Vaj wrote: > For an excellent exposition of the use of deity > in Buddhist tantras... > Maybe so, but there are no deities in the original teachings of the historical Buddha, Shakya the Muni.
Buddha taught 'causation' - he had nothing much to say about dieties or demi-gods. Causation is the natural law of cause and effect - the Buddha did not ascribe to the notion of 'chance' events. The Shakya said that everything happens for a reason - 'karma' - there are no exceptions. Tibetan teachings are 'far-fetched' according to Marshy - they are a 'mixup' of traditions, some don't even make any sense at all. "A deity is a postulated preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by human beings." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deity When Shakyamuni attained the buddha state, he is reported to have said: "Profound, simple, transparent!" What did he mean by this? According to R. A. F. Thurman, "What can be said with some certainty is that it was not a religion. A young seeker who would later become one of the Buddha's most famous disciples met an old monk on the streets of the Indian city of Varanasi whose composure and contented glow were notable. The youth asked the old mendicant about his teacher and the teaching he followed. The monk avowed inability to explain and invited the seeker to visit his teacher, the Buddha. The seeker insisted on some explanation, and the monk said, "The Buddha has said that all things arise from causes, what are their causes, and what their cessation. Such being his philosophy (322)!" This mantralike statement contains the core insight of Shakya the Muni, the writings of 'Tenzin Gyatso' notwithstanding. Work cited: 'Inner Revolution' by Robert Thurman, Ph.D. Riverhead Books, 1998
