Daily Tibetan Astrology: July 25, 2009

Chinese 4th, M-T-K 4th. Pig, Khon, White 1. Chokhor Duchen. Today celebrates the first turning of the Wheel of the Dharma. The effects of positive (or negative) actions are multiplied by 10 million today.

Published every day at 00:01 香港時間 but written in advance and auto-posted. See our Introduction to Daily Tibetan Astrology for background information. If you know the symbolic animal of your birth year, you can get information about your positive and negative days by clicking here. For specific information about the astrology of 2009, inclusive of elements, earth spirits, and so forth, please consult our extended discussion by clicking here. The baden senpo (bad days to raise prayer flags) this year are: July 2, 14, 28; August 10, 24; September 5, 19; October 1, 2, 13, 28; November 23; December 5, 20.

White Mahakala, Part 4 of 5

So, yesterday we looked at what we might consider threshold iconographic explanations for what White Mahakala holds and how he is attired. This may be important for artists, but perhaps it is not so important for us. If we have the sort of mind that requires such concordances, then we can add to the above list in considerable detail. If, on the other hand, we do not require it, we can dispense with the symbolism and experience White Mahakala as he naturally arises, satisfying ourselves on the level of immediate reality.

Sometimes, I think it is useful to simply call upon the deity and then take note of what he looks like when he arrives. White Mahakala may appear one way at one time and another way at another time. There may come a time when all appearances are White Mahakala.

The Offering

The next matter to be considered is the offering. Primarily we are performing what is known as an inner offering; so called because it is of the inner components of humans and animals. These impure components are transformed into elixir, in order to bless the outer offerings.

Naturally, we do not cook this in an actual vessel. Instead, we visualize this process. If we wish, we can also then symbolize the visualization with black tea or wine in a skull cup.(*) We can place the ring fingers of our right and left hands together and encircle the skull cup three times, setting it to the left side of our table.(**) It is not strictly necessary for us to do this: we can do this entirely as visualization. However, if we find it useful to adopt such formalities, we can use an actual skull cup as noted.(***)

On the altar, we have the external torma, if possible, and the offerings of water and so forth, arranged in bowls. Many people are confused about this aspect of practice, so we will review a few details.

a torma is not an object. An object can symbolize a torma, and we can call that symbolic object a torma. a torma is in fact a space. To the extent that an object symbolizes this space, then that object is a vessel. We want the torma to be free from physical impurities, and want it to be free from conceptual impurities. We therefore understand that the torma arises from emptiness, is an inherently empty, uncreated offering vessel, ultimately devoid of form, and dissolves into emptiness.

We arrange our offering bowls from left to right in the following fashion: in the first bowl, we place pure drinking water. When we offer this water to the deity, we think that it completely and simultaneously quenches the thirst of all sentient beings. actually, we are giving this water to the deity to deliver. White Mahakala is not thirsty.

Next, we offer water for bathing. again, White Mahakala is not dirty, but rather serves as the medium to wash all sentient beings clean of their defilements.

We next offer flowers, and the surroundings of all sentient beings become beautiful by this action. We offer incense, which similarly soothes and beautifies the surroundings of all beings, cleansing the air.

Next, we offer light, eliminating the darkness of ignorance. We follow this with perfume, which purifies the stains of immorality.

We now offer food, bestowing freedom from deprivation, followed by music, which purifies all sound.

allowing for the above, you should understand that this practice might be done in the middle of traffic, if you have the mind for it. There are all sorts of things that nobody owns, such as wildflowers, or the songs of birds. There are pure waters in mountain springs. There are delicious fruits growing wild in the fields. You can offer all of these, and all the other treasures your mind can conceive.

The point is that you are giving these offerings to White Mahakala, who in turn is delivering them to all sentient beings. Therefore, you can afford to be creative. For example: when you give light, you can specify that it bring light to those who are blind. When you give music, you can believe that it removes harmful or fearful words. When you give food, you can understand that beings will ultimately be delivered from reliance on external sources. The possibilities are as endless as you wish. The corresponding benefit is inconceivable to the human mind.

The next matter to consider is that of supports. When you are concluding this practice, you can invite White Mahakala to stay in a picture, or a statue. This is up to you. It is my idea that White Mahakala is inherently present in pictures of my teacher. You may find that he is inherently present in pictures of your teacher.

We should also discuss the mantra. White Mahakala’s mantra has thirteen syllables. Were you to recite the mantra 100,000 times, this would represent 1,300,000 syllables. This cannot hurt anyone. as to the appropriate mala for counting this mantra, it is considered traditional to use 108 lotus seeds, or bodhi seeds, or even 60 rudraksha tree berries having specific characteristics. actually, any mala with 108 beads of any material will be just fine. We must learn not to be neurotic about such matters.

