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Chakras???
Hello. So...I'm curious, I'm dabbling in paganism, but I still love buddhism, and I'm wondering, do buddhists open their chakras? Or is that something completely different? Also, how do you feel about the "third eye"?
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The third eye in what regard (it can refer to a few different things)? And do you mean, how does Buddhism regard it?
The third eye - the Ajna - is also someyhing Yogic.
None of this is any concern to a buddhist unless they also practise Yoga.
Yes, they do, but they don't call it that. Your question about the third eye is a bit vague. Can you rephrase?
The third eye can refer to a lot of things. In what way are you using the term? The Chakra? The symbol? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_eye
Either be more specific about what exactly it is you're trying to establish, or do some research of your own.
It's really not that difficult.
But trying to engage with you and hold a coherent discussion - is.
That sums it up.
Welcome to the site! It's lovely to meet you.
I'm afraid I don't know anything specific about the third eye other than it's some kind of spiritual thing but I don't know where it originated or anything. I'm not sure what it means either. I have a vague notion that it has something to do with our inner wisdom but that's about it and I've never come across it in Buddhism so I don't think the Buddha ever taught anything either positive or negative about it.
Does that help at all? Hope so.
(Watch me be totally wrong and find out that the third eye is the foundation on which Buddhism is built...:D)
thats not true.
Chakras are used in all Vajrayana traditions.
They usually dont come into play until the completion stage of the anutarayogatantra's of the sarma tradition though.
However, you need maybe like 1 solid year to reach extremely good single-pointed concentration. Then you need another 1.5 years to actually locate the chakras and channels using your concentration.
By the time you succeed you will likely have already have gained other siddhis such as being able to hear sounds 200 miles away and/or reading other people's minds.
You mean some do. The Chakras aren't relevent to all schools and the things you're talking about are esoteric teachings more related to yogic practices and tantra.
For example when a person reaches jhana/dhyana the sign of for example extraordinary rapture/pliancy will appear. Non-tantra will explain it from the pov of mental factors whereas tantra will in addition to that explain what is happening with extremely subtle physical parts of the body + mind (channels etc).
But in this sense, doesn't everyone? The Chakras are constantly being affected. I don't get it - isn't RockandBuddha19 asking if all Buddhists take part in certain practices specifically to open their Chakras, or if they all find Chakras relevent? In the way you're discussing them, couldn't I say "Christians open their Chakras" too then? I don't think that's the OP was asking. :S
not according to Sakya Pandita.
The only way a practitioner can undergo the stages and paths of tantra (including chakra opening and the loosening of knots in the channels) is through the four ripening initiations of maha or anu yoga tantra.
for a detailed source see his text A Clear Differentiation of the Three Codes.
If you really want to have a fruitful meditation using chakra's you have to find an authentic teacher of Vajrayana.
After you complete some form of preliminary practice you can request instructions that involve chakra's and channels.
some examples of these practices are tummo and tsalung.
They have their own thorough explanations, but it is not something most people can do or will do.
In Buddhism, for the tantric practices being discussed, you would need to find, as Shenpen said, an authentic teacher. These teachings are much more esoteric.
But you don't need Buddhism to work on the Chakras. Youtube/Google it.
you said "from a tantric pov".
thats what i was referring to.