Which lineage to choose?

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MatthewAngby
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Joined: Fri Nov 10, 2017 9:51 am

Which lineage to choose?

Post by MatthewAngby »

Hello again guys. I’m so confused to which lineage I should follow. Anyway I will tell you all what my interests are and I hope you all could tell me which lineage actually fits my interests.

- I love to Chant mantras and put practise as my main
- I am interested in rituals and the use of ritual objects
- I am also interested in Kurukulle’s practise
- I would prefer not to engage much in study ( sorry if I have offended anyone )
- I like it when there are many different practices in the lineage .

So I hope you all could recommend a lineage to me. Thank you ! :)
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heart
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Re: Which lineage to choose?

Post by heart »

MatthewAngby wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2017 3:07 pm Hello again guys. I’m so confused to which lineage I should follow. Anyway I will tell you all what my interests are and I hope you all could tell me which lineage actually fits my interests.

- I love to Chant mantras and put practise as my main
- I am interested in rituals and the use of ritual objects
- I am also interested in Kurukulle’s practise
- I would prefer not to engage much in study ( sorry if I have offended anyone )
- I like it when there are many different practices in the lineage .

So I hope you all could recommend a lineage to me. Thank you ! :)
Don't follow a lineage, follow a Guru. Spend a few years taking teachings that interest you and eventually you will find a qualified Guru.

/magnus
"We are all here to help each other go through this thing, whatever it is."
~Kurt Vonnegut

"The principal practice is Guruyoga. But we need to understand that any secondary practice combined with Guruyoga becomes a principal practice." ChNNR (Teachings on Thun and Ganapuja)
Meido
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Re: Which lineage to choose?

Post by Meido »

heart wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2017 3:16 pm Don't follow a lineage, follow a Guru.
Excuse me for chiming in here, but to my mind this is essential advice that applies across traditions.

I wouldn't be disappointed if these words were added to the top of the site page.

~ Meido
Malcolm
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Re: Which lineage to choose?

Post by Malcolm »

Meido wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2017 4:54 pm
heart wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2017 3:16 pm Don't follow a lineage, follow a Guru.
Excuse me for chiming in here, but to my mind this is essential advice that applies across traditions.

I wouldn't be disappointed if these words were added to the top of the site page.

~ Meido
I would only add one word: "Don't follow a lineage, follow a qualified Guru.
Malcolm
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Re: Which lineage to choose?

Post by Malcolm »

MatthewAngby wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2017 3:07 pm Hello again guys. I’m so confused to which lineage I should follow. Anyway I will tell you all what my interests are and I hope you all could tell me which lineage actually fits my interests.

- I love to Chant mantras and put practise as my main
- I am interested in rituals and the use of ritual objects
- I am also interested in Kurukulle’s practise
- I would prefer not to engage much in study ( sorry if I have offended anyone )
- I like it when there are many different practices in the lineage .

So I hope you all could recommend a lineage to me. Thank you ! :)
Having added my two cents above, that said, all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism (five if one counts Jonang) have Kurukulle practice.

All four or five schools have many different kinds of practice, rituals, mantras, etc.

Study is necessary, but it is not necessary to become a major scholar. One must study enough however that one understands Buddhadharma in a proper way. Remember, there are three trainings, discipline, samadhi, and wisdom; and in the latter there are three wisdoms; the wisdom of hearing, the wisdom of reflection, and the wisdom of cultivation. So some study is unavoidable. Sorry if this bothers you.
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Johnny Dangerous
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Re: Which lineage to choose?

Post by Johnny Dangerous »

Don't only do what you prefer.
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when afflicted by disease

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when sad

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when suffering occurs

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when you are scared

-Khunu Lama
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Sonam Wangchug
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Re: Which lineage to choose?

Post by Sonam Wangchug »

heart wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2017 3:16 pm
MatthewAngby wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2017 3:07 pm Hello again guys. I’m so confused to which lineage I should follow. Anyway I will tell you all what my interests are and I hope you all could tell me which lineage actually fits my interests.