Finally, we dedicate the merit gained by our actions to the welfare of all sentient beings. We hope that it will become a source of benefit to them and never a source of harm. Under no circumstances do we keep any merit for ourselves.

click to hear White Mahakala (8.3 MB mp3)

Tomorrow -- which is a "ten million" day -- we are going to conclude this five-part post with the actual practice: Sadhana of the Rapid Acting Lord of Pristine Awareness, the Jewel, King of Power (mgon dkar yid bzhin nor bui sgrub thabs bsdus pa bzhug so).

A few notes are in order.

A novice monk -- a young westerner, from Belgium, for whom English was a second language -- produced the first English translation of this text, which Kalu Rinpoche personally selected. This was done in Alhambra, California, in 1988. The resulting edition was limited to 250 copies, of which no more then five or six survive.

In 2002, Lama Lodro, of San Francisco, California, published an expansion of the original text under an identical title, with a lightly revised English translation. One suspects this edition was also limited.

Although I know of several attempts -- including an earnest attempt by my wife, assisted by myself, and Patrul Rinpoche's Taiwanese translator -- I do not know if a satisfactory translation into Mandarin Chinese has yet been produced.

There is also a Sakya version, given out at the Sakya empoerments, in both English and Mandarin. I have examined them both.

I did an abbreviated English text with phoenetic Sanskrit in 2007, in support of an empowerment given by the Ninth Ogyen Tulku (Ogyen Gyurmed Wanggyal Rinpoche) in Alhambra, California -- very close to the one I will present here as Part 5 of our series.

I want to add my hope that this series has been of some benefit.

Empowerment Necessary

I will tell you quite candidly that it would be not entirely appropriate to attempt this practice without the associated empowerment.

However, I fully understand that your circumstances may be such that you have little hope of receiving such empowerment. For example: you may live in a far off place, where lamas never wander. You may have limitations that prevent you from traveling to receive the empowerment. Maybe you know a lama, but he has not accomplished this practice and so cannot give the empowerment.

A khenpo that I respect very much -- Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche -- has written about this issue, and I like his approach:

"Some people try to practice without having received empowerment or lung. Without these prerequisites -- or if their practice is incomplete -- though there may be some blessing, it will not be as effective. And certainly all aspects must be complete in order to attain any kind of realization."

If you require a particular empowerment, and if your motivation is pure, it has been my experience that you can practice the deity's mantra as a form of request. You are in essence telling the deity you want to engage in the practice, and that you desire a connection, but you lack the empowerment. For example: after accumulating 100,000 mantras, it often happens that the necessary conditions suddenly materialize.

This really depends upon your sincerity and the purity of your motivation. If your motivation is absolutely pure, the deity himself will come and bestow the empowerment -- but, most people seem to think that is very rare. Even if it isn't as rare as people suppose, there is always our capacity for self-deception to consider. We may deceive ourselves that the deity has bestowed the empowerment, when in fact nothing at all has happened.

So, really, to remove all doubt: the best thing is to create the conditions that make it possible for you to receive the empowerment.

Did I tell you?

White Mahakala grants wishes.

This is Part 4 of a 5 part series:
Part 1: http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-mahakala-part-1.html
Part 2: http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-mahakala-part-2-of-5.html
Part 3: http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-mahakala-part-3-of-5.html
Part 4: http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-mahakala-part-4-of-5.html
Part 5: http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-mahakala-part-5-of-5.html

--------------------------

(*)This will usually have a nectar pill dissolved.

(**)We place the dorje, bell, damaru, vase, and mala to the right.

(***)The skull cup need not be an actual skull. It can be made of silver or any other material.

Advice on Friends: Patrul Rinpoche

Shinjie Cave, where Patrul Rinpoche wrote "Words of My Perfect Teacher"

The prolific young translator Erick Sherab Zangpo has just posted Patrul Rinpoche's Advice on Friends. You can find the original of this, together with all of Erick's other translations, at Echoes Bouncing Off Echoes, his ever popular blog site.

Advice on Friends

Dza Patrul Rinpoche

A Good Friend Induces Good Habits

If you rely on a friend with knowledge, your intellect will increase.

If you rely on a friend with compassion, you will give birth to bodhichitta.

If you rely on a friend with contentment, your desires will decrease.

If you rely on a friend with generosity, you will give rise to a giving mind.

If you rely on a friend with a peaceful and restrained temperament, your mind-stream will become good.

From a friend with disillusionment with the world, you will become weary of samsara.

From a friend with renunciation, you will give rise to the wish for liberation.

From relying on a friend who cares more about the next life, you will remember to practice the Dharma.

Relying on a friend with few desires, you will give rise to contentment.

From a friend with diligence, your fortitude will become great.

If you associate with a sacred friend, your good qualities will be drawn out.

Relying on a friend with the wish for liberation, you will work for permanent happiness.

From a friend with a virtuous mind, you will give rise to a wholesome attitude.

From a friend with pure perception, you will generate faith.

If you associate with a friend endowed with wisdom, you will accomplish your ultimate aspirations.

