Transmission
- Heart Of All Buddhism
In
this text, I will discuss the topic of transmission in buddhism,
particularly from the point of view of dzogchen but also sutra and
tantra. I was inspired to write this after I read Tahlia Newland's
blog entitled, Can
you get a Dzogchen Transmission from an Unrealised Teacher?.
Since
2017, Mrs. Newland has discussed abuse and problems in Tibetan
buddhism, especially those related to Sogyal
Lakar (Sogyal Rinpoche) and his Rigpa-organisation. Her above
linked text discusses dzogchen practice in very much the same way I
have in many blogs and talks, so I felt like offering my take on
these essential questions that do not concern only dzogchen but are
to all forms of buddhism, and other approaches. For full presentation
by Mrs. Newland, I recommend reading her original text. Questions
presented here are from her text.
Comment: I
would like to begin my comments by expressing my deep sympathies to
abuse victims of Sogyal Lakar and his former followers. I wish that
all involved may heal from their traumas quickly, for liberation of
all sentient beings.
My own experiences cannot be
compared to those accounted in the letter
by Sogyal's senior students but I have also experienced psychological
abuse as a student of a certain person, who had authentic lineage of
tantra. I have not talked about this publicly, nor mentioned the name
of this abusive guru. Despite of my relatively short association with
this person, in 2007-2009, as a practitioner with no first hand
experience of insight and high respect towards gurus and their
traditions, I was psychologically abused badly enough for me to
experience high anxiety, stress and fear for several months. I could
speak about this extensively but here it is sufficient to say that it
was highly unpleasant. Later, I understood that I found my way out
because of my commitment to ethics of dharma, namely honesty and
non-harming, as well as because of Bodhisattva Vows.
Positive side of my
experience as abuse victim was that it completely shattered by blind
faith towards traditions and their authorisations. Until then I
believed in all kinds of nonsense from this yogi and other sources
such as books. I believed in what I now see as unproved miracles and
fairytales. I thought very highly of dharma heirs, titles and
traditions; all the external prestige, but due to these events, it
all came down. I no longer blindly believed anything about dharma and
I started to think for myself. I could say that these negative
events, set my feet on the path of pragmatic
dharma and has had a huge impact on my work as the founder and
head teacher of Open Heart Sangha.
I wasn't happy when the
outbreak happened but I am happy about it now because it brought me
to a place as a practitioner and as a teacher, where I wouldn't be
without it.
Question:
Can you get a Dzogchen Transmission from an Unrealised Teacher?
Comment:
To answer this question, we first need to understand some basics
about meditative experience and especially those of spiritual
transmissions. I will first discuss blessings and transmissions from
the perspective of sutra, tantra and dzogchen which, according to
buddhist teaching, all are valid ways to attain buddhahood.
Sutric
Practice
Blessings
and transmissions are all over spiritual, yogic or dharmic practices.
All spiritual paths have the element of transmission in one form or
the other. All buddhists paths do too, even if they don't discuss
them. What do I mean with blessings or energetic charge in the
context of sutric buddhism? With blessings and transmissions I refer
to a very basic element in buddhist practice that I have witnessed in
all buddhist events that I have ever gone to.
In
sutrayana, regardless of vehicle,
blessings come through daily prayers. Daily prayers; such as mantras,
dharanis or sutras, have a hidden aspect to them, which is the energy
or blessing that the prayers carry. Refuge prayers, where Three
Jewels are mentioned, as well as Bodhicitta prayers and Dedication of
Merit all carry tremendous charges. The energetic side of prayers
makes the air become thick with blessings
wherever they are practiced. It is also very much the case
with chanting the names of lineage masters.
All
buddhist prayers carry blessings and since all buddhism is based on
the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, everytime prayers are
exercised, it offers practitioners an opportunity to receive
them, to be used for practice.
This
is a gift offered by the buddhist tradition, founded by Shakyamuni
Buddha and followed by numerous dharma ancestors. While I have
witnessed this energetic aspect of practice in the practice of all
yanas of buddhism, with only one brief exception, I have never seen
it be pointed out by teachers. For several years now, whenever I have
joined teachings, I have witnessed the charge without people noticing
and connecting to it.
If
the experiential energy of blessings is pointed out, then it can be
effectively used for practice. However, in most connections the
charge is never discussed about, verbally described or pointed out.
Consequentially, this prevents students from getting and using it.
It
is important to understand that blessings through basic buddhist
prayers are available to everyone anywhere. They are not kept away
from practitioners, except by one's ignorance of it. This aspect of
buddhist practice is hidden but completely out in the open for anyone
to receive. Unfortunately very few teachers discuss blessings or
transmissions properly and because of this, blessings that could be
received and experienced in one's own body, mind and heart, go
unnoticed and are unused.
