Transcendental Meditation?

Mind_Zenith

What do we think of Transcendental Meditation? My mother learnt it when it first came to Australia, and said it was just $30 for her to learn. Thinking it may have increased to maybe $50, I decided to sign up at the local TM(c) centre, to find it was actually more closer to $2500 for a weekend course. When I heard this, my stomach almost fell out through my... well, you get the idea...

Anyway, what do you guys think of it? Has anyone gone through the course?

I'm thinking more traditional Buddhist meditations would be the road for me!

Gassho!

taiyaki

you can pick up a book for a lot cheaper.

hell you can even download guided mediation or even podcasts that helps with meditation for free.
check out gil fronsdal and his introduction to meditation podcasts from zencast. they're awesome and straight forward.

good luck.

Floating_Abu

http://www.mro.org/zmm/teachings/meditation.php

compassionate_warrior

I've heard it's REALLY expensive, but they guarantee results. They get you to bliss.

Dakini

I've been tempted to try it for precisely that reason: they get you to bliss, they guarantee it. But I don't have a spare $2500 or more sitting around. :-/

SherabDorje

Do you get a secret decoder ring for that $2500?

Seriously, I agree with the Gil Fronsdal suggestion. Everything you need to know on mp3 for free. And it's really good.

Mind_Zenith

Do you get a secret decoder ring for that $2500?

Actually, when I asked what comes with it, the lady said "A lifetime of peace and tranquility"...

I actually thought it would be a good idea to do TM(c) because it's mantra based, and my main religious practice is centred on repetition of a mantra. I think just timing it to breath meditation might be a LITTLE cheaper.

SherabDorje

Mantras are free all over the internet. If it's a TB mantra, be sure it's permitted or you have the initiation.

OM MANI PEME HUNG. (I'll send you my contact information by PM so you can send me the money. I want krugerrands delivered by courier. )

EDIT: http://www.khandro.net/practice_mantra.htm

SherabDorje

Some other mantras in Tibetan Buddhism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantra#Some_other_mantras_in_Tibetan_Buddhism

The following list of mantras is from Kailash - Journal of Himalayan Studies, Volume 1, Number 2, 1973. (pp. 168–169) (augmented by other contributors). It also includes renderings of Om mani padme hum.

Please note that the word swaha is sometimes shown as svaha, and is usually pronounced as 'so-ha' by Tibetans. Spellings tend to vary in the transliterations to English, for example, hum and hung are generally the same word. The mantras used in Tibetan Buddhist practice are in Sanskrit, to preserve the original mantras. Visualizations and other practices are usually done in the Tibetan language.

* Om wagishwari hum This is the mantra of the Mahabodhisattva Manjusri, Tibetan: Jampelyang (Wylie "'jam dpal dbyangs")... The Buddha in his wisdom aspect.
* Om mani padme hum The mantra of Avalokitesvara, Mahabodhisattva, the Buddha in his compassion aspect.
* Om vajrapani hum The mantra of the Buddha as Protector of the Secret Teachings. i.e.: as the Mahabodhisattva Channa Dorje (Vajrapani).
* Om vajrasattva hum The short mantra for Vajrasattva, there is also a full 100-syllable mantra for Vajrasattva.
* Om ah hum vajra guru padma siddhi hum The mantra of the Vajraguru Guru Padma Sambhava who established Mahayana Buddhism and Tantra in Tibet.
* Om tare tuttare ture mama ayurjnana punye pushting svaha The mantra of Dölkar or White Tara, the emanation of Arya Tara [Chittamani Tara]
* Om tare tuttare ture svaha, mantra of Green Arya Tara - Jetsun Dolma or Tara, the Mother of the Buddhas: om represents Tara's sacred body, speech, and mind. Tare means liberating from all discontent. Tutare means liberating from the eight fears, the external dangers, but mainly from the internal dangers, the delusions. Ture means liberating from duality; it shows the "true" cessation of confusion. Soha means "may the meaning of the mantra take root in my mind."

According to Tibetan Buddhism, this mantra (Om tare tutare ture soha) can not only eliminate disease, troubles, disasters, and karma, but will also bring believers blessings, longer life, and even the wisdom to transcend one's circle of reincarnation. Tara representing long life and health.

* Om amarani jiwantiye svaha The mantra of the Buddha of limitless life: the Buddha Amitayus (Tibetan Tsépagmed) in celestial form.
* Om dhrung svaha The purification mantra of the mother Namgyalma.
* Om ami dhewa hri The mantra of the Buddha Amitabha (Hopagmed) of the Western Pureland, his skin the colour of the setting sun.
* Om ami dewa hri The mantra of Amitabha (Ompagme in Tibetan).
* Om ah ra pa ca na dhih The mantra of the "sweet-voiced one", Jampelyang (Wylie "'jam dpal dbyangs") or Manjusri, the Bodhisattva of wisdom.
* Om muni muni maha muniye sakyamuni swaha The mantra of Buddha Sakyamuni, the historical Buddha
* Om gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha The mantra of the Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra (Heart Sutra)
*translations of the Master of Healing Sutra.

compassionate_warrior

According to Tibetan Buddhism, this mantra (Om tare tutare ture soha) can not only eliminate disease, troubles, disasters, and karma, but will also bring believers blessings, longer life, and even the wisdom to transcend one's circle of reincarnation. Tara representing long life and health.

Do you believe this?