kind.catlady2112 wrote:In this photo of Khenpo Gangshar and Trungpa Rinpoche, they are raising their arms. Does anyone know the meaning of what is going on in this photo? And what is on top of the table in the middle?
Since Khenpo Gangshar foresaw the end of Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet and was intent upon the transmission of the Dharma, my guess is the "liberation upon seeing" avenue.
Kirt
Re: Why are monks raising arms in this picture?
VajraLion wrote:Actually at 7:30 into the documentary on Trungpa Rinpoche's life "Crazy Wisdom" Khenpo Karma Xidro explains Khenpo Gangshar said "we are not able to fight the communist and we should surrender." He [Karma Xidro] then says "That is the sign for surrender to the Chinese" then the above mentioned image is shown.
So I guess its more like a direct explanation of the specific image rather then speculation. I did do my research! May it be beneficial.
That sounds more likely. I don't know Khenpo Gangshar ( except of course from many anecdotes from CTR ) but it would be VERY Trungpa Rinpoche and he wasn't much older than he is in that picture when I became his student.
“You don’t know it. You just know about it. That is not the same thing.”
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche to me.
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche to me.