Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.
Am I ready for wrathful deities?
lobster
Crusty Veteran
in Philosophy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrathful_deities
I always think of the wrathful deity practices as dancing on our delusions, with us screaming, 'give us the truth but not so fast'
Do they listen - of course not. They are far too compassionate.
Here is how Gibran uses his loaf:
Love
Then said Almitra, "Speak to us of Love." And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and there fell a stillness upon them. And with a great voice he said: When love beckons to you follow him, Though his ways are hard and steep. And when his wings enfold you yield to him, Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you. And when he speaks to you believe in him, Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden. For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning. Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun, So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth. Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself. He threshes you to make you naked. He sifts you to free you from your husks. He grinds you to whiteness. He kneads you until you are pliant; And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast. All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart. But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure, Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor, Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears. Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself. Love possesses not nor would it be possessed; For love is sufficient unto love. When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, I am in the heart of God." And think not you can direct the course of love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course. Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself. But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires: To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To know the pain of too much tenderness. To be wounded by your own understanding of love; And to bleed willingly and joyfully. To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving; To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy; To return home at eventide with gratitude; And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.
http://www.bohra.net/archive/gibran/gibran2.html
Do you love the wrathful masks of the dharmakaya? Who is your favourite?
Should I be aspiring to be a wrathful Buddha?
I always think of the wrathful deity practices as dancing on our delusions, with us screaming, 'give us the truth but not so fast'
Do they listen - of course not. They are far too compassionate.
Here is how Gibran uses his loaf:
Love
Then said Almitra, "Speak to us of Love." And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and there fell a stillness upon them. And with a great voice he said: When love beckons to you follow him, Though his ways are hard and steep. And when his wings enfold you yield to him, Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you. And when he speaks to you believe in him, Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden. For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning. Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun, So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth. Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself. He threshes you to make you naked. He sifts you to free you from your husks. He grinds you to whiteness. He kneads you until you are pliant; And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast. All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart. But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure, Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor, Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears. Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself. Love possesses not nor would it be possessed; For love is sufficient unto love. When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, I am in the heart of God." And think not you can direct the course of love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course. Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself. But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires: To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To know the pain of too much tenderness. To be wounded by your own understanding of love; And to bleed willingly and joyfully. To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving; To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy; To return home at eventide with gratitude; And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.
http://www.bohra.net/archive/gibran/gibran2.html
Do you love the wrathful masks of the dharmakaya? Who is your favourite?
Should I be aspiring to be a wrathful Buddha?
0
Comments
I was afraid. "How could I be ready for this!? This was obviously composed for vajaryana students.", I thought. As we started to chant, the leader once again assured all of the newbies that everything was fine. "Relax and chant a long with me.", he said, so I did. As we chanted the verses, I tried to actually hear their meaning, which was basically the dispelling of dualistic thinking.
For all of my initial fear that I wasn't ready, I actually felt like I had internalized something from the practice. I'm not saying that I had a grand realization or anything, but I did walk away from the sadhana with a slightly different outlook. I'm also not saying that I am ready for any regular wrathful deity practice, but I did enjoy this one!
I really don't have a favorite wrathful deity. To me, Buddha is Buddha. At this point in my practice, it really doesn't matter what package bodhi comes in. As far as your personal aspirations, I think you should just be a Lobster Buddha. lol