These are the habits that come from good company.

The meaning, therefore, is to rely on virtuous friends!



A Bad Friend Induces Bad Habits

If you rely on friend with mental darkness, your wisdom will decrease.

Relying on a friend with anger, your mind-stream will become bad.

Following a friend with lust, you will be nostalgiac for youth.

If you follow a friend with avarice, stinginess will be born.

If you follow a friend with pride, you will remember your haughty position.

Following a friend without renunciation, you will be attached to this life.

Following a friend who seeks after the appearances of this life, you will forget about the next life.

From following a base friend, you will be attentive to commerce.

Following a friend concerned with profit, you will have a business-mind.

Following a friend with craving for wealth, you will be focused on collecting and hoarding.

Following a friend with laziness, you will become indolent.

Following a friend with distractedness, you will be carried away with this life.

Associating with a friend suffused with negativity, you will generate destructive thoughts.

Associating with a friend with no faith, you will be fixated on non-virtue.

These are the habits that come from bad company.

The meaning, therefore, is to abandon evil friends!

And so, at the request of Lama Rigdzin Gyamtso, this was done by Patrul. Virtue!



Translated by Erick Sherab Zangpo.

Daily Tibetan Astrology: July 24, 2009

Chinese 3rd, M-T-K 3rd. Dog, Li, Red 9. Favorable (three factors of excellence) day for prosperity and longevity rituals, or sang. Note our calendars are back in synch. Tomorrow is a big day.

Published every day at 00:01 香港時間 but written in advance and auto-posted. See our Introduction to Daily Tibetan Astrology for background information. If you know the symbolic animal of your birth year, you can get information about your positive and negative days by clicking here. For specific information about the astrology of 2009, inclusive of elements, earth spirits, and so forth, please consult our extended discussion by clicking here. The baden senpo (bad days to raise prayer flags) this year are: July 2, 14, 28; August 10, 24; September 5, 19; October 1, 2, 13, 28; November 23; December 5, 20.

White Mahakala, Part 3 of 5

The practice of White Mahakala begins with the three acts of taking refuge, developing motive, and reciting the Four Immeasurables. These acts are called “preliminary,” simply because they are performed before visualizations, offerings, and so forth. This does not mean, in any fashion, that they are mere formalities to be quickly dispensed with before beginning real work. In many respects, these three acts are the heart of the practice. In my view, any deficiency, neglect, hesitation, or equivocation in these will render the rest of the practice ineffective.

We repeat each of the acts three times. Apart from any symbolism involved, we are giving ourselves the opportunity to deeply consider what we are doing and why we are doing it. We should use this time to ask ourselves if we really mean what we say: if the words we recite truly reflect our core beliefs.

If we find that we can act honestly, from pure motives and a genuinely compassionate heart, we proceed to visualize White Mahakala, believing that he is before us. Actually, White Mahakala is always available to us. He instantaneously appears from the emptiness that is no different from our own mind. However, in this instance, we decide that he comes before us, manifesting various probative attributes and particular characteristics.

His imagery is not just for the purpose of a pretty picture. His imagery is symbolic of certain qualities that we must contemplate in order for our practice to be meaningful: a kind of visual onomatopoeia, if we may say.

Although this imagery is rooted in the ancient culture of India, it reflects basic human concepts, and is thus still of benefit once we appreciate the underlying symbolism. Fundamentally, this is a way of expressing White Mahakala’s essence.

The six-armed White Mahakala is a deity of the wrathful class, and he bears accouterments usual to that class. These may be considered individually and collectively.

The chopper (gri gug) he holds aloft is used to sever and mince the life veins of enemies of the Dharma. The chopper also symbolizes severing conceptualization.

He holds the precious wish-fulfilling gem yid bzhin nor bu to his heart. This shines with lights of five colors, signifying the Five Buddha wisdoms.

The double-headed hand drum summons all the Buddhas of past, present, and future, filling them with bliss. If you like, you can say that White Mahakala is setting a certain rhythm, or energy. You can also say that his drum symbolizes relative and absolute bodhicitta.

The skull-cup (kapala) in his left hand contains a vase of jewels in a sea of nectar, symbolic of the wealth that arises from method. This is not necessarily material wealth; rather, the wealth arising from the union of wisdom and means.

We say this because he tramples on two Ganesh, who are each holding a mongoose, and these are typically considered evocative of material wealth.(*) He is saying, “Behold! I have a treasure that surpasses ordinary treasure!”

Nevertheless, the treasure vase in his skull-cup can also be considered emblematic of his ability to bestow material wealth.

The trident (rtse gsum) he holds symbolizes the destruction of the three poisons of desire, anger, and delusion.

The tangkhas usually depict an iron hook in his remaining hand, but the text quite clearly reads zhags pa, or noose. Both should be understood. The hook symbolizes clear understanding, whereas the noose symbolizes clear recollection. In the present instance, the symbolism may be of binding demons and preventing harm or, in the alternative, binding wisdom to the practitioner’s mind.