If
practitioners of sutrayana began to recognise and absorb the
blessings of their prayers, it would make their practice more
effective and enjoyable. We would see more psychological change and
openness of mind in practitioners who adopted this way of practice.
Tantric
Practice
Tantric
practice is typically marked by energywork in the form of mantras,
breathing exercises and visualisations. Tantric practice also
typically discusses energy centers and energy channels of the energy
body which is nonphysical. Myself, often when explaining tantra to
beginners simply describe it as ”energywork”.
Tantric
lamas give empowerments of different deities, practices or texts. At
the event of empowerment, the lama says prayers, such as those
mentioned above and generates a charge through whatever mantras,
visualizations and mudras that are connected with the particular
practice. Even if tantra is all about energywork and energetic
experiences, which are based on the same principles of shamatha and
vipashyana meditations known in sutrayana, I have never heard
but one lama briefly point out blessings and the energetic aspect of
empowerments or tantric practices.
Do
the students then receive the empowerment of the deity? Although they
don't consciously recognise the charge, their subconscious mind
receives it. This means that recognition of the deity, which is an
archetype of the natural state, does not happen at the moment of
empowerment. Through practice on one's own, one gradually gains the
recognition.
What
I have observed as a vajrayana teacher, is that if blessings and
transmissions are discussed and pointed out for the students from the
beginning, it makes the progress of the student much quicker than
without it. Riding the energy of buddhas and bodhisattvas, also makes
one's practice very enjoyable and fulfilling because consciously
recognising, receiving and experiencing the energy of Guru or Deity
is a very pleasant and enlightening experience.
As
silly as it sounds, all that is needed to fix the problem of the
energy not being recognised is just to begin to become aware of it
and stay with it in meditation. Just feel it.
Dzogchen
Practice
The
main practice of a dzogchen practitioner, is to return to the
recognition of the natural state, remain in it and let whatever
emotional or psychological issues arise and self-integrate into the
natural state. This is the dzogchen way of practicing shamatha and
vipashyana, or in Tibetan, shi-ne and lhak-tong.
As
Garab Dorje has defined in his Three
Statements, dzogchen path begins with the teacher pointing out
the natural state for the student. This simply means that the teacher
remains in the recognition of the natural state and shares it with
her or his student, so that she or he can recognise her or his own
natural state, know oneself as an enlightened buddha. This is what
empowerment means in dzogchen. Here, the student is required to
understand that she or he needs to receive the pointing out,
just like blessings could be received by practitioners of sutra and
tantra. If the student doesn't know this, it is very likely that she
will keep missing it many times, even if the pointing out is given by
a great teacher. This can be understood through the below quoted
example, narrated by Lama
Pema Chophel:
”
A
few months ago, one of my teachers told a story about a well-known
khenpo. This is
relatively contemporary, like in the last 20-30 years. Sorry, I
forget the khenpo's name. This Khenpo had received pointing out
instructions many times from many great Dzogchen Gurus. He had also
received the oral transmission and commentary for numerous Dzogchen
texts which he had studied assiduously. However, after many years he
still hadn't "decided
on one thing." It could be this or it could be that. Maybe
it's like this; maybe it's like that. Finally he was at his wits end
and he went to yet another Guru where he broke down and cried,
sobbing uncontrollably. Explaining to the Guru his situation, the
Guru suggested that they say some Vajrasattva mantras together. Then
they sat in meditation and suddenly certainty dawned in the mind of
the Khenpo.”
As
it was mentioned above, buddhism teaches that there are three paths
to full enlightenment. These are sutra, tantra and dzogchen, also
known as the path of atiyoga. Now, as I have explained, each
of these vehicles have the component of blessing or transmission in
them.
In their quality, blessings of sutric prayers are not
different from those of tantra because the Three Jewels and
Bodhicitta are the body, mind and energy of the buddhas. In the same
way, tantric practices of deities and mandalas are not different from
pointing out given in dzogchen. Each of these paths deal with the
very same principle of buddhanature of all sentient beings, including
mine and yours. From this point of view, even if it is missed by
most, all of buddhism is abound with pointing out of the natural
state.
Finally,
it needs to be said that even if practitioner has the know-how to
recognise and feel blessings, transmissions and empowerments, they
are not necessarily able to recognise the full scope of it. We
need to understand that even if buddhanature can be momentarily
glimpsed and we can have insights or shifts that stay with us, the
experience of buddhanature is something that has tremendous scope,
flavour and depth. Even with one shift of perception (bhumi opening),
we can see buddanature and even though it is same for all, the
experience of it is very different to someone who has had many major
shifts and established rigpa as one's default state. This
description is very fitting. Through a keyhole we can see the
view on the other side of the door in some extent but if we remove
the whole door, the view becomes much better seen. And further, if we
remove the whole house around us, again we see the view in a very
different than through a keyhole or without the door.
