Can you practice Tibetan Buddhism without ever had a Guru?

[Malcolm]

I respectfully disagree. HE Garchen Rinpoche said that "If you don't live nearby and cannot come, but with all your heart would like to, that is the right motivation for receiving the empowerment over the internet.
Whoever has faith and devotion will receive the empowerment regardless of where they are, because the dharmakaya pervades like space. Even if you come to the temple to receive an empowerment, if you have no devotion you still will not receive it."

Its really up to the aspirant and the aspiration generated. if you want it badly, then receiving it over ustream or skype can work. If your motivation is questionable, the results will be 2.

Yes. That is why I wrote full Vajrayana Empowerment. This is not only about the Dharmakaya. There are substances involed and you should make a connection not only with your mind-aspect but also with energy and body (all of them being inseperable). Also you should recevieve the ritual implements and so on. How is that possible via Skype/internet?

All the best
Karma Yeshe

You will find, if you do further research, that these general conditions are not agreed to, sometimes, even within the same school.

[Kunga]

I travelled through Europe and Asia to find my teachers, having to work in factories and other places to save up for airfares and teachings. I sacrificed relationships and social life just to save up. Just because there are no teachers near you doesn't mean you have to rely on the internet or try shortcuts (reading books and trying to practice from them). Sometimes you have to make the leap, rather than stay where you are.

[Fortyeightvows]

Just because there are no teachers near you doesn't mean you have to rely on the internet or try shortcuts (reading books and trying to practice from them). Sometimes you have to make the leap, rather than stay where you are.

Yes!

[Fortyeightvows]

if one does not have access to the conditions necessary to correctly practice vajrayana, then one should practice sutrayana. all the while aspiring to create the cause to have those conditions in the future.

[Fortyeightvows]

i suspect that most of the people who object to simply following the procedure don't know much about buddhism.
so while they may tell you all the reasons why you dont need a teacher or why you can recieve empowerment by video or skype, they likley cannot even name the eighfold path or the twelve links, much less cite any type of scripture or doctrine to back up their misguided views.

[Terma]

I travelled through Europe and Asia to find my teachers, having to work in factories and other places to save up for airfares and teachings. I sacrificed relationships and social life just to save up. Just because there are no teachers near you doesn't mean you have to rely on the internet or try shortcuts (reading books and trying to practice from them). Sometimes you have to make the leap, rather than stay where you are.

I had to travel to the other side of the world to meet and receive teachings from my first teacher. I live near a large North American city with various centre's accessible to me. Though I may occasionally go for teachings I have to usually travel elsewhere to see my teacher these days although he will usually visit my city once a year.

When I first made contact with my Guru, he told me that we could meet and discuss my questions but that would require me to travel to another city to do so. I did that and I had to do the same in order to receive what I had requested from him. Maybe a test for me, perhaps to Guage my merit or maybe that is just my conditions.

Point is that if we have enough merit and the conditions, we will succeed. But it takes quite a lot of effort from our side. Most people have made a great deal of personal sacrifice in return for dharma teachings and it very rarely will fall on our lap. But we should not get too discouraged and keep trying. If something is that important to us then we should find a way.

[pemachophel]

Good on you, Fortyeightvows and Terma. Since Enlightenment is the single most important thing in life, it stands to reason that we should be willing to do or give anything for it. Just read the life stories of most great practitioners. Most went through great hardships, trials, and tribulations to meet their Teachers, receive the Dharma, and then put it into practice. The fact that there is not an authentic Teacher near you only means one thing: You're gonna need to look somewhere else. If you believe you can't, then you're absolutely right.

[philji]

It is true, that sometimes you have to go to where the teachers are and not expect them to come to you. Look at the stories of the masters of the past and we see many examples of this.. Armchair dharma is very popular now...however for those setting out on the path yes take advantage of all the online supports but make aspirations again and again to have the right karmic conditions to meet with an authentic teacher.

[byamspa]

i suspect that most of the people who object to simply following the procedure don't know much about buddhism.
so while they may tell you all the reasons why you dont need a teacher or why you can recieve empowerment by video or skype, they likley cannot even name the eighfold path or the twelve links, much less cite any type of scripture or doctrine to back up their misguided views.

That's quite a lot of assumptions.

Its quite simple for me, my teacher Garchen Rinpoche said its possible, so it is.

Aspiration to make connection out of a desire to help all beings can open a lot of doors. Even if the first one is a window over Skype.

[Lhasa]

i suspect that most of the people who object to simply following the procedure don't know much about buddhism.
so while they may tell you all the reasons why you dont need a teacher or why you can recieve empowerment by video or skype, they likley cannot even name the eighfold path or the twelve links, much less cite any type of scripture or doctrine to back up their misguided views.

That's quite a lot of assumptions.

Its quite simple for me, my teacher Garchen Rinpoche said its possible, so it is.

Aspiration to make connection out of a desire to help all beings can open a lot of doors. Even if the first one is a window over Skype.

