Chogyam Trungpa & Nine Yanas

General discussion, particularly exploring the Dharma in the modern world.
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wisdom
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Chogyam Trungpa & Nine Yanas

Post by wisdom »

Are Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoches view and description of the Nine Yanas considered fairly accurate?
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mint
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Re: Chogyam Trungpa & Nine Yanas

Post by mint »

You're referring to his description as laid out in Journey Without Goal, yes?
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wisdom
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Re: Chogyam Trungpa & Nine Yanas

Post by wisdom »

In "The Lions Roar" which are the first two seminars he gave on Tantra in the west in the 70's. I like his style, so I will probably buy his collected works. Its too bad hes passed away, I'm really connecting with how hes describing things.

For example, he describes the first Yana as being about identifying with ones pain, on realizing that pain is the basic condition of existence. Also with identifying with ones confusion. Both of these, he says, are the ground upon which everything develops, because they are workable, being real.

He describes the second Yana as being about identifying with the hopelessness of ones situation. Not to despair, but to recognize the fallacy of hope. This speaks deeply to me because I had the same conclusion earlier in the year. I realized how hope does nobody any good. Every time there is hope, it is shattered, broken, destroyed. Hope is based on either seeking to obtain something, or seeking to prevent something. Its attraction/aversion, both of which lead to sorrow.

In general I like how he lays out the Yanas as being mental states we recognize, and other mental states we cultivate. The way he talks about renunciation for example makes complete sense to me. He says its about removing whatever barriers prevent you from being open to others/reality. Whatever stops openness, whatever creates the barrier, that needs to be renounced. I can see how this connects to things like the five precepts, but I can also see how renunciation then becomes a bit more fluidic, as well as encompassing different things for different people, and how its ultimately not about denial but about learning to accept. The issue is that we are already in denial, and so by denying the things that prevent us from connecting to others, we actually enter into a state of acceptance, unity and openness.

Ill look into Journey with a Goal next though :)
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