Taken collectively, the chopper and skull cup symbolize the union of wisdom and means, and the trident, drum, and skull cup symbolize White Mahakala’s body, speech, and mind.

He is attired in a tiger-hide loincloth (stag lpags kyi sham thabs), which symbolizes the transformation of ordinary anger into righteous wrath.

On his back, is a freshly flayed elephant-hide (glan po che’i pags pa), which symbolizes overcoming ignorance.

A crown of five skulls (thod skam gyi dbu rgyan) adorns him, each skull surmounted by a precious jewel set in gold(rin po che’i rtse phran). These symbolize the Five Buddhas.

He has a garland of fifty freshly severed heads (dbu bcad ma ‘phreng ba), dripping with blood, symbolizing the purification of speech.

This is Part 3 of a 5 part series:
Part 1: http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-mahakala-part-1.html
Part 2: http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-mahakala-part-2-of-5.html
Part 3: http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-mahakala-part-3-of-5.html
Part 4: http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-mahakala-part-4-of-5.html
Part 5: http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-mahakala-part-5-of-5.html

(continues with part 4)

(*)a mongoose is used because, in ancient Central asia, people employed a mongoose skin as a purse to hold jewels and coins.

Hayao Miyazaki in San Diego

The world's greatest living animator, Hayao Miyazaki, of Studio Ghibli will be in San Diego tomorrow, at Comic-Con. This is a very rare U.S. appearance for Miyazaki, creator of such films as Kiki's Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl's Moving Castle, and the Academy Award winning Spirited Away.

Miyazaki is a quiet, generous benefactor for numerous Buddhist causes, to which he contributes anonymously.

Daily Tibetan Astrology: July 23, 2009

Chinese 2nd, M-T-K 1st of the 6th Tibetan month. Bird, Zon, White 8. Saturday is Chokhor Duchen, a 10 million day, so start getting ready now. The best naga days this month are the 8th, 15th, 25th, 29th and the 30th, but avoid the 13th, 16th, and 19th at all costs. Today is very good for important steps.

Published every day at 00:01 香港時間 but written in advance and auto-posted. See our Introduction to Daily Tibetan Astrology for background information. If you know the symbolic animal of your birth year, you can get information about your positive and negative days by clicking here. For specific information about the astrology of 2009, inclusive of elements, earth spirits, and so forth, please consult our extended discussion by clicking here. The baden senpo (bad days to raise prayer flags) this year are: July 2, 14, 28; August 10, 24; September 5, 19; October 1, 2, 13, 28; November 23; December 5, 20.

White Mahakala, Part 2 of 5

So, we arrive at this point with the idea that Mahakala begins with Avalokitesvara's compassionate vow to grant wishes, and that the practice of White Mahakala exists in an unbroken lineage direct from Avalokitesvara himself.

The thing to do now is investigate why we are interested in this practice.

Many people are interested in solutions to problems arising from perceived differences between intrinsic desires and extrinsic appearances in three areas: personal wealth, personal relationships, and personal health. For example: some who approach Tibetan Buddhism develop an interest in wealth deities such as Dzambala, magnetizing deities such as Kurukulle, or life-extending deities such as White Tara.

Such people candidly want money, love, and a long, healthy life, and they believe by cultivating this or that deity they will achieve their goals. For them, Buddhist practice becomes a type of sympathetic magic. Their prayers become desperate entreaties to beings they come to identify as gods. They believe that gods grant wishes if properly supplicated. They come to lamas in order to learn such proprieties and they acquire whatever supports they think are necessary.

I am not saying this is wrong, I am not saying this is right, I am not making any judgment about this at all. I am just saying this happens.

It is my personal belief that the loving kindness, generosity, and exquisite care extended by buddhas and bodhisattvas toward all sentient beings in the six realms are without any limitations or conditions whatsoever.

I do not think buddhas and bodhisattvas discriminate between beings based on who prays the loudest, or who has the most beautiful altar, or who gives the most elaborate offering.(*)

The prayers, altars, and offerings are expressions of our own kindness, generosity, and care. The deities of health, wealth, and influence personify the qualities that we, as Buddhists, have an absolute duty to first emulate and then, as we spiritually mature, ultimately embody.

The great beauty of Tibetan Buddhist practice is that it works. In the initial stages, we may come to these practices for entirely selfish motives. Ultimately, we will abandon the selfish component of our thoughts. This will happen naturally, after we wear ourselves out with our experiences.

Instead, we will take as our personal goal the happiness and welfare of all sentient beings. Then, as we perform the Sadhana of White Mahakala, our thoughts will be of others. When we ask Mahakala to assist us, it will only be to the extent necessary to enable our service to others. We will begin to appreciate what this practice really stands for, and any self-absorbed artificiality will dissolve of its own accord.