In
this way, in the best of knowledge, I have clarified the meaning of
blessing and transmission in buddhist vehicles, including dzogchen.
Perspective
of Open Heart
In
terms of Open Heart-teachings, one will not come to certainty of
one's natural state until one has had 11 bhumi openings or major
shifts. This is what Garab
Dorje means with his second statement. At this stage, natural
state becomes one's default mode and whatever is left of karmas and
samskaras, are then integrated back into one's true body. Over third
of our present sangha has reached this stage. When one has opened all
bhumis and perfected several of them, certainty about one's existence
as empty awareness embodied and expressed through one's bodymind, is
how one lives. This is Garab
Dorje's third stage. After certainty is gained, one keeps
practicing until every bit of one's mind is merged with the natural
state. This is how one becomes completely free.
The
original question was: Can
you get a Dzogchen Transmission from an Unrealised Teacher?
Basically,
no. Pointing out of the nature of mind can only be given by someone
who is familiar with that state. Therefore, someone who is unrealised
or unfamiliar with the natural state does not abide in that state and
hence, can neither pass it to others. Considering Garab
Dorje's three vital points, someone who has not only recognised
knowing awareness or rigpa, but also has unshakable
confidence in it, who has no uncertainty about her or his
buddhanature, can transmit the mind of great perfection to
others, although then again it is questionable if the receiver gets
it.
It
needs to be understood that dzogchen transmission is not just any
energetic transmission. Those who do not understand this and who have
no yogic finesse, can easily confuse gross or even samsaric energies
and think that they have received and recognised the state of great
perfection, when they in fact haven't. It is necessary to understand
that buddhist transmissions and enlightened energies have immense
depth and delicacy that cannot be perceived if one's mind is gross
and clouded, even if all sentient beings have buddhanature. Dzogchen
transmission is all about subtlety.
Although
generally in Tibetan vajrayana energies of deities are clean and
pure, and therefore lead to buddhahood, sometimes even leaders make
mistakes and deities
that have been made part of the method, later need to be banned.
I am mentioning this just to point out that to gain certainty of
practices and transmissions, one needs to undergo indepth training.
Is
There A Way To Measure Someone's Realisation?
-
Open Heart Bhumi Model
In
the question there appears the term unrealised.
In general, the level of realisation of dharma teachers is a highly
interesting topic for me.
I
have discussed the levels of realisation of buddhist leaders
publically and in retrospect I have regretted that because not all
were as ready to ask this quite central question, like Mrs. Newland
and her dharma friends as ex-members and students of Sogyal Lakar
are. Few years ago, when I published my studies of the levels of
realisation of various buddhist leaders, I was harshly critisized,
simply because few were willing to consider the possibility that well
known buddhist leaders might not be as highly realised as it is
generally believed.
Nevertheless,
in Open Heart Sangha, we still use the so called Open
Heart Bhumi Model as our path map and as well as a meter of
progress in our practice. I have written a book about it which is
available for free so I won't discuss it in detail here.
Central
to Open Heart Bhumi Model is the so called bhumi analysis.
This is the act of measuring one's own or someone else's stage of
attainment or bhumi.
Bhumi analyses can be done in person or through photographs. For
someone who is proficient in the art of bhumi analysis it makes no
difference whether the person is present in person or if the analysis
is conducted through a photo. Tuning into one's own or someone elses
bhumi centers, that pop open along the degrees of emptiness insight,
are sensed through subtle perception. After several hundred training
analyses one begins to see and sense whether bhumis are open or
closed, i.e. whether or not the recipient has had any, little or a
lot of emptiness insight. After few thousands analyses one knows how
OHBM works and can trust one's reading skills.
Question:
The big issue, however, is the dzogchen teachings because doesn’t a
dzogchen teacher have to have some realisation before he can
introduce a student to the nature of their mind?
Comment:
Above
I have discussed the subtlety of dzogchen transmission in relation to
the comprehensiveness of emptiness realisation or the lack of it. I
would say that the minimum requirement for giving a dzogchen
transmission would be to have 11 bhumis (1-11) open. At the opening
of 11th
bhumi, rigpa becomes stable, and although it's rainbow like palette
of colours is not yet perceived, the knowing quality of awareness is
stable. Prior to this it comes and goes. Based on countless bhumi
analyses, I can say that the majority of those who teach dzogchen and
have authorisation in their lineage, do not meet this requirement.
Question:
Could Sogyal, through
his devotion for his masters, have had the blessing even without the
realisation?
Comment:
My answer is affirmative. Many lamas do not teach from their own
realisation but from the blessings of their lineages that are always
invoked in the beginning of teachings. In my understanding, this was
also the case with Chogyam Trungpa who sometimes gave splendid
teachings and transmission with great clarity (support from his
lineage) but was an addict and abusive monster (his own lack of
realisation) at others.
