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What Makes You Not A Buddhist ... A Precis Of Dzongkar Khyentse Rinpoche

CittaCitta Veteran
edited December 2012 in Arts & Writings
What makes you not a Buddhist according to Dzongskar Khyentse Rinpoche is;
Believing that anything has permanence
Believing that anything has a separate intrinsic existence.
Believing that any emotion can be free from pain.
Believing that Buddhadharma can be expressed by means of concepts.
VastmindmithrilWisdom23

Comments

  • GuiGui Veteran
    Believing you are a Buddhist also makes you not a Buddhist.
    I_AM_THATsova
  • BhikkhuJayasaraBhikkhuJayasara Bhikkhu Veteran
    That's why I'm a dhammaist :-P
    mithril
  • GuiGui Veteran
    Actually, now that I think about it,
    believing you are a Buddhist does make you a Buddhist also.
    ecdrewello1sova
  • CittaCitta Veteran
    Gui said:

    Actually, now that I think about it,
    believing you are a Buddhist does make you a Buddhist also.

    See the fourth of Dzongkar Rinpoches points.

  • howhow Veteran Veteran
    Is a Buddhist a belief ? A being with a Buddhist belief? A Buddhist belief which other Buddhists agree with? Or just an ironic question of identity?
  • ecdrewello1ecdrewello1
    Well, until I become a Buddha some labels are good... because then I can at least have some idea where another person is coming from!
  • howhow Veteran Veteran
    @ecdrewello1
    HHmmm. If non Buddha is a label, who's left when you wash it off??
    That one of those tricky shortcuts to end of the path, isn't it?
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    We are all works-in-progress.
    _/\_
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran
    Citta said:

    Believing that Buddhadharma can be expressed by means of concepts.

    I'm not sure I agree. Doesn't the expression of Buddhist teachings rely on concepts?
  • CittaCitta Veteran
    I dont know...does it ?
    Of course what I have provided is a precis...The Rinpoches teaching can be explored in his book " What Makes You Not A Buddhist "..Strongly recommended. And which uses concepts to point to the way to bypass concepts.
  • BhanteLuckyBhanteLucky Alternative lifestyle person in the South Island of New Zealand New Zealand Veteran
    Citta said:

    What makes you not a Buddhist according to Dzongskar Khyentse Rinpoche is;
    Believing that anything has permanence
    Believing that anything has a separate intrinsic existence.
    Believing that any emotion can be free from pain.
    Believing that Buddhadharma can be expressed by means of concepts.

    Just tentatively putting this out there: Being a "Buddhist" does not rely on what one Believes. It relies on what one does and how one lives.
    Hmm, sounds good... maybe.

    I know a bunch of Buddhists who "believe" the above list, but they believe blindly, with blind faith, because that's what they were taught. They've got very little actual experiential knowledge of the facts of what they believe.
  • CittaCitta Veteran
    THats certainly true James.
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran
    JamestheGiant said:

    I know a bunch of Buddhists who "believe" the above list, but they believe blindly, with blind faith, because that's what they were taught.

    Yes, but others rely on blind disbelief.

    BhanteLucky
  • CittaCitta Veteran
    So it would appear that blind belief or disbelief are opposite sides of the same coin ?
    BhanteLuckyRebeccaSVastmind
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran
    Citta said:

    So it would appear that blind belief or disbelief are opposite sides of the same coin ?

    Yes, it seems that way. And traditionally skeptical doubt is a hindrance.

    BhanteLuckyRebeccaS
  • CittaCitta Veteran
    edited December 2012
    " We see ourselves as Enlightened on a brightly lit stage...with adoring disciples throwing flowers..
    There is just one flaw with this scenario...when Enlightenment happens.." we" wont be there at all..."
    sova
  • footiamfootiam Veteran
    Citta said:

    What makes you not a Buddhist according to Dzongskar Khyentse Rinpoche is;
    Believing that anything has permanence
    Believing that anything has a separate intrinsic existence.
    Believing that any emotion can be free from pain.
    Believing that Buddhadharma can be expressed by means of concepts.

    I remember seeing a book on Why I am not a Buddhist? in a shop in Bhutan but a Christian fellow traveller got the book before I grab it. Now, I just worry why I am not a human.
  • misecmisc1misecmisc1 I am a Hindu India Veteran
    Citta said:

    Believing that Buddhadharma can be expressed by means of concepts.

    my understanding of Buddha's teachings says: Dhamma is everywhere. But if you want to express Dhamma to help someone make it understand, then you have to use examples - which will have conventions in it. That is why, realizing the Dhamma in our heart is needed to make our heart our true refuge.
    robot
  • CittaCitta Veteran
    I consulted my notes and I has missed out a bit...
    The full quote is " We see ourselves at some time in the future as Englightened ....etc.
  • CinorjerCinorjer Veteran
    edited December 2012
    Heh. I've observed before that Zen is the school of Buddhism that says the essence of the Dharma cannot be put into words, and then we wrote a thousand sutras to explain just what we meant.

    The message that something lies beyond concepts is itself a concept. As for the other points, I'd have to read the book to see what he meant. For instance, my restatement of the third point would go further and say "Believing any life can or should be free from pain" because as he puts it, it seems like emotions are the problem.

  • CittaCitta Veteran
    edited December 2012
    I would strongly recommend the book...I started the thread to commend it.
  • CittaCitta Veteran
    edited December 2012
    The book explores in detail The Four Dharma Seals
    Which are at the heart of the Vajrayana and Dzogchen.
    All componded things are impermanent.
    No intrinsic existence can be found.
    All sentient existence is characterised by pain at all levels.
    The original nature of the mind is Peace.

    There are various alternative translations.
  • VastmindVastmind Memphis, TN Veteran
    edited December 2012
    I'm planning on reading the book now, and
    I'll tell you why.

    'The original nature of the mind' ???
    Oh shit mister! The few dharma debates I have
    attempted to get into around here, centers around
    this very theory. Original nature? Uh oh!
    I'm not saying it. You know what you are....hahaha

    Concepts? Once again....vocab just depends
    on one's education. Even if at the very least...
    concept can be describing using labels. No?

    Seriously though,
    I'm interested in hearing this explained, and
    the teachings that go with it. I think I'm
    going to like it. Thanks for sharing. :)

    Disclosure: I got it a couple of years ago,
    but haven't read it yet.
    how
  • CittaCitta Veteran
    Well the solution is in your hands..or perhaps on your shelf...I would guess that it has had more impact on the English speaking Vajrayana world then anything since " Cutting Through ".
  • ArthurbodhiArthurbodhi Mars Veteran
    I'm just reading this book, really good, BTW the author also is the filmmaker of the movie "The Cup".

    Something peculiar is that the title of this book in Spanish is " Tu también puedes ser budista", that is " You also can be a Buddhist". :)
  • sovasova delocalized fractyllic harmonizing Veteran
    Vastminds said:

    I'm planning on reading the book now

    ...

    it is a good read, Seconded


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