Vajra siblings

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drodul
Posts: 106
Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2014 4:34 am

Vajra siblings

Post by drodul »

I have heard that all students who have taken empowerment from the same lama are to treat one another as vajra brothers and sisters. At the same time, samaya varies according to the level of tantra - e.g. Malcolm pointed out in a recent thread that one only has to regard a lama as a Buddha if he has given the student a highest yoga tantra empowerment. Is there any difference in the obligation to fellow students according to the level of empowerment? :thinking: Can I get away with not thinking the world of some of the folks who were at the same kriya yoga empowerment I attended?
ngodrup
Posts: 746
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 6:58 pm

Re: Vajra siblings

Post by ngodrup »

So you want to know if you're supposed to consider
that your entire environment is the mandala or not?

Quite simply, in tantra, everything/everyone is a Buddha--
especially those who drank from the same bumpa (vase).

This is how you practice pure vision. It is not assumed
that you have to obey their every whim, but... Do try
to practice that point of view. After all, you don't know
who has received HYT Wang and who hasn't. Unless you
are in a sangha where everyone has. So at least try to
show respect if not formally, then in your mind.

So called lower tantras are not the same as HYT, but
they all have something to do with purity, respect, etc.
drodul
Posts: 106
Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2014 4:34 am

Re: Vajra siblings

Post by drodul »

Thanks for your reply, Ngodrup. I know that if I'm practicing pure vision effectively, then all the people around me are deities; can't always keep it up, though.

I was wondering specifically, though, if the level of tantra of a particular empowerment affected the relationship we're expected to maintain with the fellow recipients of that empowerment from that lama. But it's probably not important. I was just interested to learn from Malcolm's post that we only need regard a lama as a Buddha if we have received a high empowerment from him, so I wondered if the level of an empowerment also affected other relationships than that with the lama.
ngodrup
Posts: 746
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 6:58 pm

Re: Vajra siblings

Post by ngodrup »

No. It is the case that we regard the
consort of the Lama, their children,
and everyone else who received wang--
not only from that lama-- as part of the
mandala. No question, vajra siblings are
included in what pure vision requires.
It is not easy, just trying is amazing.
That is why we call it practice, if we
were always perfect with it already,
then we'd be realized already! ;)
sherabpa
Posts: 125
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 8:26 pm

Re: Vajra siblings

Post by sherabpa »

drodul wrote:I have heard that all students who have taken empowerment from the same lama are to treat one another as vajra brothers and sisters. At the same time, samaya varies according to the level of tantra - e.g. Malcolm pointed out in a recent thread that one only has to regard a lama as a Buddha if he has given the student a highest yoga tantra empowerment. Is there any difference in the obligation to fellow students according to the level of empowerment? :thinking: Can I get away with not thinking the world of some of the folks who were at the same kriya yoga empowerment I attended?
There is a samaya for anyone who recieves anuttarayoga empowerments not to be angry with anyone else who received anuttarayoga empowerments. It is more serious when you share the same teacher, and even more serious when you have entered the same mandala. It is the third root downfall to think of them as an enemy. The fourth root downfall is to give up loving kindness, so you can think what you like about them but if you develop serious enmity towards anyone, it is a root downfall.

For the lower tantras, there are no root downfalls, but there is of course the bodhisattva vow. If one engenders anger to the point where one no longer intends to work for their benefit, this would be a violation of the bodhisattva vow and then siddhis will be impossible. But generally, annoyance at others, impure view etc. can be purified in the usual ways.

Malcolm is as usual completely correct about which lamas one must view as buddhas. Specifically, this relates to the first root downfall.
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