Shambalah

Ch-an_noob

Can some of the Vrajyana practitioners on here please explain to me the concept of Shambalah to me? Is this the goal of making earth into a pureland?

Can someone also explain tantric practices to me? Most of you are pretty eloquent so I am sure you'd explain it better than wikipedia

upalabhava

Berzin has some essays toward the bottom of this page. This essay - Mistaken Foreign Myths about Shambhala - seems like a good starting place.

Berzin on Tantra. Audio lecture entitled Overview of Tantra.

The word tantra means an everlasting continuum. Everlasting continuums operate on three levels: as a basis, a pathway and a result. On the basis level, the everlasting continuum is our mind – specifically its subtlest level known as primordial clear light – which provides continuity throughout all our lifetimes. Like a pure laser beam of mere clarity and awareness, unadulterated by the gross oscillations of conceptual thought or disturbing emotions, it underlies each moment of experience, whether we are awake or asleep. If mind is like a radio that plays forever, its subtlest level is similar to the machine simply being on. A radio remains on throughout the process of leaving a station, being between bands and tuning into another frequency. Similarly, our subtlest mind never turns off and so is the basis for our experiences of death, bardo (the state between rebirths) and the conception of a new life. Neither station, volume, nor even temporary static affects the fact that the radio is on. Likewise, neither rebirth status, intensity of experience, nor even the "fleeting stains" of passing thoughts or moods affect our clear light mind. This subtlest mind proceeds even into Buddhahood and provides the basis for attaining enlightenment.

Furthermore, each clear light continuum, whether prior to enlightenment or afterwards, is individual. All radios are not the same radio, although each receiver works the same. Thus, there is no such thing as a universal clear light mind or basis tantra in which each of our minds participates.

The second level of tantra, the everlasting pathway continuum, refers to a specific method for becoming a Buddha, namely meditative practices involving Buddha-figures. This method is sometimes called "deity yoga." The third level, the everlasting resultant continuum, is the endless continuity of Buddha-bodies or Corpuses of a Buddha that we achieve with enlightenment. To fully help others requires bodies or corpuses of knowledge, wisdom, experience and forms to suit every being and occasion. In short, tantra involves an everlasting continuum of practice with Buddha-figures to purify our everlasting mental continuum of its fleeting stains, in order to achieve, on its basis, the everlasting continuum of the Corpuses of a Buddha. The texts that discuss these topics are also called "tantras."

Dakini

ch'an Noob, I think your question about tantra would be best addressed if given its own thread. There are several tantric practitioners on this site. I'd look forward to reading a variety of responses, to add to Upalas. The more the merrier. What do you think? You have to separate questions in one thread here, and each deserves its own. Both are important questions. But since only the "Shambala" shows up in the index, none of the advanced practitioners will know that there's a question about tantra here. That's why I thought it should have its own thread.

...just a thought.

YesheDorje

Ch'an_noob wrote: »

Can some of the Vrajyana practitioners on here please explain to me the concept of Shambalah to me? Is this the goal of making earth into a pureland?

Can someone also explain tantric practices to me? Most of you are pretty eloquent so I am sure you'd explain it better than wikipedia

CN, it is important to remember that both your questions could have endless responses, and that only a qualified teacher could give a correct and appropriate response. In particular, Vajrayana practices require a qualified teacher in order to understand the meaning and method. That said, here is what I think that you are wanting to know as brief, correct and appropriate as I can be.

The book titled Shambalah by Chogyam Trungpa is an inspiring read that is easy to read, and positively thought provoking. The main message seems to be a teaching of the path of the peaceful warrior, taking a warriors approach to defeating the inner delusions and a warriors instant and skillful dedication to helping others.

Vajrayana practices use sadhanas (meditation texts) that include rituals to guide through visualizations to achieve the essence of the yidam (meditative deity). For example Chenrezig, the Buddha of compassion is done to realize and eventually achieve the compassion of Chenrezig. The concept of taking the result, the result being enlightenment, into the practice and path is used to bring out the enlightened qualities in the practitioner.

Dakini

There's a lot about Shambhala in the Kalachakra Tantra, as well.