In many countries around the world, there are government lotteries. The winners receive great sums of money—sometimes tens of millions of dollars.

Naturally, such lotteries excite the desires and imaginations of many people. The conventional thinking is, “Oh, if only I could win, I would build beautiful temples for Buddha and help all the poor people.”

Most would consider this an altruistic motive, and they might pray to White Mahakala on this basis, entering a type of bargaining process with the deity, saying, “If you do this, I promise I will do that.”

Do I need to tell you it does not work this way? The genuinely altruistic act is to do whatever you can; right this minute, for the welfare of beings. The genuinely altruistic thought is, “May everyone receive their heart’s desire.” That is what we are really saying when we perform this practice.

When we ask for something for our companions, and ourselves, we are intending that the entire Sangha receive that which is necessary to actualize the assistance of all sentient beings.

We do this because we understand that poverty is one of the occasions of suffering, and we therefore wish to eliminate the cause of poverty. We understand that the causes of poverty are avaricious thinking, and miserliness, whereas the causes of surplus are altruistic thinking, and generosity. We therefore employ this practice to turn our minds away from greed and avarice toward moderation and munificence.

If you ever have the opportunity to travel in remote areas where people practice Tibetan Buddhism, you may find people who are quite poor by any standard. You can see this in parts of Siberia, Mongolia, and Tibet.

Yet, even in the most humble home—in a nomad’s ger, for example—you will find altar fittings of the finest silver and gold. Often, a family will save for many years in order to provide these, enduring personal sacrifices, and even hunger.

This is not because the deities demand silver and gold. This is not a matter of impressing guests. This is not because the practitioner expects something in return. Rather, this is a reflection of the practitioner’s inner relationship with the sacred. This is a measure of the practitioner’s inherent respect, and even generosity.

The practitioner is saying that her circumstances may be humble; nevertheless, she unconditionally dedicates the surplus riches she has managed to accumulate to all sentient beings. In one sense, she accomplishes this through the medium of the deity, who has powers greater than her own. She asks the deity to help her practice generosity in the very best manner.

although most of us enjoy great material comforts, it seems that we do not rise to the level of our seemingly less fortunate brothers and sisters.

In the developed nations, we often take a rather narrow view. For example: we see an image that costs $200, and another image of the same deity that costs $2,000, and we automatically begin a subliminal dialogue: “Why should I pay $2,000 just to make somebody else rich? That $200 image will do just as nicely.” We start bargaining again. We become caught in the numbers. We think we are saving money. However, we fail to understand that this sort of thinking leads to poverty.

all images are nirmanakaya. all images are equal. Price, and even workmanship, is utterly unimportant. What is important is our relationship to the sacred.

Our spiritual friends, such as our teachers, can introduce us to the sacred, but after that, maintaining the relationship becomes our responsibility.

We want to enlarge the space that the sacred occupies in our lives. We want to erase attachment and aversion. The task becomes simple: honestly doing the best we possibly can. Maintaining any sort of relationship takes effort. We cannot allow lazy mind to defeat our progress.

Sometimes we develop an angry, impatient relationship with our practice. Here we sit, repeating this or that mantra so many times. Why does it have to be ten times? Would not eight times do just as well? Why cannot we finish the whole thing right now, so we can go about our business?

If this happens to you, use it for your benefit. ask yourself what it is you would rather be doing, and why. Examine the source of your impatience. Examine the source, content, and object of your anger.

Why are you angry? What does this anger consist of? Where is this anger directed?

Examine all the times you have been angry and impatient in the past. Remember the outcome. ask yourself why this time the outcome might be any different.

When your hand clenches so tightly, learn how to effortlessly open your hand. Just drop whatever you are holding. This, too, is a form of generosity. You extend this generosity to yourself.

You must approach the practice of White Mahakala with an open hand, a generous spirit, and a liberal mind. These qualities must be firmly rooted in compassion. Compassion is what drives the entire practice. White Mahakala is in fact manifested from the heart of avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

If you are able to develop genuine compassion for others, and if you make this the foundation of your practice, then even if you cannot accomplish the visualizations or complete the mantras, your practice will bring results.

Please have confidence in this. The hours you spend in confident practice are the best hours of your life.

This is Part 2 of a 5 part series:
Part 1: http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-mahakala-part-1.html
Part 2: http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-mahakala-part-2-of-5.html
Part 3: http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-mahakala-part-3-of-5.html
Part 4: http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-mahakala-part-4-of-5.html
Part 5: http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-mahakala-part-5-of-5.html

(continues with part 3)

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(*) Before engaging in certain acts, some bodhisattvas consider the benefit to others, the status of beings, the number of beings, this and future lives, vows and non-virtue, the pros and cons of the various types of generosity, beings’ levels of devotion, and their own practice. Other bodhisattvas engage in spontaneously correct activity that is perfect in each situation.

Lama Boy Is Back

Lama Boy is back... why, I just don't know... but here he is in all his glory. If somebody can explain what this means, I would be glad to hear them out.

