Meeting
Sakya Trizin
In
August of 2016 I had the opportunity to join Sakya Trizin's teachings
at Helsinki, Finland. Sakya Trizin is the head of the Sakya school of
Tibetan buddhism which is one of the four main schools of tantric
buddhism of Tibet. You can find information about him by googling.
As
such a high profile representer of vajrayana buddhism was in town I
wasn't going to miss the opportunity to go and see if my analysis of
him with the Open Heart Bhumi Model was correct or mistaken. In this
episode of Bhumi Study Series, I've mapped him as 9th
bhumi (9/13) which makes him a mature bodhisattva. Mapping for the
mentioned series has been done solely on the basis of his
photography.
Sakya
Trizin taught at Helsinki on four separate days. The teachings
covered the very basics of mahayana buddhism such as preciousness and
transitoriness of human life, need for dharma practice and so on. The
lectures were preceded by prayers and sutras read in Tibetan and
other languages. The venue was a classy one which they had decorated
with the regalia of a traditional Tibetan buddhist temple. ”Tibetans
sure can put up a show”, Alan Wallace said.
I
seldom join events that are highly religious and glad in particular
cultural attire. And it always surprises me. This time as well. The
same thing happens to me everytime I go to these grandiose churches
in central Europe. ”Wow... What a setting... How did they come up
this!? It must have taken them a full day to build the whole thing
up. Now, let's see what they teach!”
I
joined Sakya Trizin's sessions on two separate days, for 3 hours at a
time. On the second occasion I also had the chance to stand just 2-3
meters of him for about 2 minutes when he was on his way to the
throne.
The
moment he came in, I clearly felt that he still is 9th
bhumi, as myself. However, he is a mature 9th bhumi while
myself am a newly hatched. This being the case, his presence had no
effect of clarification or elevation to my mind which always happens
in the company of a person who is spiritual more advanced than you
are. That didn't happen, the conclusion being that the OHBM worked
once again. I have also tested my bhumi analysis in the physical
company of Amma, the Hugging Saint whom I have rated as 13th
bhumi, fully enlightened buddha. So far, after publishing the model I
have not met other teachers whom I have rated.
I'd
like to mention one particular thing about this and other buddhist
events, in regards to mahasiddha bhumis.
What
happened at this event was that when buddhist sutras and prayers,
along with prayers to Buddha Shakyamuni and the Three Jewels (buddha,
dharma and sangha) were read, instantly there was a high spiritual
charge in the room of the mahasiddha bhumis. It lasted for the time
when these prayers were read, both before and after the lengthy
lectures given by Sakya Trizin.
I
once witnessed the same thing happen at a zen buddhist retreat where
a zen-teacher conducted a ceremony of giving the so called lay
percepts to a couple of practitioners. The charge was so beautiful,
so fresh and full for the duration of the ceremony. Shakyamuni's
presence was palpable. After the ceremony I asked the zen-teacher if
he was aware of this subtle charge. He honestly answered he was not.
To
me personally, from one perspective it was interesting to go and be
in the presence of this archbishop of Tibetan buddhism who is largely
regarded as a living buddha. We don't get such opportunities often
here up north. On the other hand, with all love and respect, it was
boring as hell. 2½ hour long lectures on the absolute basics of
buddhism where you keep hearing the same exalted things over and
over, well, made me sleepy and bored.
I've
witnessed exactly the same type of dharma events in Finland several
times, taught by several rinpoches, during the last two decades. I
can't help thinking how it is possible people do not demand to be
taught something more visceral, something more real and less
religious. Perhaps it's just me but I have hard time understanding
why people are not taught pragmatically. I've never been a fan of
ancient religions especially if they are said to get one fully
enlightened. Perhaps people who join these events have no need to
know. Perhaps they are not confused in existential sense, they way I
used to be. If this is the case then the teachings offered might be
exactly what they need. And I'm just an angry fool let down by my own
frustrations.
Anyway,
there is a long way from prayers recited in completely foreign
language (Tibetan) to experiential understanding the principles
behind it. Therefore I doubt people ”get it”, get awakened or
enlightened this way. For sure, there is some benefit and
transformation from doing such practices in the way they were
taught, which is wonderful, but I often wonder the purpose and
effect of the whole thing. I feel these traditional schools of
Tibetan buddhism are like ancient dinosaurs brought to modern
environment.
Nonetheless,
I wish all the best to anyone involved.
- Kim Katami, 22.8.2016
Open
Heart, www.openheart.fi