Question:
Isn’t devotion a prime key to transmission in dzogchen?
Comment:
No, it isn't.
This is kind of black and white but devotion and rapturous tears
belong to the world of a practitioner, not to that of a vajra master.
Mrs. Newland writes that, ”Before
he gave dzogchen teachings, Sogyal stared at the images of his
masters, his eyes moist with devotion, hands in prayer position. He
aroused his devotion and taught from that state.”.
This means that Sogyal made himself a channel for the blessings of
his teachers and lineage to flow through him. Whether he knew or not,
he was channeling his lineage, just like Trungpa did. However, I do
not believe that dzogchen
transmission
can be channeled from past masters without the lama her- or himself
being in that state because a nonpractitioner or someone who has low
level of attainment, is unable to recognise the subtlety of it.
Lesser states of attainment can be channeled and transmitted. This is
done by many teachers of buddhism and hinduism.
Question:
Was
it really the nature of mind? How do we check whether or not we got
the ‘real thing’?
Comment:
As
I have discussed the criteria of dzogchen transmissions, i.e.
pointing out the nature of mind and receiving of it, I doubt students
could get it without a solid foundation of emptiness insight. An
example of this is narrated in the story about the khenpo above.
I
do not know which practices Sogyal taught but I would assume that as
a nyingma-teacher he taught semdzins,
such as A and Phet. If his students learned these practices and
exercised them, then the probability of correct recognition, as well
as bhumi openings, are more likely.
Question:
Yes, the religion says we’re supposed to get a ‘lung’ or oral
transmission in order to unlock the power of such texts, but is that
really so important?
Comment:
Yes, empowerments for texts and deities are important because through
the empowerment, the practice in whatever form it may be, reveals the
mind of a buddha in the place of one's samsaric mind. However, again,
if the charge, is never properly recognised and felt, there is not
much use in getting the lung
or reading the text. In this case it is all very superficial and
therefore, ineffective.
Question:
Or is it just
another way to keep the gurus employed? Isn’t reading it slowly
aloud in your own language better than hearing it raced through at a
frantic speed in a language you don’t understand?
Comment:
I am of the opinion that the Tibetan vajrayana puts too much emphasis
on the role of the lama and that the lama is given so much power that
the students do not seem to have much independence. While I think
that spiritual mentors and especially mahasiddha
gurus
are indispensable on the path, vajrayana cannot be effectively taught
to masses through big organisations. See Mr.
Brad Warner's take on this. I do think that the Tibetan system,
like all established religions, are good at keeping their lamas
employed even when they are not needed or if they are useless.
Regarding
the way of practice, I did a fair share of fast recitation in my days
of Zen, chanting in a language that I couldn't understand and without
knowing that I was actually chanting. In Zen, there are no reading
empowerments, so recitation of texts is seen just as a mean to
develop concentration.
While
I think that fast recitation can be good to balance slow recitation,
I do not see much point in chanting in language one doesn't
understand. However, if the foreign text has been learned through
empowerment, then the charge gives it a different spin. If the inner
energetic meaning is recognised, then it is correct practice. This of
course doesn't mean texts in languages other than Tibetan or Japanese
couldn't be empowered.
About
Dirty Faces
Open
Heart Bhumi Model enables us to see how high or low someone's
attainment is. With the knowledge and skill of it, we can learn to
see beyond words, descriptions, resumes, ceremonies and titles, which
are usually the first things that catch the attention of the seeker.
I think OHBM is an immense gift for the whole culture of dharma,
buddhist or otherwise.
One
thing that one learns through doing bhumi analyses is to discriminate
between samsaric or dirty and nirvanic or pure energies. For this
reason, learning to do bhumi analyses is also a way to see if
someone, despite of her or his formal credentials, is a pure hearted
practitioner, a charlatan or possibly even an abusive guru. I have
thought of publishing my analysis of known abusers, such as Sogyal,
Norlha, Namkha, Sasaki, Shimano and others because their faces are
marked by dirtiness, arrogance, suppression, selfishness and egoistic
power, rather than clarity, equanimity, light, compassion and
kindness.
Bhumi
analysis not only helps us to see into the mind of past masters but
also into the minds of our contemporaries. Needless to say, through
establishing Open Heart Bhumi Model and training many dharma teachers
and meditators in its use, would be highly useful and beneficial for
themselves to better understand their own practice, for example, in
the question of dzogchen transmission, but also to seekers who by
default should be eligible to truly authentic guidance, given by
actually realised teachers, rather than people who have no experience
of reality.
Thank
you for reading,
May
All Beings Be Free,
-
Kim Katami, 12th of August 2019,
Open
Heart Sangha,