Longest Solar Eclipse of the Century: Updated

My eldest son has flown off to Japan, there to join with friends, and travel onward to an eclipse watching party in Thailand. I was not invited. Something tells me that watching the eclipse is not all he has in mind.

Sigh. If I had to wager -- all offerings to Rahu aside -- I would wager they are going on a tiger hunt, not realizing that they are the prey.

Wonder where he gets it?

Anyway, this eclipse will last 6 minutes and 37 seconds, which makes it the longest of the century. Nobody will see another like it until 2132. It is taking place at 29 degrees Cancer, and will hit the Cancer/Capricorn axis, the first such positioning since 1990. The (Western) astrologers are saying this ends the cycles set in motion in 1990 (surely they mean 1991), and begins a new chapter.

If you want a clue as to what Tibetan astrologers are thinking, you have only to look at this year's crop of empowerments around the globe.

The eclipse will be visible betwen 7 to 9 a.m. in Thailand, if it isn't raining -- which is rather a slim window of possibility.

Expanded solar eclipse coverage here.

UPDATED: Asia is just waking up as I write this update, and Rahu is getting ready to swallow the Sun. I should probably note that Asian astrologers aren't very happy with this eclipse. In India, the Vedic astrologers are predicting political upheaval and acts of terrorism. From the traditional Chinese view, this sort of eclipse presages imperial instability.

Daily Tibetan Astrology: July 22, 2009

Chinese 1st day of the 6th month, M-T-K 30th day of the 5th month. Monkey, Zin, Red 7. Today is a solar eclipse day (in Asia), wherein the effects of positive (or negative) actions are multiplied 10,000 times. This is also the Shakyamuni Buddha practice day. I don't like to rain on the parade, but an eclipse of this nature has been known throughout history to herald political instability in the impacted region. Traditional Chinese, Tibetan, and Indian astrologers are less than comfortable with this one -- particularly as we have three eclipses within the space of roughly a month.

Published every day at 00:01 香港時間 but written in advance and auto-posted. See our Introduction to Daily Tibetan Astrology for background information. If you know the symbolic animal of your birth year, you can get information about your positive and negative days by clicking here. For specific information about the astrology of 2009, inclusive of elements, earth spirits, and so forth, please consult our extended discussion by clicking here. The baden senpo (bad days to raise prayer flags) this year are: July 2, 14, 28; August 10, 24; September 5, 19; October 1, 2, 13, 28; November 23; December 5, 20.

White Mahakala, Part 1 of 5

If you saw someone drowning, what would you do?

If you knew lifesaving, you might jump in the water and immediately try to rescue them. If you could not swim, then you might throw them a life-preserver, attached to a rope. If you could do neither one of these things, then perhaps you would call for someone to help. You would not whisper, but you would shout as loudly as you possibly could. You would try to do something.

Or, would you just stand there, silently, and watch them drown?

-- -- -- -- --

I may be criticized for doing this, but now I will write about White Mahakala: mGon dkar yid bzhin nor bu: the Rapid Acting Lord of Pristine Awareness, the Jewel, King of Power. Specifically, I will write about his brief daily practice.

There are traditional ways of doing this, but herein is not one of them.

I do not know lifesaving, I cannot swim, and I do not have a rope. But when I look around, I feel that I must do something. So, I am earnestly and loudly calling out. Having many times personally received and experienced the benefit of profound compassion throughout an endless succession of lifetimes -- just as you have -- maybe this is the very smallest thing I could do.

Origin of Mahakala

An inconceivably long time ago, Avalokitesvara gave rise to bodhicitta. As eons passed, he reached the tenth stage of a bodhisattva, and vowed to remain in samsara in order to liberate beings from suffering.

"If ever I break this vow," he said, "may my body break into a thousand pieces."

Still more eons passed, during which he engaged in continuous activity on behalf of all sentient beings, to vouchsafe their liberation. However, there came a time when his clairvoyant understanding of things as they seem caused him to think that his efforts were all in vain.

That moment of doubt was sufficient to break his vow, whereupon his body shattered.

Immediately perceiving a bodhisattva in great distress, Buddha Amitabha appeared and reassembled the pieces into the eleven-faced thousand-armed form of Avalokitesvara we all know today.

Buddha Amitabha counseled Avalokitesvara: "You must make an even stronger vow this time!"

A stronger vow? How could such a thing be possible? Stymied by the vast challenge, Avalokitesvara fell into a swoon that lasted for seven days. When he regained consciousness, he did so with the idea that by appearing in a wrathful form, he could train sentient beings, protect sentient beings, and provide for sentient beings.

His idea was quite straightforward: he decided to accomplish this three-fold activity simply by granting wishes.

This vow crystallized in his heart as a blue-black syllable HUNG, which transformed into Mahakala, empowered with the body, speech, mind, qualities, and activity of all the Buddhas of the three times.

