Konchog1 wrote:retrofuturist wrote:It's ironic that you're not prepared to tolerate subsequent developments in Buddhism, yet you're perfectly happy to accept previous developments... don't you find your stance somewhat arbitrary
But Secular Buddhism is not Buddhism. That's the problem.
This is a personal view, an opinion, a contrived mental construct, this is not buddhism?
Even the tibetan buddhism, with it's heavy influence of pre-buddhist tibetan shamanism and the associated deity practices, at it's very top level, the deepest practice level, makes away with all of the religious mythology.
Here is PadmaSambhava's buddhism, a couple of sections of his own words, explaining what I tried to say a few posts above:
- THE RESULTS OF DESIRES -
Others, in accordance with their own particular faith and practice, having become fettered by desires, cannot perceive the Clear Light.
They are overwhelmed by suffering, and are in darkness because of their suffering.
...
- THE GREAT SELF-LIBERATION -
Owing to worldly beliefs, which he is free to accept or reject, man wanders in the Sangsara.
Therefore, practicing the Dharma, freed from every attachment, grasp the whole essence of these teachings expounded in this Yoga of Self-Liberation by Knowing the Mind in its Real Nature.
The truths set forth herein are known as 'The Great Self-Liberation'; and in them culminates the Doctrine of the Great Ultimate Perfection.
...
- MIND IN ITS TRUE STATE -
When one seeks one's mind in its true state, it is found to be quite intelligible, although invisible.
In its true state, mind is naked, immaculate; not made of anything, being of the Voidness; clear, vacuous, without duality, transparent; timeless, uncompounded, unimpeded, colourless; not realizable as a separate thing, but as the unity of all things, yet not composed of them; of one taste, and transcendent over differentiation.
Nor is one's own mind separable from other minds.
To realize the quintessential being of the One Mind is to realize the immutable at-one-ment of the Tri-Kaya.
...
- THE DHARMA WITHIN -
The Dharma being nowhere save in the mind, there is no other place of meditation than the mind.
The Dharma being nowhere save in the mind, there is no other doctrine to be taught or practiced elsewhere.
The Dharma being nowhere save in the mind, there is no other place of truth for the observance of a vow.
The Dharma being nowhere save in the mind, there is no Dharma elsewhere whereby Liberation may be attained.
Again and again look within the shining of one's own mind.
~ PadmaSambabhava, select passages from Tibetan Book of the Great Liberation
To the OP: How are you going to cling to your view that Padmasambhava expounded a religious view of deities, heavens, and hells, as "The Way", when he clearly states otherwise himself? In fact the top level of his teaching is almost the same as Zen, plus or minus some wording differences.
You can find this text via google pretty easily, I recommend it, it's a beautiful text.