Malcolm wrote:LastLegend wrote:Malcolm wrote:
In Vajrayāna stated in the tantras themselves that a fee for the initiation and teachings should be set.
In form of money? Or other offering?
Gold, usually.
Once upon a time, in addition to requesting the teachings three times, disciples were required to make offerings of solid gold. In the eleventh century there was a Tibetan teacher by the name of Drogmi. He refused to give teachings until students not only made three requests, but also brought him bars of gold. People with impure vision thought that he was greedy. Understandably, he attracted only a limited number of adherents. Of course, this is what he intended. Out of his eighteen successors, only one was going to be his principal successor. Until this particular student was fully trained, he kept asking him for more gold. But when this student was fully developed, he no longer wanted any gold from anyone. By this time people had begun to realise that he was a great teacher. They began to flock to him, bringing handsome offerings of gold. Now he told them that he did not need their gold. His wife complained to him, reminding him that he had previously rejected students who didn’t bring gold. Why when they now brought lots of gold to him did he no longer want it? What was going on? He replied that he did not need any more, because he had already passed his gold on to the one who was supposed to receive it.
-Lamdre: Dawn of Enlightenment pg. 51
[Ra said:] Alas, precious guru!
Lord of beings, who is emanated from the minds
Of all the buddhas in the three times,
Don’t you have any compassion for me?
I have given to you, Dharma Lord,
My lungs, my heart and my breast.
Is it right that the guru should keep
The profound instructions private?
You did not give me this essential Dharma,
Yet told me you had given me all your teachings.
That you have been so dishonest
Has made me sad, truly sad.
Now you really have to give me
This profound instruction.
Otherwise I vow that this body of mine will come to an end
And I will leave this world and go elsewhere.
When Ra had made this challenge, the guru replied:
[...]
In order to receive such an excellent teaching as this,
A precious offering of gold is required,
A gaṇacakra torma for the ḍākiṇīs is required,
Service that pleases the guru is required,
Changeless faith is required,
The fortitude to endure hardship is required.
If there is someone like that, I will give the teaching,
But this is not something that should be taught to everyone.
[...]
Filled with great joy, Ra prostrated to him and circumambulated him hundreds and thousands of times. He unreservedly offered the guru all his gold [100s of ounces, collected from various places] and prayed to him with these words:
I am one who is karmically worthy.
I have today met the perfect guru.
I pray that through your compassion for me
You will give me the profound touching.
[...]
The guru said, “I already knew that you were a worthy vessel, but the time had not yet arrived for me to give you this teaching. I did not give this teaching, so as to emphasize the greatness of the Dharma. Now the time has come, and so I am going to give it to you.”
The guru told Ra to arrange a gaṇacakra. Ra said, “I don’t have any of the necessary things here, so we should return to the Kathmandu valley.”
The guru said, “This has to be kept very secret, so it is better to do it here. The things will not be a problem.”
The guru stared, and instantly countless ḍākas and ḍākiṇīs appeared. Some arranged seats. Some created the maṇḍala, some arranged an extensive feast and torma offerings, and they all finished their work at the same instant.
Then, [starting] at noon of the eighth lunar day, the guru gave the complete empowerment[s]
[...]
Then the guru gave Ra back his gold. He said, “I don’t have any need for gold. I only took it so that you could complete the accumulation of merit and so as to emphasize the greatness of this teaching. You should use this gold to make offerings at the shrines in this area and make prayers. You will accomplish great things.”
-All-pervading Melodious Drumbeats: The biography of the lord of power, the venerable great Ra Lotsawa
Equanimity is the ground. Love is the moisture. Compassion is the seed. Bodhicitta is the result.
-Paraphrase of Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Tsephel citing the Guhyasamaja Tantra
"All memories and thoughts are the union of emptiness and knowing, the Mind.
Without attachment, self-liberating, like a snake in a knot.
Through the qualities of meditating in that way,
Mental obscurations are purified and the dharmakaya is attained."
-Ra Lotsawa, All-pervading Melodious Drumbeats