Origin of the Teachings and Practices

So, that is how it begins.

There came a time, when Avalokitesvara was visiting a town in India called Rajastan, when he encountered a dancer, in whom great faith was spontaneously born. Because of devoted offerings to Avalokitesvara, the dancer came to reincarnate as a human named Shavaripa: Master of the Solitudes. This happened six hundred years after Buddha passed into nirvana, or around the beginning of our common era.

Shavaripa stayed in the famous charnel ground called Cool Grove, engaged in meditation. One day at dawn, a damaru drum sounded in the sky, and Mahakala appeared. He offered Shavaripa his heart mantra and all his practices, included among which was the practice of White Mahakala.

A thousand years passed, until one day a yogi named Maitri Gupta was compelled by prophesy to visit a place called Mount Glory. Upon doing so, he encountered Shavaripa, from whom he received teachings. Thereafter, he was able to directly communicate with Avalokitesvara himself, and in response to his heartfelt prayers, there has been an emanation of Mahakala in Cool Grove charnel ground ever since.

Cool Grove charnel ground, India, as it appears today.

Thereafter, it happened that a fellow named Rahula became rather disgusted with his life, and decided to go to the graveyard and just wait for death. Maitripa came by, encountered Rahula, and heard his story. He then offered the sadhana of the Wish-Fulfilling Jewel Mahakala to Rahula, saying that it could result in siddhis in as brief a period of time as one month or one year.

Practice Lineage

So, the practice I am going to discuss originates with the Indian Mahasiddha Rahula, who received it from his guru, Maitripa. Whether or not Maitripa received this from his guru, Shavaripa, I simply do not know, but it seems likely.

In turn, Rahula gave this practice to the Tibetan Mahasiddha and Shangpa Kagyu lineage master Khyungpo Naljor (978-1129), from whence it passed to Mokchokpa Rinchen Tsondru (1110-1170), Kyergangpa Chokyi Senge (1143-1216), Rigongpa Sangye Nyenton (1175-1247), and then to Sangye Tenpa Tsondru (1213-1285).

From Sangye Tenpa I have never bothered to trace the lineage with absolute precision, but I can say it is highly probable that it passed through Thangtong Gyalpo, and in some fashion -- perhaps through the Karmapa -- reached Tsongkhapa (1357-1419), from whence it passed to the lineage of the Dalai Lamas. Indeed, with the Third Dalai Lama (1543-1588), White Mahakala became the protector of Mongolia. From Thangtong Gyalpo, it is likewise probable that the lineage also passed through Je Drolchok (1507-1566), and Taranatha (1575-1634).

I have not followed the thread in the 17th and 18th centuries. My knowledge of it resumes in the 19th century with Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye (1813 - 1899), and Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820-1892). In the 20th century, it passes to Jamgon Khyentse Oser (1904-1953), and finally to the Shangpa lineage holder, Dorje Chang Kalu Rinpoche (1905-1989).

Transmission in the 20th Century

Kalu Rinpoche introduced this practice to America and Taiwan 20 years ago, in a series of empowerments held in several different cities.

The circumstances were quite remarkable. Every place he gave the empowerment and every person who attended received a continuous rain of tangible benefits for years afterward. The sphere of influence extended not only to involved individuals, but also to entire regions.

Two decades ago, the future in these places may have seemed uncertain; yet, today, these venues have become centers of Dharma practice, culture, social tranquility, and economic prosperity. This is a testament both to the efficacy of an uninterrupted lineage practice, and the limitless beneficence of a living bodhisattva. No mere words can describe the extent of Kalu Rinpoche's manifest compassion and generosity --- he was Mahakala.

I was there, and I saw with my own eyes. He became absolutely indistinguishable from White Mahakala.

This is Part 1 of a 5 part series:
Part 2: http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-mahakala-part-2-of-5.html
Part 3: http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-mahakala-part-3-of-5.html
Part 4: http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-mahakala-part-4-of-5.html

Part 5: http://tibetanaltar.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-mahakala-part-5-of-5.html


For further reading:

Nicole Riggs, trans. "Nectar Rain of Realization: The Story and Cycle of Teachings on Mahakala, the Glorious Six-Armed Wisdom Protector," in Like An Illusion: Lives of the Shangpa Kagyu Masters (Eugene: Dharma Cloud, 2001) Note that this work has been criticized by other translators for liberties taken in changing gender identifiers, and for omission of long passages.

Kunga Thartse Rinpoche, History of the White Mahakala Practice for Treasure Vases. A brief introduction, avaliable online.

Daily Tibetan Astrology: July 21, 2009

Chinese 30th, M-T-K 29th. Ox, Khen, Red 9. Today is sojong, also the Dharmapala day. Avoid traveling today. Good for long life practices. Note that the eclipse taking place in Asia should be acknowledged beginning circa 5:30 p.m. PST today in America, i.e., that is when you might want to do special practices and so forth.

