Mahamudra and its methods.

[Bothi]

My dear friends,

Mahamudra is the nature of mind. However this is like a seed. To see the flower of this seed has, we all need some practice.

People whoever knows about this, should kindly give us their practice and the methods...

Thanks in advance,

[Aloka]

People whoever knows about this, should kindly give us their practice and the methods...




Hi Bothi,

Mahamudra is a Tibetan Buddhist practice which is usually transmitted from an offline teacher.

The complete practice methods aren't normally given to people investigating Buddhism like yourself, though you can read something about it on the internet and in books.

Usually students have to complete other practices such as Ngondro first.


:hands:

[Bothi]

Hi Bothi,

Mahamudra is a Tibetan Buddhist practice which is usually transmitted from an offline teacher.

The complete practice methods aren't normally given to people investigating Buddhism like yourself, though you can read something about it on the internet and in books.

Usually students have to complete other practices such as Ngondro first.


:hands:

Dear Aloka,

Ngondro never ends... Lama Patrul Rinpoche (1808-1887) is said to have practiced the Longchen Nyingthig Ngöndro repeatedly through of his lifetime...

Nothing is secret. Everything is in the mind. This was so before the internet and it is same nowdays...Let me ask you if you know well, what is the difference between Zen and Mahamudra ?

[Element]

Let me ask you if you know well, what is the difference between Zen and Mahamudra ?

hi Bothi

imo, most Buddhism is essentially the same & there can arise hair splitting religious bound dharma if basic universal principles are not discerned

imo, both Zen & Mahamudra were an emphasis to cut through the clutter of the lengthy Pali teachings or more lengthy Sanskrit teachings

thus, my impression is both Zen & Mahamudra are an emphasis upon a direct, fast or immediate path

for example, in Pali, Buddha mostly taught at length but Buddha also taught in brief

kind regards

;D


Herein, Bahiya, you should train yourself thus:

'In the seen will be merely what is seen; in the heard will be merely what is heard; in the sensed will be merely what is sensed; in the cognized will be merely what is cognized.' In this way you should train yourself, Bahiya.

"When, Bahiya, for you in the seen is merely what is seen... in the cognized is merely what is cognized, then, Bahiya, you will not be 'with that.' When, Bahiya, you are not 'with that,' then, Bahiya, you will not be 'in that.' When, Bahiya, you are not 'in that,' then, Bahiya, you will be neither here nor beyond nor in between the two. Just this is the end of suffering

Bahiya Sutta (http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.1.10.irel.html)

[Song]

Mahamudra is the enlightenment experience isn't it ? Shunyata, the void, the stainless. The classification of teachings is like a road map that bring the practioner to that experience, the compost which helps the flower to appear. I think it was Shunryu Suzuki in Zen Mind Beginners mind who said that eventually the weeds or obscurations of the mind become like the nourishment or food for enlightenment. Paraphrasing here of course. Thanks for allowing me to say that Bothi.

[Terma]

It is also good to note than in terms of Mahamudra, there is both "Sutra Mahamudra", and "Tantra Mahamudra". as for the latter, as Aloka mentioned, it is quite unlikely that one would be given these teachings in the early stages. Even the great translator Marpa Choyi Lodro, who brought this lineage into Tibet, was given many other practices before receiving the essence of these teachings.

While both methods of Mahamudra aims to see the nature of mind manifesting as clear light, since Tantric Mahamudra does so by working with the subtle body (including the 6 yogas, tsa-lung practice, etc.) this must be cultivated over time and a teacher is essential in terms of transmission and instruction.

But in the mean time, here is a good talk given by Alexander Berzin. It is a teaching on the four noble truths from the Mahamudra viewpoint.

http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/x/nav/group.html_1218801522.html

This is a good start to understand Mahamudra at least in its conventional form.


Terma

[Sudarsha]

I have practised in the Theravada as well as Zen and Mahamudra/Dzogchen. What fascinates me so very greatly is how similar all three are when one gets past the various cultural limitations. From the highest realms of "khregs chod" to the simplicity of the anapanasati sutta, the teaching, the practice is basically the same. The question might arise: can one deduce the "highest" realms of the Tibetan practices from the simplest teachings of the Theravada? I'm not sure. I think this would entirely depend upon the inquiring mind of the individual practitioner.

So, I just thought I'd share that. I'm sure such a point of view can only ignite huge disagreement and horrendous controversy; but under all that remains the essential of seeing one's own awareness just as it is. This is, if I have read the suttas correctly, exactly where the Buddha placed his emphasis.

[Aloka]

I'm sure such a point of view can only ignite huge disagreement and horrendous controversy

Not at all. I was involved offline with Tibetan Buddhism for a long time and that included participating in many teachings and various practices including Mahamudra. Eventually, however, for various reasons I decided to change to the Theravada Thai Forest Tradition - which I much prefer - and I did notice that Mahamudra and Dzogchen have parallels with some of the teachings and practice of the Forest Tradition.

I've never had any connection with Zen, so I can't comment on that.


.

[Sudarsha]

Thank you, Aloka-D. I didn't want to make problems. I, too, find that the Thai Forest Tradition is much preferable, yet many of the Mahamudra and Dzogchen explanations contribute to a much fuller understanding of the Pali Canon as well as the straightforward nature of the Thai Forest Tradition.

Zen and Mahamudra/Dzogchen are almost identical from the mental side, but differ in many outward ways. For me, it is very curious how the complex and lofty ways of going about things in the Tibetan traditions are mirrored by the Thai Forest Tradition: two apparently, quite obviously unrelated ways of practising the Dhamma are, at their most rudimentary level, nearly identical (if not altogether identical with no chance of finding any variation between them).

This tells me a lot about the profound nature of the Buddha Dhamma/Buddha Dharma.