[Fortyeightvows]

well then... can you name the eightfold path and the twelve links?
no need to respond here.
only you know the answer

[Malcolm]

well then... can you name the eightfold path and the twelve links?
no need to respond here.
only you know the answer

Can you?

[byamspa]

I know some very introverted people who are not comfortable in crowds at all. For them the stress of being in a crowded teaching is almost too much to be there. They benefit greatly from webcasts.

For all kinds of beings, all kinds of skillful means are present. Its actually wonderful.

[conebeckham]

Look, I don't mean to put anybody off here, but Vajrayana practices require transmission, from guru to disciple. That is the direct answer to the original poster.

As to what transmission is, and how it happens, what the medium is, etc., there are a variety of opinions. They've all been trotted out previously, in frankly a rather tiresome fashion, in other threads. Do we really need to discuss viability of Internet transmission here, again?

But we should also consider that perhaps some people cannot or will not practice Vajrayana. Actually, even some people who receive transmission do not practice, and there are a variety of levels of commitment--as many varieties, perhaps, as there are practitioners. In my experience, and in my opinion, those who make effort and endure the hardships of travel, loss of income, etc., for the Dharma seem to fare better over the long term. I'm not maligning anyone, or putting down any specific tradition, but just making an observation from my own experience.

Vajrayana is touted as the "quick path, with few hardships," but when I asked Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche his opinion about this characterization, he agreed--but added, "it's the quickest and easiest, if one is willing to work long enough, and hard enough, at it!"

[byamspa]

Look, I don't mean to put anybody off here, but Vajrayana practices require transmission, from guru to disciple. That is the direct answer to the original poster.

As to what transmission is, and how it happens, what the medium is, etc., there are a variety of opinions. They've all been trotted out previously, in frankly a rather tiresome fashion, in other threads. Do we really need to discuss viability of Internet transmission here, again?
<snip>

Of course we do! It creates drama. Who doesn't love a good drama?

[conebeckham]

I like good drama...but I'm not fond of re-runs.

Unless it's Gilligan's Island, then I'm down. Mary Ann, after all....

[Fortyeightvows]

Can you?

of course. and I would think that you could as well.
but I believe that my earlier assertion is mostly correct

[Dechen Norbu]

Can you practice Tibetan Buddhism without ever had a Guru (or master, rinpoche, whatever you call it)?

In every book I find* they always say -somewhere in the book- that you need to receive instructions in order to practice. Its like such books were made only for someone who already had a transmission (or empowerment...I dont know if there is any difference between such words).

But if I am reading a book and understand some ideas, if I understand how is the practice (and sometimes the books speak only about meditative practice) why cant I practice? I feel discouraged, because sometimes I find brilliant books, but I cant practie because they say "you need to receive the instructions"! Isnt enough to receive them by reading? I am reading them! If I understand the words, why not practice??

Sometimes it seems that such practices are running away with people and lead them to other practices (Pure Land, Theravada practices, other Mahayana practices, etc).

Whats your points on this?

*with the exception of "The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep" from Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

Hi Nosta!
As you, I'm Portuguese so I understand your situation. Still, some great teachers visit our country on a regular basis. You just need to keep yourself informed.

There's also the great fortune of some very good Lamas using the internet to give teachings. That's probably the second best thing to have a close relation to a teacher, especially because with the webcast possibility you can receive teachings all year round. Still, it's always advisable to visit the lama now and then if such is possible.

There are parts of Tibetan Buddhism you can practice without a teacher, just not at the Vajrayana level, to put it in a simple way. It's important to have a teacher to whom we can ask for help and clarification when the need comes. Otherwise it's easy to mess up, end up confused and practice in a way that leads nowhere.

So don't let yourself be discouraged. If Tibetan Buddhism attracts you, start reading some more general books and search for the opportunity to meet a good teacher with whom you can relate. You can take the chance and choose one of those who also give webcasts. Don't worry about having lack of practice to do, as that seldom will happen.

Then you engage in practice and will find some obstacles. Some of them you can overcome by yourself. Others you can overcome with the help of more seasoned students and others will need the advice and verification of your lama- this being the reason why you visit him when you can.

Don't worry too much. Start as you can, have dedication and do your part of effort and you'll see that things usually tend to set themselves straight when your motivation is good and when you are honest regarding your own effort.

Good luck!

[T. Chokyi]

Can you?

of course. and I would think that you could as well.
but I believe that my earlier assertion is mostly correct

Well, you don't want to steer in the direction of making judgments on practitioners you don't know (or ones that you do for that matter). Many of the people who discussed about Garchen Rinpoche and Web Cast empowerments have had so many empowerments in person that you might be surprised.

[haha]

Who knows my comfort zone is hardship, and taking a lot of troubles to receive the an empowerment is ease. As my great, great grand-father used to write in the palm leaf, probably it is better for me to try that instead of electronic devices.

For the blind person, the map of the treasure island is problematic unless s/he has a guide. After the empowerment, one may not even require that map; s/he will know how to go there.

But remember my friend life is uncertain and circumstance is unpredictable. If one is only clinging to hardship and trouble, the life will vanish in search of the map of the treasure-island or the map-holder.