Published every day at 00:01 香港時間 but written in advance and auto-posted. See our Introduction to Daily Tibetan Astrology for background information. If you know the symbolic animal of your birth year, you can get information about your positive and negative days by clicking here. For specific information about the astrology of 2009, inclusive of elements, earth spirits, and so forth, please consult our extended discussion by clicking here. The baden senpo (bad days to raise prayer flags) this year are: July 2, 14, 28; August 10, 24; September 5, 19; October 1, 2, 13, 28; November 23; December 5, 20.

Buddhism Under Siege from Within: Updated

Here is a link to an article I consider so timely and provocative, that I wish everyone would give it a read and then join the dialogue -- particularly the OENAB* who frequently forget that while they are the noisiest part of Buddhism, they are also the smallest part of Buddhism.

My hat is off to Bhikkhu K. Tanchangya for having the courage to tell it like he sees it --- and I would like to see more of the same.

One deeply disturbing trend that is sneaking around almost unnoticed is the sudden spate of "Christian Zen" practitioners. Another outrage ripe for investigation is the sudden swarm of Christian missionaries camping all over Tibet Town in Chengdu, looking to profit from any misery they can find or foster.

Salad bowl spirituality ends in disaster. If you're a Buddhist, then be a Buddhist. Don't water it down just because you live in the United States, and perceive yourself adrift alone in a "Christian nation." Despite what it says on the money, this is not now, nor has it ever been, nor was it ever meant to be a "Christian nation."

What the Han did to Tibet, the Christians did to Native America, and it is Native America that represents the true spirituality of this land between the oceans.

UPDATED: I just remembered an incident following the tsunami disaster. Christian "aid workers" came to Thailand, to the areas hardest hit, where numbers of children were orphaned. They set down two boxes, with holes in the tops big enough so that a child could reach inside. One box was labeled "Buddha," and one box was labeled "Jesus." When the child reached in the "Jesus" box, he or she came away with a handful of candy. But, the "Buddha" box was empty. Imagine the subconscious effect that had on a newly-orphaned child. This same trick was applied in Sri Lanka, and elsewhere.


*OENAB: Obnoxiously Ethnocentric North American Buddhists

Send A Mantra to Mars

Here is a fun thing to do. You can click this link and fly away to NASA's Mars Science Laboratory at JPL. Fill in the online form, and your name (or mantra) will be carried to Mars on a microchip. Hmm... if we could put 100,000 Manis on Mars...

Daily Tibetan Astrology: July 20, 2009

Chinese 29th, M-T-K 28th. Mouse, Dwa, White 8. Start getting ready for Wednesday's solar eclipse (and Saturday's Chokhor Duchen). This is a successful day, very good for sang, and offerings to the protectors. A good start to a big week.

Published every day at 00:01 香港時間 but written in advance and auto-posted. See our Introduction to Daily Tibetan Astrology for background information. If you know the symbolic animal of your birth year, you can get information about your positive and negative days by clicking here. For specific information about the astrology of 2009, inclusive of elements, earth spirits, and so forth, please consult our extended discussion by clicking here. The baden senpo (bad days to raise prayer flags) this year are: July 2, 14, 28; August 10, 24; September 5, 19; October 1, 2, 13, 28; November 23; December 5, 20.

Temples, Chapels, Retreats, Oh My

This photograph by Don Croner, of a ruined temple in Mongolia, set my thoughts to wandering. I think we spend a lot of time re-inventing the wheel when it comes to infrastructure projects. Each center, or group, or whatever, goes through essentially the same steps whenever a project is tackled -- be it casting a new statue, building a stupa or mani wheel, or setting up a chapel, temple, or retreat house. This is part of the syndrome that is bleeding Buddhism dry, financially speaking.

Can't some of this be systematized?

In looking at the above temple, built in a Chinese style -- the flush gable roof (Yingshan style)-- that has been around for centuries, I try to visualize how this could be done quickly and inexpensively in the West. I try to visualize how prefabrication could be brought into play. Hopefully, Don will wander out that way again, one of these days, and take more photographs. There is also Liang Ssu-ch'eng's Pictorial History of Chinese Architecture as a useful resource. SUNY also has a list of links.

Don't we have any venturesome Buddhist architects out there? Some 40 odd years into the game, and we still have precious few Tibetan Buddhist temples in the West. In some ways, I think it is because we dreamed big when we should have dreamed small.

This gable and hip roof style, while more complicated, is still possible. I know there are builders in California's San Gabriel Valley (the farthest eastern hutong) who actually specialize in this sort of thing. But, it is the scale that I am illustrating here. I think something like this could go up rather comfortably for a quarter of a million USD.

We already have the Japanese example to instruct is. Japanese Buddhists built temples all over the western U.S., but gradually, as the congregations displaced or aged, the larger installations were the first to go.

A diamond is a diamond whether it is ten carats or one carat.