Adi-Buddha.

white_wolf

Hey, everyone. I recently started practicing at a Tibetan center, since it's the only within driving distance of me. I don't agree with everything they teach, but I enjoy going. Anyway, as I was doing research on Varjrayana I came across an article on the Adi-Buddha and honestly the idea really didn't set well with me. It seems too much like a creator God, to me. I was wondering is belief in the Adi-Buddha required and is my understanding of it correct? Any answers would be great.

To quote from the Wikipeida article: "In Vajrayana Buddhism, the Adi-Buddha, or Adibuddha (Tibetan: Dang-po'i sangs-rgyas), is the "Primordial Buddha." The term refers to a self-emanating, self-originating Buddha, present before anything else existed. Samantabhadra, Samantabhadri and Vajradhara are the best known names for Adi-Buddha, though there are others. Adi-Buddha is usually depicted as dark blue.

The concept of Adi-Buddha is the closest to monotheism of any form of Buddhism. Even then, Adi-Buddha is recognized as the center of an extended array of peaceful and wrathful deities, which are considered reflections of it. All famous sages and Bodhisattvas are said to be reflections of Adi-Buddha, and many are identified as the "personality" of it." Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adi-Buddha

Floating_Abu

I think Tibetan uses deities and a lot of imagery in their teachings. But reading the above, I believe it is just a description of Buddha i.e Buddha Nature / Primordial Nature / Buddha etc

As Buddha is beyond words, how the tradition chooses to relay and guide the student is up to the tradition, I guess.

Others will be more informed

Abu

PrairieGhost

Some people will say that this kind of belief will hold you back. They argue very convincingly. They may call you a Hindu, as if that was something degrading.

I can't match their erudition, but in the words of David Bowie, after all's said and done, I think my spaceship knows which way to go.

Make your practice count and don't worry too much about doctrine being 100 percent logically consistent. There isn't any set of perfect words to describe things, which doesn't mean no truth, it just means our thoughts aren't as wide as the world.

taiyaki

The Adi Buddha is the natural state, which is the primordial presence awareness.
The play of the natural state is peaceful and wrathful.

Or stillness and movement.

These are all symbolic introductions to our basic condition.