Vaj, (and others of course) You have mentioned the role of bliss -- I beleive in its relationship to emptiness. Can you eleaboratge on your tradition(s) view of the role of bliss. And / or critique the following excerpts from searches. (This is not fuel for a debate, but an honest inquiry and practical need).
Thanks per Peter Morrell http://www.homeoint.org/morrell/buddhism/bodhichitta.htm ... generate and deepen the sense of emptiness of all phenomena and self. This is the tantric function of blissful states. They are generated and enjoyed purely as means towards enlightenment, as aspects of the path, not as ends in themselves. In themselves they are mere sensations - part of samsara. The generation of bliss can be kept going all the time. ... To begin with, bliss seems to preclude emptiness, but then the two become thoroughly entwined, such that touching one brings out the other. The three main components of the tantric path, the vajrayana, therefore, are these three - bliss, emptiness and compassion/bodhichitta. Bodhichitta [strong compassion] is required at the start of the path, in the middle and at the end. Bliss and emptiness, likewise, are required at all stages. ... This function is to increase wisdom and tranquillity and lead also to deeper and deeper feelings both of compassion and bodhichitta or pity, and also of emptiness. The deeper and more intense the preceeding bliss, so the deeper and more intense the apprehension of compassion and emptiness. Bliss is therefore just a stepping-stone into the fuller apprehension of compassion and emptiness. [Question: what are the practices -- or names / sources for such in using bliss with relationship to emptiness and compassion? In other words, when when one is overcome with bliss, how can it be utilized for tantric practice?] ... One key feature of this process is to use self and world to generate a body and mind of great bliss, for without this bliss one is not a Buddha and one's view of the world is thus still impure or samsaric. ... Bliss that is also and very importantly continually, inseparably and intimately commingled, conjoined and blended with emptiness, tranquillity, non-attachment and bodhichitta. All of these qualities must be blended with the bliss. The Buddha view is only attained through bliss and the bliss is only attained and maintained through deity yoga and seeing the world as mandala. This is the final step into Buddhahood - maintaining the unfading bliss. ... Once our body and senses become the source of continuous and unfading bliss, conjoined with emptiness etc then we are very close to seeing the world as mandala and of achieving the truth body, enjoyment body and emanation body of a Buddha. The bliss must be welded with compassion or bodhichitta and tranquillity as this makes it warm, caring and powerful, radiant and supple. If the compassion element is missing then it becomes selfish bliss, indulgent bliss and falls into hedonism. The non-attachment is also important or we become deeply attached to the bliss and the pleasure element. Similar arguments apply to the other required elements. TWO forms of bliss exist - Conditional bliss which depends entirely upon non-empty forms, sense stimuli and concepts and feelings for its generation and experience. - Non-conditional bliss which depends for its generation on empty forms or on the perception of emptiness in general, on imagined visualised forms and concepts, etc. [Question: this doesn't seem right -- per experience, bliss occurs and is not dependent solely on thse things. Are these two forms of bliss a correct view per tantra? ] Impure or contaminated bliss is impure for 2 reasons. 1. it is based upon sensory forms 2. it is not commingled with other superior qualities like deep tranquillity, non-attachment, emptiness, preciousness (deity), selflessness, bodhichitta or compassion, etc. Because it is not commingled with these superior qualities it is a transient and inferior bliss that is only partially helpful as a tool for spiritual practice. In order for this type of bliss to become of service in practice, it must be refined and purified by mixing it with superior and pure qualities. Sense-based bliss is contaminated with desire (attachment, greed) and with ignorance (lack of selflessness) while pure bliss is not contaminated with these negative qualities. Yet through careful practice all sensory bliss can be utilised as pure by viewing it, self, world, etc as aspects of deity yoga and commingled with the superior qualities mentioned above. In this way even transient feelings of negative states like anger, hatred, aversion etc can be 'seen and tasted as blisses'. ... However, with uncontaminated bliss, the pleasure is experienced as an aspect of oneself as a deity, as a precious emanation of emptiness and in a non-attached and compassionate way. Thus, commingled with these superior qualities, the bliss is a pure uncontaminated bliss that is an aid to practice, instead of a distraction from it. ------------ Ah, just found HHDL book: Union of Bliss & Emptiness, By Lama, Dalai. Is this a good start or are other books better? The Lama Choepa Guru Yoga practice, which combines aspects of sutra recitation and tantric visualization, has been preserved in an uninterrupted lineage from Shakyarnuni Buddha 2,500 years ago in India through Lama Tsongkhapa in Tibet, a key figure in the Dalai Lama's own Gelugpa tradition.Me practice itself is a complex, lengthy, and formidable meditative visualization of numerous Buddhas, deities, and iconographical images. [Question: How is related to blis and emptiness?] -------- Now concerning the practice of Karmamudra, of causing Bliss-Emptiness to arise through union of Wisdom (prajna) and Means (upaya): drow down and blend thoroughly, and you shall manifest the actual Divine Pleroma (mandala) in your own body. Following this path free of desire, the experience of Bliss-Emptiness will carry you along. Glowing inwardly, blessed with renewed vigour, with immortality, your power will expand like the waxing moon. Thus, surpassing all worldly accomplishments (siddhi), the supreme goal, the Supramundane Accomplishment, shall you attain! Ganga-Mahamudra-Upadesa of Sri Tilopa http://www.dharmafellowship.org/library/texts/the-ganga-ma.htm To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