- I love to Chant mantras and put practise as my main
- I am interested in rituals and the use of ritual objects
- I am also interested in Kurukulle’s practise
- I would prefer not to engage much in study ( sorry if I have offended anyone )
- I like it when there are many different practices in the lineage .

So I hope you all could recommend a lineage to me. Thank you ! :)
Don't follow a lineage, follow a Guru. Spend a few years taking teachings that interest you and eventually you will find a qualified Guru.

/magnus
:good:
"To have confidence in the teacher is the ultimate refuge." -Rigzin Jigme Lingpa
MatthewAngby
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Re: Which lineage to choose?

Post by MatthewAngby »

I see. Thanks everyone ! :)
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Virgo
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Re: Which lineage to choose?

Post by Virgo »

MatthewAngby wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2017 11:58 pm I see. Thanks everyone ! :)
Qualified is the key word, as Malcolm added in.

It's really important to observe a guru before making a decision to receive teachings from them.

Kevin
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Bruce
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Re: Which lineage to choose?

Post by Bruce »

follow a qualified guru who would:
1) teach special and specific views of his specific school
2) teach you how to relate these view to actual practice
3)how to integrate the teaching into daily life.
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KeithA
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Re: Which lineage to choose?

Post by KeithA »

Meido wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2017 4:54 pm
heart wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2017 3:16 pm Don't follow a lineage, follow a Guru.
Excuse me for chiming in here, but to my mind this is essential advice that applies across traditions.

I wouldn't be disappointed if these words were added to the top of the site page.

~ Meido
:offtopic:

Really? That's interesting. I would love to see you drag this topic over to the Zen forum for discussion.

Keith
When walking, standing, sitting, lying down, speaking,
being silent, moving, being still.
At all times, in all places, without interruption - what is this?
One mind is infinite kalpas.

New Haven Zen Center
WeiHan
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Re: Which lineage to choose?

Post by WeiHan »

MatthewAngby wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2017 3:07 pm Hello again guys. I’m so confused to which lineage I should follow. Anyway I will tell you all what my interests are and I hope you all could tell me which lineage actually fits my interests.

- I love to Chant mantras and put practise as my main
- I am interested in rituals and the use of ritual objects
- I am also interested in Kurukulle’s practise
- I would prefer not to engage much in study ( sorry if I have offended anyone )
- I like it when there are many different practices in the lineage .

So I hope you all could recommend a lineage to me. Thank you ! :)
- I love to Chant mantras and put practise as my main
All four lineages have many mantras of numerous yidams. In order to reap full benefits from mantras recitation, it is essential to receive teachings from qualified teachers on how it should be practiced.

- I am interested in rituals and the use of ritual objects
All four or five tibetan Dharma lineages have many ritual objects for performing the pujas and practices. however, they are considered not so essential when one is refering to Dharma. Dharma is anything that increases one's renunciation, increases one's bodhicitta mind and Wisdom. therefore, it is possible that chanting mantras all day long don't end up as a Dharma practise.

- I am also interested in Kurukulle’s practise
Someone very knowledgeable already answered this question. yes all four lineages have Kurukulle's practices.

- I would prefer not to engage much in study ( sorry if I have offended anyone )
there isn't any centre that forces members to study so it is all up to oneself. However, as all buddhists should know, the three prongs for progress on the path is listen (which including studying, attending Dharma teachings etc..), contemplation and practise. Without first studying, it is like a blind person figuring the way out to his destination.

-- I like it when there are many different practices in the lineage .
As quite a number of people have already answered, all four or five lineages have many different practices. there will be so many that one ends up don't know which one to choose. however, i would like to emphasise again that real practices result in an increase in renunciation, bodhicitta and wisdom. therefore, most likely if one is not studying the right fundamental stuffs and have been working to integrate what one has learned into the mind, one may end up having the illusion that one has already entered the path with all the ritual implements, mantras recitation etc..while in reality, no progress has been made at all.

Qualified guru is the most essential however the importance of good motivating spiritual friends cannot discounted. Afterall, most people don't get to live near one's guru these days and personal interacting time with Guru that do teaching tours around the world is rare. what one gets the most interacting time is the group of Dharma brothers and sisters that study under the same guru.
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