Samaya in Vajrayāna

[Malcolm]

Okay. Makes sense. Berzin's samaya is to clarify. Our's is not. I dig that.

EDIT: But as Buddhism comes to the West it may change. Internet society very open about things and the whole social justice aspect very strong in psyche/culture(?)

EDIT 2: Yes. Four-faced Mahakala could not be shown, only in Brahmin form, but Geluk changed that.

As for the second point, no, the Gelugp's didn't change that. One still should never display the form of Caturmukha Mahākala.

Samayas don't change just because the teachings are brought from one culture to another — for example, the samayas did not change their character because Tibetans imported Vajrayāna from India. Therefore, we should not expect them to be mutable just because we live in the West.

Samayas are something taught in the tantras. Regardless of what others may do, I encourage people to follow them according to how they have been understood.

[lorem]

Okay you won me over. Samaya is very important and I would never want to break samaya. Anything that would weaken the teachings of the Buddha should be let go of.

[Fortyeightvows]

how far do you take that?
I strive to keep samaya, especially since many people have their own feeling about tibetan buddhism and vajrayana it is better to do so. but what about things like images of one's yidam on the home shrine? or books on the bookself?

[lorem]

I lived in studio kinda hard to cover shrine. I would put protector and torma in cabinet with door to shut. Other times was out. Balance these things a little difficult sometimes.

[Malcolm]

how far do you take that?
I strive to keep samaya, especially since many people have their own feeling about tibetan buddhism and vajrayana it is better to do so. but what about things like images of one's yidam on the home shrine? or books on the bookself?

I do not allow people without empowerment in my shrineroom.

I keep my images covered when common people are around as much as possible.

HE Ratnavajra gave me an image once with explicit instructions never to show it to someone who had not had the empowerment itself. So I largely try to observe this principle myself.

[byamspa]

I have certain things on my shrine that i simply put away somewhere when people like my cleaning service come. Other things are covered unless in use. Other things are kept out of reach of my cats... I have one kitty who is obsessed with the idea that she *must* bite my mala, especially if its in use

[lorem]

Oh. Oops. Okay. I get it.

Actually I do have a question though. I have a son and I have been totally practicing around him, etc...protectors, everything. In Tibet do they "hide" this from children?

[ngodrup]

It Tibet, you grow up in the Dharma. Especially if you're in a yogi family.
H. H. Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche was very clear and eager on this point.
Children *must* sit with the parents when the parents are meditating and
taught the meaning as possible.

[Ayu]

Children who grow up with it are used to it. My children never wonder what I am doing. It's normal - and that's why they are not curious.

[Nick r]

I'm not sure if this is relevant to this discussion or not, but I keep everything secret from just about everyone besides my wife and daughter. I find that many people have preconceived notions and it quickly turns into a debate or it may make them uncomfortable. Its just easier that way.

[Fortyeightvows]

I certainly agree with keeping it secret, but I wonder specifically about an image of a yidam on my shrine and books on the bookshelf.
Just one picture in a frame I could put away. (though I don't know how I'd feel about that)
But the books on the shelf..?

[Sönam]

The general rule is simple ... if you want to keep a "pure" relation with an object, a book, a statue or what ever object related with your practice, you do not allow it to be shared with someone having not the capacity to keep it in a pure relation, by ignorance or "common opinions" about it. This is, in this case, the samaya.

Sönam

[Fortyeightvows]

"The general rule is simple ... if you want to keep a "pure" relation with an object, a book, a statue or what ever object related with your practice, you do not allow it to be shared with someone having not the capacity to keep it in a pure relation, by ignorance or "common opinions" about it. This is, in this case, the samaya."

That is very well put.

[Josephine1308]

I do understand the comments about samaya, expressed here and I agree with them. But, just from another perspective, when everything is suffused with the Divine, what is there to protect and from whom?

[Grigoris]

I do understand the comments about samaya, expressed here and I agree with them. But, just from another perspective, when everything is suffused with the Divine, what is there to protect and from whom?

This is a nice thought. Do you think you can maintain it during an assault? In the face of a serious temptation? Probably not, right? So they are there to protect us from suffering, from self-cherishing and self-grasping.

[Simon E.]

I do understand the comments about samaya, expressed here and I agree with them. But, just from another perspective, when everything is suffused with the Divine, what is there to protect and from whom?

How do you understand 'the Divine' ? How would you define it?

[Tenma]

how far do you take that?
I strive to keep samaya, especially since many people have their own feeling about tibetan buddhism and vajrayana it is better to do so. but what about things like images of one's yidam on the home shrine? or books on the bookself?

I do not allow people without empowerment in my shrineroom.

I keep my images covered when common people are around as much as possible.

HE Ratnavajra gave me an image once with explicit instructions never to show it to someone who had not had the empowerment itself. So I largely try to observe this principle myself.

Uh oh. So if I made a history project on the classical period and drew pictures of the Buddha, Green Tara, Manjushri, Vajrapani, Chenrezig, and Saraswati, I am officially breaking my samaya and blessing the images with "Om Ye Dharma" and Om Ah Hum was a bad idea? What does one do if they already turned their project in and they now wish to purify this obscuration?

[Malcolm]

how far do you take that?
I strive to keep samaya, especially since many people have their own feeling about tibetan buddhism and vajrayana it is better to do so. but what about things like images of one's yidam on the home shrine? or books on the bookself?

I do not allow people without empowerment in my shrineroom.

I keep my images covered when common people are around as much as possible.

HE Ratnavajra gave me an image once with explicit instructions never to show it to someone who had not had the empowerment itself. So I largely try to observe this principle myself.

Uh oh. So if I made a history project on the classical period and drew pictures of the Buddha, Green Tara, Manjushri, Vajrapani, Chenrezig, and Saraswati, I am officially breaking my samaya and blessing the images with "Om Ye Dharma" and Om Ah Hum was a bad idea? What does one do if they already turned their project in and they now wish to purify this obscuration?

You are fine, these bodhisattvas are from lower tantra.Om ye dharma is a general mantra, etc.

[Tenma]

I do not allow people without empowerment in my shrineroom.

I keep my images covered when common people are around as much as possible.

HE Ratnavajra gave me an image once with explicit instructions never to show it to someone who had not had the empowerment itself. So I largely try to observe this principle myself.

Uh oh. So if I made a history project on the classical period and drew pictures of the Buddha, Green Tara, Manjushri, Vajrapani, Chenrezig, and Saraswati, I am officially breaking my samaya and blessing the images with "Om Ye Dharma" and Om Ah Hum was a bad idea? What does one do if they already turned their project in and they now wish to purify this obscuration?

You are fine, these bodhisattvas are from lower tantra.Om ye dharma is a general mantra, etc.

In that case, does that mean Himalayanart, Khan Academy, and technically every art museum and art school is breaking their samaya and corrupting others by showing ancient antiques of High Tantra Deities?

[Grigoris]

In that case, does that mean Himalayanart, Khan Academy, and technically every art museum and art school is breaking their samaya and corrupting others by showing ancient antiques of High Tantra Deities?

You are mistakenly assuming they have samaya.

But you should not be concerning yourself with other's samaya anyway, you should try working on yours.